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!