Welcome to my blog local guides 
“New year, new beginnings” ! I am excited for a fresh new look and feel to got ready for My first ever hosted 46th Local guides meet up on 26th January 2024, Friday at PU LA DESHPANDE garden, Sinhagad road, Pune. Also it is known as Pune-Okayama Friendship garden.
The garden built on the phase of Japanese theme and basically Okayama based oldest Koraku garden. Its built in two phases namely Phase 1 for “Pune-Okayama friendship garden” is built in 10 acres of land and Phase 2 dedicated for “Mughal garden” based on the theme of famous Rashtrapati bhavan garden in New Delhi. The Pu La Deshpande (PLD) garden named from the famous marathi writer who is the pride of Maharashtra, Mr. Purushottam Laxman Deshpande.
The meet-up starts in the evening time at the entrance of garden with 20 (12 offline and 8 online connected) enthusiastic local guides from Pune and different eternal parts of India. By meeting with them their dedication and passionate about exploration and excitation makes up.
As we starts through the entrance, the garden has wall decently cutted stones and laid very beautifully. The pleasant evening started our meet up prettily the cost efficient ticket of 5rs each. The huge crowd were obeying in line and were seeing chance to enter with their loved once.
At the entry the entry was so smooth that from child to the old age and baby pram to the wheelchair can easily enters in the premises. The smiling lady constable were ensuring safe and clear entry through the garden.
At the glance, the silence with bird harmony, rustling pine leaf, babbling sound of water somewhere artificial waterfall and the spirit of the around world composing into the garden characteristics. The wide landscapes lawns, the highlands and slopes shows the grace of foreground of garden.
To segregates the crowd flow, the garden paths mainly jogging/walking tracks marches to the different areas of the garden. The diced red bricks matches flow of fittings through the track. And the walking on its makes so preciously clean on and around the tracks. The cleanliness un-doubtedly the appreciation for the hard working staffs. I must say “bravo stous anthropous” (A Greek sentence to express my praise to the staff).
The lawn were so lush green and well maintained that it makes my mind to walk on that but thanks to the regulations that doesn’t allowed to walk on it. Many bushes and shrubs pruned into final oval shapes. The small arched bridges in central garden charmed me to felled in the memories of recently done Venice tour. There were enough wooden benches to seat and in case in rainy season, the apparently Japanese hat (Conical shaped) huts spaces added a part into elegance. Local guides were following through spirit of zen and walked share informative.
After walking along the pathway, we saw a big pond in the center of the garden. There is a small arched wooden pedestrian bridge, with bamboo railing over this pond. Standing on the bridge, we enjoyed excellent views of the garden. We saw many of Koi fishes in the pond. The coolness and tranquility ambience in the garden didnt recognise the running time. Our deep mindset forced us to moved ahead the sip of informative agendas through the garden.
All local guides marched ahead towards The chat cafe, sinhagad road. Where everyone relaxed and had snacks. We shared souvenir to all our local guides as the piece of appreciation and encouragement. @TusharSuradkar shared some “Puneri local guide badges”, stickers and i shared flexi local guide emblem magnets.The ambience of chaat cafe was so joyful that everyone photography skills were on the palm. While discussion with new local guides, We had a detailed brief for new Local Guides how we collect information during our meet-up and how we contact the responsive personals.
As we were all together @AjitThite shared the experiences, and resolved queries, new features and some unknown interesting stuffs about google map as well as local guide web site. we came across about local guides that how they know about google map and encourages them to help society. By exchanging such great bonds of relation, uncertainly our hands moved towards the delicious Chaat food (In India, we called it as Fast food snacks). Everyone were enjoying the Bombay bhel puri (Mixture of puff rice and chickpeas fried noodles with garnishing of Onion, coriander and spices), Paani puri’s (deep-fried breaded sphere filled with potato, onion, or chickpea. It is a common street food in the Indian subcontinent).
While headed towards the end of meet-up, we gave ensurity to arrange next meet-up. And as per new tradition of our group, i handed the scroll of our local guide group banner to next meet up host. By promising smiles on each one face we signed off for the day. I must say this meet-up brought me lots of learnings like flexibility, resourcefulness, and creativity. Inevitably, circumstances change, needs arise or the unforeseen occurs.
Huge Thanks to @tushar_Suradkar and @ajitthite da for beautiful banner creation and helping me to submit meet up process.
Also Thank you so much to other local guides who been part during meet-up:
@KJ22999 @abhishekpatk @NERKARAMIT @HinalLad, @Onkarjadhav @TravellerG @Madankumarj @ameysun @ajaypatil1509
@Anannya_19
Meetup Map location:
https://www.google.com/maps?um=1&ie=UTF-8&fb=1&gl=in&sa=X&geocode=KQEAAJD5v8I7MTTSmm_j45Ey&daddr=FRRQ%2BH35,+Sinhgad+Rd,+Pune+Okayama+Friendship+Garden,+Dattawadi,+Pune,+Maharashtra+411030
Pu La Deshpande Garden Timings:
Sunday to Saturday: Morning 8am to 11am and 4pm to 8pm.
Parking 
:
2 Wheeler and 4 wheeler parking space available inside garden premises
the collections of magnet you have 
. Thanks again 
