February 9

We were up and about by 730. Repacked stuff including our laundry (17 items cost around $6! Pricey.) we got back yesterday. checked out by 0845. Jeff hired an Ola tuk-tuk. We loaded and off to the train station, arriving just before 9 am. Our train arrived 15 minutes late – @ 930, and left @ 936. We are catching the reverse train- back to Mumbai, but only going two stops to Nashik. We are in an AC chair car again. There was a big group of kids that clambered in the same car as us. So it was not boring. Amazing amounts of energy!! The ride went by fast. We ate nuts, raisins, and popcorn for breakfast on the train.

 We arrived at Nashik Road Station five minutes late, 1223 – so train made up a bit of time. We hired a tuk-tuk there at the station – he gave a fare that Jeff agreed with. We loaded up and went some 12 km (7miles). We arrived at the Hotel New Uttam Hira Palace. Jeff was paying our tuk-tuk driver and was trying to hire him to take us to Sula Vineyards. The driver did not seem to understand so as we were checking in the Hotel guy aided in translating. They got it worked out and the driver waited as we checked in and unloaded our stuff. He wanted 1200 Rupees for the trip and Jeff agreed. (The driver earned total of 1500 Rupees ($18) from us. 

We arrived at Sula Vineyards around two pm. (Our driver would wait two hours for us.) We paid an entry fee, which is redeemable as coupons for wine and other – food or gift shop. We went straight to the Rasa Restaurant, Italian and Indian Cuisine. We had to do a qr code to get the menu. I had the Mix Cheese Board with the recommended glass of wine, The Source Cabernet Sauvignon. Jeff had Mutton Biriyani also with a glass pairing of Rasa Syrah. Indian wine has redeemed itself!! Both wines were excellent and they paired very well (as they should) with food. We had tried Sula wine before, but it was a generic blend that we did not appreciate too well. So since Sula is the 'big dog' here [it was the first vineyard in Nashik, India (dating from 1999)] we may (?) come back. Sula claims Nashik to be India's #1 wine region today. Anyway, we are definitely going to try other vineyards. We will be in Nashik for three full days.

After we finished our lunch, we tried for a tasting but they take 45 minutes. We really only have 25 minutes left (since our tuk-tuk driver is waiting). So we walked around some and decided to go ahead and buy a bottle of Sula's Chenin Blanc (also bought a half bottle of their award winning rose for a celebration when the Chiefs win Sunday).

Now we exited finding our driver and he took us back to our hotel.