Team-BHP - Mumbai to Ganapatipule

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Dear All,
I would like to share my trip with you all

I had read some of l the reviews and found them quite useful. Here I am trying to give something back.
I had planed my trip at the end of June, but some how or other it got postponed. After a long time we decided to go at the end of July, rest my ZEN did the job.
I did my booking at MTDC ( Sea view cottage ) one week before. I gather all the info from internet regarding road direction, where to stop on the way and what are the best hotels on the way.
Since we wanted to enjoy the scenery and enjoy the rains we decided to move out in the morning. It was raining heavily the day we started and I was getting bit worried as there were news of flooding some where around chiplun. Any way on 28-july-07 at 5 AM, I took out my zen, it was raining heavily, I started from borivali and very soon We set out on what probably must be the my most loved route MH-17 Bombay – Goa Via pen-Chiplun to Ganpatipule,
On the way we stop at DATTA for nice kanda poha and tea, with my stomach full we headed straight to pen, it was raining all the way and time was 7 AM, with very little traffic , I press down my acc and yes we were zooming towards ganpatipule, there were greenery every where and the site itself was mesmearing. From Vadkhal naka we took left turn which takes us to Goa, now things will get interesting. It started raining heavily and every where there was green only the road was black. As we pass each district we see different landscapes, a concrete jungle in Thane, cool hilly Karnala region, lush green rice fields at Kolad in north Raigarh, harsh rugged southern Raigarh at Mahad, coconut trees and water streams by the road in Ratnagiri district, After eating good food at Vithal Kamat Mahad , we passed Kashedi ghat while it was still raining,the whole ghat section was under the influence of cloud cover. We took a three breaks on the ghat took some lovely pic, spend some time on the ghat as it was difficult to drive through the dense cloud. Our average speed was around 80 kmph on ghats as there was hardly any traffic and took frequent breaks. If climbing ghats was on top gear and going down hill was a pleasure especially Parshuram and ghats after Khed. Cutting corners on the empty highways make you feel like you own a race track of your own. After more frequent breaks we reached Sangameshwar and only 70 kms away from Ganpatipule. Drive past Nivili ghat and took a right from there. Riding the last 35 kms on what seemed to be plateau, counting down the kms but still no signs of the beach not even the sand laying on the edge of the road, finally driving fast over a gentle slope on the corner of the cliff we saw the massive water body, I was not only ecstatic but also afraid as the sea looked huge as if it would rise up and sweep us all into it (this is what I fell, you might feel different). This moment contains many emotions which I can’t put down in words. It was magical it still keeps flashing in from of my eyes.
MTDC has tents and Konkani huts right on the beach, Since we had our reservation done at see view cottage, we went straight at it , the view from the lawn was simple great. we then went for a dip in the sea, was there for about two hours and then back in our cottage , had a very warm bath.
Instead of to going to Jaigad fort and sticking to time schedules we decided against and spent the whole evening, under an umbrella on a comfortable chair, with slight drizzle and cold wind blowing in our face. By now there was a storm raging in our stomach which we had to subside with great Malvani food, at around 10 PM we retire back at our cottage and went back to sleep.
Next morning we went to the temple for darshan, we also did the pradishina around the temple. The we had our brunch at MTDC , it was 11.45 AM when we made our journey back to Mumbai we reached Mahad hotel Vithal Kamat at around 5.00 PM , relieved us in their very luxurious bathroom (it was really plush). As we make our way through Panvel traffic we knew home was not far away. We reached where we started from at our building gate ( Borivali ).I checked my odometer it read 800 KM. .

Distance from Borivali to ganpatipule and back 800 KM.
Expenses- 1000 Rs / day.

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