Our Europe trip — Part 1: London
(Text- Cris, Photos — Praveen)
July 30, 2018.
Trip begins. Landed at the Trivandrum airport way too early. Killed time till 6 am when it was time to go. Chupree slept a little on the airport and lots on the plane. I had a bit of disturbed sleep and felt terribly cold .
Delhi airport (transit) is long and confusing.
Landed in London by 6.15 pm (that would be 10.45pm Indian time). Immigration was no hassle but had trouble getting internet on the phone and calling Amma. A co-passenger was kind enough to lend their phone.
First thing we bought is skimmed milk ;).
Preethi and Pradeep picked us up. We went to The Real Greek for dinner. Tasted a new thing called tzatzik. Also had sausage.
Reached Preethi and Pradeep’s place in Reading. Pretty town, pretty red houses. Preethi’s Tamil speaking mother was fun to talk to.
July 31.
Woke up at 8.15. Poor Preethi woke up early to cook breakfast and coffee for us. Puttu kadala and yummiest filter coffee. Took bath, jabri too reluctantly.
Went to Oxford late noon. Was too late so missed the last free walking tour. But managed to find our way through a few really pretty buildings, sukichani passages, an old pub called tavern. Preethi’s prank. Mexican food. Vinaya place in Shoreditch.
Read more about our visit to the 17th century tavern Bath Place here — https://medium.com/travelwithmyopiclenses/bath-place-a-17th-century-watering-hole-in-oxford-48f944b7545a
Expanding on the last three. Preethi’s prank involved hiding a friend’s phone in office for fun but forgetting to return to it him later. So Pradeep and she had to go all the way back — 17 miles — to London city, which meant Chup and I got a lift to Vinaya’s for free.
Aug 1.
Vinaya left early for work. Chris gave us bread and something called lemon curd that was like butter, some cheese and then marmite, that tasted a little bitter to us.
We left for the monument first. Lovely view. Walked everywhere till evening. To London bridge (thrice cos we lost our way), to St Paul’s cathedral (but didn’t go inside cos of 18 pound tickets), to Tate modern and apart from the exhibitions (guerilla girls was the best) there was this lovely view from the top. We then passed through the globe theatre and lovely Shakespeare .
And then we met Siddharth, and he got us wine and beer from a bar at borough market. Seriously every londener is a drinker. The street was full of them.
To have a view of the London skyline from the top of Tate Modern, check here — https://medium.com/travelwithmyopiclenses/the-london-skyline-9c452aa603b0
We three took a bus to charring Cross road. Found the marks and co place where once Frank wrote to Helene at 84 charring. It’s now a Mac d. Chup and Sid had ice creams , I was lost in thoughts of Frank.
There was a lot of street music on the way and we took a peek of the Trafalgar square too.
Chup and I loved the little passages between the roads we walked on. Walking is really the best way to enjoy a new place.
Back home at vinaya’s, Chris had cooked us an Indian dinner of rice and chicken curry (with skin on it, loved that) and beans curry. We got more beer and wine (roze, should check the spelling). Yapped lots — communism, politics, labour party, RSS, London and Mumbai.
Slept.
Aug 2.
Was a really hot day. Didn’t have to use the jacket. I wore chappals cause the feet were hurting wearing shoes for two days. Had to trouble poor Chris again by coming back to get them.
Got cheap breakfast — jam doughnuts and chocolates — from the nearby Tesco. Went to the British musuem. I got tired very soon and sat at places when Chupree went walking around, my darling history buff. Watched the Egyptian mummies full of feelings — feelings for us, not the mummies. The Rosetta Stone was also pretty amazing. All that script on it.
Sidhdarth and kavya joined us. We went to lunch at one of their favourite haunts, passing through this University, UCL I think the name is. Lunch was Malaysian. I chose a bad dish full of vegetables in shrimp paste. Chup had duck roast and rice. K and S had bread with spinach and chicken.
We went off to chupree’s temple, Karl Marx’s grave. He was all reverential and shy.
Next was Parliament hills where Sid said we could relax . It felt like a little picnic with a blue sheet thrown on the lawns and beer and Gin cans. Unfortunately Gin and tonic had no effect on me but two ciders got chupree really high. At 7.30, after we said goodbye to K and S, I kissed chup at the tube station, cause it was 12 in India and his birthday had begun. Poor thing had no idea. He completely forgot, no surprise.
We went to Westminster, clicked pics of the Abbey and the war room and the palace and the statues. Felt really tired with all the walking. Pulled chupree into a Mac D for cheap dinner. Felt bad when saw the poor thing munch it up, all hungry and tired. It’s his birthday. I shouldn’t have thought all cheap.
We also got a cupple of tiny gifts for home. Sat a bit at the Trafalgar square before coming home late.
Chris had slept by then and vinaya was secretly dubsmashing. She had kept on the bed a few of her smaller clothes for me, what a total darling. I don’t know what to do for her, not in return but just like that.
And then we all slept soon, dead tired.
Aug 3.
Chupree birthday. We started late, having done pretty much most what we wanted to in London. Thought of going some place outside London but decided against it. Had a flight to catch next day right.
Chris left early for an interview and vinaya left the keys with us. When we began to leave, their elderly neighbour asked us if we could buy her bread and milk. Chupree went n got it.
We then hunted down a place for old English working class breakfast of pie and mash. Didn’t love the food but was happy with the coffee, first in London to serve the kind of coffee we know n love back home.
Off we went then to Abbey road. Off we went then again to the right Abbey road. There are two of these, and many people (saw a disappointed mom and daughter at the station) went to the wrong one first. The right one was of course the Beatles one. Walked the Beatles walk, bought some Beatles stuff. Walked to see the Lord’s stadium from outside. Took a bus to Baker’s street, had a noodles and chicken lunch from tofuyoume. Clicked photos of Sherlock Holmes musuem again from the outside.
And then off to primark for shopping, buying a couple of soft drinks (water actually and Rose lemon) from a gigantic Australian food market. Bought tidbits for home.
We had time to visit the Buckingham palace but was too tired. So sat down at a cafe with milk (for me) and hot chocolate (for birthday boy) and some really bad sausage bugette.
We walked to the St Martin’s theater for a show of the play mousetrap. Preethi came then n said our goodbyes. The play was amazing. But we felt guilty coming back so late to v and c, third night on a row. They’d both slept. But still was very nice and finally took our long due selfies.
Quickly packed and went to sleep.
More from our Mousetrap experience here — https://medium.com/travelwithmyopiclenses/mousetrapped-in-year-no-66-3c502112227c
