Explorer of Experiences

This was my first published work for The Punekar . This website is a great resource for someone new to Pune and just about anyone who wants to make the most of their time in this lovely little city! I met Benedicte through some official work and we kept in touch. Her unassuming nature and simplicity is quite enduring and I really enjoyed presenting her story of settling into Pune being an expat. Hope you enjoy the read. Here is the link: http://www.thepunekar.com/in-conversation-with-benedicte-le-bris/2014/09/ A  kurta  over denims. That is not what I expected to see a French lady wearing when she walked into the café for our tete-a-tete. Say Hello to Benedicte Le Bris; simple-looking, comfortable in her skin, and blending in with the crowd – she is an atypical expat. Originally from Plaisir, a small suburban town, a 40-minute train journey from Paris, Benedicte’s tryst with Pune began in 2013 when she accompanied her husband, a Maharashtrian, to Pune from Londo...

Where in Pune can you rent out a petromax lamp? Discover relics like this and let the city you thought you knew take you back in time... Sometimes it is interesting how well you think you know your city and then you take a second and closer look at the same roads and streets you pass by everyday, only for it to reveal something new to you. It has been years since my family goes grocery shopping to the historic Shivaji Market. Noisy fruit, vegetable and meat vendors sell their produce from under a crippling 150-year old grey structure. But seldom have I raised my head up to notice the building  and spare a moment to wonder how majestic it would have looked when it was first built.  Shivaji Market We are so consumed in our day to day routines, we forget to take the time out to observe what's around us. I pass by the Council Hall every day to and fro my office but have never tilted my head in its direction. I take the left turn from the towering Lal Deval daily to get h...