Not that diary

A few weeks after rambling around Patagonia and Puerto Natales I found myself more than 10,000 miles away in Pune, a city in western India. With utter self-control I have decided not to write about the traffic and cityscape that characterise a bustling Indian city. Well at least not in this post! I usually start with food but this time it's worth describing the sights. My first ever visit and an extended stay in Pune city, located about 150 km east of Mumbai, has thrown up interesting surprises. There is history aplenty associated with this medium-sized town. As with hundreds of other places in India that are jostling their way up the economic ladder, the past seems largely forgotten. Joined by a couple more intrepid souls from across India and overseas, I have managed to see several landmarks. One of my favourite places in the city is the Aga Khan Palace and grounds. Reminiscent of any old ‘haveli’-style palace, Gandhi was imprisoned here for some time before independen...