KUTZ THINKX!!

I moved to Fujairah, UAE from Madras, India in the year 1992. I was 5 years old. My first memory of this move, was being reunited with my dad who had moved a little earlier to settle into his new job.  I loved our new home, the new city, the park right around the corner & mainly the fact that we were all together again. Do not recollect missing my school or anyone else! I had all my people with me. This is clearly a great age to move somewhere new 😊  We lived in Fujairah, UAE for a few years -  the most magical years of my life. It was a small town, a small parish & we were so close with all our friends & neighbours. The doors were always open for us kids to hang out & play. It was a time & place where it was safe for kids to get on their bikes and venture out alone. I made sure to be out to play at 4pm sharp every single day & be back at 6pm aka sunset - no permission to stay out beyond that. I'd then wait eagerly for my dad to get back home...

Perfectly regular day at work today, was in the middle of writing an  urgent proposal when  I heard a car honk and then another.. one after the other persistently and for a flash instant my mind raced to Chennai and back! In this city people hardly honk. I can hear cars from my flat if the balcony is open, but it is nothing but a  constant buzz from the 21st level..the few honks are lost in transition I guess. I wonder what it is we associate with a place or a memory perhaps? For me a city is its noises and smells. Just two simple things.. Of course people always talk about how a place being scenic or filled with memories is the primary association with a city... strangely for me its the sounds and smells [not taking into account people of course because then otherwise its all about who's there and *cough* at times the absence of some that make one smile in relief ;)] If I were to take two cities I've lived in Chennai and Bangalore; and brought in one of my favor...