We reach MTDC malshej ghat well within our check in time.

 

This is the only property in this area of western ghat which has kept the area very clean and absolutely non commercialized.

Malshej ghat is heaven during  monsoon period, but in this winter it has different flavor. It has inherent laid back charm. One can come here only to unwind.

There is nothing around the resort. One can either just relax or make it as base to explore  shivneri fort, two of the ashtvinayaka ganpatis, naneghat, harishchabdraghad, ganesh khind, bhimashankar .

We decide to relax as Pari is having food poisoning symptoms.

We have a night walk in moonlight taking care of snakes (one of the local cautions us as we walk through grass land towards the cliff)

 

24 th December, Thursday

morning sheila and myself go for run-walk in the windy-chilly weather.

We have decided to return as Pari and Riva have given their choice to return home. Pari is still not well and Riva wants to spend time with her cousins at thane.

We take interesting internal roads beyond the malshej ghat.

Once we are down we take chasole-talegaon-manjare-dolkhamb-talvada-kasara road to reach nasik=Mumbai road. This is against the advice of a dhaba owner who felt with our kind of urban family and modern car ( rather then Jeep ) we should avoid internal road which are not good at some stretches.

We have a lovely ride as for most part of our journey ours is the only vehicle on the road as we pass through small villages.

The road at times is bad but the driving through these kind of road is stress free. When one drives on the main high way one has to be very alert due to traffic and speed. The internal roads you drive at lower speeds and stop and observe things more at ease.

we have our lunch at dalwai hotel on nasik mumbai road. towards evening we see many saibaba devotees walking towards shirdi in large numbers

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