Rendezvous with UK

Hey Everybody,
Everybody on this blog, is just a bunch of people, and there is no much traffic coming in, in terms of posts, so am seizing one more opportunity, to just bring in some density to the posts!!

Well am on my second business trip to UK, and high time that I share my experiences. Some people would ask, whats the big deal, why care to write about it here. For me it was, as have not been to an overnight place alone, and this was UK, altogether out of the country, alone!! It was a big and tough deal (though I do not admit it as tough often) for me at least. Moreover, it was the first time, I ever travelled in a flight, so some additional experience to add it to. This am talking about my first trip, that was in April. I spent days in planning for it, and packing for it too, literally, I had started packing a week before.

And was I excited when I landed, well its an understatement. Ever taken a 6 year old to zoo, listened to their squeals, admiration? Well I resembled most of it, only the squeals part was minus, as have to behave my 26 year old image.... But I compensated that with click click click, oh I never stopped taking photographs, as I myself don’t have a very photographic memory, so didn’t wanted a single moment, event slip by without me taking a record of it in my life’s history. Every place that I visited, and even London, which I was taken to after a week of our arrival, I kind of absorbed the surroundings, I mean I thought I did, but wasn’t very observant. Just saw everything, and absorbed.

Precisely an year after, am back here again, and this time I intend to be observant. Well the excitement part was missing, I was glad alright, but not a 6 year old anymore. But I was wrong, the evening I landed, I was given a warm, no cold welcome by Snow. It started the moment I touched on London earth, literally, when I came out of Heathrow, and was waiting for my bus to come, it started. When I slept at night I didn’t expected the sight I would meet the next morning, but what I saw, I’ve never come across ever in my life. I could say heaven might look like that. The whole world around me was painted in white. I tried to capture as much I can in pics, but it was insufficient, oh dear it was beautiful sight!!!! I’m at short of words to explain that, and wow I enjoyed the snow fights, falling in snow, walking on snow till knee deep. Everyone was talking about cold, but I couldn’t feel it, I just felt the snow, and the beauty, and the magic!!! They say thats it has never snowed like this in last 18-20 years, arrey yaar, mere aane ka kuch to effect hona tha na!!!!

It didn’t last long though, it started to rain after couple of days itself, and it becomes nasty after that, slippery, cold, and dirty...The whole beauty just disappears, replaced by muddy snow, water, what we very fondly call as kichhad...

This time also I planned to visit several new places, but weather was not so supportive. I did go to two new cities, but made 2 trips to London as well. Because I simply did not feel that I have seen enough of it, I wanted to get proper music, feel of one of the most wonderful cities of world. And yes this time, I could enjoy it more. As you go to London, you immediately feel the difference, I always thought English people say more sorry and thank you’s than their all the words in an entire day. But not in London, you crash into somebody, look back and say sorry, but the person is already several feet away. Something you could relate with people in Mumbai!! But the speed, the pace, its all so energetic, and infectious, that you just want to get into it, and disappear. Thats what I did, just roamed around in streets, watched people, see them running from one place to tubes to undergrounds. Here in Woking after 7 you hardly see people on streets, some late commuters coming back from office, or some people jogging or taking walks here and there. But in London, wow, people jogging, groups out to dinner, having fun, Bands playing on bridges, and on streets. Yeah some people play individually, or in bands here, on streets, and you can give them money as a thought of appreciation. There was one singer I heard last Sunday, and he was amazing, I stayed there just to hear him sing for an hour, missed two of my trains back. And it was not just me, he had a crowd listening to him, and some people dancing on his music..Imagine people doing that on a roadside, some ladies who had gone out shopping, dropping their bags, and dancing to his tune...That was a sight really, and strangely, I was reminded of India, I know we don’t have bands playing on streets, but you can’t deny how crazy we are for dancing, who better knows this than X-Kbridgers!!

London, a most fascinating city, I have been to, Mumbai also fascinates me in a similar fashion. So many people, all running around in their own self, so many tourist places to see, attractions, theatres, shops, coffee shops, restraunts, bars, cars, all of this and more. And everything in a huge number, and variety, catering to different types of people. And the maximum variety is in the people I see, this would become a rather long post if I describe them, so saving it for some other time. I am just happy then had been part of this city for sometime, of its life, of its people though for a short time, but could experience it

I must say, English people are more organized and meticulous in things than anybody. Not just tourists, but local people also carry a map when they are going somewhere. They have maps outside every station, tourist place to guide people, which happen not to carry one. Their trains, most clean, with dustbins, and technology enabled, and why not. They spend money on these things, because they put tickets to see everything. Whether it be their museums (there are hundreds of them), other attractions, and yes even church. They have put huge ticket on seeing St. Paul’s Cathedral, and also on Tower of London, and many places that could be available free. Okay I agree they have kept their British museum as free entry, but major attractions in it are still paid. I guess they would soon put a ticket to see Waterloo station too, in any case, people from other cities do buy ticket to come there.

I have heard people say British people are arrogant, proud, haughty, but couldn’t come across many like the image created. I have wonderful and jovial colleagues in office. The family with which I stay, that lady ensures that am taken proper care of. When I wondered away a bit in London yesterday, and asked a lady for directions, she ensured, that she comes with me till the next turning to show me the correct way. I met a street photographer, near National Gallery, who took pics of people on street, and when he took mine, he was all very happy to send it to me, and give address of his site, so that I’ve no doubt that he is genuine enough. Or the couple on the Thames river cruise, who when came to know that am an Indian and tourist, started telling me about the places that we were able to see from the boat. These are just few of instances, when I came across several very nice people here.

And the curiosity they hold about our country, its simple beyond their understanding why girls don’t drink, why is it considered bad. Why children live with their parents after 20-21 years, why live in is not prominent at our end, why there are arranged marriages, why are there so many castes, and so many restrictions. But they are fascinated by all of it, our festivals, when I tell them that we have a kite flying festival, or navratri where people dance for 9 nights, or Diwali, where we light everything, or holi where we show our love to everyone through colours. I daily get lots of questions, and I answer them back, but it seems they always need more information, more insight into our country. So easy to understand why Slumdog Millionaire is such a hit, and got so much appreciation. Everybody asks whether I have seen the movie, and yes till now, everybody has said they liked it. Here in Woking its still running one show per day!!! Our director has infact watched many Indian movies like Anand, Masoom, etc, asking for more recommendations of movies that he should watch!! Which makes me derive that their opinion has changed, they don’t just want to see the slums, the rough part, they want to see more of India, the cultural one, the intelligent one!!

But yes there are other things too, like they think that the entire population in this world should speak English, if not, then its their problem how to communicate with them. They would not speak slowly, for all those ignorant ones. Some English speak heavily accented English, which is difficult to understand for me too, but no avails, they simply deal with it as your own problem. Then they talk most about their weather, and these days recession. Okay agreed that theirs is most unexpected weather, and so always fancying ours, but if we leave them once in the kind of floods we face or in Scorching summers, then probably fancies would come to an end.
On another note, there are certain things that we can take a lesson from them too. Like how to enjoy life and work both. Most of the people here culture some sports, be it squash, football, rowing, cycling, anything, but just for the sake of keeping yourself fit, and prepared. That is, they eat a lot, and they spend their energies in this manner, which is important. They know how to keep their house and cities as a whole clean. Nobody in India I ever saw, would throw trash in dustbin, and if it misses it, then take the trash from ground, and throw it in bin again. But I saw this here, and something that impressed me, to acknowledge that its part of your duty to keep your surroundings clean. For them having maids is perk of being rich, so they generally do everything themselves, we can’t imagine a day without our maids, can we?? Well they also lead well maintained lives, and I thought, are there no poor people in the country at all, question was answered outside Waterloo station, where first time in UK in my second trip, I actually saw beggar here. And then I saw many of them across London, Woking does not have a single one, atleast haven’t come across any yet, fortunately. As I look forward to a world devoid of beggars, too philosophical, or optimistic!!

But am not writing this for any comparisons sake, making it clear for all those who bothered to read till here, and thought, one more India-abroad kind of comparison. No am looking at all of it with a layman’s eye, and describing what I felt, hardly touching anything serious....All in all its pleasant to be here, but without a single doubt in my mind, I miss my home and my country, although the weather is good, or the roads, or the freedom. I miss the horns of vehicles on streets, people shouting, children playing on roads, autorickshaws, hawkers, panipuri umhhhhh.....Well better not talk about food...

Its rather a long one though, but my experiences are still not completely shared, but I got to stop. The only last thing that I am suddenly reminded of is, several days back, I had gone to office wearing a kurta-churidaar-dupatta, and somebody in office told me, that am looking very Indian today – and I replied as looking as in??? I AM AN INDIAN, and he looked at me with a smile, that he understood. He’s an NRI, but I got several disapproving looks from other Indians on road, looking at me like - wearing a traditional attire in there is something like same old Indian mentality, giving those smirks while passing by, well whats the harm if I have the same old Indian mentality, I am actually an Indian, ain't I, so why should I bother change it, has anyone ever said the same old British, or American or French mentality...Well they do say it here, typical British, typical French, Irish, etc.... I guess perception, different people, different opinion, irrespective of nationality!!!