So after 3 years of living in the same apartment, it was finally time to say goodbye yesterday. I’ve been relatively lucky, I would say. When I came to Bangalore, this was the first place I found. And I had no reason to move out since the owner has been overseas. Away from the main road, with 2 large verandahs and a large utility, it had ample space for Kit Kit to roam around too. It was a nice comfortable place.

The major advantage was that it was a little away from the main road, thus sparing us of the traffic noise and honking cars and trucks. Inside the house, it was like a serene little world for the both of us. And just outside the 2 verandahs, there was a lot of greenery, trees and birds that would keep Kit Kit occupied through the day. She would either be sleeping in her cosy cushion, sunning herself and snoozing. Or chasing birds or getting teased by them.

Last month, the owner said he was coming back. Thus began my month long search for a new place. Finally, I zeroed in on a new apartment, close to my current residence, but unfortunately really close to the main road.

I began packing early morning. Looking around at the mountain of boxes all around I realised how much stuff I had accumulated in the 3 years. Moving is stressful business. And I was so glad when Sil appeared in the morning to offer a helping hand. It was a welcome relief as he handled the packers, made sure they were doing their job well and made sure everything was loaded (and unloaded) properly into (from) the truck.

Gee appeared after lunch with Chinese food and we literally pounced on it as we were really hungry after the morning of packing and moving stuff. I had managed to miss breakfast, so I ate for two meals! She then expertly negotiated with a few bais to get the house cleaned so I’d have some sort of a liveable place.

The packers left in the evening. Leaving me with a lot of stuff scattered all over the place. Boxes of books, CDs, odds and ends and general stuff I have no idea where to keep (which I am going to open later). The kitchen looks like a hurricane hit it with pots, pans, glasses, cutlery, cooking vessels all looking rather lost and out of place. Clothes are overflowing out of the cupboards and suitcases are still unopened (do I really have so much stuff?!).

Kit Kit spent a traumatic night in the cupboard sending me very hurt looks from inside. She hates being displaced and it takes her a week or so to get adjusted to a new place. She went out sniffing a few times and looked suspiciously everywhere and then retreated into the warmth and safety of the cupboard.

I wandered around the place thinking that I should sort everything out. And then I took the easy way out and left everything as it was. Another day, I thought! What’s the hurry?

I listened to the traffic sounds for a long time in the evening before finally falling asleep out of exhaustion, my limbs and back aching from the stress of the whole day. And it’s definitely going to take me some time to get used to the new house too.

And the noise. Definitely the noise.