Wanderlust
The bag sits in the corner untouched. It’s been a week since
I have been back, but I refuse to unpack. I want the vacation to go on for ever
Lovelies , I may have found my favorite city..well yet anyway.
Day 1: I take the red eye to LHR and land early morning, its
raining, but I have the pre booked Heathrow Express tickets ( the joys of travelling with planners), that take me to
Paddington. I get in with my fellow red eye passengers- its 7 in the morning, a
few people are bleary eyed while a few a prim and polished ready to strut into Paddington
and take on the world. As the train pulls out of Heathrow train station, I see
a few grey buildings close to the train lines, the area mostly bare. My mind
immediately goes back to the fact that if this was Mumbai or New York you would
never find an empty space this close to the train station still within city limits, and then, just like
that I spot a distant spire. And within a moment the church comes into view
with a green compound that immediately makes me rethink my disdain for London
from a moment ago.
And then start the brick buildings (my secret love) come
into view, and I smile with glee as we pull into the train station. In my head
I already imagine people to be wearing this. Paddington station does not, shall we say, look like a scene from Agatha Christie at all. I thought buying a ticket to LHR
involves time travel. Darn it!
As I drag my ( extremely noisy) luggage down the cobbled
stone street, it starts drizzling heavily, but the house we found on airbnb is
about half a mile away, and so even after a few wrong turns, I make it to
Queens terrace relatively dry. I love how the houses are named- Devonshire,
Leicester ( all names you hear every day in Boston, and realise ahh! This is
where they come from!
The apartment is fabulous- roomy and airy overlooking the
street with floor length windows. The kids are excited with the number of
bedrooms and bathrooms and long corridor connecting all the parts of the
house.
After a quick reunion, we get to work all set to take on
London. By now though it has officially raining, as will continue through the
entire day, and we trudge from Lancaster Gate to Covent Garden, collecting
oyster cards, figuring the underground as we go, going down three levels of escalators to reach the right line, on the way collecting
the 3 day London pass that will get us access to most of London highlights. The
day took us to London tower and tower bridge and the London experience house of
horrors which involved me clutching to Ati’s hand trying to pretend that he was
clutching mine.....
The one things are strikes me is how spacious London is inspite
of being so crowded. Every other huge
city I have been too, you always slam into people the minute you stop, be it
Mumbai or New York- but London is different, its always polite keeps its
distance not to get into your personal space. The crowds don’t crowd, the rush
hour rushes briskly spaciously. However I’ll say this, they are not chatty
people, which is a major handicap if you’ve ever met me. Londoners may be what
you call politely rude. It’s like their motto really is Keep calm and strut
along. Even the cabbies won’t take so you to
a close by spot if they thing you can just walk it….just like the
Maharashtrians of the world!
I have a lot more to say, but I want to post this before I lose my traction. Alliteration can come later.
So long mate.
Cheers
S
I have a lot more to say, but I want to post this before I lose my traction. Alliteration can come later.
So long mate.
Cheers
S
I love how you express your thoughts... :) A delight to read your experiences. You almost keep freaking me out...soul sister. I was beginning to watch Hercule Poirot on Netflix only the other day...
ReplyDelete