Having done with my job on 31st March, I had one week at my disposal before boarding my Train to Howrah on 7th April 2011. This one week has been deliberately chosen to give me enough time to wrap up my official work and meet my friends one last time before leaving Bangalore. I know I won't be meeting them again even if I do have plan to come back for a day or two. I will miss some of the people and the place in particular.
Bangalore, I consider as the best place for professionals in India. It is cosmopoliton & people are very accomodative and kind compared to other cities where I had trouble of being outsider or not knowing the local language. Bangalore's "Adjust Maadi" lingo makes all work easy. Also, an above average Public Transport system with newly incorporated AC Volvo buses makes it comfortable to ride distances. Being the
"Silicon Valley" of India, it is well detailed on web and you can get easy home delivery of anything . Though autorickshaws are pain sometimes but I happen to meet an honest one once and I took his number and called him eveytime I needed auto service to which he used to oblige kindly. Bangalore also has lot of nightclubs, concept restro & weekend places which helps maintain work-life balance.
So, here what I have been doing around in past few days.
Day 1 :-Friday
Met Marsha for breakfast at Daddy's Deli (A Parsian Cafe, recommended), where we chatted for long discussing topics ranging from office ass lickers, marriage, friends to opening a new business and becoming Professor. She has been very kind to get me some gifts like Mug for being Learning Catalyst and a folder which is coming in good use to me these days to carry my documents around. Thank You Marsha. I will always miss you.
Then went to my investment advisor who asked me to wait for few days before redeeming my NAV's.
Then went to Blossom Bookstore at Brigade Road where I managed to find a book on Operating Sytstem which I plan to read during my vacation time. Finding a book in an unorganized store is hell of a task.
Day 2:-Saturday
The day started with my visit to my counselor at Yashna Trust whose service I am availing for preparing me to appy to US universities. Let me be frank, if I wouldnt have their support, I doubted I would have made it this time. Very professional and years of experience. Fees is not very costly and genuine. It is affliated with USIEF. It was Visa Counselling day and I must say going for that session helped me avoid mistakes.
Later I left for Jayanagar where there was a friends meet planned. We had lunch in a restraurant but since it was the day for Final Match for Cricket World Cup so we didnt talk much over table but glued to the TV screen and following the match. Nothing helped getting us to talk. At times I was feeling little frustrated thinking its my last day and my friends give cricket more preferance over me :).
Then I left for my Mother's sister house closeby where I watched the rest of Cricket Match and celebrated India's Victory. For the first time I was howling on the streets and I didnt feel embarassed because there were other hundreds doing the same. Next morning I left for my temp stay at Marathalli.
Day 3:- I was tired and coming back home I rested for some more time and then in the evening went to meet Raghav at Garuda Mall. He was my teammate in my project for more than 1.5 yrs and I value our close bonding more as friends than colleague. I was looking for a quiet place for us to talk but it was wrong thing to wish in a shopping mall. We went to a restro in 4th floor in the mall which was little pricy. I dont mind it and I think it was worth the choice as we spent ample time talking about lot of things and then Raghav gave me an open choice to select a gift for myself on his behalf. It was tempting and I told him that I will encash this wish later which he refused laughingly and I chose an informal Kurta for muyself. Later we parted and left for home.
Day 4: This was very hectic day I must say. It started with meeting Kishlay (my high school friend) at "The Egg Factory" (St Marks Road, recommended), were you get dishes of egg only. We enjoyed our time together, remembered some old times and talked a bit on future planning. The place was quiet and the food was good lunch. I later took Kishlay for Bangalore Darshan at M G Road and had ice-cream at Lakeview Cafe. I had wondeful time.
Later, I went to Forum mall where Manisha, Shalinee & Amrita were waiting for me. They are my school friends. Since I just came back from heavy lunch I had Lassi. We chatted for long and again remembered some old memories. Also, the news of marriage for all the three girls was broken to me. It is a different feeling I guess when you see your friends getting married. I wished them good wishes for the marraige life.
At the end of this meet, started third with Neha (Originally my friend's girlfriend). She was little dissapointed about her low score in GMAT, so we talked about how to improve it next time then about my friend on his new posting in Pune and at times about my career goals. Later we went to Bayleaf for dinner. We had great time and then we wished each other and left for homes.
Day 5:-
Day 5, started with some lethargy. I woke up late but I had VISA fee to be payed. Since I had heavy food, last night I forgo my breakfast and lunch for 2 glass of sugarcane juice. Went to Sarjapur Office of HDFC, paid my fees and then marched towards ITPL to meet Prabha and give my gift to her as token of Thank You for giving me recommendations for my school application which worked out.
Came back home but later realized that I have few items remaining in my to-do-list. Went to M G Road to get VISA photoshoot and then to a Pizzahut for my Pizza dinner. Tired and concerend if I will get bus back to room, I left Pizzahut as soon as I finished it and fortunately got into the bus which brought me directly to home.
Day 6 :-
It is tomorrow and I have some plans to be executed. It is also my last day where after that I am boarding my train. I doubt if I will be able to write about this day so I will publish it now in its present form and when ever I get time I will update this.
As said, I love Bangalore and being a Bangalorean.
