Rejuvenated, recharged, inspired, invigorated and ready to go. This is how I feel after the weekend at Anjarle. The pristine beach, intoxicating serenity, calming greenery and fresh air has infused new life into the morbid souls of us city-dwellers who are forever caught up in the vortex of the race against time. I guess travelling does it for me, always. It gets my head clear and my energies soaring.
This trip to Anjarle was nowhere in my itinerary though a long-due road trip was on the to-do list for the summer vacations. So, when the prospect of a road trip came up, we all jumped together and grabbed it hungrily. It would be a first time though with a group of strangers, sharing just one thing in common – the love of travelling by road. The prospect of road tripping was enticing to the entire family. We love traveling and we love road trips, but we had never done it with a group. It was always us, a family thing. The novelty of this trip was enticing. Anyways we decided, and we went. And, did we enjoy!!
#RTCMumbai to Anjarle became the hashtag of our dreary lives. A cavalcade of some 15 cars, a dozen families with children and pets made up the motley crew that headed towards the destination after a briefing by Vineet, Neeraj and Deepak (the torchbearers of the group #ScoutMyTrip). The cavalcade was led by the seasoned captain, Neeraj Yayawar. Our car had another family travelling with us. Have been friends for decades but travelling together for the first time. Another “first time” in the trip. Now, we had a gaggling, giggling gang of little girls in the last row seat. Enough to test any driver, I say! And, so started the adventure. There were frequent breaks, which were packed with lots of camaraderie, peppered with boisterous conversations and unstipulated introductions. Oh yes, the introductions were inevitable since most of us were new to one another.
Once our feet touched the inviting sands of Anjarle, drenched in hues of the setting sun, it was just bliss. Just as the cool waters of the Arabian Sea touched our feet, it washed away the fatigue that plagued the minds. The children ran wild and carefree on the beach; the furry pets tried their best to catch up or outdo them. I was left wondering when was the last time our children were able to play with such gay abandon? It was heaven.
At the appointed hour all of us rushed to welcome the future inhabitants of the sea world, as they took their first clumsy steps to reach the comforting embrace of the waves. The new born Olive Ridley turtles - cared, nurtured and protected by the volunteers of the Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra - waddled towards the waterline, under the watchful eyes of the volunteers and the enthusiastic crowds. Can’t think of a better way to teach our children about nature and its endangered inhabitants. Our way of contributing towards making a better world.
If the onward journey was exciting, then the journey back was equally adventurous. There was an instance or two of some cars getting lost in the meandering roads in the hills. There was no network whatsoever. So no Google Maps to the rescue. Nor could we call each other. This reminded me of all the trips we went on as kids in my father’s trusty Standard 10. At every turn, we would roll down the windows and ask the passerby for directions. If either party understood, lucky me! That was then. But even now I realised human contact is irreplaceable. You don’t need a mobile network, all you need is a smile.
But all’s well that ends well. So, we are back to our lives. But we came back with loads of memories, memories that will remain forever in our hearts and minds; memories which will bring a smile to our face every time we think about them. We have made some friends we may never meet again, but who will remain in our thoughts forever. This is the beauty of life. I’m sure the kids will remember this trip for its novelty, adventure, road trip, turtles and of course their furry friends. Kudos to team #RTCMumbai for enriching our lives.
Hemal, the co-captain in the trip, recreated the amazing journey, a mini recap of some amazing adventures. Have a look and be inspired to road trip.
Hemal, the co-captain in the trip, recreated the amazing journey, a mini recap of some amazing adventures. Have a look and be inspired to road trip.
