Today is 8th June 2010, if we backward the clock for two years then on the very same day 8th June 2008, I was landed in UK.
Journey was started from Mumbai – Heathrow; that was the first ever aero plan trip in my entire life…My flight was from Mumbai around 1:30 pm. I still remember some of my good friends were there to send me off…It was fantastic feeling, mixed with fear. Actually I never had an experience how to check in, what is boarding pass, what to do after arriving airport etc. I was very nervous about the journey. By bidding bye bye to my dear ones at airport I entered in airport. Somehow I managed to check in, got the boarding pass…. completed the first step of the journey, it all went very smoothly…then plan took off from the Mumbai airport to Heathrow. – World’s busiest airport.
After around 8.5 hrs of journey via “Virgin Atlantics” I arrived to Heathrow airport – one of the busiest airports in the world. It was around 5.30 pm Local time and I had to wait until 9.00 pm to get next flight to Leeds/Bradford airport. I explored Heathrow airport for few hours, after spending few hours at airport it was around 8:30pm & just half an hour for the next flight. I was amazed by the sun light at that time, I have had never seen such sun light at this time in the evening..over here it’s summer time & usually sun sets at 9:30 or 9:45pm, which I was not aware about…It was very sunny…Sometime I was confused whether it’s day or evening….But it seems usual after some time….after half an hour I boarded to flight…it was around 45-50 min journey from Heathrow to Leeds/Bradford. And I reached around 9:50 pm. By then it was bit darker & feels cold as well…here I was expecting cab/taxi as we used get outside the airport in India, there were few of them at there but all were pre-booked. I was not aware how to book the cab, so I called up my friend over here & he advised me how to do that. Thanks to him…finally I hired a cab & reached to the guest house, by now it’s 10:45 pm.. I rang a bell & door was opened by one of guest house mate. He welcomed me & asked for dinner, so kind of him. I wish I could have accepted that offer but tired me, no other option except having a rest..So I just had a glass of water & headed straight to my room….Feeling tired & sleepy..So went for the sleep… well come to UK…. :) :)
Next morning – very sunny, bright day, I woke up without alarm and with the intention not to reach late to the office on the very first day, I got ready. All of a sudden I spotted a clock in the guest house….I was totally shocked….it was 6:45 am in the morning & I already got ready for the office, but I supposed to leave at 8:30 am…so now what?? Again the sun light made joke of me…ne way…lessons learned…. :)…then I started to iron my clothes & I had ironed few of my office wares…so it was really a fantastic starting in UK…..
Now after that daily routine life has begun…office – guest house- office….there is no internet, channel etc. in the guest house so it’s kind of boring specially on weekends….but we could not help it… Initially I had been in guest house for around 1.5 months…here I have learned to cook…”Chhole” was the first dish I have ever cooked….that was fabulous & mouth watering….I’m not joking but every guest house mate praised that….though I was not really good at cooking at that point of time( but now I’m :) :))….After that experience, I have started enjoying cooking…I had tried various curries, dal, pulao..etc….
So I can say that my guest house was the "lab of my cooking experiments".
After 1.5 months in guest house, I have rented an apartment – “42/Velocity North” near to my office & city center….I was accompanied by two of my old buddies…we shared the apartment (“New Satyam”) in Navi Mumbai as well…We started loving this place…..we all had reminded our old golden days when we used to enjoy in Navi Mumbai…few months later one more our Mumbai flat mate joined us…so now we all fill like ”New Satyam”…Gang is back in UK !! we all had fantastic time being here..we used to enjoy every week end…roam around, etc…We had visited many paces in uk, europe….
First year was fabulous with all….I have never thought that I would ever complete a year in uk….but surprising I did….
Time passes, day by day….I was bounded with daily routine life…..week day office-home-office & weekly shopping, cleaning on weekends…May 2009, I had some tough time as all of my roommates were asked to go back to India…those days were tough….but We could not do much about that…then I have started searching for new roomies…I got two new roomies….we stayed in the same apartment to complete our contract….as soon as our contract got over I left that apartment and managed accommodation to one of my friend…& that was for temporary one month. Here I got new place to stay..it’s wonderful row house….I always wanted to stay in such house in uk & finally wish comes true….This places is far from our office…but why to worry, when we had a car…..actually I don’t own the car but my friend do…So every day journey begins from mast drive to office….that was very fascinating…we used to play songs in the car every day on the way to/from office…I remember the song “Kuch Iss Traah“ from movie 8*10 Tasveer…..every day that was the last song we used to play just before the crossing near the house with loud volume..I loved that….that was a fantastic month…but every good days comes to an end…..
“8/Velocity West” - a place for nomad called me. Yes, I returned to velocity flat near my old apartment. This is one of my close friend’s place…..Till date I have been enjoying here….don’t know till when..of course because of the uncertainty of work & apartment….my land lord has been trying to sell out this house since long but fortunately he has not get any customer till day…that’s cool….at least for us…. :)…Initially we were three of us who were sharing an flat but after two months one of the friend has got another contract near to London so he moved….till then, we both are sharing the flat.
Here as usual life started as usual…because it’s very near to office so we have our lunch at home only…that is really cool thing about being in velocity…
It’s second year in a row in UK & it is a great feeling to be here…life is so easy &usual over here..I have not felt real pressure of work (excluding some instances.. :))..On the key note, I must say that I learned various things, earned money, and explored many beautiful places including heaven on the earth - Switzerland. I got the new vision to see the world. My hidden ability to cook has also emerged. (proper marriage material…I must say :))…It’s unfair if I won’t mention about British Weather, it is one of the un-predictable weather in world….it is the mixture of ice cold winter, cold & warm spring, sunny-hot summer and rain could be in any season…. :)….however you have to live with it !!
Here is my “2 years in Photos” :
http://picasaweb.google.com/
But in these two years, I have missed my family, friends & India the most in every moment. Especially on festivals like Diwali, Uttarayan, Rakshabandhan, Paryushan, etc.I have missed them very badly. I wish I could enjoy that with my family, friends in India…..Any way…that’s the way you have to live with it…. otherwise return to Swadesh…. !!:) :)
Running 2nd year in UK (who ever thought of it :)) and don’t know how many days, months, years still to go !!!
Cheers,
Pritesh.
