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london
June 2009 
Namaste London
Posted on Jul 2nd, 2008
by 
a.vicky
a.vicky
This was a blog that I wrote in my word processor long time back. But somehow it got missed. I am posting it now.
Period: Feb '08 to May '08
“In a week’s time I would be in the plane heading back for India. My one quarter of a year-long experience has been just wonderful. I loved every bit of it. I just could not figure out a better way of paying tribute to London than writing a blog about my experience. Just an obvious disclaimer that it’s my very personal views and others may have similar or contrary viewpoint.
The way I have structured my blog is that I write about some of the interesting events and not a day to day activity details. So ladies and gentleman here is London for you from my kaleidoscope.
The preparation:
The flight landed safely at Heathrow but was late by just two hours. I say ‘just’ because in India it’s not mandatory for planes and train to run on time. As a matter of fact lots of passengers are surprised if there is no delay. I have heard many passengers talk about plane landing on time with sense of celebration in the first call they make as soon as the security sign turns off. Being a typical Indian I was over loaded with luggage. But my reason of being overloaded was that I had vacated my Gurgaon accommodation. And things I could not dispose off I had to carry. I didn’t have a traditional family see-off. My friends had come to drop me at the airport. My family way of saying bon voyage is that my mother decorates my forehead with saffron powder and rice. Then she gives me a spoon full of curd. I touch her feet and she blesses me with some token money. I guess it’s the flip side of staying on your own, away from the family. For non-starters on Indian societal structure it’s perfectly okay in Indian for a grown up to stay with their parents.
First impression:
At Heathrow airport I found more Asian than Britons. It seemed I was in a developed version of India. Clean air and clean road. Surrounding looked very systematic and serene. I did not have much trouble finding my way to the service apartment, all thanks to Pakistani gentleman who went out of his way to help me. He was God send. By the time I reached the apartment it was late evening. My project manager who had already reached London welcomed me with Indian food. One of the best meals I had had in a long time. More than the taste the timing of the meal was important. Just for records the Indian commercial jet I had boarded offered horrible food.
Coventry:
One of the first things I did was visiting my sister. In the very first weekend I went to see her. She is a student at Warwick. I was with her back in India while she was shopping and preparing for her journey. So the joy of meeting her here was many fold. Her college campus made me think of taking a sojourn and studying. The county side trip with her to Stratford upon Avon was picturesque. It was exactly same as the fairy tale description of English poems and stores I read during my junior days.
Scotland:
My college friend is doing his masters in Scotland. And so it was great opportunity to meet him and see Scotland. I loved Scotland. The architecture in Edinburgh is wonderful. It’s an ideal location to have silent and peaceful holiday. Really would love to come back again. I missed visiting Highlands and I have learnt that it’s heaven during summers. So a visit to Highlands is for the next trip.
Museums:
Britons are very proud of their history. They like to reserve their historical treasure and showcase it the world. Great Briton is full of museums. I guess they have museums for everything. The entry ticket price stopped me from visiting all the museums. The ticket price is bit to high but then maintenance of historical artifacts is an expensive affair. Loved the Scotland castle and museum.
Madam Tussaud:
Every Indian Bollywood fan worth his/her salt would consider their London trip incomplete if they don’t happen to visit Madam Tussaud. And my desire to visit the circus was closer to desperation. The wax statutes are very artfully done. Wonder if they can add interactive voice and typical smell associated with each star then it will make the whole experience closer to reality."
Period: Feb '08 to May '08
“In a week’s time I would be in the plane heading back for India. My one quarter of a year-long experience has been just wonderful. I loved every bit of it. I just could not figure out a better way of paying tribute to London than writing a blog about my experience. Just an obvious disclaimer that it’s my very personal views and others may have similar or contrary viewpoint.
The way I have structured my blog is that I write about some of the interesting events and not a day to day activity details. So ladies and gentleman here is London for you from my kaleidoscope.
The preparation:
The flight landed safely at Heathrow but was late by just two hours. I say ‘just’ because in India it’s not mandatory for planes and train to run on time. As a matter of fact lots of passengers are surprised if there is no delay. I have heard many passengers talk about plane landing on time with sense of celebration in the first call they make as soon as the security sign turns off. Being a typical Indian I was over loaded with luggage. But my reason of being overloaded was that I had vacated my Gurgaon accommodation. And things I could not dispose off I had to carry. I didn’t have a traditional family see-off. My friends had come to drop me at the airport. My family way of saying bon voyage is that my mother decorates my forehead with saffron powder and rice. Then she gives me a spoon full of curd. I touch her feet and she blesses me with some token money. I guess it’s the flip side of staying on your own, away from the family. For non-starters on Indian societal structure it’s perfectly okay in Indian for a grown up to stay with their parents.
First impression:
At Heathrow airport I found more Asian than Britons. It seemed I was in a developed version of India. Clean air and clean road. Surrounding looked very systematic and serene. I did not have much trouble finding my way to the service apartment, all thanks to Pakistani gentleman who went out of his way to help me. He was God send. By the time I reached the apartment it was late evening. My project manager who had already reached London welcomed me with Indian food. One of the best meals I had had in a long time. More than the taste the timing of the meal was important. Just for records the Indian commercial jet I had boarded offered horrible food.
Coventry:
One of the first things I did was visiting my sister. In the very first weekend I went to see her. She is a student at Warwick. I was with her back in India while she was shopping and preparing for her journey. So the joy of meeting her here was many fold. Her college campus made me think of taking a sojourn and studying. The county side trip with her to Stratford upon Avon was picturesque. It was exactly same as the fairy tale description of English poems and stores I read during my junior days.
Scotland:
My college friend is doing his masters in Scotland. And so it was great opportunity to meet him and see Scotland. I loved Scotland. The architecture in Edinburgh is wonderful. It’s an ideal location to have silent and peaceful holiday. Really would love to come back again. I missed visiting Highlands and I have learnt that it’s heaven during summers. So a visit to Highlands is for the next trip.
Museums:
Britons are very proud of their history. They like to reserve their historical treasure and showcase it the world. Great Briton is full of museums. I guess they have museums for everything. The entry ticket price stopped me from visiting all the museums. The ticket price is bit to high but then maintenance of historical artifacts is an expensive affair. Loved the Scotland castle and museum.
Madam Tussaud:
Every Indian Bollywood fan worth his/her salt would consider their London trip incomplete if they don’t happen to visit Madam Tussaud. And my desire to visit the circus was closer to desperation. The wax statutes are very artfully done. Wonder if they can add interactive voice and typical smell associated with each star then it will make the whole experience closer to reality."
Access: PublicTagged with: London
