A sign lost in the abyss, this Metropolis.

To tell you the truth, when I heard about the plans for a trip down south I was reluctant to go. For the last couple of years whenever plans for visiting Bangalore were brought up I used to wiggle my way out by mentioning an upcoming set of exams. Now you wouldn't want me unprepared for those, would you?
But now, having my board exams done and dusted with nothing to take refuge behind, I could not resist and eventually gave up to my mother's advances.

Frankly, I do not have anything against Bangalore. I love the weather there. But being born and bought up mostly in Mumbai does not do much in favor of me fluently conversing in my mother tongue, let alone Kannada- which leaves me in a fix. One cannot survive in Bangalore without basic Kannada. Besides, my cousins live in a joint family. A myriad of people in a house. With me in it. Yeah, not a good situation.

Once I'd dodged the customary starters of conversation pertaining to when they had last seen me and how vastly I have changed since then, my eldest uncle dropped the bomb on us. He was beaming proudly while my aunt announced their plan to take us all on an adventurous expedition around Karnataka. Let me tell you why this was a big facepalm moment of mine:

1. I had not carried my cellphone. My iPod charger broke at the airport. Courtesy: My brother. Therefore, No Music. Cue hyperventilation.
2. In my attempt at travelling light, the only footwear I carried was a pair of white chucks.
3. I did not carry any adventure-appropriate clothing. It was winter for crying out loud. I was ready for hibernation.
4. I was still recovering from cramps after a mega light-saber fight with my brother from a few days ago where I fell badly.

Do I need more?



***


After enduring a 12-hour car journey with an annoying cousin beside me, I emerged seemingly unscathed. We got lost a couple of times, but managed to reach the destination which, for the love of God- I couldn't even pronounce! But the night sky had me stumped. I mean, it was so clear- I was in a daze. Cloud-less dark sky, with a bright moon beaming down at us, surrounded by stars. I could even point out a couple of constellations. We had a bonfire to keep us warm. Only thing missing was smores. Still, it was pretty amazing.

Not clicked by me, but almost identical to the actual one.

Sadly, things I deem to be amazing end right there. Days were spent trekking nearby hills, wading through streams, browning my sparkly white converse, conversations with my pot-bellied uncles- who mildly coerced me to pursue engineering as a career and visiting temples. Temples. My goodness. South Indians sure love their temples. This little town we visited literally had temples around every corner. And where there are temples, foreigners are sure to be found. God only knows what they do there as most temples don't even permit foreigners. And where there are foreigners, there are bound to be tourist-traps in the form of exorbitantly priced shopping streets. Basically, it was a mini-Goa. Their own piece of Goa, in south. How wonderful.

Another fascination people from the south have, that I don't really share: Beaches. My sisters nearly threw a fit when an uncle suggested skipping the beach town from our itinerary. How could they miss their meticulously planned beach photo-session. But how will I know, I am a Mumbaikar after all. Beaches are like a second home to me.
By the time we returned to Bangalore, I was thoroughly bored of having Idli- the safest possible option; and itching for a vada pav. Badly.

In the meantime, an uncle taught me how to ride a motorbike. A couple of scratches on me and my cousin's bike later, I was riding on my own!
Before we knew, it was time to end the year. And what better way to bring in the new year than Bangalore's happening nightlife?



*


How much ever I complained about having idlis everyday, I felt a certain emptiness around the house, once back in Mumbai. I had to admit- Mumbai will never be Bangalore. I would certainly miss the amount of greenery amid the urban infrastructure, but on the inside I know- I live in this concrete jungle called Mumbai and although the plasticity of life here makes me wary, I have to acknowledge the distinct feel of familiarity around here. Mumbai is home.



So tell me, whaddaya prefer- Mumbai or Bangalore?


Photo source: Tumblr