Managed to get a short week’s leave and flew home to celebrate my birthday here in Mizoram. It was amazing.
Things are so different back here from the hectic life of Mumbai. Everything is so peaceful and calm. In Mumbai, you are still stuck in traffic jams at 12 midnight. Over here, you suddenly find yourself scratching your head all alone at 9pm because the entire city has shut down and slept. The only sound one can hear is the eerie howling of wind and the beating of a lonely heart…
And in the mornings, you do a couple of chores like fixing the inverter battery, taking the car to the mechanic, dropping your nieces to school, repairing some of the windows and doors that the wind had damaged, standing in line for gas cylinders etc etc and once you’re done with all that, it’s only just 11am!
This time, I made use of foursquare and checked into a whole lot of places. I have integrated it with my facebook & twitter account, in the hope that more Mizos will join, but so far, I seem to be the only one
On the eve of my birthday, I met bloggers The Chhamanator, Nancy and Phiss. Discussed “misual.com matters” with them at Glenaries. Then I called up a few other bloggers and treated them at “Jeff’s Cavern” for dinner. Rita Zoye, Ice Man, Zorami Zote and my cuz Mimi Hrahsel & Sangtea showed up, while many couldn’t come (by the time I got their phone numbers, it was too late).
For most of them, it was the first time we were meeting in person, and I think the first impression they got about me was – Oh my God, you’re so fat. The first impression I got about them was – Oh my God, you think I’m so fat right?
Jeff’s Cavern was AMAZING. It’s opposite New Life Polyclinic at Chanmari, and the food is really yummylicious. You HAVE to come to this place if you’re a foodie. And the service was really good too (something not very common at restaurants in Mizoram).
The restaurant closed at 10pm, and we stayed inside till 11’ish. Complete privacy, if you know what I mean. Later on, we moved our merry group to my place, waited for the clock to strike 12, wished me and they finally left around 1am, which is really really late by Mizoram’s standard
Ah, but did I not mention that we were merry? 
Woke up on my birthday with a splitting
Called up “Nuteii catering” because my sis (the one in UK) had recommended it to me. We discussed about the menu and finally came down to 220 bucks per head. Chicken curry, crispy fried pork, egg potato mayonnaise salad, bai, chakawk with roasted peanuts etc etc. Invited only my childhood friends as I wanted to make this really special (no offence to my friends and cousins, hope you understand). We joked about how this same set of guys had always been there by my side on my birthdays since we were 3-4 years old! Just to be with these guys again on my birthday almost 30 years later, was truly amazing. Being the only son in my family, these guys are the brothers I never had, and will always be family to me.
And oh, about the food – I must stand up and applaud. From the reviews I got, I knew it was going to be good… I just didn’t know it was going to be THAT good. We just ate and ate and ate. Later on, we stood together and compared who had the biggest belly. I emerged the clear victor. Nuteii catering – YOU ROCK!
For those of you who’d like to get a taste of Heaven, here’s the number - +919436142373
A sultry voice who I assume must be Nuteii (or Nuteii’s daughter, if I am not pushing my luck too far
) will answer the phone. She knows her food like how I know my Ended the night feeling old, but with no regrets. My career’s still rising, am financially stable and independent, healthy (except for a few minor vices), single yet in a committed relationship, secured assets back home, and doing something I’ve always dreamt of doing – working at a job I absolutely enjoy.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes at facebook, orkut, twitter, misual.com and personal mails. I am not the “oh it’s my birthday, I must make it special” kind of person. In fact, I hate making a big fuss over birthdays. But this birthday was different as it’s a milestone birthday. Because today, I have reached the 30 threshold. And what better place than to celebrate this special moment in the land of my father. Cheers to you all! Hic.
