What's the Story Behind Matheran Trip ?
It was Sat, 16 March, 2013. I completed my work in Office and I was still at my desk in office, little tired with full week work and looking around some places to roam around. One of my Friend, Chintant Naik, who is a Software Engineer and working in Baroda in a Software Company.
I suddenly called him and asked, "Hey, Chintu ! Where are you ?"
He replied, "I am at home..!" (Home means, Gadat, my village. And I was in Surat where I study.)
I would have slapped him If he was before me ! Because, my plan is to reach Baroda on bike from Surat, roaming in Baroda at night, would have tasted some wonderful food there and would have left Baroda on Sunday Morning..!I said, "Ghanta Be####d, I was thinking to come at Baroda to pick you Up :p, Anyway, Would you like to come somewhere on Bike trip ?"
He said, "Let me confirm my schedule with Family and will call you u in 5 mins."
I said, "Okais"
Till then, I surfed around and hunt for some places in reach ! But not found anything material..! Then I found Lonavala..!
I picked up Chintu's call, "Bol bhai ?" , He replied, "I can come If we can return by Sunday night, Because I need to leave to Baroda in Monday Morning..!"
I said, "Cool..! Lonawala ??" He Said, "We been there..!"
I said, "Ok, Then Matheran is looking nearby..! I heard great reviews about it, Should we leave for it ?"
He said, "Chilled.. Cool.. :P"
I said, "It's 2:15 now, I will pack my bags and see you at my home around 4:00 pm, we will leave by 4:30 pm"
He said, "Okay..!"
Then I left for Gadat from Surat and before I reach my home, I met with an accident. It was a severe one and I had a painful injury :P. I reached home, my mummy did something in those wounds and emotionally blackmail me to drop the idea about this trip to Matheran because she knew that riding for nearly 300 Kms and 70% of these in night with these wounds on hands and legs is not a cup of tea ! But, I denied..!
We left at 4:55 pm after wonderful breakfast prepared by my mummy..!
RoadMap to Matheran:
<Click on the Image to see it larger>
<Click on the Image to see it larger>
Trip Statistics and Time Spent :
4:55 : We left my Home
5:45 : We reached Charoti.
We stopped for sometime at one of the roadside restaurant and had tea.
8:15 : We reached Thane, Then we fall on Eastern Express Highway and Exited through Pune Road, that bypassed the whole Thane.
When we were crossing Thane and Heading towards Matheran at night, because our plan is to reach there by night. But I left some messages to CouchSurfers, and One of them called me around 8:30 - 8:45 , he welcomed us to his home and out schedule changed and we started towards Old Panvel. 
9:45 : We reached Panvel, from Thane to Panvel, there was lot of traffic and bad road + night riding, so it took so much time and we are riding so slow because we got one CouchSurfing host at his home we were gonna stay. 
10:04 : We found one Domino's and entered it, we completed our Dinner around 10:50 and reached to the Host's home
His name is, Shrikant Powle, a businessman ( Gems and Jewellery). He is a wonderful man, fond of classical music, a calm person, happy person, living with his Family 1 wife :P, 1 son and 1 daughter 
8:30 :It was an amazing experience there..! The next morning, Aunty made some Chai and breakfast and we left for Matheran.
9:45 : We reached Matheran ! It was a wonderful place. From Neral to Matheran, Hard Steel track of 7-8 Kms was awesome, It was fund riding bike on..! We reached to Parking Point of Matheran where we need to Park our vehicles, No vehicles allowed ahead..!
10:00 : We entered the Aman Lodge area (1st Stand in the way of Matheran) and then we roamed in that area. There were several points, due to lack of time, we seen some of those points but mostly we covered main points. Apart from the points, there environment was awesome. The people who live there were kind. We interacted with some of localites and tried to poolout some information.
We reached the Matheran station by walk from that Aman Lodge point and we returned in the small train, which was a wonderful journey.
What I suggest ?:If you go to Matheran,
Take a train from Neral to Matheran.
Roam Matheran to other points by walk.
Return to Aman Lodge from Matheran by Walk.
Take a train to Aman Lodge to Neral.
This is a better course of action. Take 2 Full days to roam the whole place, but I don't one should spend 2 days.. 😛
3:15 : We left Matheran and we headed to Vasai throught Kalyan - Bhivandi. This was a complete new route to us. Chintan advised me to take this route yesterday night but I didnt choose it because the road was unknown. So we tried the new one.
5:50 : We made it and we were on Vasai Highway, The road was too bad due to new Road Construction and We cheered that we didn't choose this road yesterday.! 😛
6:35 : We reached Vithal Kamath, Manor. We took nearly 30 mins to get fresh, I nearly bath. Changed Cloths...! Packed Bags properly and had proper food..! We were like Jamal from Slumdog millionaire before we changed clothes, due to bad road and construction work on road.
7:40 : We left Vithal Kamath and Headed to Chikhli.
9:15 : I was fully charged and Everything were in controlled. I literally drained my bike for this one and half hour. My bike was between 90-105 kmph and we reached around 9:15 at chikhli. We had some Kathiyawadi Food here again.
9:40 : We left at this time and headed to our home..!
10:05 : We reached at our home.!
The journey ended successfully and safely.
The odo said 604 Kms..!
How much we spent ?
Rs 1100 = Patrol in My Bike
Rs 900 = Domino's @ Panvel
Rs. 400 = Inculding Entry Fees, Train Tickets, First Aid Supplies for my Wounds, Parking, Water Bootles, Etc.
Rs 150 = Food we had @ Matheran
Rs 100 = Tea & Cold-Drinks when we Left Matheran
Rs 250 = Food @ Vithal Kamath Manor
Rs 150 = Food @ Chikhli
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Rs 3000 ( Approx..!)
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So, It was 1500 Rs Each. and I think, If we would had dinner in Domino's then It would have been more cheaper. may be 1100 Rs per person..! 
One of the luxury, we can avail on Bike Trips, is that, we don't need to pay toll tax..! 
