Pune

Travel memoir 

This is my fifth and probably the last travel writing for #BlogChatterA2Z. Out of all the amazing trips that I've had, it would be unjust if I didn't write about Pune.

Let's go back to 2019, one of the most memorable years of my life.

I had just completed grade ten. It's no secret that grade ten can be the most exhausting year of a student's life.

I had been drowning in the pressure of scoring good marks and then the results came which left me bouncing between the decision of choosing a stream for grade eleven. Although the answer was pretty clear to me from the start, I still had doubts if I was making the right choice. Pune assured me that I was.

Pune is a happy, sunny place, radiating positivity. My brother, mother and I were there for my cousin brother's wedding. My cousin brother and sister were keen to show us around. Fun fact: That was the first time I ever hung out with elder cousins of mine. The night we spent in a restaurant at Phoenix Mall is framed in my heart as a life-changing moment. 

I was worried about going back to school the next academic year because most of my friends had left. It wouldn't be the same and I was extremely sad. Long conversations with Bhayya and Nindi helped me release some steam. I kept thinking I would never be happy like before. But they made me confident of the fact that better days were coming, that I needn't worry about the past or the future, and that I have to start living in the moment. And that's exactly what I did. I stopped waiting for life to get better, instead started making it better. I realized that it was all in my hands, only I could make myself happy. Only I could make myself smile. No one else was going to do it for me. It was the time I picked up a motto for myself, "I am the happiest". I kept saying it repeatedly like a chant. I still do. 

The best part, however, is that, my expertise in writing began in Pune. I wrote my first sensible poem, which I believe it was, while sitting on the windowsill of Bhayya's room. Bhayya and Nindi encouraged me to write more. It opened new doors for me, and I am grateful to them for paving the way. 

We visited various locations, savored delectable dishes, and the wedding ceremony was lovely. Of all the things I experienced in Pune, it was the significant mental realizations that I treasure the most. It was a kickstart to the best year of my life. I went with the flow and look at where I am now. Here I am writing a 'blog' post. From a small poem to a blog challenge - I have come a long way. And the choices I made; it was all worth it. 

Pune was the turning point that helped me get my life back on track.  

This post is a part of #BlogChatterA2Z 2023.

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