and Jammu finally happened!

Ah ha! My tummy feels like WOW! Light and recovered due to loads of talking and sharing that had remained within me all this while! Just made a short trip to jammu to visit Ritu, who is back home for 20 days..sorry 19 now, from OTA. She looks good with her hair chopped off in a ‘cadet cut’ and wins downright in confusing people about her gender!

Amidst a heavy rainstorm I left for Jammu by the night bus service! Not the most appealing and comfortable of journeys, but definitely not bad. Had the company of a college girl from the small, but a very special town to me, Udhampur. Career counselled her thoroughly! She loved my company, by the way, for she was more than eager to exchange nos and call me over for a visit home! But unfortunately, the bus got really late and Ritu and her dad had to wait 1 and a half hour for me in the car. That is especially more unfortunate for that one and a half hour began at 4.45 am! And finally i arrived!

Being greeted with the warmest hug and loads of love is a great feeling! Aunty was waiting for us at home and it felt as if another daughter has arrived. With the serving of the tea, the dawn broke, and so did chains of unshared thoughts and experiences. Before i knew, i was bombarded with OTA times, from both uncle and ritu respectively. As i struggled to make sense of the terminologies, i was secretly glad to be made aware, that Aunty was in my league! OTA ruled unabated, for the next..i don’t know how long, till probably uncle decided to get dressed for office. Meek me tried to put in a word or two about life back home too, and not just smile and show surprise at the, obviously, OTA talks! : )

Then came the photographs, obviously OTA first. Now i could slightly connect with all that i had heard! soon when those got exhausted, out came the wedding pics and the other stuff i carried from home. Now the sharing on my end began, and it continued till we both dropped dead in the bed with aching heads! Sleep was desperately needed and we obliged ourselves! Mercifully!

Treated we were to some real yumm dinner in Hotel Asia. All dressed and ready, ritu seemed to have found in me an object worth using her stuff on! So planted i was on uncomfortable heels, only because they looked good, and my feet, horrid! Deciding on where to go was the biggest issue, but miraculously we found a way out of it! Clicked some pics and had some great food, acted cheap by taking away all the mouth freshners and next stop, De flavours- an ice cream parlour. Those unassuming people had kept this mirror there that made one look HUGE! I mean depressingly HUGE! And that too in an icecream parlour! Wrong marketing strategy man!

Anyhow, the day ended with some more talks, while the next day began with photographs clicking sessions! Simply, cz we got hold of this one hat! Talking followed, vegetable shopping, sarees screening, and before we realised it was noon. So an obviously yum lunch and more bitching. And then we decided to pay a foreign country a visit. So off we went, to Pakistan! Finally saw RS Pura, a place famous for very famous basmati rice, and one i have heard about since childhood. And then, the border. Soon we walked into Pakistan and back we came! We were informed by the BSF soldier there that the only vehicles that are allowed to cross, are UNs. They come from Pakistan side, and go across the Indian gate. I mean WOW! How cool is that! Makes me wanna work in UN!

Anyhow, since we were foreign returned now, so we decided to oblige some of my almost relatives with a dinner opportunity with us! Awesome kashmiri food we were served garnished with lots and lots of laughs and good times! Dropped dead we did, as soon as we were back!

The next day was a dog day! Visited a home which had 4 big Dalmatians and 4-5 small pups. It also had 3 girls and a very very talkative mother who took as scapegoats! After leaving their place after hours, we could sit for an exam about her husband, her kids and their marks in each class. Oops sorry, also their present and past subjects. And trust me, so well taught we were that we sure as hell wud score an ace! What torture! But the happy times were to follow, we went to the market in the evening, where Ritu tried the most expensive of tees, hung huge earrings in her ears and look fab!:)

But before I knew, it was time for me to leave. But before i could be seen off, there arrived an uninvited, and even unknown guest to replace me! He was kind enough to come along with the family to ensure i caught the bus back home on time, which I eventually did.

 It simply felt great to be with Ritu after so long. We walk on different paths of life now, follow different dreams, lead contrasting lives and yet, feel so connected. The college days will fade away and other things will take their place, but the bond that we nurtured, all those years, shall remain strong. Its strange how she can still understand the meaning of my twisted words while others question me about their existence, the exuberance she has to share her life’s experiences and even insignificant details. We realise that as life moves on, so many things will have to be left behind, but my friendship with Amrita, gives me the confidence that no matter how much one may move on, remaining the best of friends is not just possible, but an experience in itself!    

Truly, her home felt like my own and her family, mine. Being treated as a daughter, and valued as one, by her parents, was nothing new, but it was a gentle reminder, that i have and will always do have, a home away from home.

Love you all!

P.S- oh! We also met captain Lisa, narcotics expert at the border. The cutest captain iv ever seen! She is a black lab of 36 months, who is super well trained. So i decided to pet her crazy and trust me, she messed up on the commands!:) beautiful loveable dog she was, who wud give the best of the salutes!

Oh! Don’t know how i find dogs, or they find me, wherever i go!