I wanted to capture some memories, atleast so that it comes in google photos a few years later as a reminder. I was in London in the past week for work and had seen only the hotel, office and the restaurants either in the hotel or below the office. Now on my way back to the airport, in the taxi, was trying to click some photos and ten second videos to save as proof that I was here this week.
Early greenshoots of the spring were on the trees, pink and white cherry blossoms and the flowery mat it lays down next to the trees in the parks or streets were beautiful. It was a sunny day, unlike other cloudy or rainy cold days of the past few. People were out for a run. I didn’t realize cycle lanes were so common now in the city. I had lived and worked in the UK for nearly a year, but maybe about twenty years back. I had done the touristy things in the city then - visiting the Big Ben, London eye, Buckingham palace and the likes, but don’t seem to remember anything about the city to know how much it changed. I was thinking a city that is hundreds of years old might not change in decades, but someone was remarking that in the last 10 years or so, so much new construction had come up. There were modern glass buildings with different architecture styles sitting next to heritage buildings.
I was thinking about building codes that enforce colour palettes, keeping the Thames river clean, what might the people who go for a run in the middle of the day be doing for work and such random rabbit holes. I had put on Discover Music playlist on Spotify which brought on “Entammede Jimikki Kammal” song, thought about skipping, but then listened wondering where they got such quirky lyrics from - lyrics go like “My father stole my mother’s drop earrings, my mother drank up all my father’s brandy”.
Then the driver decided to strike up a conversation by asking where I was travelling to. He always wanted to go to India, but couldn’t and now he has two boys aged two and three, so travelling with them now would be a nightmare on long flights. He asked if India has a lot of poor. I said inequality is rising thinking about the graph that I saw a few days back with diverging directions of economic growth of Top 1% and Top 10% going up and bottom 50% going down or flat.
He liked the chapatis made by his neighbour, likes “curry” but can’t take so much spice saying our taste buds must have been fried long back. Just a day back a colleague was talking about being taken to a restaurant that had the best fish dishes in the area and being served such bland food that she said she wouldn’t have eaten even if she was starving. I am not sure what is the right palate, it is just the way we were trained to eat.
I don’t remember using London taxis in the past, so this was the first trip where I used the cabs that had the one rear back seat row separated from the driver in a glass enclosure with just the opening like a ticket counter. Uber was not working for a couple of days and I had some sort of phobia of entering train stations and figuring out the tickets which actually turned out to be misplaced. Technology seems to have evolved to an extent we could just tap in with a credit card or the likes of google pay in the turnstiles to the underground and it deducts a charge based on where we get out - ticketing done easy. But sorting out the trains to the airport while dragging a bag, knowing London weather is unpredictable, was why I decided on the taxi (the same colleague I mentioned above had said London weather is like its women - unpredictable, hence a gentleman always carries an umbrella).
In the last two days, I had a good time travelling and figuring out trains with another colleague whom one could say was rip roaringly funny. Eventually what remains in the memory on such trips is not the actual work that gets done, but the moments like these. He was self effacing, was told he appears apologetic while introducing or even talking about something he is good at, seemed not bothered by any such, making fun of himself and in his own way making the life of everyone around brighter. I am jealous of such people who don’t take themselves too seriously, dripping with effortless humour. I can’t be funny like that, but I can play the amplifier role, jamming with a lead artist, building on their lines and creating a mini band. Hence the three of us had laughed through London buses, trains and taxis for two days, talking about his brain freezing when anyone tells him directions, still leading the way, wanting to sing London Bridge is Falling Down after getting down at London Bridge station, talking in Bengali with a cab driver and a lot of deadpan humour.
The driver wanted to know if cows had the right of way in India and whether it is a crime if we hit them accidentally on the road. I could only say I am from the south of India and it is different in south vs north. At this rate, I was wondering when he would ask if snake charmers are still around in India. Luckily our conversation shifted to my line of work, artificial intelligence, whether it is going to take away jobs soon and the dangers of it, Jaipur and why it is called pink city, when will the monsoon start, climate change, floods and such.
I was answering questions which is not the same as making a proper conversation. I know the theory that “being interested, not interesting” is the key to good conversation, but still haven’t figured this out even now. Much later while overhearing the long conversation the strangers in front of me in the plane were having, I was thinking I should learn the skill of small talk even though it is not natural to me - the sounds to make that shows interest and encouraging the other person to continue, asking questions back (not worrying if it is prying, but knowing everyone want to talk about themselves) and connecting it to something I can offer to augment.
I was looking at the strange people all around. This is why they say travel opens up the mind. Breaking from routines, sleeping in beds that we are not used to, eating differently and meeting new people. For example, the guy in high platform shoes which looked like a raised stage on which concerts are held, tall, wearing tight fitting red leather or spandex pants and top, walking while eating a twelve inch subway sandwich. Or the guys who look like the English version of rednecks, but with moustaches, some looking a bit like Freddy Mercury of the band Queen. Or the chubby Japanese girl who had heavy makeup on, holding a huge bunch of beautiful flowers. I wish I could take a notepad out and keep notes.
Eventually, I got dropped at a wrong terminal which I had confidently told him was the right one, forgot my jacket in his car and ended up on a long walk to another terminal. Just the right end to a trip which seemed like a simulation, not reality, where I kept forgetting different things - like the glasses I forgot in a Uber cab which I managed to get back a day later since the guy was really helpful in coordinating how to get that back to me or the manner in which I rushed through the ticketing, packing, all at the last minute. No major disasters other than two sleepless nights in Mumbai airport in just one week and three days of non stop headache that I am trying to shake off. I hope the mini sacrifices and the trouble will be worth it this year.
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