@PAR 2013

This, I share a wonderful experience of discovering Pune through the event named “@PAR 2013” organized by TCS! :)

For those who are wondering what is “PAR”? That is Pune Adventure Race.

I know this is a bad start, but really don’t know how do I express! Just an awesome experience. In typical Puneri style…BHAARI! :D

We started at around 5.30 in the morning from home, to reach the start point (Mangaldas Office) in time (so that we should not get disqualified ;)) and then some formalities, followed by team photography and breakfast. Seeing 63 teams altogether, was really the one, seeing which you actually get that “competitive feeling”.
Later, when the questions or the clues for the Pune places were given, the excitement and fun rose! Yeah, the clues, kept me stunned. No wonder, my helping committee (the backend – family and friends) could find any except say, 3 to 4 out of 21. Rest all we managed finding ourselves! Yeah!
Oh yeah, the clues for IUCAA, Wadeshwar (a restaurant in front of the tree planted by the Chief Minister, of which the fruits were sent to the Prime Minister), Katraj Snake Park (for the Tanaji confusion), & the ‘Half of Shakespeare’ (Ram Ganesh Gadkari) were the ultimate ones! Hardly one or two teams could crack these. Sadly, even we couldn’t crack. Once we were done with the clues, and the watch warned us that it is high time, start riding, we started our PAR, with covering places from Mangaldas to Magarpatta to East Street to Swargate to Laxmi Road and Mandai to Karve Road to Aundh-Baner to Balewadi, and finally making it to SP (Sahyadri Park, Hinjewadi) through the hustle and bustle of the city and so many other PAR riders to be overtaken through!
We also did crazy things like wasting around 8 kms. over some wrong clue, of course realized later :p Also, getting the team clicked in front of McDonalds’ was funny, because, later when seeing our answer as McDonalds’, there was nothing but giggles! :D Not just this, but we also visited an auditorium, just to see what is the instrument kept at that particular location, at the eleventh hour! Anyway, we reported with the answers at sharp 4:54 pm with a satisfying smile!
The sunny climate, the 100+km drive along with the souvenirs, the awesome team photograph and the fun-filled moments filled our PAR experience basket with smiles and joy! :)

​The clues for the treasure hunt led to discovering some key location/ monument of Pune. And the best thing for photo-crazy person like me, was to click & get clicked at every clue! No wonder in front of every place, of all my team members, I was the default one :P

*I am ‘Made in Pune’ ;) but discovered quite a lot of Pune during the race!