The Outing! Day 1, 3rd January 2009 - PART II.

We reached at Radha resorts at about 1400 hrs via “Pandey Road” (queer name to give in a state like Maharashtra, in this Ma Na Se yug). Lunch comprised of a sumptuous meal of Gujarati style preparation and people ate till their stomachs started pleading with them (Kadhi, Kobi Batata Bhaji, Rangooni Vaal Usal etc). A professional and Horoscopical introduction round followed thereafter. Also discussed amongst other things were the pathetic T.V News media and its consequences upon young minds. Lolling over masala (ginger was unavailable) chai, having Chitale’s Bakarwadis, Agra Petha (Thanks to Varsha and Onkar again) and playing little bits of Table tennis concluded mid afternoon.

In the evening we tried to venture up to Charlotte Lake but lack of sunlight restricted us and we decided to have chai over chat again; in between resort and the lake somewhere. We also found a faithful follower and a cool friend; a black dog (there is still infighting going on whether he was ‘she’ or indeed a ‘he’…some say there were two, one he and another she).

At around 1900 hrs we decided to venture in the local market to buy random assortment of items available on Matheran. We decided to play pool and try our luck at slot machines…bad idea that was. I lost around 100 bucks in those god forbidden machines. My hate for them, now, resonates with Morpheus’s.

Dinner was divided into two: Veggies and Non-Veggies. Paneer Mutter or Chicken Handi. Kichdi or Rice. Amit Athlye was angered by such classifications and decided to have all of the items. I followed. Amit Katdare was infuriated by our actions and decided to eat more khichdi. We followed.

I heard a lot of references about outing at Nagaon beach year and a half back. Especially, about the ghost stories shared in the pitch dark of the beach. The same was followed over campfire… One time, one friend of mine was travelling in a shared rick. To his disbelief, the guy sitting besides him had reversed legs. That guy got down some distance before my friend’s stop. When my friend narrated this fact to the rick driver at his stop, the driver retorted, “Arre sahib unke Paav chodo, meter ko dekho.” The reading was 100^e+. That meter still haunts my friend in his dreams sometimes.

Photo: Ramsey Bros

Had I told this story, I would have been beaten to pulp and hence refrained. But some other interesting debates followed: about God, Ghosts, Atmaan etc. Another group that was put up in adjoining cottage were in ‘high spirits’ literally and their slurred speeches bespoke of common man’s woes. They cursed Sharad Powar, which did not go down very well with Mr.Gaurav Moghe and he chose to fuel the campfire, with dried firewood.  

At around 0200 hrs we decided to sleep as we were tapped out of firewood anyway. Zzzzz…