2007 was a short year, if not completely interesting. A few trips made to 'sunny' California in spring and fun-filled summer and winter seasons. During the roadtrip to the Mid-Atlantic states, I got to meet friends whom I had not seen in 10 years. Added to that a vacation back home - could not ask for more!

The year began languorously with a delayed commencement of spring followed by a long, hot summer - nearly drought. I religiously tried to spend every weekend away from the apartment, after being cooped up home during the winter season. Drives to see historic homes, public gardens, a poorly-maintained zoo, outlet malls, walks on the trails behind the house, a few nature photograph sessions and pool at the clubhouse. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Come autumn and activities gathered momentum. Weekend hikes, fall colours and a few meetings with friends. We decided to do a road trip to D.C and nearby places. After getting stuck in holiday traffic along the I-90 for a few hours, we were on our way to New York! Driving in the fog at night was quite scary, especially after our previous experience with deer on the roads. The museums and National Mall were not too crowded on Thanksgiving day and we managed to do the walk along the Tidal Basin to see the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson and Roosevelt memorials. The whole place had an ethereal look about it, like one gets to see in old paintings.



WASHINGTON MONUMENT

Lincoln Memorial is a marble building with majestic, tall pillars and steps and a twenty foot seated statue of Abraham Lincoln facing the Washington Monument across the Reflecting Pool. The view from the steps of Lincoln Memorial down to the Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument seems almost dream-like. A direct cut-out from an ancient painting, very serene and calm. We strolled along the Pool to see the World War II Memorial and the Freedom Wall which displays 4000 gold stars, each one commemorative for Americans who gave their lives for freedom. The Washington monument is the tall, white pillar made of marble and granite, to commemorate the first President. Driving in D.C after dusk, one can get a beautiful view of the gleaming white Washington Monument and the lit-up Capitol building and Jefferson Memorial.


CAPITOL




Simply put, D.C was too beautiful to leave! On the return route, we halted at New Jersey and Baltimore and I got to meet my friends after a period of several years. Rutuja was bubbly and happy - the same as I have known her since school days!

Once the winter holiday season began, I started planning for my trip to India. Mostly hoarded up on the chocolates, books and other food items. The terrorist activities all over have made it very difficult for air travellers. I met quite a few harried parents, looking confused and haggard while waiting for the security check at Heathrow. The last leg of the journey to India always seems the longest. The passenger sitting next to me was from Montreal and instead of following the recommended sleep schedule to avoid jetlag, I ended up chatting with her. Movies, Montreal, California, east coast, west coast, India, Pune, Punjab, marriage seeing ceremony, nutrition, organic food, religion....we did not have a dearth of topics. I even wrote down her email ID but forgot about it in the tremendous excitement of touchdown at Sahar airport, baggage claim and then looking for familar people in the sea of faces outside the airport.

The trip to India was relaxing, but as my Grandfather had once remarked, "Now each time you visit, somebody in the family would seem to you to be in poor health!" , I could sense that to be the case. A lot happens in one year and I cannot imagine not visiting family for six or ten years like some friends do! The most difficult tasks in Pune seem to be crossing dangerous roads, driving on those dangerous roads, dealing with issues like electricity, phone bills, stupid officials in government posts, long queues and pollution. Visiting extended family, spending time with a sick relative in the hospital, evening walks to the Hanuman mandir hill, going to handicraft exhibitions and restaurants, making hot tea with some lemongrass and tulsi leaves, eating fiery hot food, playing with kids (two or four-legged!) and listening to their chatter, cataloging books, ......every time I go to Pune, I try to bring back parts of that lifestyle here, but the climate and surroundings here is not too conducive for that or perhaps it is the people as well as the place that one gets used to.

SUNSET FROM HANUMAN HILL

Now I am back, thankful that I was granted such a long leave from work. At the airport, during baggage retrieval, a cute beagle stopped by my luggage and the customs officer came by after him/her, to question me. I had completely forgotten about the sweet lime I had put in my handbag - an edible memoir from home! It was too late - the beagle (or the trash) got the loot..... Winter usually means not turning on the heater in the house, however cold it may be. The cold brings by good memories and hope - for sunshine. Artificial means to assuage it are useless and I usually like the natural state of things. Seasons, like change are a must!