Bangalore, and Night Drive!

Bangalore. Namma Bengaluru.

The city probably does not need an introduction.

Every year, Bangalore attracts millions of students, technology professionals and job seekers from across the country. People come here looking for education, careers, opportunities and, sometimes, a completely different life.

And if you have even a little passion for what you do, Bangalore rarely disappoints.

A City That Grows On You

I am a software professional and have lived in Bangalore for about a decade, and in Karnataka for around fourteen years.

When you spend almost ten years working and living in a city like Bangalore, something interesting happens.

You slowly become part of the city.

You get used to its roads, its weather, its food, its people, its traffic and its strange rhythm of life. You discover places that become familiar and routines that become almost automatic.

Bangalore has a lot to offer, both professionally and personally. Over time, you tend to fall in love with the city and its culture.

But time also changes us.

When The Usual Stops Being Exciting

With time, we develop different attitudes towards life. Sometimes they are sensible. Sometimes they are a little weird.

Things that once excited us begin to lose their charm.

A night out at a pub or restaurant used to feel special.

Watching a movie at a multiplex was once a plan worth looking forward to.

Going out for dinner, meeting friends, spending an evening in the city — all of these things can be fun.

But after doing them enough times, something changes.

And then the demand changes.

It varies from person to person, of course. But for many of us who spend five days a week working in the city, the weekend starts creating a different kind of desire.

We want to escape.

Not necessarily for a long holiday.

Sometimes, all we need is a few hours away from the familiar surroundings.

The Weekend Escape

Like a million other technology professionals in Bangalore, after working for five days a week, I started looking for different ways to escape the city.

Sometimes it could be a night drive.

Sometimes a night trek.

Sometimes a quick trip to one of the many destinations around Bangalore.

The city is wonderful, but after spending enough time here, city life itself does not always excite you anymore.

You start looking for something else.

Something quieter.

Something unpredictable.

Something that makes the weekend feel different from the previous five days.

When The City Sleeps

There is something particularly interesting about Bangalore at night.

While the crowds are returning from pubs and restaurants, and the city is slowly winding down, another kind of journey is just beginning.

Bangalore has often been described as the Beer Capital of India, and on a weekend night you can certainly see the evidence.

But while one part of the city is busy ending the night, we sometimes choose to begin ours.

That is when we gear up for a night drive.

No crowded restaurant.

No movie ticket.

No elaborate plan.

Just a car, an open road, good company and the possibility of discovering something different.