Fruit Bats in Mumbai
Fruit Bats have been feasting on mangoes left over from the mango season on trees in Mumbai. We were lucky to be able to photograph one just outside our window! Read more →
Posts Tagged ‘cool pics’
Badlapur Step Well – a rare historical site
An old step well lies in an open field in Devaloli, a village near Badlapur to the north east of Mumbai city. With some exquisite carvings and still containing water, the well is small but very well preserved. Worth a weekend visit. Read more →
Cycling to Banganga Tank and Walkeshwar Temple
Banganga Tank and the various temples around it called Walkeshwar Temples are some of the oldest historical sites in the city of Mumbai, built when the Shilaras ruled northern Konkan. It is a great destination for a weekend cycle ride Read more →
Revisiting Madh Fort (Versova Fort)
Madh fort is located on Madh island, just across from Versova over the creek. Also called Versova fort, it is normally closed to visitors but we were lucky to be able to enter it thanks to a film crew that had opened it for shooting a television serial. Read more →
Cycling to Dahanu and Tarapur Forts – a beach and history holiday!
Dahanu and Tarapur are coastal forts in picturesque locations at the northern end of the Maharashtra coast with pristine beaches along side – a great holiday! Read more →
Kamandurg – an ancient fort near Vasai
Tungareshwar is a well known temple and a weekend getaway near Vasai that is also a nice and easy trek. But there is another little known trekking destination – an ancient fort called Kamandurg. An ideal destination for a cycling cum trekking expedition that provides some nice off-road patches and a trek that passes through some dense forests to provide a wonderful view of the Vasai plains with the Ulhas river meandering towards Vasai creek. Read more →
Cycling to Jawhar Fort and Jai Vilas Palace
Jawhar is a small hill station near Mumbai (166km) and Nashik (80 km). The special attraction of Jawhar is the historical fort and palace of Yashwant Rao Mukne that still stands proud amidst a plantation of cashew-nut trees. Ideal for a cycling expedition from Mumbai or Nashik. Read more →
Goecha La Trek – experiencing Sikkim at its best
To really experience Sikkim, do one of the high altitude treks in it’s mountains – the Kanchenjunga Trekking Trail that leads from Yuksom to the Goecha La pass Read more →
One Day Visit to Sedona and Grand Canyon
A one day visit from Phoenix, Arizona to the Grand Canyon, while passing through Sedona was a great way to spend a Sunday while I was there on a business visit last month Read more →
Trek to Asherigad – protector of the Palghar region
Asherigad fort in the Palghar region is a moderate trek, providing some great views – and Maratha and Portuguese artifacts, testimony to its various occupiers Read more →
Cycling to Barvi Dam and Lake – Bird Watching Paradise
Barvi Lake located 90 km from Mumbai between Badlapur and Murbad is an excellent destination for a cycling expedition combined with some amazing bird watching! Read more →
Cycling to Mumbra Devi Temple – in search of Parsik Fort
A nice cycling route to Mumbra Devi Temple located at the north end of the Parsik Hills range where I was hoping to find traces of an old fort – Parsik Fort Read more →
Cycling to Uran – Dronagiri Hill Fort – Migratory Birds
Uran is a fishing village 90 km south of Mumbai and has a lesser known Dronagiri fort – also enroute see migratory water birds at Airoli and Ranjanpada Read more →
New Year Celebrations at Snehasadan – shelter for homeless kids
To celebrate the new year’s eve of 2013, a group of friends and their families came together at Snehasadan, a shelter for homeless children at Jogeshwari Read more →
Cycling to Nalasopara – Buddhist Stupa and Chakreshwar Mahadev Temple
Nala Sopara or Shurparaka was a major cultural center since 1500 BC. The Chakreshwar Mahadev Temple and the Buddhist Stupa are scanty evidence of its past glory Read more →
Cycling from Mandwa to Murud – Janjira Fort and Khokari Tombs
One of the most scenic cycling routes along the Konkan coast from Mandwa jetty to Murud culminating in Janjira Fort and the Khokari Tombs – and beaches all along Read more →
OxFam Trailwalker 2013 – an experience of a lifetime!
OxFam Trailwalker 100 km completed in 30:58 hours! Saw beautiful countryside around Mulshi lake, trekked through Tamhini hills, open meadows and dense forests! Read more →
Cycling from Bangalore to Manchanbele Reservoir via Big Banyan Tree
During my visit to Bangalore in September to speak at a big data conference, I took the opportunity to do some cycling on the following day, as it happened to be a Saturday. I did a bit of research to … Read more →
Cycling to Bhaucha Dhakka or Ferry Wharf, Mazgaon
After a day spent in the hills checking out the route for our OxFam trail, while driving back to Mumbai I got a call from good friend Rakesh Bakshi asking if I was interested in cycling to the docks early … Read more →
OxFam Trail Recce – walking through Tamhini hills and around Mulshi lake
This weekend three of the “Walking Souls” team – myself, Gautam and Swati – went to recce the trail that we are to follow during the 100km OxFam walkathon in November. We drove down to the starting point via Kolad, … Read more →
Trek to Harishchandragad and Kokankada – spectacular route and views
4,691 feet above sea-level, with ruined fortifications and ancient caves tracing back to the Microlithic age, Harishchandragad fort is a perfect trekking destination in the Sahyadris. There are several different paths up to the fort. There two routes to reach … Read more →
Worli Fort, Mahim Fort and Bandra Fort – guarding Mahim Bay
After visiting Sewri Fort on the east coast and Sion Fort to the north or the erstwhile Bombay Island, I wanted to visit the other three forts on the west coast. Worli Fort and Mahim Fort were on the British … Read more →
Sion Fort – guardian of Bombay Island
Sion Fort is situated on a hill within a non-descript garden in the middle of the bustling suburb of Sion, that you would normally pass by without noticing. But in the 18th century, Sion Fort was one of the most … Read more →
Cycling to Jogeshwari Caves, Mumbai
In the heart of the city at the junction of the Western Express Highway and the Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), among the shanties of Prabhat Nagar lies an ancient and forgotten cave. This is one of the oldest known … Read more →
Cycling to Nandi Hills, Bangalore
Last week, I had a business visit to Bangalore for a day and it happened to be a Friday. I took the opportunity to stay back for an extra half day and used it to cycle to Nandi Hills, the … Read more →