Dear Arzoo,

I hope this letter finds you in the best of your health and spirits. It's been long since we've met and I’m so happy you thought of me when you wanted advice regarding your driving lessons and license.

According to me, one of the biggest advantages of a driver’s license apart from you obtaining a ‘license to drive’ is that it is a valid, internationally accepted photo identity document. Regarding a suitable driving school, I suggest you to take up driving lessons from the nearby "Driver's bay" driving school. The coach who teaches is very patient and explains important aspects of vehicles in a detailed manner. The school also conducts a theory class for the written driving test. Once you clear the written test, they make you practice on open grounds or on busy roads to improve your driving and if they are satisfied, they will book your final test with the RTO.

Since I know you have a habit of panicking a lot so I would suggest you take it one step at a time. Try to focus and control your breath while you drive. Once you get the knack of it, it will be a cake walk for you.

Hope you learn soon and then maybe one day we can plan a road trip. Keep in touch and stay safe.

Lots of love,
Siyali

Dear Kashyap,

I hope you and your family are doing good in these unprecedented times. I really miss our carefree college days when we used to spend days reading books and discussing them with each other. That’s what prompted me to write this letter to you. Last month, my father gifted me a book called 'Nexus' by Yuval Noah Harari. It was a thought-provoking book and the concept kept playing in my mind for days after I finished reading it. I seriously suggest you should read this book.

The book is an eye-opening, in-depth exploration of the themes within human history, where the author not only discusses what happened in history, but why it happened and what conclusions we can draw about these motivations in our modern age. The author particularly delves into the spread of information and how they shape human narratives and societies. I was particularly interested in this book because it extends the notion of storytelling as a uniquely human trait.

Since you are so fascinated by Artificial Intelligence, (AI), I seriously recommend you should read this book because the author's perception of how AI may affect our future is mindblowing.

You can easily download a Kindle version of this book or purchase it from Amazon.

Looking forward to hearing about your thoughts regarding this book.

Stay safe and healthy,

Your friend forever
Mayur

Dear Kian,

I am thrilled and excited to hear that you will be visiting me next week. It's been so long since we had a good time together. Unfortunately, I will not be able to receive you at the railway station as an important meeting came up suddenly and I must attend it. However, I have made some necessary arrangements to avoid any hassles.

Firstly, once you alight from train, book an OLA cab and wait for it at the main entrance of the railway station. The keys to my home will be with my neighbour Mr. Sharma. I have already informed him about your arrival. I will prepare your favourite breakfast which is a vegetable sandwich and will keep it in the fridge so please heat it in the microwave before you eat it.

I will reach home by evening and then we can go for a movie at a nearby multiplex, post which we'll eat dinner at Barbeque Nation where we can have our usual eating competition of who can eat the most.

Hope you won't have any issues reaching my new home, and I look forward to chatting with you.

Your loving sister,
Kimaya

Dear Ved,

I was happy to receive your letter yesterday and learn that you are going on a vacation after two years, so you want my suggestions regarding good vacationing places. Well, I think there's no better place in India than God's own country, Kerala.

Another friend of mine got married in Trivandrum, Kerala a few months ago, so I stayed back for a week after his wedding and visited some amazing tourist spots there. I started with Alleppy because of the spectacular backwaters and booked a houseboat for two nights. The experience was magical, especially watching the sunrise and set over the water with coconut trees in the backdrop.

From there, I went to Thekkady which is a forest area and stayed in a tree house for two days. I got an opportunity to eat authentic Kerala cuisine in roadside eateries. Trust me, the food is absolutely safe and the places are so clean. I went on a boat safari there and got to see a lot of deer, some wild boars, a few elephants, and unique birds in the forests on both sides of the river.

I'll share the names of the places I stayed in so that you can make reservations in advance. Do let me know if you visit Kerala and share the photos also with me.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday. (225 words)

Regards,
Devika

Dear Mr. Sharma,

I am Mita Paul, your neighbour, and I am writing this letter to complain about your dog, Bruno.

Bruno is a very cute dog, but the issue is that he's always in your garden, and as the fence between our gardens are low, he keeps jumping the fence, enters our garden and tramples over the roses my wife has planted at the border. He keeps digging the plants up, biting the flowers, and scatters the petals all over the garden. Apart from this, he barks a lot, disturbing my infant child when he tries to sleep. This is troubling and upsetting my wife.

I suggest we should raise the height of our fence and place barbed wire on the top so that Bruno doesn't jump over to my garden. Since I have already suffered considerable losses to replace my wife's roses, I request you to pay half the money for raising the fence and putting barbed wire on the top.

If you do not agree, I will be forced to take legal action of harrassment against you.

Awaiting a positive reply from your end,

Regards,
Mita

Dear Deepti,

Hope you are doing well. We haven't met for more than three years, that's why I'm writing this letter to you with some good news and a chance to meet.

Well, you remember that photo of mine which I clicked during my last holiday in Gir forest, where I was able to capture three lion cubs frolicking around a lioness, probably their mother, just as the sun was setting? Well, I had submitted that photo in a competition organized by The National Geographic magazine, under the 'Nature Photography' category, and to my utter surprise, I have won the first prize for it.

National Geographic will be facilitating me in a function that is being organized on the 30th of Jan 2025, at The Grand Maratha Hotel in Mumbai Central. I can invite a guest to the event, so I want to invite you. It is very close to your home. It will start at 6 pm, followed by dinner. I will be receiving a cash prize of Rs 5,000 along with a certificate and my photo will appear on the cover page of the February 2025 edition.

Eagerly awaiting your confirmation and looking forward to meeting you.

Lots of love,
Renu

Dear Shalini,

Hope you are doing well. I'm writing this letter to you because I need a favour. I'm going on a two week holiday to Singapore next week so I need your help to take care of my house and my golden retriever Luna.

I am so sorry to impose on you in the last minute, but my maid who had committed to keep an eye on both my house and my dog backtracked yesterday, so now I need you to please help me. Luna basically needs to be fed four times daily; three boiled eggs in the morning, pressure cooked chicken rice for lunch, dog treats in the evening and dog food for lunch. I have stocked enough of dog food and treats to last a month in my store room, and the local butcher will deliver fresh chicken daily to your home. I have already paid him for it, you have to only cook it. Also, please take her out for a walk anytime in the evening. Regarding my home, you only have to water the plants every alternate day.

What a blessing it is for me that you live in the same city as me and you work from home. It's okay if Luna's feeding times are delayed, or you don't find time to boil eggs or cook the rice. Just keep some dog food out for her in her bowl.

I have taped my international roaming number on the fridge and I have also texted it to you. Please don't hesitate to phone me anytime. The spare key to my home is also with you.

Awaiting your reply.

Your friend forever,
Sonal

Dear Gautam,

Hope this letter finds you well. I am a bit worried as I haven't heard from you for a while. Well, here's a surprise for you. I'm writing this letter to you because I want to give you two tickets to the Coldplay concert in Ahmedabad on the 26th of Jan 2025.

I had booked these tickets for myself and a friend but both of us are unable to attend it due to work commitments. I will be flying to Singapore that day as I have an investors meeting the next day and my friend has to visit a client in Bangalore. Since you love this band I thought of gifting these tickets to you as your birthday is just around the corner.

This concert is being held at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. It's an awesome stadium. You can drive down from Surat, stop at Vadodara on the way, and collect the tickets from my office. You can also treat me to a birthday lunch in advance, in Vadodara.

Do let me know if this plan is acceptable to you, and hoping to meet you soon.

Take care,
Pratyush