Cabbing it to Pune - II
Published by Yazad Jal November 29th, 2004 in TechnologyThe most important thing that struck me during my recent Pune trip was how much I enjoyed the scenery. The Western Ghats are beautiful, especially this time of the year, just after the monsoons. (I’m a camera klutz, so no pics. Sorry!)
But this was not the first time I’d travelled to Pune. I’ve done the ghats innumerable times before. What was so special this time around? The mountains and valleys hadn’t changed much since my childhood. What had changed were the circumstances. I was in an air-conditioned cab. We were on the smooth expressway. No heat. No crowded bus with passengers jostling you. No bumps on the road. It wasn’t what was outside. It was the way I travelled that had changed.
This change, I suspect, is not limited to me. Air-conditioned “volvo” buses are common, one every half hour (or more). With a better level of comfort comes more appreciation of beauty. You have the time and inclination to “sit and stare”; free from the encumbrances of a clammy, crowded, and clanky bus.
Yazad,
I remember making the journey from Pune to the outskirts of Bombay in as much time as the journey from the outskirts of Bombay to the City.
But hey, you are right about that expressway.
Get such roads in place between major towns and cities, and India will be on its way.
I have driven down to Pune a couple of times and fell in love with the expressway and the scenery around. Never been on the old highway so don’t have any of those clammy bus experiences. On the other hand, driven via Nashik a lot and the scenery around the Kasara ghat is equally beautiful.