Two more days and my vacation comes to an end. A lot was planned for but not everything worked the way I wanted it to. The North/NE trip didn’t materialize, the bamboo shelter remains an open chapter and the Kanyakumari-Delhi ride somehow just cascaded into oblivion. But a lot DID work out of the blue - I had an amazing trip down south, got a hang of living on a restricted budget, walked a couple of nice business deals to closure with a decent profit and also earned a couple of bucks by just reviewing stuff. I now have the confidence of eking out a living by doing meaningful things than just doing some mundane job! And an icing on the cake - The research proposal clicked. I just couldn’t have asked for a better vacation!

Looking back on other aspects, I definitely have slacked a bit in terms of the outdoor activities. I’ve not been running and cycling as much as I wanted too. Probably it’s just the heat thats keeping me indoors. I definitely don’t want this to be on the downswing so I’ve revisited this years targets. Last year I’d ridden about 1300kms so this time I’ve set my target to 2500kms. On the running front I need to finish a Full Marathon in about 3h45m. - The August Hyderabad Marathon should be a good target. Given that I’m heading out to Pune these numbers should be pretty much reachable, but only time will tell.

Coming to think of it, I am going to miss Hyderabad badly. It’s not that this is the first time I’m moving out of here. For four years during my undergrad and one year during my Infosys work life I’ve been away from the city. But then, I did have scope to head back as and when I pleased. This flexibility I’m sure not going to have for the next two years considering the kind of work I’ll be doing in the fellowship. I guess this time its going to be a long good bye to Irani chai and the Hyderabadi Hindi! I got to know quite a few interesting people through the Infosys journey and it’s sad I’m having to part ways just three years through. But the amazing time I’ve spent with them will truly remain embalmed.

In the month of July, most of my family would be coming down from the States for a  long vacation in India. I’m afraid I would be able to spend just a day or two with them. Opting to stay back in India, I just didn’t get to see the kids grow up and its sad I will not be able to be with them when they’re here. The way things work!

All this aside, I hope to make the next two years, one truly memorable journey. A journey figuratively interspersed with stations big and small, transgressing routes known and unknown. A journey that would ask of me in giving my ultimate best in understanding, motivating and hopefully transforming the lives of the kids out there. This part of my life, this little part, I hope marks the beginning of a fresh story. A story that gets the pages turning on and on. Fingers crossed…