Bangalore Trip

I remember going in train when I was in my III standard vividly. That was last! I avoided travelling and was scared of journeys!

Krishna knows that I haven’t travelled in my life neither by train/bus nor flight after my III stnd stint. My sister Siri many times tried to push me to travel but I always made sure trips are cancelled. Krishna tried his best couple of times booking the tickets to take me out, I ended up cancelling them too.

So this time around when Krishna had to go to Bangalore to meet my friend (and his friend now) on business trip. He literally was after me to join him to the trip. Also my friends Usha and Sree warned me with dire consequences if I cancel the trip!
Finally, I boarded the train! Alas!! Usha checked on by calling and asking if I had boarded the train or not.

Train journey was fun and I enjoyed the window view after 5.00 in the morning as hardly I could see anything at night (It was AC coach).

We ended up landing in Bangalore very late. We headed straight to my friend Giridhar's house. We are family friends and Giridhar’s mom insisted that we stay at his place in Bangalore. His 3-bedroom flat was part of a big gated community with around 9-10 blocks and is on 9th floor at Marthahalli (near ITPL). The morning view of sun from the balcony was pleasure to watch.

After exchanging greetings with Giridhar, we refreshed and went out on roads of Bangalore. I was disappointed with the weather as it was too hot opposed to what I heard about the cool weather. Friends told me there has been drastic change in the weather from past two years cos of massive cut down of trees for the Metro rail project.

I liked the roads; though few roads are narrow I felt Bangloreans have sense of traffic unlike Hyderabadis. Most worrisome factor is traveling in autos. These autowallas dupe new visitors so badly. We had tough time commuting but thankfully with the help of friends we were able to use public transport effectively.

Our friend Hemanth, who came to meet us and take us around Bangalore, has shown us few malls and busy street Brigade road. I didn’t like the ‘Mall cultured’ Bangalore. We went back home tired and hit the sack.

Next day we were to meet my friend Adi (Aditya) at his house for lunch. Little pretext about Adi here. Adi and I met at an online social networking group 5 years ago. We haven’t met face-face though. Adi and Krishna are in same line of work and they had to discuss some business deal - that’s how we ended having a trip to Bangalore.




We were wise enough this time to use the public transport rather than hiring a cab service or take an auto. Adi’s place was at Yalahanka. He invited his three more friends from Bangalore to meet us. Adi n his lovely wife Lakshmi were great hosts. The lunch was lip smacking. While Krishna, Adi and other friends were discussing the business, Lakshmi and I had gala timing nagging about respective husbands! After Adi's place it was time to meet Krishna's childhood pen friend Madhavi's house. Madhavi and her mom were super cool to talk to.

Next day was a big day. Giridhar suggested we take his car to go to Mysore. We hired a Telugu speaking driver and started at around 7.00 in the morning and headed to Mysore.
We had tasty breakfast at one of the small hotels in Maddur and had the famous Maddur Vada. We covered almost all important sightseeing places like Sreerangapattanam temples, Tipu sultan gardens to Sangam river. After reaching Mysore, I tried my level best to find a good Mysore silk shop to buy a saree for myself but somehow felt it was luxury to indulge! We bought few Sandal related items like Doop sticks etc.
We visited the beautiful Mysore Palace – the architecture was a treat to eyes. After having lunch we went straight to the famous Mysore Zoo and Chamundi hills. I had lot of fun at Zoo. By then it was already late and we started back to Bangalore and reached home at 11:00.

Next day we started back to Hyderabad. After coming back to Hyderabad, I had to say to myself “Nothing beats home!”

P.S: Krishna is planning another trip already!! 

Flashback...

Oct’2004 :

I met Krishna for the first time after initial one and half years of chat conversations.It was a dud meeting and we were quite happy that it didn’t create any ‘story’ between us. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t meet this guy again after the first meeting.He is probably the second stranger guy in my yahoo chat list (First being Chakri – who is like a mentor to me) and that’s the end of the list!

All that we talked on chat was about our studies and careers in that complete one year before the face-face meeting. Both of us have similar family backgrounds and grounded roots.

Our second meeting definitely was the start of a new relationship between us.You will know why.

I was getting ready to go to Sultan bazaar to collect my dress from the tailor. I got a call from Krishna.

“My friend said she would meet me today and is not meeting me for lunch. I don’t want to go back to office. Can I meet you at koti itself for 5-10mins?” (Oh yea! He had so many girl ‘friends’ and he said I was just another friend)
I didn’t want to meet him.
“Is there anything important that we have to meet and talk? Why can’t we talk over the phone?”
“I’m not gonna kidnap you. Just casually wanna meet you and say hi. Also its exactly one week that we first met and we can celebrate the meeting”

Lame excuse. But I thought it shouldn’t be a problem as it is 5 minutes meeting.
I collected my clothes from the tailor, asked Krishna to meet me at Gokul chat. I called my mom and said I am meeting this guy (I was this obedient child you see). By the time I reached there he was already waiting for me. Somehow I felt he was not the same guy whom I met just last week. He was eagerly waiting for me. We had chat at Gokul and I was about to take leave.

He offered to drop me on his kinetic honda till bus stop which of course I rejected. He literally forced me to sit on his bike and I didn’t want to create scene in public so hesitantly I was his pillion rider. He took me to ‘Ohris’ ice cream parlour without listening to me. He ordered ‘sundae’. He was just glaring at me and I pretty much know by now that something is wrong with this guy. I was so very uncomfortable that day. I just wanted to run away. I hurriedly finished the ice cream and left.

Things have changed a lot after that meeting. I avoided him and his calls after that for some time. It was not just friendship anymore. The ‘love’ season serial continued for 3 years and we are finally married!

Present


So why the hell did I go into flashback??

Today Krishna took me to Ohris again for ice cream. We sat at the same place. We ordered two slices of ice cream. I asked him to replicate our past. He asked me to close my eyes. I gladly closed my eyes for 3-4 secs and when I open my eyes I see that he was happily eating ice cream and is not even bothered to look at me!! Wah so romantic!

Huh. Husbands!!!

Pizza for dinner

“Do you know Pizza Hut has introduced new punjabi flavor pizza”, Krishna said on phone. Hmm. I know our dinner is going to be Pizza for the night. I don’t have any special liking for Pizzas or Subs, but after meeting Krishna, Pizza Hut has become our permanent hangout place.

We went to the near by Pizza Hut, Banjara Hills road. And it is full with crowd enjoying the pizzas. We ordered for a new flavour “full Punjabi” Kadai Paneer, Cheese Garlic Bread and some other pizza( I don’t remember its name). It was a good meal and we both enjoyed the pizza and looking at people around, discussing about lok sabha nuclear deal vote of confidence.

From there we headed to the new mall ‘Asoka Metropolitan’. I know he was not interested to come there as he hates shopping. And I had no clue that there was a new book shop which is opened. HuH. He was ecstatic in seeing the book store and I accompanied him. I am not a book freak nor even interested to look around. But I did found a children section which had good stack of soft toys and learning kits for kids. I adored them. Wanted to indulge in buying all those soft toys but I guess I thought its not a good time to buy. Had to drag Krishna, literally out of the store. Of course he did purchase his favorite author’s book before leaving (Robin Sharma).

We went to Music World and I purchased ‘Bhootnath’ DVD. Krishna said it’s a good ‘children’ movie and I would enjoy it. Yea! I was angry when he said that, wanted to shout “I am not a kid and this movie is meant for every age group”, but couldn’t. Chalo kshama karidiya.

It was a good outing yest. Felt like we had spent ample time after long time shopping together. Hope he agrees to come out to the clothes store today. He he he he. I know I am expecting little too much from a conventional husband. But what else can I do. After all I am a conventional wife.

:P