Type 3 fun, sunrise views and benne dosa: a Gen Z cheat day checklist

Hike up the hills, earn your appetite, and feast like your grandma’s watching. And if there’s one place that belongs on the post-trek cheat-day itinerary, it’s Uppu. With its Karjat outpost at Oleander Farms and another outlet in Bandra, Uppu makes a strong case for ending a lively morning with crisp-edged dosas, steaming idlis and, naturally, a strong glass of filter coffee.

A hike or trek was once the kind of activity reserved for people who seemed to have their fitness game completely figured out. The sort who could casually flex running five kilometres in 30 minutes, all to climb a hill for fun. For the rest of us, there is usually a lot of huffing, puffing, and swearing as we question our life choices, offset only by the promise of a spectacular view at the top.

Today, younger millennials and Gen Z have simply decided to rebrand the suffering as Type 3 fun. Somewhere between the third rep of Pilates and the fourth "10,000 steps" notification of the day, we've developed an appetite for getting real. We want mud on our sneakers, mist in our hair, and enough adrenaline to make the uphill struggle feel worth it. And, most importantly, we want something phenomenal to eat when we're done.

Enter the trek-and-breakfast combo: the latest addition to the Gen Z fitness itinerary. Trek hard, eat harder, post the carousel, and politely ignore the fitness freak who will inevitably slide into your comments to remind you that you need more protein. Yeah, well, on my cheat day, my protein shake is going to have to wait till I have devoured my benne dosa in its entirety. And by protein shake I mean filter coffee.

My fellow residents of Mumbai, let’s not even ignore the fact that we all are part of at least one group chat that has made (unserious) plans to head out to the hills, in lieu of the upcoming long weekend. Maharashtra's monsoon turns every weekend into an unofficial invitation to escape the city, and Karjat, roughly two hours from Bandra, has become a particularly easy yes. Not just for the waterfalls and grid-friendly views, but for the very specific pleasure of waking up obscenely early, sweating through a trail and then sitting down to breakfast absolutely ravenous.

The weekend itinerary practically writes itself. There's One Tree Hill for those who want a scenic workout without completely destroying their brunch plans, and Kondana Caves for anyone willing to trade a little more sweat for rock-cut history and bragging rights. Both offer the kind of lush, green monsoon scenery that makes you briefly forget about your phone. And both lead to the most important part of the morning: food!

If your Karjat itinerary has almost shaped itself, we definitely urge you to make space for Uppu somewhere in there. Let me also tell you why: think of a trek that can be followed by crisp-edged dosas, steaming podi-sprinkled idlis, a generous lineup of chutneys, and naturally, a strong glass of filter coffee. It's a particularly satisfying reward after a morning spent negotiating uneven trails and pretending the incline isn't bothering you, while you clearly struggle to catch your breath. The breakfast feels less like a cheat meal and more like the second half of the workout, except this time, you're very much seated, and quite ready to slip into a food coma.

Uppu's Karjat outpost also happens to sit within Oleander Farms, a sprawling green property that's become something of a weekend escape for Mumbai's perpetually overbooked crowd. The connection makes sense without needing much explanation: spend the morning outside, slow down afterwards and let the rest of the day unfold without a particularly ambitious agenda. I mean, that is after all the perfect weekend, right?

So, with a long weekend sitting on the calendar, we request that you take this very seriously and leave the city for three days of much-needed self-care. Call it wellness, Type 3 fun or simply a very elaborate excuse to eat dosa; we don’t care. For now, however, it is absolutely clear that peace of mind and true fitness come with minimal phone service, a view and a benne dosa at the finish line.

Lead image: Pexels

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