A goodbye to Bangalore…

Today is my last working day here in Bangalore. One week in the guest house was wonderful. I met a really nice girl and we got along really well. I just hope we keep in touch.

I am leaving for Pune tomorrow and going to my sisters place today evening.

I don’t believe It’s been 6 months here. I didn’t quite notice the time. I had 2 of my good friends staying with me. I got to spend lots and lots of time with J. I got to stay and experience living in a different city. I can’t say I don’t like the city but Pune has a different charm altogether. I don’t know anyone who would like to leave the city. Once they are in Pune they are generally there for life, unless obviously for some unavoidable circumstances.

I thought Pune was crowded. But Bangalore gives a different definition to the word. The traffic is awful. Even in bookstores, there is chaos. I just feel like picking up whatever I want and leaving the place.

Also, the place is not as open and cosmopolitan as it is supposed to be. People in offices here form groups according to their languages. It’s not intentional, but it tends to happen that way. People coming from outside the state prefer to speak their languages as it makes them feel closer to home. People who are already here speak in kannada. Even if they are friendly, once when they start talking in kannada you feel like stepping back, moving and doing something else.

Bangalore has some really good restaurants, pubs and second hand bookstores compared to Pune. But you cannot do anything other than that on weekends. Sometimes you feel like getting away, going for a hike or being close to nature. There are not many places for that here and most of them are very far. In Pune, if you think you need an adventure, you just pick your bikes or take a train or hire a car and set off. There are places like tamhini ghat, sinhagad, Alibag where you can go for one day trips. That’s something I really feel is lacking here. Sometimes you get tired of all the malls and the multiplexes and the restaurants.

People here are a little conservative. It’s just an observation, doesn’t necessarily have to be a good or a bad thing. Depends on your perspective entirely. I found that a little unsettling.

So I guess my Bangalore tenure is over and I am looking forward to going home and joining a new work place with double the salary (Sorry I just cannot get over that). And obviously being closer to J. He can come over almost every weekend.

I look forward to reading more books as I’ll get more time at home, catching up with friends, watching more movies at the theatre(there is a multiplex very close to my house), more blogging and commenting (some sites are blocked here in the office and I did not have internet at my place. I have internet at home).

On a last happy note, I just got Stephanie Meyer’s ‘New moon’ and ‘Eclipse’ from landmark the other day. I had been looking out for these books since long, but they were always out of stock. But this time when I went, I found a whole new shelf with her books. May be its something to do with ‘Breaking dawn’ releasing. I also got a cool ‘Breaking dawn’ bookmark for free form Hatchett along with the books. I am already half way through New Moon’ and so far loving it.

So the next time I blog, it will be from home.