After a hectic day of running around wrapping up formalities at Qualcomm and bidding goodbyes to friends, surrendering my license plates at MVC and some anxious moments of getting stuck on 18S for what seemed like eternity, I’m finally back at Neelu’s home by 2PM.

Neelu has made my favorite stuffed ‘Karelas’ and Roti. Fingerlicking delicious..I shamelessly eat five karelas and feel as stuffed as the karelas myself!!

Dhruv and li’l miss Anusha eagerly help us load my luggage into the car. Sanjay has thoughtfully arranged the luggage so that the gown can lay flat on my bags with me seated next to it to hold it in place. As we start driving towards the airport, my mind is caught up in a whirlwind – images of my last two years in New Jersey flash by. I’m a mixed bag of emotions: sadness of goodbyes, happiness of being with the man I love, the excitement of the future along with the butterflies of the unknown, anxiousness about the yet unfinished tasks…

Soon it’s time to bid goodbye to my loving cousins and walk through the security checkpoint with my wedding gown in my hand. After I settle down in my seat and have a glass of water, I finally allow myself to relax and breathe – whew.. I’m here and John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane..” starts to play in my head..