Your toy train chugs along slowly without a care in the world. During the two hour ascent, food vendors and monkeys jump on and off as the valley glides by sedately. Sprawling languidly at an altitude of 800 metres is Matheran - an undulating hilltop cloaked in green.

The cliffs of Matheran with incredibly steep drops to the plains below offer stunning viewing points. These panoramic vistas, by day and night, leave you feeling light headed. Standing at Hart Point in pitch darkness you get a breathtaking glimpse of the lights of busy Bombay. Matheran abounds in such quixotically named points. popular sites for picnics and fireside revelry. The old world charm of the British and Parsi home capitavtes you all the way up to the Charlotte Lake. On each trip through the main bazaar you purchase some of its attractions - care and leather articles, hats, chappals and the irresistible chikki loved by young and old alike. Temperatures vary from 16° C in winter to 32° C in summer with an annual rainfall of 524 cms. It is a place to visit round the year, monssons included, for the young at heart.

Located about 171 kms from Mumbai, Matheran's claim to fame is the fact that it is one of the cleanest hill stations around. It is a small and picturesque retreat situated in the Sahayadris. It was founded by Sir Hugh Mallet, Collector of Thane in the late 19th century. What makes this hill station truly different is that no vehicles are allowed here. Travellers are required to park their vehicles at the car park on the outskirts and then travel on foot or a pony. This ensures a quiet and peaceful holiday, away from the chaos of cars and buses. One of the best times to travel here is the period from end May till the arrival of the monsoon. You can watch mist-clad hills accompanied by occasional showers and thunderstorms and the transition of the hills to a cool shade of green.