(Aug 1, 12:07am)

The weather is fine in the evening now.. Days are humid but you can bear...

I might be interviewing the Libyan ambassador tomorrow... It will be a busy day, but then I have an off on Saturday.. and Sunday, although I would be at office, there wouldn't be too much to do..

XXX

I had a very lovely Eid... I was told by my bureau chief I could take an off.. and that was good, since I realised later that had it not been an off, I wouldn't be able to greet my friends adequately..

I had whole bunch of people to greet this Eid... as I had been in Kashmir for quite some time, and with some families, I had grown closer... and in some cases, with their extended families too..

It was lovely connecting to them... it felt as if I too was in Kashmir.. with them.. making merry.. they are very different people.. far from formal.. and yet, their intimacy doesn't make you feel odd.. far from it.. it makes you feel happy..

I used to stay near the Hazratbal shrine while in Kashmir.. A**i* sent me quite a few pics of the place.. it was buzzing with activity... and beautifully decorated.. Wish I was there too..

XXX

Even in the evening, I had long conversations on the phone... I now have two very dear brothers there.. one my all time best freind and brother N****.. and the other one, a TV actor, who I made friends with last time..

He was N****'s friend.. Then there were so many colleagues to wish.. from the English weekly I worked with there, and other people from the fraternity..

It was a nice time!

XXX