Going Home, Feeling Like a Tourist

It was the same city, but everything looked sharper, bigger, brighter. The airport gleamed with upgrades. The roads, still busy, were wider, smoother, and more efficient. Even the chai stalls had digital payment signs.

It felt great.

Restaurants had exploded in number, from cool cafes and sleek fine-dining spots to nostalgic street vendors doing fusion versions of classics. And somehow, everything was spotless. The old corners were still there, but dressed up and sparkling.

Shopping felt like a dream. Tiny lanes had boutique stores now. Malls were buzzing with variety – sarees and sneakers, all in the same space. Tap-to-pay was everywhere. Honestly, it felt like stepping into the future, just with familiar smells and accents.

Yet there I was - fumbling with cash, needing reminders about how things worked, and taking photos of places I once passed daily without blinking.

I’d been looking forward to the familiar. But what met me was evolution. And a quiet realisation: maybe the change wasn’t just in the city.

People had moved on. Lanes had changed. I stood still for a second too long at every turn. Home had grown, and so had I.

It was a shift. One that made me smile at how beautifully time had worked for all of us.

What helped me most was letting go of the expectation that it would feel the same. It won’t.

But it can still feel like yours, just in a new way. 🧡