Ahem

Since I'll have to do this sometime, I thought today should be as good as any other. Please get your popcorn, take your seat, make yourself comfortable and have the pleasure of watching me eat my words. This is going to take a while.

So like I said I would, I went to 'Bengaluru' for the weekend. Now, as most of you know, I'm not a big (or a small) fan of the city and have never been the one to actually understand what the mighty fuss was all about. This time though, in the two days that I was there, I caught a glimpse of the city I'd so blindly missed in all my previous trips there.

It was like I was seeing it for the first time; a completely different city emerging from the underneath the shadows of it's seemingly boring veneer. It had a pulse of its own that was almost throbbing in its intensity. Suddenly, I understood why they would despise, so fervently, every other place except their own. And why, they would find any other city, especially a one like Hyderabad, so lifeless.

Around four to five years ago, with my first trip to Mumbai, I had finished seeing every metro in the country. I decided then, that though I liked all of them equally, I'd never want to live in any of them. This trip changed that. For some reason, I could imagine living in that place, meeting 'the One' there, making it my home.

Of course, I squashed all these thoughts even before I could revel in 'em. Even as I'm writing it, my conscience is screaming bloody murder. I think I'll just stop here and move on to another track.

Yeah, so, the trip in itself was kickass fun. I did things I would never have thought myself capable of doing. We were on the streets the whole time we were there, shopping. Until I went broke. For the third time. Food was good. Ate goo at Koshy's, Momos at Tibetian and incredible hot fudge at Corner House. Bought grey market stuff at something-or-the-other plaza. Got seduced by the I Store and madly besotted with Blossoms. And missed going to Pecos!

But to give credit where its due, none of this would have been half as much fun if it hadn't been for Ha and Pink Panther. They were absolutely great. I couldn't have gotten better friends if I'd asked.

I can't wait to go again.

But before that, Chennai beckons. And so does my bed.

Sayonara.