hell of a scary ride!

View from Matheran,April 2008
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Well we read about this place called Matheran in the lonly planet and it seemed a nice change from Mumbai.

So of we went early one morning to the main train station,it was only 17 Rs for the two and a half hour trip to Neral.Then in Neral we had the two ways of getting up to Matheran,

No 1.The toy train.Yeah.No way two hours up and then two hours down.No thank you.So on to number 2.

No 2.Take a mini bus or taxi up.Yeah just a 20 min drive.Easy.Not.

The Matheran lake in the distance,April 2008
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As i have a real fear of height's.I knew this was going to be bad.We paid 50 Rs each for the 20 min drive,not bad.But what a drive.

On some sections of the road there was no barrier between us and the sheer drop,there was a group of 20 something y/o Indians from Mumbai in the minivan with us and they were just as nervous as us.One of the woman just could not stop laughing the whole way up.If someone moved she'd laugh,if someone farted she'd laugh and so on.I was so close to screaming SHUT UP WOMAN,but i was to busy with my head hanging out of the window just incase breakfast decided to show up again.My knees were knocking together in tune to an awful hindi song on the radio,what's worse is i started to sing along.Within seconds everyone was in the hysterics even my partner was heaving from laughing,the driver had to slow down because he was convulsing at my hindi singing.

Working horse's Matheran,April 2008
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Anyway time went very quick and we got up there without incident.And i must say the views are very nice from Matheran.There is some lovely walks around town and you can hire out horse's for 100 Rs,but i would rather walk.In April it is very,very dusty up there.

All in all it was a nice place.BUT NOT THE DRIVE PLEASE!