How I Lost & Found My Passport

It was 27 April, I was in transit from Bangalore to London. I was in Paris's Chrles de Gaule airport. After going through the security check for my connecting flight I rearranged the documents on me. Kept the non-essentials in the bag and put the essentials in my shirt pocket. There after I put on my jacket. The essentials included my passport and boarding pass. Had to call home to reassure parents about me being safe and fine. So walked down the lobby to find a telephone. Found one, but had no clue how to use. Although I had got international roaming activated on my VodaSIM from India, that too refused to cooperate. At the second telephone, after careful reading of instructions, I was able to place a call to India, using my credit card. Thank you ICICI. Thank you VISA. The next task was to set my watch to new time zone. I was not wearing a simple watch, but a sophisticated gadget. Very unlike me, I had not read the user manual of appliance, I was carrying the booklet with me though. Read through it and set the time. It was not difficult. Then it was time to check mails. Again the credit card came to my rescue. After responding to mails and noting down the addresses in my notebook when I put the pen in my pocket, I realised that neither the passport, nor the boarding pass were there on me!

Checked my bags, checked all my pockets. Nothing. Retraced my path back to security, nothing. Went to the Air France counter, nobody was there. With the fear of being deported I went to the security. Narrated the story. They were surprised. Asked me to check again. I requested them to make an announcement, they said they cannot. One of the ladies manning the security was winding up her shift and she offered to take me to the airport police. Reluctantly, I crossed the security gates, mindful of the fact that if I do not get the loct documents I will not be able to get back these gates again.

The air port police too seemed helpless. They acted as if they have no come across such situation before. Anyway, I was taken to their control room in the basement. Imagine my predicament. The horrors shown on TV & movies came to my mind. After another round of check, a policeman and woman took me further back to the place where I had arrived. At this counter of Air France it was confirmed that I sure had traveled from Bangalore. So from there, the policewoman escorted me back to where it all began. Remember, nobody has agreed to make an announcement till now. An announcement to request anyone who found the documents to hand it over to the police. Anyway, we crossed the security gates, without proper documents, went straight to the Air France counter, the place where nobody was there when I first tried to check. Fortunately, my documents were there at the counter. Some good samaritan had returned them. I was happy, truly happy. After profusely thanking the policewoman and going through the security check again, I was ready for my journey again.

Some British Experiences ...

Sign in the toilets - Now please wash your hands.

Sign on the bath tub - Please rinse your hair and soap. It is disgusting to clean others' mess.

Sign in public transport - Please keep your feet off the seats.

Typical breakfast - Egg, bacon, sausage, chips, mushrooms, beans, coffee.

Transport - If you can read and understand English then you will have absolutely no problem. Pretty good signs and maps in place.

First Week End in UK - London

After the journey full of mishaps and very sober 3 days at work, the week-end had arrived. That too a long week-end. Since 1st May, the Labour Day, fell on a Saturday (no work day), the holiday is given on the next working day. So Monday 3rd May became a holiday. In India, if a holiday fell on a week-end, then that was it. But here in UK, there is no compromise on holidays. You the holidays and week-ends are two disjoint sets.

Before I start with the week-end, a word about the work days gone by. People here follow very flexible timings. Some arrive at work at 0700hrs and some others at 1000hrs. And everyone strictly follows the 8hrs a day rule. It is spring here. The season of long days. Sun rises at 0530hrs and sets at 2100hrs. Very long days indeed. I spent the three days at work trying to what was happening in the project. Met people and discussed. In the evenings, I searched for a room. A dwelling for myself. On Saturday, finalised a room, one of the four in a house in Croydon. Landlord being Mr. Costa Liasi, a Egyptian Greek. He is the only white here who pronounces and spells my name correctly.

Got up later than usual on Saturday, did not have to go to work. When I went to the Lloyds TSB to get my traveler's cheques en-cashed, I realised that they remain closed on Saturdays. Yesterday, they had closed at 1730hrs, sharp. I was in a soup. I needed cash to pay advance rent for the room. HSBC though was open. Updated my UK address there and deposited TCs in my account. Went to Marks & Spencer's to get 200GBP of TC en-cashed. Convinced Costa to accept TC. Shifted in the afternoon. Nice cosy place. It started drizzling in the evening and continued through the night. It got very cold. I did not realise that the heating in my room was not turned on. Could sleep only with my thermals on.

Got up very late on Sunday. It was still drizzling. Had to goo out for shopping. Turned the heating on. Set it to maximum. It drizzled throughout the day and the night too. Could not do much else. Went for a walk in the evening. Found a park nearby. Lush green and huge.

Sunday was different. Had slept better, so got up early too. Went for jog. Although the rain had stopped, it was chilly and windy. Ground was good. Met people and dogs. Watched a gang of bikers zoom by. Cleaned the room. Here, the vacuum cleaner is called a hoover. The sun was finally out in the afternoon. I went to London. Saw the Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, London Eye, Government Offices, Westminster Abbey, Scotland Yard etc.

This was my first trip to London. What I have realised is that Mumbai is not very different from London. I mean, as far was the way people live. London proper is not a vast place. Buckingham palace itself is smaller than out Rashtrapati Bhavan. London can be compared to South Mumbai. And the trains are comparable to the Mumbai locals. The difference is in weather andn population. I liked Mumbai very much. Am going to like London too!