What Pune Taught Me in Just a Few Weeks

To be as sarcastic as I can. Yes, Pune taught me more sarcasm in three weeks than I had ever learned in my life. Rather than finding it offensive, since I am from Delhi, I took sarcasm as a funny tool to deal with unruly people. The Pune-kars do not behave rudely with people when they have to convey a strong message. They would use a solid sarcastic comment to convey their intent that might even contain a small bit of insult as well. To some sensitive souls, this might sound highly offensive, but being born and brought up in Delhi has made my nerves of steel. I took this skill as an essential thing to survive in Pune, and indulge with the Pune-kars as quickly as possible.

The straightforwardness  

Since I have spent a good number of years in Delhi, I always thought that the Delhi-ites are more clear-cut in their approach than anyone else. However, spending some time in Mumbai, and especially Pune changed my perception entirely. The Pune-kars would convey their message in strict, not-so-polite words with a soft tone that would make you wonder whether to feel angry or just okay with their behavior. For someone coming from a small town, this city can be as confusing as hell. However, the residents are quite welcoming and they would receive you wholeheartedly when you meet them. Just don't get scared by their frank conduct.

Sarcasm

For someone who can deal with sarcasm, it sounds funny. And for someone who has never been exposed to mockery, Pune-kars may sound very rude. Sarcasm is like the mother tongue of residents, and you have to master this language of sarcasm if you want to survive in Pune, which I eventually did quite soon. For instance, someone did not want the bikers to park their bikes in front of his house, which might have been a chronic issue for him or her. Instead of using simple language in his instructional board outside his house, he wrote, ‘I am a donkey; I will park my bike here only’.

Another billboard outside a house read in Marathi language, ‘After you ring the bell, wait for a minute. There are humans in the house, not the Spiderman.’

The honkers on the road will find writing on the back glass of a car amusing, ‘I am not going to live on the road. Do not honk.’ It is a simple message conveyed rather strongly.

You just cannot afford to be rowdy in Pune. They welcome the outsiders who know the way to behave in the society, but know how to teach a lesson to those who don’t.

Punctuality

In addition to sarcasm and straightforwardness, Pune has taught me the great trait of being punctual everywhere. My mom had spoilt me, just like any other North Indian mother, to get late for every party and meeting. It is kind of acceptable in Delhi to waste a few minutes of yours and others, no matter the occasion. However, working in Pune made me more professional and punctual. For instance, if I delay my rent by even one day, I have to go through a strict lecture by my landlord for actually 30 minutes or more! I cannot afford to listen to so much of scolding from my landlord or my manager at Car Rental Pune.

Much has been talked about the great weather of Pune, but I feel great when I think about the learnings that this amazing city has given me. I still stay in Pune, and would never want to leave it.

Being On a Road Trip with My Dog

What else do you need when you have a great buddy with you on a road trip? Everything becomes pleasant just by having someone on your side whom you love with all your heart. In my case, it is my dog whom I love so much that sometimes, I do not even need my friends. My Labrador, Shiny, is a golden-fur dog. He has been with me since my school years, and he was two months old when my Dad brought him to me. My parents always thought that I was an introvert person and that I needed to get out of the house more often. That is why; they decided to bring a four-legged friend for me with whom I could go to the parks and streets. They were right in their thinking; people often come to me to play with my beautiful dog and be kind to me as well. I may sound mean here, but I have actually made many friends just by having Shiny with me. Some of those people are still with me since years of their meeting at various places.

Trip to Pune 

A friend of mine happens to live in Pune, and he had called me to his home many times in the last few years. Since I could not find anyone to accompany me for such a long trip from Delhi to Pune, I decided to take Shiny along. He was super happy to be in the car, although he also showed some tantrums sometimes. He enjoyed the pleasant weather during February last year along with the delicious food that I had got for him. I did not want him to deal with an itchy stomach by constantly being in the car.

Trip to Goa

I never knew that Shiny would love beaches so much that he would never want to return. He actually enjoyed being close to the water; then he would go into the water for a quick while, and then run back to me to display how happy he was. I could feel the bliss in his heart when he was there at the beaches, even though some people were not comfortable with having a dog around them. I had to pull him out of place whenever we had to go back to the hotel, which also showed frets for the pets sometimes. As if I care!

Trip to Manali

I don't know about other dogs, but my Labrador does not feel very happy in cold weather. I decided to rent a Car without Driver and took him to Manali to see the snow and snowfall. However, he was not very happy to be there walking in the snow. He wore heavy clothes and sweaters, which were made out of my sweaters, but I still had to convince him to go out in the open air. He would always like to sleep in the cozy bed, no matter how hard I tried. Somehow, I managed to spend three days in Kullu and Manali with him, but I had to return early.

My vacations with Shiny have been very memorable, no matter it was an extended trip or a small visit to a grocery store. He is an adorable companion who loves me despite everything. He keeps himself entertained as well as everyone around him. If I have Shiny with me, I seriously do not feel like being with other people. However, he has taught me to be more social and more courteous to others than I ever used to be. More than me, my parents are grateful to him.

How I Returned to Normal Lifestyle after Being a Nomad

Pune is indeed a beautiful place to live and work; it can mesmerize anyone as it did to me. I have, never in my life, ran into a person who has visited Pune and chinwag bad things about it. After a friend, who works in Vodafone Pune, invited me to spend some time with her several times in the last five year, I decided to give it a shot this time. I booked the tickets after Diwali and thought of spending a couple of weeks in Pune. Since the stay was going to be free, I knew that I was going to have a cheap trip.

I don't want to blabber about what I did and saw in the city of Millennial but the major thing that happened to create a dent in my life. Everything was going well as I stayed at my friend's place, ate whatever I wanted, went wherever I felt like and did whatever suited me. There was a birthday party that I had to attend in a Club in Pune when I met, Ashish, who liked people to call him James. So this guy, James was a nomad from Delhi; being from the same city made me connect to him instantly. As he narrated his story of being a nomad, how he began, and how he carries on his life; he impressed me so much so that I ended up being a nomad myself in the next six months. 

Missing family 

However, it was not a very good decision of my life. I did not think much before giving up my job as a travel writer, but I did regret it later. One thing that I missed the most was my family after being away from them for an entire year. I used to run away from my parents and siblings till the time I lived with them, but once I was forced not to meet them, I missed them like anything.

Money issues 

Finances were never a problem for me because fortunately, I come from an affluent family. Yet, I could not adjust to the fact that I am not earning for myself. After two years of toiling in a lavish corporate job, I had apparently become habitual of spending my money without answering to anyone. Now that I had to ask money from the family to survive in the initial period of my nomadic life, I used to hate it from the core of my heart. I wanted to get back to financial independence so that I could make any expenses without thinking.

How I rebounded to normalcy  

Another thing that I did not like about the nomadic lifestyle is that I could not stay committed to my boyfriend. He would be annoyed with me more often than he would be pleased with me. I would Rent Cars in Pune during the initial months and leave for a remote place to find solace, which never went down well with him. He would be often worried about my whereabouts, so much so that he threatened me to break up the relationship if I did not return to Delhi. 

After not being in touch with him for a couple of months, I realized that the nomadic lifestyle might be suitable for many people around the world, but it was not made for me. I used to think that I never liked living in a family, but being alone for a couple of years in a row made me understand the value of loved ones. Never in my life, I would think about being a nomad again.

How to Dodge the Fears of Solo Female Travel

Solo travel is indeed a big deal, especially for women around the world. No matter how strong you are, there are some things you cannot avoid. You cannot change the behavior of every person, alter the cultural setting of a place, or ask for your comfort foods at every place you visit. Therefore, the only resort to adjust to solo travel is to prepare yourself such that only you know your fears and they do not come out in the open. For the first-timers, beginning a solo trip may be an overwhelming experience, but you just need to remember that the issues are always resolvable (at least almost always!). Else, you have the option to move out of an uncomfortable situation at all times. No one is born headstrong, neither are you, but you can develop specific traits that help you carry on your solo trip comfortably. Moreover, it is only the beginning of a journey that is annihilating. Once you reach your destination, you will automatically muster the courage to move ahead.

Safety issues 

Concerning safety, the best thing to do is to select a relatively safe city to travel. Since you are a female, you would not want to garner unwanted attention from a conservative society or attract the criminals. Once you are sorted with a safe destination, you can plan further to be safe. Decide your clothing according to the location and do not wear clothes that draw too much of notice. Do not keep your belongings in the open and watch out of anti-social elements around you. If you find someone particularly shady, just watch out the person. Avoid going to the lonely places and always be in touch with someone at home, office, or college.

Keep in mind that being free is a different thing and being irresponsible is another. If you do not tell anyone about your whereabouts, you might be risking yourself too much. Let at least one friend know about your entire itinerary and keep him or her informed about every significant thing, person, and activity. Just in case something happens to you, there will be at least one person who can reach you.

Being lonely 

Facing loneliness is the next big concern for every solo traveler, be it a male or a female. You might have to book a table for one at every restaurant, go alone everywhere, and explore everything all on your own. Anyway, try to ignore the gloomy side of being alone and embrace the beautiful front of it. Since you would be among several like-minded people at your destination, you are more approachable to be friends with people and mingle with the local folks. You can spend as much time as you want at a place and still not feel guilty about it. You do not need to cling to someone just because you came with the person. Being all on your own gives you the opportunity to set your own rules and break them as well whenever you want.

If you are in India, you have dozens of cities to visit for your solo trip, one of them being Pune. This South Indian location is impressive for a road trip to and from the city with the Car RentalsPune. You can not only enjoy the drive all the way, but the place also gives you incredible options to explore the city. Solo travel is not as daunting as it sounds, provided that you know how to make the most of it. Just step out of the house someday, and you will never regret your decision.