matheran trip

Matheran is a hill station near Mumbai. It is also the smallest hill station in Inia located on the wetern ghats ( 800 mtrs). It is one of the few places in the world where vehicles are not allowed. It is eithe horses, foot or man pulled rickshaw. There are several designated lookout points known with different names ( we did not go to all though ). echo point, sunset point ityadi.
Last weekend we ( poonam, yingai and me ) suddenly decided to make it there.
We started in the morning on Saturdy 22nd May from Malad MUMBAI, took a cool cab ( approx 2000 bucks including the toll tax you pay on the highway ). We reached there in about 3 hours. One thing everyone must note is while negotiating a cab from mumbai you must say that you would like to be dropped at MATHERAN and not Neral. Neral is like what dehradun is to Mussoorie. And because of the taxi union over there the taxis from mumbai have some problem taking you to the top. I somehow fought with the cab driver and made him take us to the top. Though we had to pay the cab fare Rs. 250.
From the taxi stand at matheran the town is little too far and you would like to go there on a horse and not walk because you dont know the way. It takes good 1 hour to reach town and the horses can be negotiated at Rs. 300 each for dropping you in town. There are several resorts but you must book yours before arriving there. I had been there earlier also and stayed in a small resort away from town and had to spend a lot on horses. This time round we stayed at a hotel in the heart of the town KUMAR PLAZA, little expensive though Rs 5300 for a night that too their smallest room ( including all meals buffet ). There was a small swimming pool.
After washing we took a walk around town. It does look like a hill resort, with those toy shops, small video game parlours and dice games where one can gamble on the road side.
My son rather chose to ride around town so we hired a horse for him to move around ( 400 bucks ). Till late, we were gambling and we reached back to the hotel to watch the puppet show for the kids etc. We booked three horses for next day.
Next morning the horse wala was there early morning. I woke up but the other two were totally tired and did not get ready until 9:30. We headed for those points we were told. The horses Came in for Rs. 800 each for half a day. We went to echo point "shouted" heard echoes. We went to the dam - no water. Yingai did chhota valley crossing. Then we went to the big valley crossing. It looked very dangerous but there was a team of experts over there with ropes properly tied. The vlley must have been a good over 200 meters. Depth may be 500 meters. ( 300 bucks each )
Came back to town booked a cab for back home, horses releived . had lunch. walked around town, gambled etc. Back on horses to the taxi stand ( 300 each ). Took a cab (2K)back to Malad and reached late in the evening.
It was fun