From Alibaug to Lonavala (Trip 2 contd...)

We heard their part of the story and everyone heaved a sigh of relief and blessed the man there who kind of saved us from being tortured more. Now we felt that our good time has started. We fixed the tyre back in the car and started our journey to Sunny's house, i.e. Lonavala. I sat in the front seat, thinking that others might doze off so one should give the driver company all the time, so that he doesnt feel sleepy. So we started from there after thanking the man there. The road was a bit bad initially, but then much to my surprise, it good really good. I had prepared myself for a rough ride because of the bad roads.

We drove in the same manner, with the Optra in the lead, our hachback, and then the SX4. The people in the backseat in our car were fast asleep, so it was just me and Sudeep. Sudeep was driving and I was chit-chatting with him. Half an hour into our journey, we considered ourselves lucky because we had not seen a single light in the jungle till now, not a single house or garage, IF that Optra was to get punctured there and not at the place where it actually did.

Anyway, while talking, there was a moment after about an hours drive, where the SX4 overtook our car, and the Optra too. We were kind of surprised, because the driver of the SX4 was the one responsible for the rules we had created. He went ahead of the Optra, and Sudeep and me, we started discussing what could be the matter. We were preparing ourselves for the worst thinking that he might now stop the car in the middle of the jungle and make us go through some other adventure. A few kilometres ahead, we saw him taking a turn in a petrol pump. The others followed him, and stopped the car in a corner. We got out of the car and then saw them near a small shop. Friends were ordering coffee and some others were asking for ice-creams. We went out and did the same. This was the same petrol pump where the SX4 had come earlier to fix the puncture. We took a 15 minute break and then started off from there.

Again, another half an hour into the journey, we saw a few toll booths. Optra showed the siren and made sure they didn't stop us either. We passed a few toll booths this way. Then there was a turn which kind of got us on the new express way, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief there. We were out of the jungle so if anything was to happen to any car on the new express way, then we would be able to handle it better. One of our friends in the hachback then got up saying he wanted to pee. Our hachback was slower than the other cars. Anyway, Sudeep then said he'll let him do that after the main express way toll booth. He stepped on the peddle then, reaching the top speed of the car, overtaking the other two cars. We stopped at the toll booth. We didn't wait for the Optra thinking ki its no big deal if we pay the toll once.

While paying the toll, Sudeep saw that the Optra and SX4 were changing their lanes to the veryy last left lane. We knew that he would show the siren and get the SX4 and themselves out without making anyone pay. So we paid the toll, then stopped the car in the left, let our friend to be with nature for a few minutes, he came back, and we started off again. We were surprised the other 2 cars didnt catch up yet. We then thought that we were pretty fast before the toll booth, so it will still take them sometime to catch up. The bungalow wasnt too far from here. So we thought that we'll carry on and wait for them there. Another 15 minutes left to reach the bungalow, Sudeep got a call. I picked it up and it was one of the members from the other cars. They asked us where we were. We said that we almost reached and asked them the same question. I asked him this, and he said that they were roaming around in a mall there. There are malls near petrol pumps and we had seen that somewhere around the toll booth. I asked him what he was doing there toh, much to my shock, he said the one thing that i didnt want to hear. Optra's tyre got punctured... AGAIN!!!