The right before I left home post

And just like that, its time for goodbyes again. The new year begins and my 5 weeks at home draw to an end. Its amazing, how 3 weeks ago I felt like I wasn’t fitting into the puzzle, I was strangely removed from my old life.. but suddenly everything fits – the clothes, the life – everything. I’ve grown to drive over the bumps and grumble under my breath and then move on, to learn to cuddle up to mom and answer incessant questions, to text her once I get back home at night even though she’s in the next room. Teeny things like that which I had forgotten. This week will be tough. I hate goodbyes. I especially hate doing them twice. Saying it to parents is even tougher. To moms? It’s just cruel. Specially mine. She tries to play the strong girl card but it never works. Last year on my way to the airport I left my hairclip clipped on the car handle on the roof – this year when my dad picked me up, 1.5 years later, the clip was still there. My cupboard, still had the same old clothes I had left behind – only washed and ironed. Ma hadn’t moved a thing.

This departure is hard.. I leave not knowing when Ill be back, or how different things will be when I am. Most of my friends are married or engaged or on the brink of being either one of the two. Most of my best friends are boys [ the ratio of men : women in engineering colleges in India is 90:10 ] therefore when they’re married our equations will change. Most of their girlfriends hated me – why wont the wives?! This time when I leave it seems more indefinite.. uncertain.

The trip home was amazing.. goa was just an absolute blast. The road trip was 3 people in a scorpio – the most cosy drive ever (for me, sleeping sprawled in the back seat), and the 4 days were just phenomenal. I have some special moments I’d like to store away…

Like when D and me walked the entire stretch of Morjim beach and spoke about the last 10 years and then made a bucket list and a 5y/10y plan in the sand. That bucket list is another blog post. We had overpriced coconut water and spoke about all our what if’s and thank god its over relationships and the last 10 years of our lives..

Abhi and I stole time away the same evening, at Club Fresh Morjim beach [ SUPERLOVE the place] and spoke about everything we didn’t speak about in the last 10 years – wat his life was really like in America, what he never told me cause I was too much of a prude and too conservative haha – how times change! We exchanged gossip and scandals –me not so much, but it was fun getting to know the parallel life of someone so close to me who had to hide things from me just so that he stays in my good books.

One time when I was in the last seat in the Scorpio and I could see 6 people ahead of me, grooving to the music as we drove down to the beach… I don’t know what it was about that moment as I looked at 6 of us, 28 year olds – I felt 16 all over again, naive and innocent… I watched D make that same hand dance movement he does since the last 15 years, Rush look grumpy as he drove, K and Cy (a new +1 to the group) hold hands. Abhi check his bb for the 99^th time that hour and me in the last seat looking at how everyone was just together, yet apart – strung together by the music, this trip and countless years of memories. Everything and everyone just froze for a few moments and a snapshot remains in my mind..

We spent each night partying – the last night at Hype made me feel 45 years old what with 18 year old children dancing around us. At a.m. there were more of these kids asleep on the chairs outside and drunk sitting on the floor than there were inside dancing. That separates the men from the boys and the children from the adults I guess :-/ Only I wish I was the child in this situation – Someone needs to make the impending 30’s go away!! Ugh! Remind me to make the most of these 2 years please?

Unlike last new years which I spent asleep in LA after spending 30^th and 31^st standing in lines at Universal studios and Sea World, and the new year before that which I spent at my helipad shunning the big commercial party my friends went to, this year I went. To a big new year party, the kind I don’t like. 90 people, commercial music, unlimited food and alcohol a bomb on the wallet – all that. A private party at a private bungalow in Madh island. I had a blast! I am such a disbeliever in partying on new year’s – especially in Mumbai. It’s the most overrated night of the year- you pay five times as much to drink the same alcohol you would on a normal night, you spend an average of 3-6 hours travelling by car, and most of the times, the alcohol and food is almost over by the time you get there.

This party was different – it was well organized [ Kudos to Dev, Dar, Rush ], the cocktails were amazing, the food was brilliant and never ran out and the music was insane!

Day # 3 NYC!

Much as I love the rain, and it has been well documented on this blog, and MUCH as I miss it in Texas, this was one trip I could have done without. It rained all day, I was soaked to the bone, which basically meant i bought a whole new set, right down to innerwear just to stop being cranky. I missed the ferry to Ellis island, couldnt see the statue of liberty OR go to the observation deck atop rockefeller center. GAH.

I did go to the WTC memorial site - a collection of stories and memorabilia from 9/11... I am not American, neither do I belong here, but I was overcome with emotion as I saw little postcards and notes and photos of moms and dads pasted by little kids on the memorial wall - the wall of hugs, the flag of honor with everyones names, the wall of photos... even after having witnessed 26/11 so up close, I cannot begin to imagine what this city went through..my heart goes out to victims, survivors and the affected...

Thats the beauty of a city - of being able to pick up the pieces, rebuild, renew and move strong, undaunted by foolish people who think they're following the will of god... a city that can come to grips with a tragedy like this, mourn together, move on, and never, ever forget. My Mumbai too, is a strong survivor, resilient against repeated attacks - vulnerable, but undaunted. NYC - always on the move, pulsating with throngs of people from all over the world, with a life underground as electric and vibrant as that above is a fantastic city with a soul, I love it!

The streets of New York

I'm here just a day, and in LOVE. I realize coming from a city like Mumbai where everything's always on the move, with the hustle bustle of people and life, a slow smaller city could at max, entertain me for a while. So compared to where im studying, which is a city i LOVE, but is a smaller student town nonetheless, NY is like home.

I did a lot of the usual touristy things today, walked 45 hours (just kidding, i mean 10) took a subway, rode a tram, went to central park. A familiar feeling overcame me when I was at the subway station and in the train - when I saw an old impoverished, beggar in the train everyone was staying away from. America, and the city I live in had sheltered me from this feeling which plagued me in Mumbai - the feeling of helplessness, of wanting to reach out and help someone, and not being in a position to. Texas is a rich state and the homeless probably lead a better life at this point than I do, as a student. However, NY is a reality check, the same ol cutthroat do or die, survival of the fittest, home to the richest and streets to the poorest - just like Mumbai. when I saw this man, knowing I had not the money or the resources to do ANYTHING and my dollar is meaningless - it was a ride back to the familiar feeling in Mumbai when the streets riddled with people who could use my help, and yet I couldnt. I remember spending a substantial part of my pay on beggars, homeless and other such - i even remember my ex boyfriend and I having numerous arguments over my methods of helping and how upset I would get. but. this. feeling. wont. go. i guess in a lot of ways ill have to learn to live with it.

there are so many things similar between these two cities. both throb with the humdrum of daily lives, of rush and haste and no time to waste, both have a life and soul which transcends the concrete jungle they are engulfed in, both make you fall in love with the lights and sounds and hopes and dreams they allow you to dream. Little wonder it is then, that people try SO HARD to make a life happen in these cities- they allow people to dream that dream of a hope ..

friends who moved here from smaller towns in India to big schools like NYU, Columbia, saddled with the expenses of staying here lived 6 people to a 2 bed for 2 years to get a fantastic job to pay it off in a year. surprised?

New york isnt as plastic and sterilized as some other cities in America, it isn't squeaky clean, it isnt free of hand carts and pedestrian painters and homeless people who sing and play for you in the subway, of bands too poor to have an album but talented enough to make you tear up as you wait for your train (true story) - but new york feels real.

I realize its been AGES since ive been on my beloved blog when my fingers flew a the speed of lightning as I wrote this, no time for even spellchecks. I missed this! anyone who i used to read / read me still around? holla! better yet, anyone in NYC?!

Seattle!

I feel as though I dont write as much as I should. Thank MBA for giving me barely enough time to shower each day and thats probably all the time I get to myself each day! So where am I writing from now? A coffee shop at Seattle, doing the American thing - sitting with my laptop and a Java chocolate chip frappacino catching up with emails and blogging. Although I must do my readings for class. :-/

Ive been trying to get myself to leave this coffee shop since the past hour, but the music, just wont let me. Its a beautiful medley of the blues and some french music and its got me hooked. A window seat and perfectness. Its been 3 months since Ive been alone, literally. and thats cos im in a new city where I knew only the 30 people I came with most of whom have left now. MBA Means im perpetually with people, my study group my roomate or other people I need to be around;. This is the first time Im by myself in a place where I can just marinate in my own thoughts and 'do my thing'

The last three days have been a whirlwind of meeting 6 companies, none of which hire me cos im an International student but this experience was intense. It was worth my time and money just coming down here for so many reasons - I got to know some of my classmates better. I was sharing a room with 3 other girls - all americans and they were lovely. There's a reason id tell new students heading abroad not to just hang with Desis, cause thats the easy thing to do, but getting to know different people is just such a stimulating experience! Our hotel is downtown so It was phenomenal - walking out the street meant looking at seriously stylish people wearing their winter wardrobe and an occasional woman in something so tiny that it makes me wonder how shes doing it! (perspective - I have on 5 layers of clothes right now). Visiting companies gave me a good feel of the American work culture and a sense of what it would be like working here. I got the impression that it isnt as structured as it is back home - team of 3-4 working for a boss who has a boss who has a boss and hence your ass is always covered cause of the hierarchy - here its more like you are your own boss and u dont hve a team to necessarily get things done but you have to figure out a way to do them anyway. Im not sure if ill love it or hate it, but ill give it a try!

I am so loving this music in this coffee shop, Its been over an hour and a half and I dint even realize it. Im gonna walk over to the Space needle now, pictures later!

What I did this summer!

Wednesday, 7th April - Mumbai - Chennai

Thursday, 8th April Chennai - Delhi

Friday, 9th April Delhi - Kolkata

Saturday, 1oth April - Kolkata - Mumbai

3 days, 3 cities. Was madnessly tiring but fun as a concept. Only wish I had done the 'Golden Quadrilateral' by road and not air. Had to since was travelling on work. The highlights of the trip...

• The last flight back home was half an hour late, and this was the most on time I got anywhere, averaging between an hour to and hour and half late.
• Kolkata was 41'c!
• I ate 4 meals by myself and hence the eating alone at a place phobia has been overcome.
• I broke a plate at the buffet :/
• Creepy guy on the flight said he'd add me on facebook. I therefore proceeded to misspell my last name.
• Lived with her at Kolkata! YAY! :)
• It turned dark at 6.30 p.m. in the evening at Kolkata whereas Chennai and Delhi were bright as sunshine!
• I saw a TRAM at Kolkata!

The GLORIOUS month of April!

....which has three LONG weekends (Read - holidays on 3 Fridays out of 4) with the coming Friday and Tuesday off. What did I do? Went on a weekend trip of course! (Don't cha know me by now?!)

Destination of choice: Manori. Quaint little island just 5 minutes off Malad, best accessed by Ferry. You can also drive down if you wish, via Bhayander which would leave you twiddling your thumbs in a car ride well over 2 hours with the knowledge that you could've ferried it across in 4 minutes FLAT.

We were 18 of us all geared up with our camera's, cards, alcohol and chakna supplies! For me, this qualifies of another weekend of firsts. Away from the aegis of my all-too-protective mother, I partook of the delights of my first ever Gola. Kala Khatta flavored. There is photographic evidence too, with a strategically placed police van in the background. I also bought Keri (Raw Mango) off a guy with a rickety handcart, who cut and sliced the delightful fruit with a knife that looked like it had never felt the coolth of water, and masala which imbibed in it the combination of salt, red chilli powder and some unidentifiable other powder, which I suspect, is sand.

Needless to say, my mother expressed her disdain at aforesaid activities. HAH. So much for that. =) Next stop, roadside Pani Puri. If I muster up the courage i.e. Not eating off the streets and hygienic surroundings have marred my childhood i tell'ya. I discovered many other unfamiliar terms and apparently extremely commonly devoured items like Tadi - Coconut resembling fruit (?) of which alcoholic derivatives can be extracted. My ignorance of such names was appropriately by ALL 18 of the gang.

Assuming I spend the next 5 lines going into various narratives about how hot it was and how Im a shad darker (again), ill pretend that you know, get my drift et all, and move on with my weekend. Another first was the spending the night in a Dormitory. Its anyone's guess how many good nights were exchanged and how long it took before everyone agreed on how many ac's should be left on, and finally hushed up.

The poor DJ, hired for the night on account of the presence of 3 other large groups of people occupying the resort, began his revelry a good hour and a half before anyone joined in. We all indulged in the coolth of the ac and stepped out only when some breeze was bestowed upon us.
Dance was danced, alcohol was had, dinner was very nearly forgotten, and much making merry happened.

The best part of the entire trip was indisputably the midnight walk on the beach. Secluded, dimly lit with only the outlines of ourselves discernible... we all sat, silently for some time. Being one with the winds and the moonlight, hearing ourselves breathe the pleasure of which the undercurrents of fast pace and vehicular buzz doesn't allow us. A was there. We sat, in a circle I made with my finger in an imaginary impermeable world, where for that moment, there existed just two people. 'I can just fall asleep here' He said, when he just scooted over and placed his head on my lap. I obviously, replied to that oh-so-cute moment by running my sand filled hand through his hair. Someday we will be, Together you and me...

Apparently it was TOO COLD :D Thanks Gautam and AB for being such sports on seeing this picture the next day!

Also, the picture of the sea above clicked by Dhwani.

Holla!

I went Here for the weekend! Its a direction (Towards Gujarat) Ive never driven down in before, and was mucho excited! Somehow, all previous weekend get-aways meant driving in the Pune/Mahableshwar/Matheran/Lonavla/Khandala directions with the lone exception of Durshet which was covered on the way back from Nashik one day.

First the Logistics for anyone who wants to go. 2 days max, in a good resort since there isn't much to do in town. (Except drink like its free, cause it almost is). Hence a good resort is a requirement in case of wanting to spend time indoors, (Swimming pool contributing to a fraction of activities). Its a 3-4 hour drive from Mumbai, with a few decent stops on the way. There's a Kamat for breakfast/snacks along the way which is the only restaurant I would recommend since the rest looked like halts for truck drivers.

Stock up on the booze on the way home for drinking friends and relatives, since Daman is almost like one giant Duty free shop. The Beaches are a slight disappointment, this being my first experience with black sand. Devka beach is pebbled which means not only does it look cluttered (an aside from the usual smooth as butter sandy beaches) but also, there are no activities here.

Jhampore beach is slightly better off, (picture below) with some interesting photography stunts with my new camera! I'm going to try not gloating there, but the Sony DSCT 77 is a seriously bad ass camera. And I mean this in the nicest sense of the term.

I did Horse riding on the beach! Rode this Beautifully Tall and sturdy horse named 'Chetak'. It was the first time I got onto a horse since the tenth standard when my last year of training was. (Serendipity trained in riding for 4 years whilst Dad was in the Navy. If it interest you, the fee was 25 Rs per month for alternate day, 6.oo a.m. in the morning classes for defence kids and 625 per month for civilians lol!! )

I started tentatively with the horse owner (or his little son was more like it) holding the reins alongside, but soon after asked him to let go and broke into a light trot. It was exhilarating, that tiny little pick of speed with the reins in my hand and while we didn't gallop or even canter (since the Horse is not riding trained - only drag along trained) the feeling of being on a horse, saddled up with the reins in my hand was enough to feel a rush. He bucked a few times as the trainer hit him (which I got very angry with) but he wouldn't respond to my gentle prods with my ankles, which made me feel really sad. Having said that, by the time I got off, I was rejuvenated and excited that I could get onto a horse with confidence and not feel as though its something I Haven't done in such a long time!

The resort had a small pond-like pool. (What is with these tiny pools anyway?!) The Naval pool was 10 lanes, Olympic sized and has me spoilt for life. Anything smaller and I feel like I'm swimming in a bathtub or something. It was fun for small races with the boys though. Needless to say, I won (all!) and it does wonder for ones ego. Specially when one is the only girl participating against the boys and one wins. This obviously means the Boys get the privilege of hearing this from me very often. :D

Also, FUSEBALL happened! At Mirasol . Oh, and I also played Frisbee for the first time! It took a couple of very (very very) badly placed throws to get the action right. In fact my first throw was so bad, I was made to throw in the direction of someone standing near the sea, and it STILL (bloody hell) Boomeranged its way dangerously close to disgruntled Uncle. But then, got the hang of it. Cant wait till next time! :)

Ok, In addition to Maldives, Durshet/Kolhad Rafting if your planning a trip to Daman and need info, ask!

On other developing news items, Something transpired over the course of last night and this morning and 6 followers have dropped off my blog. This, for some reason looks to be a conspiracy to me with a lot more bloggers having followers withdraw their everencouragingloveandsupport. Thats just mean no? Is there tum ting wong? :D

I just realized, I got these, from Imps mom. Hence without further ado, Thanks Imps mom. :)

I pass them on to Sunshine, Hitch, Piper, Snow, Kiran, Parul, Abhishek and Aditya Take a bow guys!

Hitch - This guy is fun. He's almost always the first to comment on most of the people he reads. how he does it is beyond me.

Piper and Snow - are recent nameless, faceless blogger friends who I have no idea why, But I really identify with! Most of their posts have me n absolute agreement! and I feel as though I almost know them!

Kiran - Is an outstanding, Inspiring woman. Met her at Indiahelps and I love her stories with the extremely adorable Krishh, who I have to say, will break a lot of hearts when grown up :)

Parul's ranting about the loss of a follower too! :) I absolutely love her slightly sarcastic, easily funny way of putting things. :D

Aditya is also a faceless blogger whose blog I first commented on since he wrote something about Regal Barista - a stone's throw from my house!

Abhishek - Look at this as stimulus to blogging again, Since thats at least one avenue to 'feel in touch'. And the Poems HAVE to make a reappearance now!

Sunshine - Your the only anonymous blogger Ive added to my F/B account or even given my real name to. Think we've been the longest blog-buddies for my blog. :)

Oh Boy!!!

Im back (briefly) for a day before I leave for Mahableshwar (tomorrow). Before it sounds all cool and vacation hopping, its not. :) Mahableshwar is office review meet thingy which owing to (a**hole recession) is NOT happening in a foreign location. In case the small unkypunkymood badge on the blog is not visible clearly and telling folks, I was in GOA for the last 5 days. :) got back last morning wayy too early in the morning for my comfort and headed to work.

My voice, will join me in a few days (is still in Goa somewhere I suspect) . Hence until then I shall resort to hoarse whispering and typing on cellphone, since I sound like a MAN.

Coming to the trip, Oh boy-oy-oy-oy-oy!!! Never before have I had SO MUCH fun concentrated in a space of 5 days before! The place we stayed at (Hacienda) was 5 mins away from Baga beach, really homely and inviting...considering we were a group of 42 people, we filled up the place, and pretty much took over the house. At any point of time, if you were to walk around the place, you'd find some of us scattered around - on the lawn, in a few open rooms, in the reception. we were everywhere! :)

Partied till 5 each morning, ate prawn curry rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Had there been any meals in the middle, we would've had the same then as well I suspect.

The TAN. Much lesser and quite subdued compared to the Maldives trip, which had everything to do with me acting like Miss Freak-of-nature, applying and reapplying suntan every 30 mins or so, hiding under humongous (and really cool) hat which i bought an hour into reaching Goa. (i also did jet skiiing after sunset, and also jumped into th water only then which would've contributed to a major proportion of the tan had there been one.) O kay, don't judge me, I got bai-like tan the last vacation i went to, and I'm mentally scarred for life.
Meals were eaten at Boscoes (Baga), Zanzibar (Baga), Curlies (Anjuna), Brittos, club Ivy, Totos and breakfasts in Hacienda itself. Yummy french toast and chaai everyday :) Partying happened at Ivy, Nine Bar (Rave type but INSANE house music), Poison and Shiro (must-see full on romantic dinner by the sea type place).

To add to the frenzy of all things that happened, I had a bike accident and got a Tetanus injection too. The bike accident was scary, obviously miss smarta** was riding. And for reasons known to her, lost control on a turn. What ensued was 10 mins of people trying to ascertain damages by cellphone light since it was dark. I'm fine though, a bunch of NASTYY bruises on knees, stomach and thighs aside. A, behind me was fine too, a few scratches here and there... What Ill remember from this fall is falling, not knowing what the f happened for the first 2 mins, and hearing A say 'S, are you OK' repeatedly till I managed a 'I'm fine'. Persistent little brat stands up, even though he was hurt too, stands me up, does a quick recce, and doesn't stop worrying till we reach home and dab undiluted dettol all over. (YARGH).

Anyway, so that was the bike accident. Scared I was, sore and hurt all over the next few days, but the blow to the ego was the biggest. My first reaction (absurdly) was to blame A for my loss of balance. I wish I could pass it off as him having distracted my attention, but as a rider, I am fully accountable for my own as well as my pillions safety, so It was my fault. Though I wish it was his. or someone Else's. But that's the thing, A was so concerned about my safety and the hurts I felt creepy and petty for wanting to blame someone else.

There was a dance...the kinds I always wanted. Beach, stars, music, red dress. And jet skiing in the moonlight, with the moonrays dancing along with us...BUT that's a whole new post.

All in all, this trip was a million thoughts, a trillion memories and a gazillion posts rolled into one.

Home sweet Home?

I was at Bhandhardara this weekend. Its a quaint little hill station nestled among the Sahyadri Hills about 185 kms from Mumbai, 35 kms off the Nashik-Mumbai Highway.

I fell in love with this place the minute the car took a turn off the Nashik highway! The lush green farms on either sides of the narrow road your driving on, the green topped hills (which we're not used to seeing anymore) and small herds of cattle herded by a typical farmer-cowboy with the traditional blanket on his shoulder to ward off bees is a pretty sight.

The Locals in Ghoti village (which you need to pass to get there) all wear traditional Maharashtrial dhoti-kurta and Nehru cap. Women are dressed in Lugdas (a variation of sarees) and it was most enchanting to see this traditionalism prevalent just about 4 hours away from the commercial hob-nob that is Mumbai where traditions and customs have all but taken a back seat.

The view from the MTDC resort is breathtaking, the photo below was taken just a short 10 min climb down the hill from my room. The fact that there are only two paces to stay here - MTDC and Anandvan resort has ensured that this place remains non- commercial, non-tourist attraction crazy and clean.
The MTDC resort rooms are your basic functional rooms, with no frills. But at Rs. 1000 a night (deluxe) what more can you expect. The rooms that we stayed at have been recently renovated by the Mah Govt, hence we had to pay Luxury tax (!!) on the cost!

The food was really homely, if you ordered right. we ordered baingan bharta (eggplant) and dal (pulses) and pitla (a besan preparation famous in Maharashtra) and Bhakri (roti made from Jowar) and thoroughly enjoyed.

Course there was a group of people on the adjacent table experimenting with Chinese (why they were doing that is beyond me). Its like ordering a Pizza at Kamat!

After sweltering in the Mumbai heat, feeling a chill in the air in the evening and wanting to cuddle under a blanket at night felt like a welcome change.

I'm pretty much at a loss for words to describe how beautiful this place was, which has resulted in a mediocre post trying to elaborate.

Why someone would want to pay anywhere between 45-75,000 a sq foot to live in THIS (see pic below) is beyond me.

Same sh*t, different day

U HAD to BE here to believe it. These are'nt bad resolution pictures - thats how the weather was!! Rain lovers in Mumbai - head to Lonavla/Khandala ASAP!! Of course, be sure to witness full aunty-uncle-tinku-minku type crowd, but so long as u got your little coterie with you, your set.

The expressway from the eating place at Dukes Retreat - the clouds completely shadow the hills that lie beyond.

Justttt before it started pouring and I could see this no more.
Its amazing - how a change of scenery can just put things into perspective. I came away from a small day and a half long picnic with a calm realization of the battle that lies forth, and how much introspection lay impending - and ignored.

Do we actually reach a point in our lives when past experiences shadow future endeavours? Off late I seem to have proved everyones point - that I did live in a bubble, and being too much of an optimist and hoping against hope is for fools, that ONE day I will wake up with a eerie realization - 'I'm no longer that crazy optimist I used to be, Realism and Pessimism have overshadowed my dreams and longs and expectations'

Do we reach a point in our lives that we're so scarred that every experience seems like a re-run of the past? And if it isnt, well still feel that cause once bitten, twice shy? Should you learn from past experience and guard yourself better, or should you give new people/new situations a fair chance to get to know the real, soft, unedited, vulnerable you?

If you learn from each experience you go through and figure - 'I need to toughen up' - you may toughen up so much that no one will ever reach a point that they can hurt you. I wouldnt want this.

Else, if you DONT learn from each experience and continue being the same, you'd just be allowing people and situations to get the better of you and continue hurting. I wouldnt want that either.

What about the people you hurt along the way? The people who did no wrong except allow themselves to be caught up in your mess? Can you pass it off by saying that that's their battle, just like you have yours? Or should you not have allowed that person to get caught up in your entangled, entwined mind?

Where's that fine line? Between holding on to youself and letting go? Between loving someone and falling in love? Between learning from the past and looking forward to the future? Between being independent and fiercely guarded to learning to depend and share? I would really like to cross over to the other side....

Lets go!

Offer valid till stocks last?!!

Maldives Baby!

The view from the resort room.
Having walked down to the beach... 15 steps from the resort room and complete privacy. Thing is, Maldives is made up of close to 1,190 islands out of which about 200 are inhabited. Each island is actually a RESORT and freakshly expensive. Hnece the only people you wll find here are tourists and the resort management. NO locals, NO horrible men staring you down, nothing.


The coffee shop at Giravaru island where we stayed for a night. If your going to Maldives, and plan to stay at a resort, (if your not planning to go to a resort and stay, then dont go) be prepared to shell out anything between 500$ - 750$ per head per night. Laguna, Bandos
are among the few you ought to head to if you have that kind of a budget.

The View from the hotel room at Male - Hotel Relax Inn. The small island to the extreme right is actually an oil depot, and the tiny island next to it, is a jail!

Some little facts about Maldives -

• Male, is the smallest capital city in the world. It has a total length of about 7 kms and you can walk from one end to the other.
• It is a strictly Islamic country and all local women wear Muslim scarves on their head.
• You cant get a drop of alcohol on the island of Male due to strict Islamic policy. Many efforts by the men on the trip to 'do setting' led to nothing. How to beat this is to go to Hulhule, the airport island and hang out at the bar there. (Male doesnt serve alcohol but mostly all the islands in and around do)
• IT IS EXPENSIVE.
• Snorkeling and the Whale submarine are a MUST.

I am now close to 3 shades darker than i was when i left Mumbai, with no complaints. Being the water freak that i am, lets just say that the Indian ocean i saw on this trip has left me dizzy with its sheer beauty and wanting more. Anyone planning a trip there soon, ask me about the do's and dont's. Cos believe me there are quite a few.

Spot the Blogger!!

Cos she's gonna be somewhere in the MALDIVES!!!

Im tryinggg veryyy hard not to gloat. :)

Be back with tonnes of pictures, a tan and lots to say about the place.

Have a good work week y'all.

Title thinking in progress

There's a lot to be said about hospitality in Delhi. Having lived in Mumbai for the better part of my life now, i left Delhi and its mentality behind ages ago, got swept into the fast paced, nonchalance of Mumbai life.

The difference was stark, and it hit me hard. I was in Delhi the day holi was celebrated. From the previous day, my aunt and nearly everyone in the house was fervently cleaning the house (so the holi revelry doesnt dirty it?!) making holi food (Dahi Bhallas, Matthi, Gujjias, Shakkarpara etc). This went on for the entire day - i was made to eat dinner in my room since the entire surface area of the dining table (a 12 seater mind you) was covered with food!

Point being, so much trouble was being taken in order to serve the guests that would invariably drop by on Holi. I had my doubts, lookng at the quantity of food that was made. Wrong i was, as
early morning a flood of unidentified people were gathered in the living room. Neighbours, colleagues, friends everyone who knew my aunt and uncle looked like they were present.

I soon caught on to the festivities and reluctantly offered my face to the everyone who was waiting with baited breath. On Holi, a completely untouched, clean person is anyone's most desired bakra. People i did'nt know coloured my face and hair and wished me happy holi. What i enjoyed was the fact that everyone who i dint know, very gently rubbed colour into my face. It was a mix of 'your not supposed to be clean on holi, you ought to be pulverized with colour' and 'i dont know you, so ill be nice, lest you get offended'.

Of course, a seemingly innocent walk outside (to go to the Shiv temple outside) out of sheer naiviete led to a downfall, and i got smattered with more colour. Luckily it was mostly all dry since my refuge was my 6 month old niece who i was thankfully given the responsibility to handle.

Here is what it all leads to. Mumbai festivals. (Categorically speaking of myself here, as many of you might have family and hence celebrate festivals in a big way) I dont have ANY family (other than my folks and sibling) in Mumbai. Like 99% Mumbaikars, i live in a flat system and i dont remember entering any of my neighbours houses. Holi, Diwali and other festivals are subdued, usually small Puja's with four of us at home, followed by the traditonal food.

I have three neighbours - Catholic, Parsi, Parsi and Us. My building is predominantly Catholic/Parsi hence most festival celebrations are somewhat diluted. Although i would like to mention that my catholic neighbours children celebrate Diwali with equal zest.

I loved that people walked in and out of my aunts house in Delhi. I loved that if you dont go visiting your relatives and friends on holi and other festivals, they could be offended. I loved that the dining table was full of oily festival food and that my aunt spent the entire previous day lamenting about what she would do in case she fell short of food (HOW that would have happened considering the quantity of food made was beyond me). but thats Delhi for you. its the 'Beta tumne to kuch khaya hi nahi' (you havent eaten at all) after having eaten like a glutton or 'Yeh to short notice par itna hi kar pai' (in short notice, this is all i could manage) after having served you more food than you couldve eaten on an empty stomach.

I loved that people in Delhi dont necessarily have more time, but they make it. Family, friends, festivities take precendent over clients, deadlines or targets. That sense of longing i felt for that feeling of carefree frolic, of reckless joy, in a room surrounded by mostly strangers (to me) was something i dint know i missed living here.

But I do, and I hate that I know I do. And i hate that wishing doesnt make things better.

Chandi chowk mein chandni chamachh se ..something

Im currently in a place i lived in approximately 15 years ago. A place I moved to right after i was born. Delhi. There's SO much more to this post. soon... right now im tired from having -

• shopped at Chandni chowk
• eaten at Paratha gulli
• eaten Dahi Bhalla
• seen India gate
• having forgotten my bag in a store and having to make an hour long round trip to go back to the store and having a very nice uncle return it to me (after a mock quiz - what was in the bag, when did u leave it etc)

Tomorrow Connaught place, Nirulas, Lotus temple, Lal quilla possibly.

OOOHH I also travelled the Delhi metro. i pity us poor Mumbaikars travellng like a can of sardines in the heat and crowd of the local trains while Delhiites are way cooler than us in the Delhi metro - neat, clean, AIR CONDITONED, and extremely comfortable. but then thats another post.

Some strange things that have ALREADY happened to me

• my aunt asks me if i want to eat 'Bhallas' and i was stumped. seriously, Bhallas? and then she gives me this incredulous look -'dude u dont know what bhallas are?' they turned out to be what we know as Dahi wada's (only a nicer version).
• i asked for 'shakkar' and got asked a question - do u want 'chini' or 'shakkar' . again, stumped. cos according to me theyre the same! one is a powdered form of sugar and the other is cryatallized.

I really must go, tomorrow looks like a nice day. Unfortunately ive been craving some desi tandoori/kebabs type food and all the people i know are veg :( shucks!

Incred!ble !ndia

Some random pictures i took en route Nashik. I'm in love with everythign around me... of course the sea is my first love... but one look at the pictures below, im convinced.

India is a beautiful country - there's no debate there. its just there to explore. I know people who've travelled to a zillion countries abroad, but not a place outside Mumbai in India. and i say to myself and them - we have everythign you could want right here! Not that im averse to the idea of going place, no im a big proponent of new places people and things. I just think as an Indian i ought to know the beauty and magnificence of my own country, so i have a benchmark for the others!

I am a certified photo-at-every-opportunity-taker, and a I-love-my-country-and-im-gonna-try-capturing-its-essence-in-photos-wherever-i-go". Not that im equipped with fancy cameras this is good ol camera phone at work. Little mercies :)

I've grown up by the sea... and its always been special to me. When asked in slam books and other truth and dare / random questions - "would you rather live by the mountains or the sea" pat would come the answer "the sea" without a doubt, without a blink of the eye. It was never in doubt.

But here it is - that game god plays. Falling in love with him means maybe having to leave this behind... and move. To the mountains no less. To that unthinkable option in the question, to the thought never considered. But I've fallen anyway.

I have enough memories of waves and tides and the sand and the sound of the waves in my head to last me a long time. What he gives me among other things - solace, contentment and unconditional support were something the sea did until now. But im a happy woman, I got more than i deserved.

Hopefully he feels the same way. And reads this post and says "Well move by the sea someday" :)

Once a dreamer, always a dreamer!