Like I mentioned before, I just cannot trek down. My only successful treks have been to Forts in Maharashtra where there were stairs etched out steps. However, this trek to the magnanimous Sinhagad Fort was different. We trekked up rocks and boulders, and I was with some 20-something kids so didn’t want to be caught snoozing. The bait to reaching the fort is the sumptuous spread that awaits. Apart from the regular berries and raw mango platter, be prepared for some interesting Maharashtrian delicacies. The lemon juice stalls offer a welcome respite for non-seasoned climbers like me. Then there is the fresh curd, set in earthen pots. We then polished the exhaustion off with some rice bhakris (flatbreads made with rice flour), pitla (a curry made from horse gram flour) and mirchi thecha (a chutney made from green chillies). Despite being a small eater, I was still game for some kekda bhajjis (onion fritters) with a spicy hot chutney. Life was good.

PS: No I didn’t descend from the fort on foot, I hailed a cab instead!