Carfax Tower, Oxford

Carfax Tower, Oxford, UK

I have never been to the top of this tower, in fact didn't even know one could go to the top of the Carfax Tower inspite of being around it thrice!

Canada Geese at Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Canada Geese at Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

The geese along the Thames Walk are so used to tourists that they can chase you for bread crumbs. They also let you come quite close to them. This picture was taken with my wide angle lens but with cropping the image and using the sharpen feature in Picasa I could get this result.

And this flurry of birds is due to the interest that Alger (the naturalist at Taj Safari Lodge, Banjaar Tola) managed to create for wild life.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Trafford Center, Manchester, UK

Trafford Center, Manchester, UK

Trafford Center is a shopping Mall in Manchester and I have to admit I am not very fond of shopping malls. But this place is so huge and for a first time visitor so colorful that I have clicked pictures every two meters probably.

I was roaming around with my school friend (I met her after 20 years) and she picked up a map of the center. She passed one to me too. As I have said earlier, maps always seem like unsolvable puzzles to me. So, after pretending to master it for a while, I tossed it in a bin. And went back to photography. My friend was so amused with it that she told everyone what I do with maps!

Scorching Hot Weather!

Ice Cream Van Near London Eye

It is so scorching hot in New Delhi at the moment that all I could think of posting is the London fog and ice cream van near the London Eye. I mean my brain is trying to shut down, even though I can handle summer quite easily. Can't believe it that just a month ago I was cribbing about the weather being too cold at UK.

Regent Street, London, Underground

Regent Street, London, Underground

The last day in London (May 2009 trip) was such an overcast and Grey. My friend from school and I still decided to brave it out. This shot is of Regent Street in London. I liked the stark colors of the day and the contrast provided by the Underground sings and the red buses. What I didn't notice at that time was that only one lamp was glowing above the underground sign! And what a cold I caught by the end of this trip!

UK 2009 Pictures

Piccadilly Circus, London

While I am posting some pictures from UK, I am off to trek in Himachal Pradesh tomorrow. Rarely do I get to travel like this!

Unfortunately things have been so hectic that I am not able to schedule any posts. So more when I come back.

Flying Over Hindukush Mountains

Flying Over Hindukush Mountains

Flying over the Hindukush Mountains is such a great feeling. Though this is the first time I managed to click pictures!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Big Ben, London

Big Ben, Picture taken Near Westminster Underground Station (May, 2009)

I like walking out of the Westminster Underground Station. As you walk you are looking at enclosed walls and then when you are out, suddenly this huge and magnificent structure stares in your face. I had done the same in 2007 and being November I remember the cold blast that greeted me along with the grand structure as well! You can see in the picture that even in May it was Grey, cloudy and a little wet and along with a thin sweater I had borrowed my friend's jacket too!

This time I found using the underground a little easier. I realized that if I quickly scan the Victoria line and the Jubilee Line I would be fine. I need not even look at the others. But I learned a new fact about the underground. Even if you have a valid ticket sometimes the entry/exit gates would not open. Then I had to approach an officer in the green vest and after looking at my ticket they would give me one of their own and viola the gates would open again.

Changing the Guards at the Buckingham Palace, London

The Video of the Guards Coming Out of the Buckingham Palace, Changing the Guards

After my official work in Oxford was over I was visiting and staying back with two school friends whom I was meeting after 20 years. It is really amazing that we found each-other via the internet. again And friends with whom you went to school from KG to 12th, it is amazing that you can exactly pick up from where you left! I went to my friend's place in London and then we left for Manchester the next day. Stayed there for one day before returning to London in the evening. So it was my last day in UK that was for roaming around in London with my friend. We had no set plans, and when I suggested my friend to look up for changing the guards at the Buckingham Palace she found that we could go and see it.

The Friendly Policeman on Duty

The website says the changing takes place at 11.30 am in May. They also advice you to take your place by 11.15 am. Both of us could not figure out why. We took the underground, got down at the Green Park Station and walked to the palace. And then we realized why they wanted us to come in a little early!

The Change of Guards at the Buckingham Palace, London

If you do not reach early enough, you will see the changing of the guards only in someones display screen! When we reached there all the places near the railings of the plaace had a thick crowd. So we decided to stand near the Victoria Memorial. You can change places easily around the circle and see the bands walking in. Once the bands enter the palace, the Victoria Memorial however is not the place where the action is. So both of us walked towards the palace and could see what was happening inside only in someone's LCD.

We then came near the ropes, there was less crowd. And the friendly policeman was chatting with the crowd. He told us that his horse was due to retire in a year. When someone asked where, he said, "Hopefully with me." Then she asked, "So will you retire too?" He said, "No, 7 more years to go, it has been 30 already!" He told us, "The first band to come out will walk to the right but don't move, the next will come this way." A lady in the crowd asked if she could take a picture with him after the bands were gone, he said, "Unfortunately I would have to go with the bands." But a while later he said, "Go ahead, you can take one now." He also remarked sometime, "This is not such a good job during the winters and the change happens even when there are no tourists." True enough the schedule mentions all kinds of weather exceptions.

We were second from the rope (on the other side from the railings of the palace), waiting for the guards to come out. The two girls in front of us got a call and decided to leave. My friend and I quickly took their places. Ad that is how I managed to make the video and saw the guards coming out. Oh and it was a typical London day, Grey, cold (to me) with a light drizzle. And I enjoyed it a lot.

Punting at Oxford

I finally managed to go punting at Oxford on my third trip! I had read about it a lot, I had seen people do it but I never dared to try it myself. You are supposed to do it on your own and I did not feel brave enough. When I went through websites this is what I would find-

'Chauffeur' punters are available on request, with a minimum 2 weeks notice.

Punt Boats at Cherwell Boat House, Oxford

So what do you do when you go punting? You take one of these boats and try to steer it with a very long pole. It is possible because the river bed is quite shallow and the pole hits the ground quite easily. There were six of us in the boat. I was the only woman. So while all the men went to fetch the equipment I was assigned to look for boat number 69. It was not too difficult to spot it.

Coming Back after a Punting Session

While we were on the river we could spot a lot of people having a good time. There were four girls who looked to be out there for the first time and they always managed to get stuck on the bank of the river and then were rowing themselves out! They also give you a paddle to row out if you get stuck on the side of the river

The Pro- You Never Know what your Professors are Good at!

We were in safe hands as the professor was a pro at punting. I asked him, "How long have you been doing this?" And he replied with a smile, "Far too long!" When one of our conference college tried to punt, he got us stuck on a bank within no time and then managed to turn the boat the other way round! The pro professor had told us at the beginning, "Oxford and Cambridge row from the opposite ends." So when the boat turned around, we were told by our friend, "Now I am doing the Cambridge style!" We also had to duck many times to avoid the branches as we drifted to a side when one of us was rowing.

The Pro, The Rookie and the Cambridge and Oxford Style Punter (sitting)

I was the last person to try my hand. And one of us refused to try. He was a young academician from Thailand. I was very scared that I would let the pole drop into the river! But I managed to do quite OK. Did not turn the boat around, or stuck it at the bank. But that was more because the professor actively helped me out. And you can see from the picture that I really had a lot of fun trying my hand at punting. I sat down to some clapping from my fellow friends, they must have been really scared when I insisted that I want to try out for sure!

And if I keep academics aside, that is one huge advantage of conference, you get on an organized tour of things that seem to be too difficult to carry out on our own. We did this trip on the Cherwell River which is far away from the center of the city. I was told that most of the tourists do it on the Magdalen River Boathouse.

In the beginning I was asking the professor, "So how do people learn punting?" And pat came the reply, "By falling down in the river!"

Blue Roses at the Trafford Center, Manchester

Blue Roses at the Trafford Center, Manchester, and these are Real

I am back finally and it feels good. I would any day prefer this sweltering hot weather than the perennial cold that is present in UK.

• I saw the Manchester United Stadium
  
• Clicked more than 500 images
  
• Yet only 10 seem to be good
  
• Did manage to go for punting this time, will pick this one up tomorrow
  

Plans for Today!

It is not everyday when my daily plans include visiting Manchester United Stadium. And that too hassle free because my friend's are taking me around.

The days are beautiful and sunny, only the wind at night seems like winters in India rather than summer.

Hi from UK

I am in Manchaster today, catching up with some school friends.

It has been so long without blogging that it feels a little strange writing this.

Will have to catch up with all this once I come back later next week. And to think of it I almost missed this trip due to my passport. I have taken pictures but not tons of it. But then I will still spend a day in London too. So will make up for that!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Where did the Time Go?

Clock at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK

I had anything but a lazy Sunday. Too caught up with some deadlines that got messed up because of running around for the passport. 

I don't think I will be able to put a few auto posts this time but I will try. 

Leeds, London and Oxford in Pictures

Leeds, London and Oxford in Pictures

Entrance to Royal Armouries, Leeds, UK

Entrance to the Royal Armories Leeds, UK

Lazy Sunday Photo- Pictures from Two Monuments

Royal Armouries Leeds, UK

Peacock Green Colors at the City Palace Jaipur

Lazy Sunday Photo- Digging up from Old London Photos

The Red Sightseeing Bus- London

I have taken a tour on the Red Bus in Oxford but not in London. I must say it is a nice concept but why take a bus when you can walk? I have walked a lot around Oxford and a little around London. And if I was ever to do it again, I would like to walk even more.

I have slogged and slogged in January, and went to Gwalior for work. Let us see how I fare in February, I have no complaints with slogging but I wish I will be able to pull of a weekend trip this month.

Lazy Sunday Photo- On a Rainy Day Somewhere in UK

Rains on the Street- Through a Bus Window, Somewhere in UK

I borrowed this picture from Anil (I am posting it with his permission) as he had borrowed my camera for his recent trip to UK. Now I think that is a fair bargain!

Colorful Berries- Red and Yellow

Those Long Walks!

Stranded Ship Boat on Thames Walk, Oxford

I am quite fond of walking and it has landed me in all kind of interesting situations.

Another View on Thames Walk, Oxford

Took my niece to a park which was sufficiently big, and I felt like running after a long time! Did not do it, as I had just stuffed two Paranthans and my niece was of course on the swing trying all kind of stunts. Otherwise, since I left athletics never felt like running again. However, ask me to walk and I am always game for it.

Blues!

David Hockney Gallery at Saltaire, UK

The British Museum London

British Museum London

I took this picture at the British Museum in November 2007. The exhibition 'First Emperor' was at the museum but the entry fee to that particular section was low double digit pounds (was it near 17 or 12, can't remember) and I gave it a miss. Also, I had so little time at London that I have hardly glanced through some of the sections of the museum. And to be honest, after a while I start craving to get outdoors!

More Flowers- Lazy Sunday Photo

Red Roses in a Bunch, What Lovely Flowers!

I know some people who like flowers more on the plants rather than in a bunch but when I find them already in a bunch I love clicking them. About myself, I do not mind occasionally holding them in my hands too, but yes they look much better on the plants.

Flowers at Covered Market, Oxford

And once again I do not know the name of the flower above. I had clicked both the pictures at Oxford in June. In fact two of my colleagues are heading to UK today and I wonder what pictures they would capture of the winter there. In fact, I took so much time clicking pictures of the flowers kept outside the flower shop that I was afraid that someone would come out and ask me to go away! It has never happened though till now though.

Card and Souvenir Shop, Oxford, UK

Card and Souvenir Shop, Oxford, UK

I was playing with Picasa 3 and trying to add water mark to a picture. While doing that I realized this picture in Oxford is something I would like to post on my blog too, the colors are so nice.

What do you say? Is the watermark taking out too much from the picture? I feel I will like to add such a mark to all my pictures.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Lazy Sunday Photo- Christ Church College, Oxford, UK

Christ Church College, Oxford, UK

I took this photograph at the sunset. There is actually an entrance fee to visit the Christ Church College (but not the Christ Church Meadows) premises in Oxford. But there is a roped off area just in front of the entry gate up to where you can walk and take a peak at this magnificent building. This picture was taken from the roped off area. I immediately looked at the picture on the display of the camera and went wide eyed as the reddish glow was all the more prominent on the smaller camera display screen. The guard in front of the building gave me a smile looking at my wide eyed expression. I am sure he must be watching countless wide eyed tourists like me in the course of the day!

Big Ben and the Parliament House at Night, UK

Big Ben and the Parliament House at Night, UK

I have seen a lot of pictures of the UK Parliament House and the Big Ben on the net and in many of those I would find the bridge featured on the right in this picture. I had completely forgotten its existence and would wonder how did I miss it. I re-looked at my pictures and sure enough, I too had photographed it. Well, it was so wide that I quite forgot that it was here I spent quite some time standing and freezing in the cold weather yet enjoying every minute of it.

Sheldonian Theater, Oxford, UK

In fact, the last year same day I was in Oxford, roaming around the town on a Halloween night. And enjoyed every minute of that too.

York Police Band Playing at Royal Armories, Leeds, UK

York Police Band Playing at Royal Armories, Leeds, UK

I watched this performance last year (November 2007) in UK when I went to Leeds to attend a conference on tourism. I went to an academic conference after a gap of four years. I remember there was Champagne before the dinner at the Royal Armories (a fabulous place) and even though I was alone I decided to celebrate that conference with Champagne.

I also very clearly remember saying to someone that I wonder what is round the next bend, it can't always be Champagne. I really wonder what is round the next bend! I wonder how 2009 turn out to be. Remember I said I would swap the December mood with October!

Thames Walk, Oxford, UK

Thames Walk (Oxford, UK) Video, It was So Serene

This is a less than a minute duration video but I really like it. It was such a peaceful day and unlike India most of the time I could feel I was alone on this walk and yet always felt safe. The only botheration was because of my own fears. Long stretch of road, river on one side and wild open fields, what more could I ask for? Well, if I be honest I would ask for the Himalayas in the background.

A Small Video of the Covered Market in Oxford, UK

A Small Video of the Covered Market (Established 1754) Oxford UK

The videos that I made with my point and shoot Nikon camera have a .mov extension. Windows media player would not open it and for last 3 years I never downloaded any other player that would play it! So the few videos that I uploaded on this blog, I would guess which one it would be, then upload on Youtube and then I would watch them and if I had guessed correctly then I would embedd them on my blog! No wonder there are so few videos on this blog!

Not anymore, I downloaded quicktime and it plays the .mov extension without any sweat and now for some days you are going to see a lot of videos uploaded here.

The video quality is not really good, it is a combination of my skills and th capabilities of my point and shoot camera but then ...

So here is what I was doing one day in June 2008 in Oxford. There were so many flowers that caught my attention!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Forbidden Berries and Fall Colors Oxford, UK

A Lovely Tree in Oxford

As my last trip has been to Oxford, UK I keep thinking about it. The tree in the picture was full of red berries and this is from my October-November stay. I loved the fall colors. And I was given strict instructions not to eat the berries!

Remembering the Cold Weather in Oxford

Bus Stop, Harcourt Hill, Oxford

Last year at the end of October, I was waiting for a bus at a stop in Oxford. It was damn cold even during the day but the saving grace is that almost everything is heated and you really do not need heavy woolens indoors. I had gone to the University (not the Oxford) and was waiting for a bus along with a colleague outside. For some reason or the other the bus was taking some time to come and I don't know why I did not had my thick jacket (the one I am wearing in this blog's profile picture, it is a real old one, faded and all, but it is quite warm). Maybe I didn't carry it because I would always get the bus quickly and I did not wish to carry the extra jacket around. I remember I was literally jumping up and down to keep away the cold.

The Warm and Cozy Bus

Thankfully the bus came after a while and I really liked the hot air that would circulate on my feet if I would sit on the left hand side of the bus at the top. Also this time in June I remember one of my British colleague asking me if I found the bus uncomfortable! I asked him if he has ever been to India and been inside a bus? As he has visited India, he immediately got my point. I mean, a heated or air conditioned almost empty bus and uncomfortable??

Little Travel This Year

All Souls College in the Background, Radcliffe Square, Oxford UK

This year I have hardly traveled! June was last when I ventured out to the UK for a short trip and after that nothing! Partly my fault. And now once again Sesha is going to trek and I can't because of all stupid things I fell ill. OK, enough of cribbing. So, my dear readers you are stuck with my old travel accounts, there seems to be nothing on the horizon as of now, travel wise.

OK, why I picked up the picture above. This is from my October-November 2007 trip to UK. At that time I saw this young lady eating something in the beautiful Radcliffe Square and the image remained with me. This time of course I took two of my meals sitting exactly at the same spot! And enjoyed the experience.

Lazy Sunday Photo- A Little Bit of London

Trafalgar Square, London

Tower of London

Millennium Bridge and St. Paul's Cathedral, London

The London Eye at Night

Hyde Park, London

The Marble Arch, London

The Gates to Buckingham Palace, London

Butler's Wharf, London

When in Rome ... A Few Things that Scare Me!

I have been abroad only a few times and every time for work, I don't think we have the courage (nor do I have a big salary) to spend that kind of money on a vacation. So, I never know when will I manage to land up in a new/foreign country next! That probably keeps the charm alive but I wonder if I traveled abroad often would it ever become routine for me?That reminds me of a friend who was made to travel so much that he told his manager "you are moving me around like a piece of luggage" and he was complaining about being sent to Hawaii again!

So to put the record straight I love to travel a lot and I also like to travel abroad if I get an opportunity even if it is for work. But then there are some aspects of foreign travel that feel so strange!

London Underground

I am so used to the hustle and bustle of the Indian railway stations that when I encounter a platform like the one in the picture above, I used to freak out. I remember waiting for a train in Bologna that would go to Venice. I read the information board and proceeded to the platform at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time only to find it completely deserted. I was so confused that I actually went and rechecked if I was at the correct platform! When the train finally arrived not more than 10 people would have boarded it. So, now when I encounter a scene like the one above I do not get dazed but calmly wait for the train to arrive and it always does.

Tower Bridge, London, UK

Hanging on to the passport is another thing that becomes an obsession with me. I mean even in really beautiful areas (I liked the Tower Bridge area) you hang on to the hand bag that contains the passport with all your might.

Once when I was taking a flight to Amsterdam from New Delhi, I was filling some form and took the passport out to fill the passport number. And then I went to exchange some currency. In the line for currency exchange there was a gentleman ahead of me and the young lad at the counter asked for his passport. A bell went in my head and I immediately realized that I had left my passport at the place where I was filling up my form! I ran back and I had panicked quite badly. I stood at the spot desperately trying to locate my passport but could not find it. Then a kindly voice called, saying "Are you by any chance looking for this?" and he was pointing a finger to the passport that was lying exactly at the same place where I had left it, right in front of my eyes and yet I was unable to see it! Imagine if that happened at a foreign airport!

What Do You Do When You Don't Travel Much?

Walk Near the Church at Saltaire, UK

You of course look at the older travel pictures!

This one was taken in October end last year. At that point of time the view was so fresh in my eyes that I didn't appreciate ithe picture much. But I find it quite soothing now.

PS. It was such a hectic and exhausting week that I hardly found any time to blog. And the comments on the previous posts are unanswered too! But then I have the weekend to catch up.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Harewood Garden Walk, Leeds, UK

Harewood Garden Walk, Leeds, UK

It seems like ages since I walked for 10-12 kilometers and I am missing it.

Entrance to the Central Library Leeds

Entrance to the Central Library Leeds

Lazy Sunday Photo- Glass Structure at Thames

I rarely click modern structures but I liked this one near the Tower Bridge in London. Unfortunately I do not know the name of the building (can see Norton Rose written in front) but this one is quite close to Thames River.

Update- As Sunil has pointed it out in the comment section, this seems to be part of More London. Thanks Sunil.

The Oxford Story at Gonomad.com

Carfax Tower, Oxford, UK

My Oxford Story is now up at the main Gonomad site. Have a look and tell me how do you find it. Here is a small piece from the article-

Initially, due to my pathetic sense of direction I was quite scared to walk alone but I gradually realized that there are sufficient arrow marks and signposts on the street and whichever road I would take sooner or later an arrow would point me towards the city center and the Carfax Tower again.

I can assure you if I did not get lost in the city chances of anyone else getting lost are really really slim.

The Leeds Corn Exchange

The Leeds Corn Exchange, June 2008

I have been to Leeds twice but the first time I missed visiting the Leeds Corn Exchange. This time Kullukid from Indiamike had kindly volunteered to take me around, I visited this beautiful building. My picture does no justice to it.

Here is an aerial view of the Corn Exchange at Leeds.

Another Blogger writes about the Corn Exchange, Leeds, UK.

I have to do a post on Leeds in Pictures!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Cycles Will Be Removed, A Common Sign In Oxford

Oxford in Pictures

Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, UK

St. Mary's Church, Oxford UK.
The View of the City from the Top is Wonderful

I Just Love Clicking Flowers, Covered Market, Oxford, UK

Radcilffe Square, Oxford, UK

High Street, Oxford, UK

Punts at Magdalen Bridge, Oxford, UK

Christ Church College and Christ Church Meadows, Oxford, UK- In Pictures

A Goose and its Reflection on a Canal Next to Christ Church Meadows, Oxford, UK

The Main Building of the Christ Church College, Oxford, UK. Currently Benazir Bhutto's son is a student here.

Tourists Like Me, Thought They Were Not Afraid of the Ducks/Geese, Christ Church Meadows, Oxford, UK

Geese Family on Walk, Thames River Near Oxford, UK

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford UK. The Dining Hall inside is used the Harry Potter Movies as the Hogwart's Dining Hall. I have not been inside yet (there is an admission fee) but if there is a next time this is on agenda.

The Christ Church Meadows, Oxford, UK. The Walk is Beautiful but now I am yearning for a proper trek.

Automobiles or Walking?

A Small Car Advertising City Sightseeing Tours in Oxford, UK

For me, when it comes to taking a bus tour or walking the choice is very clear. I love walking and I will any day pick up walking (reasonable distance and I consider 20km in one long day quite reasonable particularly on flat terrains) over taking a bus tour.

I have done both in Oxford. The City sightseeing red bus tour is good to get an orientation of the city. The charge is 11.50 pounds and on both my visits it was arranged by my official hosts. It is fun to sit on the top of the bus and take in the city passing by. It even makes for a few good photography angles too. On top of it you can hop off the bus at any point and board the bus later from the same spot. The tickets are valid for 24 hours after all! But when it rains (as it often does) the lower portion of the bus becomes suddenly quite attractive!

The Actual Red Bus, City Sightseeing Bus Tours in Oxford, UK,

But I guess I like walking so much because I am in total control. Oxford is anyway a small city and I can stop any where I wish and click endless pictures! Also all those heavy meals that I tend to eat, walking is the best way to burn them off!

But there is a bigger reason as well. I guess my brain functions only when I am walking and I tend to think earth shattering things only after I have walked at least 10 kilometers and find a flat stone (if unavailable then even a pavement will do) to sit. Sounds strange? But that is how it is with me. Put me on a bus and I will fall asleep, sometimes on the shoulders of the next person too, much to my embarrassment later when I wake up.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Staying with Colors

I took these pictures in the covered market in Oxford. It is a old (established 1774!) place that is quite charming. I was drawn to this fish stall because the colors were eye catching, otherwise I do not eat fish and I have no interest in looking at it in a market. I was taking these with the point and shoot camera so you can see the flash getting reflected in these pictures.

Colorful Fish in the Covered Market, Oxford, UK

I was also going through a lot of pictures on Picasa that belonged to someone I know. I was quite amazed to see the way people approach places and photograph them. I mean in an entire trip I may take 500 to 600 pictures (I delete many later) but you would not find me in more than 5 to 6. The camera does not love me when I am in front of it, it is kinder when I am behind it, or so I think. I also almost completely ignore the modern stores even though they are very colorful at times. I am sure I am not going to get in the front of the camera too often but for variety I can try to capture some of the modern stuff too.

Radcliffe Square- The Most Beautiful Place in Oxford

If you ask me, I consider the Radcliffe Square the most beautiful area in the entire Oxford (OK, whatever I have seen of it). It is right in the center of the town. Walk on the High street towards Magdalen Bridge and take a turn on your left near the St. Mary's Church and there you are!

Radcliffe Camera and the Colleges Surrounding it

It is a small square but walking around it is such a pleasure or just sit on the sidewalks and see others hurrying past!

St. Mary's Church

At one front of the square is the St. Mary's Church. The building is beautiful to watch from the outside but if you want a lot of peace and quiet all you have to do is to get inside (the entrance is free, they charge 3 pounds if you wish climb to the top of St. Mary's Church, which I did this time) climb the stairs and sit in the pew in a corner. Suddenly there is a lot of peace around you disturbed only occasionally by other tourists. I sat inside the church at least twice and it was cool and beautiful.

Gate to All Soul's College

Another very beautiful building in this square is the All Soul's College. Of course, the Christ Church is the most famous college in Oxford and it is very beautiful no doubt but All Soul's is equally stunning to look at!

View of Radcliffe Square from the top of St. Mary's Church

Then of course you can go to the top of St. Mary's Church and admire the uninterrupted view of the city. And then there is Brasenose College also but then I somehow have not clicked a decent picture of it.

Them Doggies on Countryside Walks in UK

The Kings Arms, Sandford Lock

I stumbled upon two very pleasant countryside walks in Oxford. I love walking and these were the kind of walks that just keep going straight, there is very little chance of getting lost, my kind of walks. I will talk about them in detail soon. What I wish to write about today is them doggies. I know Sidhu is a huge fan of dogs and he will view this post very differently.

Imagine walking serenely on a path with the Thames on one side and open fields on the other. You will meet people strolling, cycling or running from time to time. There are flowers to be clicked and admired, in that order. The weather is mild (gave me a mild sunburn later as I was not using any lotion) and all is at peace in the world! Right? Wrong.

It is them doggies. In the countryside, people let their dogs off the leash. And that is a source of unmitigated terror to me! I am really truly afraid of dogs, even the tiny miny ones. So, on this walk when I faltered for the first time, predictably it was when I saw a huge dog let of the leash (Labrador, I deep down know they are harmless). I looked to my right and asked a young lad if it would be alright to walk ahead and if the path leads somewhere? He gave his go ahead. Then he asked me something from afar and cycled around for a while but finally vanished. The dog owner could probably sense my tension and told me they were going for a dip in the river. The dog of course was running towards water without even sparing me a glance and that is the best thing he could do.

Then there was another man throwing a Frisbee to his dog, thankfully in the opposite direction. And of course the dog was quite interested in the game. Again I hurried past. This was the last of the doggies on the Oxford-Sandford walk. Lucky me? Not so soon.

Kennington Bridge, Oxford to Sandford Walk

The day after I did the Oxford Sandford walk, my original plan was to do nothing. That means walking around aimlessly around the accommodation in my lexicon. After wandering for a while I remembered a wooden gate that I gave a miss during my previous visit to Oxford. Not to make the same mistake twice (maybe not really a mistake as in October 2007 the sunset was really early around 4.00 pm and in June really late around 9.00 pm) I walked through the gate. The walk seemed promising till I encountered my nemesis.

On the narrow path there were two ladies on two tall horses with their their dog running ahead. Of course he was interested in me and I for sure was not. Not willing to offend anyone, I politely put my small shoulder bag in front of my legs and the intelligent dog understood my gesture. He went his way and I thanked my stars. Too soon, it turned out.

Countryside near Harcourt Hill, Oxford

Can you see the serenity above? I was walking without a care a few minutes later and then heard some footsteps running furiously. I turned back and my heart stopped. There was a dog taller than me (or so I thought) being chased by the dog who had gone away a while ago. I was silently telling my self, "You had it, who the hell asked you to walk alone?" A moment later I realized the tall thing was a deer out pacing the dog with an effort that clearly bored him to no end. Did I turn back? No, because as one of my professors aptly remarked that I like to "walk with a vengeance."

Next were two really tiny miny dogs and as they bounded with glee towards me, I said in a croaking voice to their oblivious owners, "Please call them back, I am quite afraid of dogs." There faces contorted with surprise but they did call the dogs back. Was this the end? Did I turn back? Not quite.

I walked ahead for quite sometime and met no dogs. That gave me courage on my way back to venture into a forest like area to my left. I was desperately trying to remember the way full of mild turns. After a few turns I decided if I got lost my colleagues would have no sympathy for me. I turned back and there he was. It had a crooked front leg and a dirty color. The collar round the neck gave me some confidence, I resorted back to my shoulder bag trick but this one took offense and while running away started howling furiously from a safe distance. Heart thudding in mouth, I negotiated my way. He kept barking after my shadow and finally decided I am way too far away to do any more bag tricks.

The end of the country road was almost in sight. There were two ladies on their high horses (literally, no pun intended) again. But these lovely ones had no doggies with them. What sweet ladies. I considered this a good omen and made a dash to safety of my room.

Them doggies!

Purple Rhododendrons

Purple Rhododendrons

I saw these Rhododendrons in Leeds and I had to stand back and take notice. There were two reasons for this. One, I love Himalayan flowers and these Rhododendrons reminded me of the treks I have done. Two, I had never seen a purple one before! I have seen red Rhododendrons, even white and their variations but never purple.

When I shared the pictures with my colleagues, one of them came running to me and told me, "How did you manage to make the Rhododendrons purple? Aren't they red? I have never seen a purple one." Now that is something because he belongs to Uttrakhand and has lived for considerable time in the hills.

But then in Leeds these purple Rhododendrons were growing with glee!

Oh! and VJ shared his pictures of Oxford with me and take my words for it, they are brilliant.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Thames Walk, Oxford to Sandford

The Path, Thames Walk, Oxford to Sandford

In Quest of Pictures at Oxford

Christ Church Meadows on A Rainy June (2008) Afternoon

On this trip to Oxford I would often venture out to walk around the city, Christ Church Meadows and the Thames Path with two cameras in my hand. Three days later I realized that all I was doing was looking at the places through the lens and constantly worrying about the quality of the pictures. After three days my frenzy to take pictures became a bit too much for myself to bear.

Later when I came back from Leeds, and started walking again in Oxford, I would keep the SLR in the small backpack that I carried around. With the point and shoot it was easy taking pictures and less distracting. And it was a pain to take out the SLR, I would make the effort only if something really caught up my fancy. This way I managed to see more.

Thinking that on my next trip, I would try to declare one day camera free! I know easier said than done, but I can hand over the camera to others and just enjoy the views.

View of Oxford City from St. Mary's Chruch- A Video

View of Oxford City from St. Mary's Chruch- A Video

Last time when I was in Oxford, I could not go up the St. Mary's Church. So, this time it was high on my agenda. The church is located right in the city center and the charge this summer for going up was 3 pounds. The timings were 9.00 to 5.00.

As I was traveling to Leeds later in the day, I had a small bag with me. The young lady at the ticket counter kindly offered to keep it for me till I came back. I asked, "But you might be gone when I come back?" She said she would be going by 11.00 and I had plenty of time. It was 10.35 at that time and I told her, "I plan to spend more time up there." She smile, "No worries, my colleague would be here and they would give the bag to you."

So I went up to the top to get those picture postcard snaps that I had seen all around in Oxford shops. No such luck, there was too much light and my wide angle lens was not good enough to capture Radcliffe Camera and All Souls College in one shot. I met another person with an SLR and asked him if he could get both properly in one shot, he also replied in negative. At least I was not alone.

Picture postcards or not, I still had a very good time at the top with wonderful views of the city. And of course I came down around 12.00 in the noon, but the other young lady at the counter gave me my bag and I proceeded to spend more time around Christ Church College and beyond to head later to Leeds.

Note to Self: Next time when you have the urge to tilt the camera remember the vertigo you got by watching this video!

I am Back from UK!

View of Oxford City from Saint Mary's Church

I came back yesterday and was dead tired even though I had all the three seats to myself on the Jet flight and lied down listening to Hindi old songs for a long time, even managed to sleep for a few hours. Today, I managed to upload some of the pictures of Oxford and Leeds.

And I decided to start with 10 dos and don'ts on the next trip to Oxford (if ever!). And to put the record straight my visits have got nothing to do with the University of Oxford-

10. If I ever go in summer again I would try my hand at punting.

09. One day I took a 9.27 bus back to accommodations when there was a bus later at 10.27. Never again, that is a crime. Taking the last bus or almost last bus back should be the motto!

08. Never fall asleep on a train or the bus. I managed to do so while going to Leeds and going back to Heathrow from Oxford and missed all the views. And there were so many flowers to see!

07. Fell asleep on the shoulders of the fellow passenger on the Oxford-Leeds journey. What an embarrassment when you wake up! So never fall asleep on the way.

06. Have colleagues who are expert at shopping. They found a store called Primark where I could afford to shop. Or else 80 rupees to a pound kills any desire to shop.

05. Do not eat pizza at Pizza Hut. A Pizza Hut is a Pizza Hut is a Pizza Hut in any country.

04. Don't gain all the weight (2 Kg) by eating the chocolates. I managed to loose 2 Kg by taking those long walks.

03. Learn to deal with dogs that are let off the leash in the countryside. Or better still get a colleague to accompany you who can deal with dogs effectively and also likes to walk. Tough combination!

02. Meet people when possible. I met Kullukid (from Indiamike) and his wife in Leeds and they showed me around the town. Many thanks to them. And host them when they are in India.

01. Walk more! Travel more. Seriously required.

Hi from Oxford

Right now I am in Oxford and the second time around the places are a bit more easy to find. It is raining cats and dgos and the days go in meetings but I managed to walk around a lot on day 2 and plan to do the same in the remaining of the stay. Will have a lot of pictures to share later. Hope it stops raining soon.

Monet Talk or Not!

Monet Picture at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

I am very poor at appreciating art. I know of only a few big names like Monet, Van Gogh and umm, OK, Michaelangelo.

So why am I talking (or not) about Monet now? Well, it all started with this post that I linked at Blogbharti-

Kusum visits the Poppy fields in Antelope Vally in the US and her pictures are a feast for the eyes.

No no, wait, I am coming to Monet. Then came Sunil who left this comment.

Thanks, great snaps.

I suppose the only excuse for not associating with Monet would have to be death.

Now I am curious and ask him (at Blogbharti), "So is Monet associated with death?" I am curious because his comment jogs my memory that I actually have seen a Monet painting at Oxford (the one posted above) and I thought maybe that at home turf (i.e. Blogbharti) I can take the risk of asking dumb questions. Hmm the answer I got convinced me that I should leave art well alone.

Er no. My fault, the way in which i said it. I just wanted to say it reminds me of Monet’s well known poppies. And almost instantaneously one would associate the snaps with the paintings. The only reason not to is if you have died. especially for me coz one monet hangs in my bed room. ;)
Cheers

OK, now that I read it again it makes some sense because Kusum uploaded pictures of poppies and Monet painted poppies ... But then I will not go anywhere near art for quite sometime now. Scares me stiff.

Lazy Sunday Photo- The Millennium Bridge (Nicknamed Wibbly Wobbly), London

The Millennium Bridge, London (Also Nicknamed Wibbly Wobbly Bridge)

I crossed the Millennium Bridge (though I didn't know its name while crossing) after roaming around the St. Paul's Cathedral area. In the background one can see the Tate Modern (at that time I didn't know that the entry is free). And as I was reading these lines again, I can see what a well researched traveler I am!

Anyway, it was later on Sunday when I took the cruise on Thames (I like to think of it as a boat ride rather than a cruise) that I came to know that this is the Millennium Bridge. The excellent commentary we had on the boat, we were told "this is the Wibbly Wobbly Bridge, also known as the Millennium Bridge. As soon as it opened it vibrated so bad that it had to be closed down, so we like to call it the Wibbly Wobbly Bridge."

Lazy Sunday Photo- Oxford City Again

Oxford City, UK

There is a high chance that I will visit the city of Oxford for a week again in June. If it happens, it would be the first time I manage to visit a foreign place twice. Of course the trip would be related to work. But I hope the summer would be a better time to take pictures!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Oxford City Center

Oxford City Center, UK

For the week that I stayed in Oxford, dinner was mostly taken around the city center on all occassions. Never visited the Burger King or any such chain while there, but it is interesting to see these fast food joints jostling for space with really really old structures, like the structure on the left to the Burger King and the tower further left to the old building.

Around Buckingham Palace, London

Taken on a evening in November, 2007, near Buckingham Palace, London

Lazy Sunday Photo- The Chang Story

Chang- The Local Home Brewed Beer from Spiti

Once again, I decided to write about food or rather drinks, this time. I generally do not like alcoholic drinks and stay away from them. Given a choice I like soup over alcohol any day. And both tend to cost a ton in restaurants! I know it is strange comparison but that is how it is.

This changed a little when I discovered chang in Spiti. The locally brewed beer tastes nothing like a Foster brewed in Aurangabad or some such place. I mean I can't stand Foster or Kingfisher. They have such a nasty stink (or so I feel and I know I am alone in this) that after one sip I do not try another. Chang has no nasty sting about it and I liked both the barley and the rice versions.

Then on the trip to Oxford last year we had a dinner hosted by the university (no and this is not the Oxford I am referring to) at a Thai restaurant called Chiang Mai. There were four of us, my colleague from India and two of my colleagues from UK. So when we started ordering soon the question came, "What would you like to drink?" I gave the default option, "Nothing." Then I browsed the beer list anyway and discovered Chang on the list. Not thinking too much, I changed my mind and decided to order Chang. It of course turned out to be a popular beer from Thailand but minus the stink. It was not the Chang I wanted but it was quite OK. The end result was that I ended up trying a lot of beers in UK and now I have to say, once in a blue moon I may pick them up over soup.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Ice Cream on London Streets

Ice Cream Van- Near Tower Bridge, London

No, no, I didn't even think of eating an ice cream in the November cold in London but I liked the scene. And to put it on record I do not like cold weather and it is cold right now in and around Delhi. I envy people who go about unconcerned in the cold weather and it does not bother them in the least. Like my nephew, he is sitting in two warm shirts, while I have packed myself up, sitting in front of TV waiting for Australian Open Men's final to begin.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Two of the Most Beautiful College Buildings in Oxford

Christ Church College- Oxford

All Souls College, Oxford

The Noodle Bar- Oxford, Gloucester Green

The Noodle Bar, Oxford, Gloucester Green

Noodle Bar turned out to be my favorite eating joint in Oxford. One, the place was not too heavy on the pocket and two, if given a choice, I invariably end up eating Chinese. A few of the dinners and lunches were hosted by the university, so it felt quite strange when one day my colleague asked me what should we have for dinner? I have said this before, I am quite indifferent to food. So, I tried hard to make him decide but he would not budge. We were walking around the city and as I am vegetarian my options are just a little bit limited. I think I looked at every restaurant in the two hour walk as a potential eating place. We had ruled out the Indian fare, as we thought we anyway get a lot of it back home. And some places where ruled out because a single dish would cost more than 20 pounds (don't you think it is a neat idea to display the price list outside the restaurants? I wonder why we often don't do it in India).

After walking round and round I remembered the Noodle Bar near the Gloucester Green bus station. So, we decided to head there. I think almost the entire crowd (the waiting staff and the customers) consisted of students, only we and a few others were the odd people out (read older :).

The Dish with Thick Noodles, Noodle Bar, Oxford

I scanned the menu for vegetarian fare and found a dish with mushrooms (my absolute favorites) and decided to order it. But then the young guy who came to take the order had a bouncer. What kind of noodles would we like Ho Fun, Mai Fun, or Udon? Well, the names definitely sounded Chinese to me. Had to ask him to explain what did they mean! He told us one was really thin noodles, the other really thick noodles and the last something in between. But don't ask me which was which. So we decided to try two types. The portions were huge and I really struggled to finish my stuff. My colleague this day also ordered a veg dish.

Then the next day, we had the same question. Where to go for dinner? And you guessed it, we went to the noodle bar again. And this time we realized that out of the three vegetarian dishes we had already ordered two the previous day! Still, it was fun to have dinner at the Noodle Bar in a typical student environment but where none of the students knew me :)

A Boat Ride on Thames at Night

British Airways London Eye (Sore?)- As Described on the Boat Ride on Thames

I really liked the boat ride I took on Thames on the trip to UK. We all know the pound to rupee exchange rate. You have to give more than 80 rupees to get even one of those pounds. So, spending was not what I was looking forward to in the UK. But then we both have been earning for quite sometime and now I have come to the stage that if I wish, I will really not bother myself over spending in the vicinity of 10 pounds. That is approximately what a boat ride on the Thames cost me (I think it was 6.70 or 7.60 pounds actually).

I took the boat ride from Westminster to the Tower Bridge and back. I decided to come back because I did not wish to negotiate my way from Tower Bridge Underground to Victoria station (remember my sense of direction?).

It definitely was cold that day but not unbearably so. I had no clue what to expect. The night view was great and I was trying very hard to use the SLR on the moving boat (without too much success). The people navigating the boat were the best thing to happen on this ride.

On the ride to the Tower Bridge, the person started (and these are not the exact quotes but paraphrases from memory), "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are not professional tour guides, we work with Thames river authority. Still, if you wish we can offer you a commentary, so those in favor of it please raise your hand." I was quite busy with the camera, so didn't raise my hand. Then came the voice "So, only three to four hands are up, maybe we should not." Hearing this I raised both my hands.

I do not remember all of what they said but some of it was really witty and caustic. Like one of the first things that you can see on this trip is the London eye. So they would say, "Ladies and gentleman, on your right is the British Airways London Eye sore (in a dead serious voice) and if you have not been taken for a ride by the BA till date this your chance to be taken for a ride."

Blurred Picture from the Moving Boat on the Thames

In a similar fashion they would make fun of so many things modern. The bluish building above apparently was referred as a 'blue carbuncle' by someone (did they say Tony Blair?). Our boatman rightly likened it to the pit of a nuclear reactor (OK, OK, I have not seen the pit of a nuclear reactor but I like his analogy better). The things that got a favorable word were monuments like Saint Paul Cathedral or Tower of London.

I remember I changed my position once on the moving boat to try and click a better picture on the other side. I must say the person at the helm had his eyes all they way on me till I settled down again. No, I did no fancy a dip at night in Thames in that cold weather. Still, I was thankful for the concern.

On the way back I heard the same stories again but then I still liked them! Also, this was my last day in UK and I was wondering if it would be four years again till I go abroad? Before this I was in Italy four years back and now that I write this, I realize I have blogged very little about it.

Saltaire- An Article for Gonomad

I was lucky to visit Saltaire, an UNESCO world heritage site on the trip to UK in October 2007. Actually, it was included in the conference program that I attended at Leeds.
I remember I was attending a session (thankfully my talk was over in the morning) when an announcement was made, "The next trip to Saltaire would leave in 10 minutes." My SLR was lying in the hotel room, I only had the smaller camera in my purse.

The Picturesque Street in Front of the Pub 'Don't Tell Titus' at Saltaire

I ran to my hotel (Park Plaza, Leeds, just 2 minuets away from the conference venue but the room was on the 15th floor) in my business suit and formal shoes and ran back to join the group with a few minutes to spare with the SLR.

Another View of Saltaire, UK

This was one of the few visits where I managed to see a place with our guides and I must say they did a wonderful job.

My detailed article about this visit to Saltaire is now up at Gonomad.

Park Plaza Hotel, Leeds- A Review

This time in Leeds, I stayed at the Park Plaza. I initially had no clue what kind of money was available for this trip (remember this was for work) and what kind of hotel could I afford. It was quite close to the trip that I realized that I could manage to stay in a place like Park Plaza. I needed a place for two days and my prime concern was to stay close to my conference venue. So, the Park Plaza served the purpose adequately or so I thought (Will write more about this in another post).

I booked the hotel and then went to Tripadvisor! Not a very intelligent thing to do. The average consumer rating was just three and I was a bit disappointed. But what could be done? The hotel was booked and it cost me on an average 75 pounds per day. The Friday rate was low around 59 pounds but the Saturday rate was quite high, more than 85 pounds.

This trip to UK was after gap of four years. I have often said on this blog that my sense of direction is absolutely pathetic and I find maps full of mystery. So, while the Megabus that I traveled from London Victoria was approaching Leeds, I was quite anxious. It did not help that due to the Friday traffic the journey took six hours instead of four and I was completely jet lagged as I had reached London the same day in the morning.

The Park Plaza, Leeds

It was a blessing that I could see the hotel from the bus itself. That gave me confidence that the place existed! That is how nervous I was, traveling alone after so many years. In fact I remember saying to my colleagues, "Kisne kaha tha mugjhse ye saab karne ko?" (Who had asked me to attend conferences and all, so far away? How will I find Leeds from Heathrow when I can't find Nehru Place from Dhaula Kuan). The good thing was that the hotel was still visible from where the bus dropped me. So, one worry was out of the way, I knew where the hotel was. It was right across the bus stop.

The Room at the Park Plaza, Leeds

Then it was time to get inside the hotel and check-in. The lady at the counter was quite pleasant (quite contrary to what I read on tripadvisor about the customer service at the Park Plaza, Leeds). First she could not understand my name, and I don't blame her. I gave her the print out of my reservation and sure enough she could find it. Then she started explaining that I need to pay some advance in cash or through my card as per hotel policies. I thought I would pay cash. But then I was so tired it was difficult for me to understand what exactly was going on. I told her so, and she said she was so sorry! I finally dished out my credit card and she did some transaction (which was not a transaction but only putting some money on hold). Then I got the room key and the room was on the 15th floor. I liked the room, nothing very fancy but a good clean comfy room, with lots of pillows, and hot water.

So, the first hurdle to the UK trip was over. I could find the Park Plaza under five minutes and could safely check-in. Later I realized that the hotel was 2 minutes from the train station, 2 minutes from the conference venue (but this is another story) and 2 minutes from the Megabus bus stop. The Park Plaza, Leeds is quite conveniently located in the city center. I took only a breakfast in the hotel and no other meal. And one of the staff in that shift was an Indian. Of course, we chatted in Hindi! I stayed only two days (mostly out of doors) and I must say I had a pleasant stay!

Zilch Chances?

Marble Arch, London

I did a post long back in 2006 for some London Hotel Portal and I wrote-

They promise me a good hotel deal if I ever head to London, well chances are absolutely slim, zilch I must say, but it is fun to get such requests.

Kent had left a comment on that post-

I bet you will get there! Lve the blog!

Now here I am, I actually went to UK and London in 2007!

Now if I say chances of going to Ireland are zilch, maybe I will get there eventually?

Oxford City Center- If I Had to Pick One Picture!

Oxford City Center, Oxford, UK

Uber Mensch asked me to do a Meme (don't ask me what they are, I only know tags). From the blog-

Here is the new meme. It is simple, easy and gives no room for whining one usually associates with a meme. All you have to do is select and upload one photo that you have clicked this year that is special to you. Could be anything...aesthetic, technical or personal. Also, put in a short note why it is special.

I picked up the above picture for many reasons. One, I went abroad after 4 long years and it felt nice (all my trips abroad have been for work, we do not holiday abroad). It felt nice to be in a 'foreign' country again. It was a nice feeling that I again have the opportunity to work on the things I like.

I visited Leeds, Oxford and London and I think I enjoyed my stay in Oxford the most. The reason is very simple. Oxford is a very walking friendly city and I love to walk. That is the reason why I picked up the picture above. Reminds me of all the long walks that I took.

Update- I wrote a mail to Uber Mensch saying I did the post and he said the meme is not compete as I have not passed it on. Well, here are five people I pass it on to.

Paul Shoul- Ace photographer from Gonomad, I simply love his pictures. If he does this meme, then it would be really interesting to see which one he picks up.

Arun- Another ace photographer, who doesn't blogs as much as I would like to read him. Let us see what he would come up with.

Dev- The 'pizza man' has worked in/with advertising, let us see if he has time to do this and what picture is dear to him this year.

Anil- Can I miss on one of my favorite travel blogger? He too blogs far less than what I would like to read.

Arun Nair- He was asking about SLRs, so let us see what he likes to capture.

Remember the Mind the Gap Post?

Mind the Gap- On London Tube

A few days back I wrote about mind the gap announcements on the London tube. Then I got a mail from Steve of Gonomad sending me a link to this news-

The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns London's subway commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling a newspaper she thought the transit network was dreadful.

Emma Clarke has been recording messages for London's sprawling subway network, popularly known as the Tube, since 1999. In addition to warning passengers to watch their step in walking between subway cars and the platform, she also reads the trains' stops, tells Londoners how long they have to wait until their next ride, and delivers service updates.

Emma Clarke clarified at the BBC-

"What I actually said was that travelling in a Tube train would be dreadful for me, listening to my own voice and seeing the haunted faces of commuters being subjected to me telling them to 'mind the gap'.

"I would find it quite an uncomfortable experience in the same way that when I call a company when I'm their on hold voice and it's me saying - please press 2 for accounts - it's a creepy experience to be honest."

Lazy Sunday Photo- London Underground, Mind the Gap!

Mind the Gap, London Underground, UK

The phrase 'Please Mind the Gap' grew upon me slowly when I used the London Underground and the National Rail for two days. As a station would approach, the announcement system on the train would go crazy, announcing "please mind the gap" again and again. Once or twice it felt OK, then it became amusing. When I went into a souvenir shop later, I saw a mug with the same slogan, "Mind the Gap." Of course, I bought it.

Later, I googled and found this interesting stuff about Mind the Gap on the BBC-

The Recorded Announcement (Male)

The stern, shouting, male voice announcement for 'Mind the Gap' is being phased out. Fortunately, you can download Peter Lodge's 'performance' - and numerous other train announcements - from this Sound File site. As the webmaster of the site says:

His barked orders to cowering passengers continue to ring out in a recording which is already an historical document³.

The Recorded Announcement (Female)

The female voice for the recorded announcement of 'Mind the Gap' is nicknamed 'Sonia' by tube drivers. Why? Because her voice 'gets on yer nerves', they collectively reply.

Apparently 'Sonia' is thought to be a bit too posh in some circles. In recent tests somebody mimicking the voice of Marilyn Monroe proved to be a favourite.

Mind the Gap on the National Rail, Somewhere Between Victoria and Sutton

Pretty Young Things at the Hyde Park, London

Three Young Girls at Hyde Park, London, UK

While I was taking a stroll (with a colleague) at the Hyde Park, caught a glimpse of these three young girls ahead of us. They were speaking a foreign tongue but one could still make out the excitement in their voices. When they went some distance ahead of us, I thought they made a pretty beautiful picture along with the prop on the right and the colors of the park.

And to my complete surprise, the young lady in the middle suddenly stood on her hands and her friends merrily took her pictures. That is what London does to some people!

But We Changed the Clock!

Leeds City Center and the Bus Stop to the Left as Marked by Two Waiting Buses

My first real stop in UK was the city of Leeds where I was presenting a paper at a conference. It was a hectic trip. I landed at Heathrow on a Friday morning and then took a National Express bus to the Victoria Bus Terminus. From there, I took a Megabus to Leeds. Megabuses are definitely low cost but they also have a very small seat. The journey was supposed to be of 4 hours but due to the heavy Friday traffic it took 6 hours to reach Leeds. The next day morning I had a paper to present followed by a visit to Saltaire. Later in the evening was the conference dinner at the Royal Armouries.

So, it became past 11 at night when I came back to my hotel after the day's program on the Saturday. And then I had to take a Megabus to London at 6.15 the next morning. The hotel phone gave an option of stetting the alarm on my own but I could not figure it out. So, I asked the good people at the front desk to give me a wakeup call at 5.00 in the morning. And then after doing the packing, I collapsed to sleep.

I woke up with a start at 5.00 without any wakeup call. The wakeup call never arrived. By 5.45 I checked out and walked for 3 minutes to the bus stop. Being Sunday morning the roads were mostly empty. Only a place by the name of Blue Leopard had some people mingling about it. I could not figure out what it was. People came out of it for a smoke, some kind of employees hanged at the door. Another surprise was that there was activity at this place at the ungodly hour of 6.00 am.

By 6.10 there was still no sign of a bus and I was wondering what is it that I am doing wrong? Is this not the correct bus stop or the timings have changed or what? By 6.20 I was getting desperate. So, I decided to ask the people at the door of the Blue Leopard if they had any clue about the bus.

A young lad told me I was at the correct bus stop and then asked me what time my bus was. I told him it was at 6.15. Then he pointed out to a town clock and said, "But we changed the clock, look it is only 5.20 in the morning. We put it back by an hour this night!" I had of course read about changing of clocks but as nothing like this happens in India, I could never figure out what this meant! Now that I have experienced it, I am not going to forget it in a hurry.

I finally understood why the wakeup call never came. It must have come through an hour later. Also, it was a cold and windy morning and I did not enjoy the prospect of spending an hour at the freezing bus stop. Luckily the train station was just next door and it was covered. So, I went in and waited for an hour there. And of course later when it became 6.10 am again, the bus promptly came. This time it also took the appointed 4 hours to reach London.

Thumbs Up for BA

British Airways, Terminal 4, Heathrow, London, UK

My tickets for the UK trip were booked with the British Airways. Gradually, it is coming to a stage when I do not feel that enthusiastic about flying anymore, but then it is rare that I get to watch back to back movies ever in my life, apart from a flight. I will write more about the flight later but this is to give the BA thumbs up for a different reason.

I found the prices in UK a little bit strange. Buy something and you will drown in change. I mean if the price is 5.94 pounds you get 4 coins of 1 penny each. A few purchases later, my handbag was full of small change that was unfamiliar. Try as I might, I could not get rid of them at the speed at which they were coming.

So, finally when I took the flight back home, I still had a lot of loose change. Then I spotted a good thing. Along with the Bose headphones (that don't work at times) was an envelope where BA in collaboration with UNICEF was asking to give the loose change (that is anyway useless for me at my home destination) for the fund. So that is where all the loose change went from my handbag. I believe this is a really good idea.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Lady Guide at Saltaire, UK

The Charming Lady Guide at Saltaire, UK

The trip to Saltaire, a world heritage site near Leeds was organized by the good people at the conference that I attended. The trip was wonderful and a detailed account would come a little later.

The charming lady in the picture guided our group for the part of the way. Later, we met near the church for cakes and tea/coffee and I managed to chat with her. She said her pictures are already on the web and I told her I too would be putting up one. It is such a pity that I could not catch her name.

While we were standing outside and chatting, it was overcast, windy and cold. Still, very little can keep me indoors. So, I was chatting with her and feeling guilty all the time that I was keeping her out of doors. She said her family long back lived in India and she comes to the South every year.

Later, she held my hands and said, "Oh dear, you are so cold, why on earth are you standing outside?" I told her I love being out of doors but I would certainly not keep her standing in the cold.

And she has not been a resident of Saltaire since birth (as I had assumed) but she has lived in various countries, including the Caribbean and she came to Saltaire just seven years back.

You Can Go Anywhere You Want!

The Parliament House and the Big Ben, Westminster, London

I was standing in the London underground at Westminster (near Big Ben and London Eye). I wanted to go to London Victoria. My sense of direction is absolutely pathetic, I can get lost even in a telephone booth if it has two exits. I had no clue which platform to go or which line to take. I of course had a map of the underground but maps always look like a tough puzzle to me, not yielding any clues about anything.

My best bet is to ask others and I have always benefited from the random kindness of the strangers. I had quickly realized that the people with the green vest (some sort of officials connected with the underground system) were the kindest. So, I approached one and asked "Hi, Can I go to Victoria from here?" I got a big grin and a reply, "You can go anywhere you want!" And then he directed me to the correct platform. I thanked him profusely. I again was told, "The pleasure is all mine!"

I am really grateful to people who give me the directions, because without them, I am dead. And I do hope I will slowly get to go anywhere I want!

Some Pictures from the Recent UK Trip

The Radcliffe Square, Oxford, UK

Finally, I managed to put a little bit of tiredness of the trip behind and upload the pictures from my recent UK trip.

I did had a wonderful time at all the three places that I visited, Leeds, Oxford and London. As this was for work, could not do much justice travel wise to any of them. Still, travel is always good and all my visits abroad has been for work till date. Among all the trips abroad, this one ranks really at the top.

Not Yet Home

Fall Colors in London (Picture by a Colleague)

Not home yet but almost at the end of the trip. It was not that cold and yes there has been sun almost on all days. I guess I am getting tired now but in all this has been a wonderful trip. Bigger accounts and more pictures when I come back. And thanks a lot for the comments in the meanwhile.