"हाँ, इस बार पक्का "

"अगर अगले हफ्ते यहाँ दिखा तो खैर नहीं तेरी "

"हाँ भई, मुझसे इतना घबराने कि ज़रुरत नहीं, अगली मुलाकात ऑनलाइन ही होगी "

ये आखिरी हफ्ता कुछ इस तरह कि बातों में गुज़रा

The train has started. Pune wonders are fast leaving behind.

Na! I am not writing this while in train, otherwise I would have definitely mentioned about this beautiful girl sitting in the same train compartment as me diagonally across, doing something on her laptop and looking at me in between from over her laptop. :)

Mar 9, 2008 morning 2 AM (night rather), when I first stepped on this land, very little did I know that I’ll fall in love with the city so soon.

As I pack my bags, I am trying to relive the time spent here and recalling each of these moments is making my luggage heavier with its bit.

[1] First and foremost, for the first time in my short life of 25 years, I stayed with my dad for such a long time. Found a new roommate in him – caring and loving. :) आहा क्या राजसी खाना खता था मैं - दही में केसर डाल के, रोज़ आधा लीटर बनाना शेक, घर के खाने कि बात ही अलग है

[2] Stay at AFMC: Students strive hard to get into the Armed Forces Medical College – go through various rounds of tests, counseling etc. And here I was without the slightest of struggle and enjoying every facility provided – from library to canteen to swimming pool. Army personnel all around, I got to have a closer look into their lives.

[3] Cricket, TT, Swimming on weekends. My weekends were never so active since I joined Infosys. AFMC life was full of sports. I had always wanted to do more-and-more swimming. Swimming, diving, cycling, somersaults – I learnt them all.

[4] You go to any Infosys campus; it will leave the imprints on your mind. And Pune DC was no lesser. But I was more attracted towards the food here. It was more home-sick making. I loved it.

[5] Trips to Lonavla, Shivneri, Alibagh, Sinhgarh, Bheemashankar and Lonavla again.

[6] Of all the cities (not many though) I have roamed around, Pune was different. It is greener than any other city I have seen. The outbreak of swine flu was the only sad part; otherwise Pune air is very healthy.

Pune embraced me so tightly, if given a choice, I would love to come back and settle here for the rest of my life. I have always been telling people that Pune gives you the pleasure of both worlds: a Bangalore like weather (or maybe better) and a Mumbai like lifestyle (or maybe better).

Note: Wrote this on Friday, but set the time to be published on Saturday. Last post from Pune.