Pune (Poona)

For the past few days we have been travelling a little bit in and around Mumbai and then headed out to Pune. Once stationed in Pune we were able to take an overnight trip Northeast to see the Ellora caves and some nearby fortress. The fortress was built up on a large hill and it was great to reach the top and take in the surrounding view. The reacurring dissapointment seems to be the ridiculous amount of air pollution that sits as a toxic wall in the distance. The Ellora caves were equally interesting with ancient figures carved into the stone face in tribute to the gods. All-in-all it was a good experience, however the driving is also a reacurring frustration as you can't travel more than 100 feet without a horn being blasted in your ear.

As the busy cities take their toll on my lungs and ears my excitement to travel up north into the mountains grows. It will be nice to find a spot with some peace and quiet where, hopefully, I can see farther than I can throw.

Next on the list is a trip to Goa. We are leaving via train tomorrow night and should reach by morning. I'm not sure what to expect as local media has identified the place as an exploited landscape where foreigners take the environment for granted. Hopefully it will be an uplifting place to relax a while and take in some of the coastline.

The better news is that it seems that my good friend Devin will be flying out near the end of February to join in some adventures. Right now I've been travelling with family, and while its been good, I can forsee the need to branch away and explore the country through a different lens. Although I'll have to keep Dev away from the chillies. :)

Future Travels:
-Goa
-Dubai

Key Lessons:
-Jorge was right
-Even though you may be surrounded by people who seemingly have no regard for the environment and how they manage their waste, be as responsible as you would in Canada.

On the Mind:
-The Mountains
-Pollution
-Relationships