i <3...

in 2009, i visited many cities...

ahmedabad, where i became a movie star


igatpuri, where i thought and thought but then forgot

(photo by scratchpost)

kolad, where i wasn't afraid of water


atlanta, where my favorite socks tore


cincinnati, where i was quite quiet


new jersey, where i wasn't


new york, which i really, truly do heart


delhi, where i ate six cuisines in two days


ambala, which went by in a blur


amritser, where i'm convinced my mom willed me to go.


chandigarh, where i was too sleepy and hungry to take pictures.

mandi, where i lived someone else's life for a night


manali, like goa but with mountains

(photo by scratchpost)

jispa, which was cold cold cold awesome cold


leh, o leh.


bhopal, where Y got hitched at last!


some of these cities became my friends (wazzzaaaa manali), some remained a distant acquaintance (ciao amritser). some were simply like coming home (here's looking at you new york). but of all these, it was only in leh, up in the mountains, the farthest, highest i’ve ever been, where i slept a deep, sound, calm sleep. and i think how well i sleep in a place is always an accurate measure of its love for me. so thank you leh for the love, for keeping me warm and putting me to sleep with the flowers at your window and the mountains at your doorstep.

before the year is over, though, i am returning to visit an old friend i haven't seen in too long.

goa


i think i ran all around the world just so i could come back to you at the end of the year. it’s just you and me again, goa, and i have a feeling my sleep is going to be just fine.