Part 1
Yeah, u heard (read) right.
The travel gods finally smiled upon me, and took me up north to spend a terrific, unforgettable week with friends and family.
Where: Primarily Binsar, which is located ___ kms from Delhi and 40 from Almora in Uttarakhand. I also spent some time in Delhi and Nainital that fall enroute.
How long: I flew from Pune on the 20th and returned on the 28th; so exactly 6 nights and 7 days in the Club Mahindra Resort at Binsar (Basauli, actually).
Why Binsar: My brother is employed by Club Mahindra Holiday Resorts, and he is the resort manager at this particular site. Mum tends to miss him, and he tends to get home-sick, so we decided to go see him. An added incentive was that Binsar is a tourist spot that nestles in the Kumaon, and the resort is a luxurious and enticing holiday destination.
Having stated the basics, let me tell you that not knowing this place comes as no surprise. We’d never heard of it ourselves before Bhai went there. I mean there must be hundreds of such tiny hill stations situated all around the Himalayas. We knew Corbett and Almora, but Kathgodam and Binsar came as news to us. However, it sure is a beautiful place – valleys and all, and a place worth visiting if you love nature and adventure.
Surprisingly though, the resort was quite occupied and popular. Club Mahindra members sure leave no resort unvisited!
But let me describe things in their correct chronological order…
So, we took a Jet to Delhi, me and mum, and needless to say, the fun began long before we got into the flight. Mum’s younger than the tiniest tot, and her joie de vivre is infectious. She decided she wanted her name announced for boarding, and so we hung around at the terminal munching on popcorn much after the boarding call.
Her agenda was not completely achieved, as no announcement was made. As we sauntered to the designated gate, the attendant saw us coming and hurriedly ran to us saying, “Jet passengers to Delhi? Pls come this way, Ma’am…”
Mum looked at me. I winked. She grinned.
Mission complete. Partially. Not unacceptable.
Chortling, we followed the attendant who escorted us right up to the airline, giving a ‘thumbs-up’ sign to the attendant waiting to allow us inside. The moment we were seated, the flight’s PA system announced departure. LOL.
Oh, did you know Jet has no 13th row? I noticed for the first time. Superstitions literally in the air.
We alighted 2 hours later, and spent time with mum’s friend in Delhi. After dinner at Eatopia, we caught the train to Kathgodam, the nearest station to Binsar. Post a 7 hour train ride and 4 hour car journey through the ghats abounding in pine and deodar trees and rhododendrons(“Boransh” that is used to make juices and squashes), we reached my brother’s current workplace.
It’s a divine place. And cool even in the midst of summer. What else can one ask for?
If you’re the resort manager’s mom and sister… a lot more.
In hotel lingo, we’re HWC guests… Handle With Care. We’re demanding, irritable and open about expressing our discomfort and displeasure. Ab jo hai so hai bhai…!! Haha.
Of course, we spare no praise if we get good service. Same and equal rules. We’re not biased or partial, you see.
So, what did we do? Apart from harassing the hotel staff, we travelled to close by sightseeing spots, enjoyed adventure sports and massages, played games and relaxed.
More on all of the above follows in the next few posts…
Be back with the details soon!
Cheerio!
Princess
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