KARNALA FORT

this is a nice easy trek inside the karnala bird sanctuary.
the sanctuary is 60kms from midtown bombay (meaning my house) and around 6 kms from the start of the bombay-goa highway NH17 at panvel.
perfect for a day's outing from bombay, riders can also combine it with a short ride. if u are on your way further south (south konkan or goa) and not in a hurry its worth stopping over for a few hours as well.
i left home at 0800, reached the sanctuary and started climbing at 0930 and reached the fort at 1100. spent a few hours up there, left at 1430 after a post-prandial snooze and was back home having a shower at 1700.
carry your own food and water, there's really nothing inside the sanctuary.... i didnt even see any birds. they claim to have a guesthouse but i couldnt figure out how to make bookings.

lovely trek, great views, you're high enough (439m) to see the choppers flying below you.

CALCUTTA WALK BOOKS

motu came back from calcutta with 2 interesting walking books:

1. Ten Walks in Calcutta by Prosenjit Das Gupta, Pub. Hermes Inc.
2. A Jaywalker's Guide to Calcutta by Soumitra Das, Pub. Eminence Designs

MCLEODGANJ

lots of walking in the town itself.
from the town centre
1. down bhagsu road to bhagsu
2. down the temple road past the tsuglagkhang temple to lagheri temple
3. down the post office road ... this circles around and meets the temple road and comes back to tsuglagkhang.
4. past the taxi stand to dal lake and on to naddi or to strawberry hills : this is a nice long one
5. up past the mountaineering institute up to dharamkot.. this road circles around, connects to the TIPA road and comes back to the town centre.
6. the trek to triund.. which i didn't do this time but have done earlier.

transport/car rental:
s.k.thapa has a tata sumo... can call him directly at 09805299406

place to stay :
takhyil guest house: clean, quiet, well run place. raju the manager has been running the place for the owners (who live on the 3rd floor, the first 2 floors are the rooms for the guests) for the last 18 years. one of the few places which will do advance bookings. great terrace. 500 per day in may.
01892-221332/221152
loye20@hotmail.com

places to eat:
lung-ta : the veg. japanese restaurant above the gu-chu-sum office. its a non profit restaurant which runs as part of the gu-chu-sum initiative. excellent food! different specials everyday.

boom-boom cafe : run by an aussie woman who calls herself boom-boom. her visiting card proclaims: "theatrical food and delicious entertainment"

carpe diem : one of the few places that stays open past 9pm. nice pizzas from the oven

tea o'clock: at the bus stand, excellent deserts


wifi:
the only wifi-ed internet cafe is the one at green hotel and restaurant on bhagsu road. the food here is not so great.

places i missed going to:
jji cafe: run by the mum of the 3 brothers (j,j&i) who have a rock band, i heard some mellow blues playing when i passed it once
the korean restaurant
(both of these on bhagsu road)
momo cafe: on the start of tipa road.

for vipassanics: the centre is up at dharamkot. its a 15min uphill trudge from the busstand (30mins if you're out of shape). they have group meditations from 8-9am
and 6-7pm.