The Wild and Wilderness

With three days of nothingness stretching in front of me, I was dreading this long weekend. I tried to get last minute tickets to Ajanta Ellora, but that didn’t quite work out. So I had two choices: either I mope around the house listening to Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ or make the best of things.

And since I couldn’t go to Ajanta Ellora, I did the next best thing, i.e. trekked my way to Kanheri Caves next to the Borivali National Park. Armed with a water bottle, shades and camera, I embarked on my first solo trek. Now I am not exactly the best of trekkers and my friends will vouch for it, given all those embarrassing incidents of me being inappropriately dressed in a skirt and top when I should have been wearing tracks or me wearing dangerously precarious heels and falling down repeatedly. But this time, I was prepared, thanking my impulsive decision to splurge on those beautiful red Reebok running shoes: my most expensive purchase till date.

For a moment, I did contemplate taking the easy way out by boarding one of those buses that ply from the main entrance till the caves, but like a true tourist, I decided to explore the wilderness on foot, as I walked my way for four hours, randomly clicking pictures and snooping around the dark corners of the caves. It was hard to believe that there was so much of ancient history right in the city, while we went gallivanting half way across the world, cribbing about the fast-paced life in a metro. For a change, here was a place, tucked away in one corner of Mumbai, which probably had more greenery than the whole of the city put together, and I could only imagine how beautiful it would be during the monsoons.

The rest of the weekend was spent in indulging myself, given that I was completely paralysed by the body ache that followed my enthusiastic adventure. Convinced that the trek had cost me at least 5 kgs, I treated myself to delicious icecreams and chocolates sans any guilt, not to mention the homecooked chicken curry. I hate to cook for myself without the flattering words of encouragement by forgiving friends and doting parents and I did miss JB1 who had this annoying habit of inviting himself over every time I made chicken, only to point out ALL that is wrong with it.

I also managed to watch Ek Mein Aur Ek Tu (completely blown away by the ending, though the rest of the movie was strictly meh) and J Edgar. For a cute guy, Leonardo de Caprio never ceases to surprise me with his acting talent. Each time I watch his movies, my respect for him as an actor just grows.

Rolling in the Deep?… not anymore