The idea of a corporate occasion turning out to be surprising and memorable may sound strange. However, in August this year, I experienced one of the best professional sojourns of my life in the beautiful hills of Solan; where I was invited to be a part of my company’s three-day product launch event. Even though I wasn’t happy about this vocational stay, I comforted myself with the thought of beholding luscious green mountains surrounded by a sunny sky and a fresh breath of air. And, there was also a surprise waiting for me that made my trip more worthwhile.
The venue of the event was Chester Hills, a luxurious turf of residential spaces and Airbnbs with inner markets and amusement areas. As I was relishing my lunch with a few colleagues at its lavish Multi-cuisine Dining Restaurant, my eyes met with a stranger. He was a tall man of the same age as me with short hair and a broad bearded face. I felt a sense of familiarity but it was hard to figure out if I knew him. Suddenly, this man stood up from his place and walked towards me with a smile.
He shook hands with me and introduced himself. I was utterly surprised to discover he was an old classmate whom I haven’t seen in 8 years. He seemed to have changed so much that it became almost impossible for me to recognize him. I offered him a seat beside me but he politely denied it and asked if I was free for a leisurely walk after dinner. I knew I’d have some time after the event so I agreed to it. We exchanged our contact numbers and said our goodbyes for the time being. In the evening, I strolled into the Meeting/Function & Party Hall and was mesmerized by its posh interiors and bedazzling lighting. The event went well and after the dinner party, I called up my former classmate.
We met at the mesmerizing Landscape Park that appealingly glowed in the darkness of night. A Buddha statue and other wonderful works of art there were extremely delightful. The fact that these masterpieces were crafted with recyclable material made them more interesting and valuable. Both of us admired every masterpiece which led to some intriguing conversations. I was amazed to find out that he was an art lover. We’d been in the same class for 5 years but I had no clue about his interests. Soon our chat took different turns as we rambled on the stoned pathways encircled by floral beauty. We both couldn’t stop chuckling and smiling at realizing how much we had in common.
The next day, we met each other at breakfast and then went on to explore the market area. There seemed no dearth of facilities and everything was available within the vicinity such as a salon, gym, tennis court, theater, shops, and so forth. The whole area was so well developed that I desired to own one of the posh apartments there. As we continued talking while sauntering down the streets, we got to know each other’s love for books and decided to visit the library. It was another exciting experience as we could find some rare collections of fiction and non-fiction work.
By the third day (precisely my last day) there, we made the most of our time by trying out some sports activities. Since we both could play tennis well, we went straight to the Tennis Court and played non-stop for two hours. Our last halt was at the alluring Meditation Park which had a small pond with a fountain in the middle, elegantly covered by a pergola structure. We relaxed by the side of the water area and enjoyed the picturesque view of the hills. I never knew I’d get such a wonderful chance to create a new and deep connection with an old acquaintance. It’s been more than two months now, and we have continued this beautiful friendship. This was my anecdote of an interesting experience at Chester Hills. What’s yours?