Back from Atlantis

This is while returning back from the Atlantis. They have a short monorail trip for visitors till Jumeirah Palm residences.It was 1 week trip in mid-Oct. Unlike our previous drive-around & discover trips, this was a little different. We were at the mercy of friends and cabbies. First learning - people drive right lane, unlike us here. When a cabbie warned of 'heavy traffic' ahead, we kept waiting for all hell to break loose, honking, rows of cars - but no drama at all ! Just a couple of extra cars! Dubai has a fascination of 'owning' everything that is a little 'larger than life' - literally - they have the worlds biggest malls, cinemas, building, hotel etc etc....hmm a bit too much of everything !

Bhandardara - 4 hrs from Mumbai?

Our visit was in September, a few years back, when the waterfall had just about a decent flow. Few enthusiasts even trekked down to the base for a swim in the hot sun. Bhandardara is a place to just relax, laze, eat, sleep & if that gets too boring in a day, its best to visit the waterfall, Wilson dam (quite ancient) and the local market for the amazing colourful sights and cheerful local folks. And for early risers, there's another spot - the Bird Sanctuary, a short drive away, but dont expect to see birds, not many left anymore :(

Chintamani Theur - Ashtavinayak

Garlands and trinkets fill up the street with colour. This street leads up to the Ganpati Mandir @ Theur, where the lord is called Chintamani. Close to Pune, around a 30min drive, this forms part of the eight Ganpatis on the Ashtavinayak circuit