I had some stuff to do in pune before going to shirdi. So we hung out there for a couple of days first.

The minute my train reached the station (pretty late evening), the skies started their gentle summer showers. iv never experienced a rain as soft as that. It was almost like the rain was happy i was there it felt like the rain was kissing me walking out of the station, i saw the smallest shrine of sai, most wonderfully cute and promising – i fell in love with the city.
Trying to get under some shelter, i demanded the porter direct me to the closest warmest hotel.

Albeit short, the walk to the hotel was so lovely!! I saw an old couple huddled beneath the awnings of a paan shop – warming each other n smiling at me thro broken paan stained and happy teeth. i saw a bunch of small boys sailing paper boats in galis n oh my god the vada pau shops smelt so AMAZING!!
I got the coziest room in the coziest hotel ever! being a complete vada pau maniac, i HAD to have it for dinner. i was directed to this little blue cart kind of thing near a park, which is said to have the best vada paus in pune and BELIEVE you me, beating the rain, in the dead of the night, it was SWARMING with people in cycles, in bmws, on foot, with teeth, without teeth, rich comfortable women in cashmere sweaters, men in military outfits, little beggar boys, young couples in new love, old men in suspenders, biker dudes, family parties, you name it. N oh God, if heaven had a taste, it would be the pune vada pau with those chillies in vinegar!! and those amazing spicy chutneys!!! Heavenly- Hot hot vadi and large drops of slow rain!!!!!

Walking back, in the silent street sounds of winding down, i think what i really like about Pune is the complete straight forwardness of its people. In my few days there, i found a complete lack of elevator eyes. There is an innocent transparency thro any random glamour and there is a total down to earth attitude and an honesty in Pune’s people and their lifestyle.

On holi especially, I had fun. The whole of a road was closed off to vehicles n open to foot traffic only. full on SHopping!! Malls being like a kind of my mother ship, im addicted to shopping n i loved the city more The street was full of lots n lots of food stalls and people just out to have a good time, a place where people are still sold on posters of saying ‘garv se bolo hello!!!’ Bollywood seems to rule supreme here – even the couples here are very cutely filmi its so very pictureesque

I loved my stay in Pune entirely. It felt like i was living in Far Far Away – like in Shrek you know? or Never never Land (Peter pan) I love fairy tales and i think in pune i may end up finding mine Dont you?