During the last week of October 2024, we had planned to set out for Alibaug. My son’s hands were on the steering wheel of the car. After crossing Panvel, we took the Uran route. We were feeling very hungry, and finally we entered a vegetarian restaurant. Its ambience was very amiable, beautiful and decorated with creepers bearing blooms. Though the time was hot, it felt very cool and pleasant there in the soft breeze. After having a sumptuous meal, we walked around the nursery and relaxed for a while.
After lunch, my son became more energetic and drove the car faster. The drive took almost three and a half hours to reach Alibaug. We checked into the Club Mahindra Resort and occupied two adjacent rooms that the staff had comfortably allotted to us. We took a walk around the premises of the resort after a good dinner. The beautiful plants and flowers gave a soothing and elegant look in the pleasant moonlight. We went to sleep around 11 p.m.
Next morning, we freshened up and had a buffet breakfast. We left the resort by 11 a.m. Benoy, my son, took the vehicle straight ahead to the Shri Rameshwar Mandir. It is a medium-sized temple. There is a huge pond in front of the temple where people do not bathe. We saw two men inside who take care of the grounds. The deities are kept inside behind partitions. A small watersnake was moving along the steps of the pond before immersing itself in the water. We looked around the surroundings; the view was beautiful. By around 1:30 p.m., we headed to a nearby restaurant where we had soft drinks first, followed by a light lunch.
Next, we went to Revdanda Fort. Besides the ruins of the fort, we saw a huge gun barrel (Peerangi) mounted on stationary wheels. We spent an hour or so there. Slowly, we moved towards Revdanda Beach. My daughter-in-law and I stood on the cliff overlooking the sea. My son and grandson climbed down from the height and walked towards the muddy area of seawater, splashing in the waves. They played handball together, enjoying themselves recklessly for another hour.
Kihim Beach was our next attraction. It was not very crowded. We found two horse carts carrying passengers on top. We hired a horse cart, and four of us sat inside the carriage. The owner took the two of us for two rounds on horseback for two hundred and fifty rupees. We dismounted the horses and entered a tea shop nearby. A local woman served us tea and snacks. We enjoyed an awesome sunset from Kihim Beach for a while.
From the beach, we went back to Club Mahindra Resort. We had dinner around 9:00 p.m. and enjoyed a sound sleep. The next day, we rested at the resort. Benoy, Neha, and Shaurya played in the swimming pool in the evening till they were satisfied. The next morning, we woke up a bit early, became fresh and ordered a few breakfast items. The supplier brought sandwiches, dosa and tea to our room. We had breakfast quickly and got ready for our return trip. After paying our expenses at the counter, Benoy loaded the luggage into our car. We bid adieu to the resort and left for home.
Medhini (Anandavalli Chandran)
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