In the Queen's country

October 2004, my first and the only visit, although a prolonged one for almost a year. Through out my childhood I had heard my elder sister say "England chi Hawa" (meaning English weather) whenever our parents left us home alone and she had all the freedom at hand. I had always imagined and presumed that the English weather would be fresh mystic one, something to pay for!

And here I was on the London Heathrow Airport welcomed by a drizzle and very gloomy weather. The same continued for days..weeks .. almost till the Spring. Sunshine was a very rare sight and for someone coming from a country of abundance of light, it was quite dull. Days were shorter, sun showing eagerness to run away before 4 P.M hi-tea time back home and nights were lull.

Bournemouth my resident town is actually a tourist place with a so called beautiful beach. Strangely neither the Bournemouth beach nor the sea enticed me that much, the sea waves merely rising above my ankle and ice cold water through out, it was more of a waterfront.

Slowly I did accustom to the one dimensional rainy weather, praising the Spring and later even enjoying the Summer sporty days a bit playing Tennis and sometimes club Cricket.

Nevertheless "England chi hawa" never lived up to my expectations :-)