The Flu Flu

There are many enjoyable adventures to be had in London. At the same time, there are the adventures of the not-so-pleasant kind. On Tuesday last week I met Mr. Flu, and he was not genteel at all.

When I left the Idlewild gig Tuesday night (which by the way was even better than their Melbourne show last year), I had a very sore throat. By the time I got home which was 20 minutes later, I had the chills. Snuggling deep into the depths of my doona in warm clothes helped me not. Sleeping fitfully, I woke up around 4 in the morning with a strong pain in my throat. Loch, my flatmate gave me a magical drink. The potion in powder form is Beechams Cold & Flu Hot Lemon & Honey mix. It soothed my throat and I was able to sleep.

The next morning found me exhausted and still very uncomfortable. The day was spent consuming Beechams every few hours. I did have a fever too. Mummy, if you are reading, please skip the next line. And does a fever deter Aakanksha from going SWIMMING? No! I went for my swimming lesson and swam well. The steam room session afterwards helped clear my nose and chest and made it easier for me to breathe. Thursday morning I took the satchets with me to work and after many more mugs of Beechams Friday found me as good as new! Thrilled with my super speedy recovery I was as happy as a spring daffodil. Alas, the joy was not to last.

Friday night found me coughing non-stop. And Saturday, Sunday were spent rolled up in my bed, coughing and wishing my mum was there. I needed pampering. I needed her to cook hot halwa - atleast it would make the suffering more enjoyable. I was falling asleep every few hours and sleeping 10-12 hours at night. Waking up to more coughing. Vicks vaporub tried to help me sleep. I also had an infection in my right ear and was on antibiotics. I thought this could not get worse, I thought wrong.

The ear infection made sure that every time I coughed, it felt as if someone stabbed me in my right ear. I also had a nasty headache and every cough intensified it. Monday morning, I became intolerant to light. Light made my head ache more. I could not read off my computer screen. So I just did what anyone else would.

I spread my doona out flat on my bed. I lay down on top of it at one end, grabbed the edge and proceeded to roll all the way to the other edge, thus cocooning myself beautifully. And then bundled in my doona, I watched Kill Bill and The Godfather.

Mr. Flu. You are mean! Now, I have been officially welcomed in London. I should have got myself jabbed. Thanks, but no thanks. I no longer wish to be acquainted with you.

*cough* *cough*

Darn

Was and am too sick to post :(

Brighton

Brighton can be best described as London by the beach. Someone cut a part of London and placed it next to the sea. Instead of a quiet beach town, I found myself in the middle of a busy 'city'.

A city full of the same High Street stores, the same traffic, the same sounds and also similar odd shops.But, it had a beach and a view to boast about.

A beach with a difference too. This was no ordinary sandy beach. Pebbles rule over here.

The beach was lined with boats too. Boats that had once sailed and fished in this sea. Boats that are now filled with grass and weeds.

And like every beach, it had a pier, but a pier with a difference. A pier with arcade games, gambling machines and more. A noisy entertainment centre with the k-ching, k-pow, and k-lang like every major arcade and gambling game centre in a city.

Brighton, you may be loved by many, but I'm sorry to say I shall not come by again.
Our tastes differ greatly.

Random Art Strategically Placed

That's London for you. One fine Sunday morning, I decided to head towards Bath for the Jane Austen Festival. However, as luck would have it, the train tickets were priced through the roof. A placing a pencil on the map of England with my eyes shut made the decision that to Brighton I would head for the day. So be it. The pencil had decided.

At Victoria station, lo and behold, what lay there?

Very random, extremely strategically and purposefully placed art.

London, I love thy constantly making me raise my eyebrows in surprise, surprises.

And what was in Brighton? Tomorrow, I'll tell you that little story.

To see a corresponding post, check Perennial Effervescence!

The Not-Another-Park Part II

How much difference can going round a corner make? A lot! You can go round a corner and be taken aback by the wafting aroma of freshly baked bread, by the sound of beautiful music being played by a busker or perhaps by a complete change in scenery of the park you have been walking in for hours:

When do the gardeners work their magic over here I wonder?

When do they steal in and shape the hedges so perfectly?

An arrangement of flowers

Peeping between the hedges, what do I see? There are benches for you and me!

Yellow marigolds. Like the orange ones in Monsoon Wedding

Stunning beauty in one of her simplest forms.

"Should not they walk? Would not Mr. Knightley shew them the gardens - all the gardens? She wished to see the whole extent."

NaBloPoMo 07

For I decided last year, I would.

So I will.

I hope you will survive the potentially perilous London Odyssey.

I present the Not-Another-Park!

When it is not known by the name I have given it (refer post title), it goes by the name, Regent's Park.

"The Regent's Park, 166 hectares (410 acres), was designed in 1811 by renowned architect John Nash and includes stunning rose gardens with more than 30,000 roses of 400 varieties. The Park is the largest outdoor sports area in London with 'The Hub' a community sports pavilion and sports pitches, nearly 100 acres available for sports fans of all abilities.

The Regent's Park is the largest grass area for sports in Central London and offers a wide variety of activities, as well as an Open Air Theatre, the London Zoo and many cafes and restaurants.

Henry VIII appropriated The Regent's Park for use as a hunting ground, which he considered to be an invigorating ride from Whitehall Palace. At that time, the only boundaries were a ditch and a rampart. Were he here today, Henry would hardly recognise the stylish gardens and sports fields that now stand in its place."

Every time I think of Regent's Park, I think it must have been made for our beloved Prince Regent. Who is he? Why, Hugh Laurie ofcourse, as George, The Prince Regent in Black Adder.

PICTURES PART I
The sight that welcomes you at the Baker Street entrance:

I loved these little canals that can be crossed on small pedestrian bridges.

Do you spy what I spied?

One of the few restaurants and paddleboats:


Like all London parks, this one had squirrels too. Squirrels brave enough to come within one feet of your feet. This little bugger found a nut, went crazy, dug a hole and buried it before scampering off.

This is only half of what is there. The second half?
Be prepared for a complete change of scenery!

"I wonder!"

For: Talena, who chose me as runners up for Rockin' Girl Blogger despite the sparse posts.

"It is quite a three pipe problem . . . "

"'The Valley of Fear,'" the lady answered. "That was an expression he has used when I questioned him. 'I have been in the Valley of Fear. I am not out of it yet.' -- 'Are we never to get out of the Valley of Fear?' I have asked him when I have seen him more serious than usual. 'Sometimes I think that we never shall,' he has answered."

Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius . ..

"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes."

"It is quite a three pipe problem . . . "
"I wonder!" said he, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. "Perhaps there are points which have escaped your Machiavellian intellect. Let us consider the problem in the light of pure reason."

"When you have one of the first brains of Europe India up against you, and all the powers of darkness at his back, there are infinite possibilities."

"She's got all the friends that money can buy..."

"...She's the apple of her daddy's eye"

Listening to She's got all the friends by Chumbawamba

The magical power of short breaks completely different from daily on-goings is grossly underestimated. Just two weeks ago, I went on a 3 night-3 day course which was at a convention centre out in the countryside. Expecting long days full of lectures, assignments, homework little did I know that there was a surprise in store for us.

One thing I learnt, you're never too old to learn through fun and games. That's right. We were taught how to succeed in our ambitious undertakings in London through crazy group activities and exercises. 3 days spent in exercising our minds and bodies non-stop. They were exhausting hours but we were well rewarded with the most delicious fifty thousand course meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Behold:

Example 1 : Our skills with bucket and rope

Example 2: After dinner card playing with communication via drawings on pads only.
No words!

Team Pie (that's 3.14159...)!

My 24 new friends!

And did I mention, there were beautiful gardens all around the place and the fresh country air? During one of our evening walks we came across a couple deer as well as rabbits with flashing white tails! We also got 'lost' in the woods and took on the role of fearless explorers and found are way through a scary, dark (even though it was late afternoon) crooked path lined with trees whose leafless branches blocked our way menacingly!

Over the three days, much fun was had, games were played, competitions were held, challenges were faced, friends were made and we all learnt how to dance an English Country Dance! I returned to London physically and mentally exhausted yet refreshed and energised!

"If you want me you know where I am"

Listening to Simple Things by Belle and Sebastian

Walking from South Kensington to Paddington is a pleasure indeed. The first time catches you unaware especially if like me, you avoid guide books and just discover places on your own. The Albert memorial glimmers from a distance and from close up, is an inspiring work of art. (Mentioned here)Where are the dogs and the ducks, the sticks and the swans? This place turns every one into a child again, people playing with their pets with abandon. Dogs racing around fetching balls, frisbees, sticks even from the lake.
Peter Pan graces my walk too. One sunny afternoon you'll catch me over there visiting my Neverland as I read under a tree, sunbeams dancing on my face, tempting me to go visit.
Every bench I pass, I stop, I read, I smile to myself and walk on. Were these women best friends, staunch pillars of support for each other who spent Sunday afternoons sitting on the grass eating strawberries and drinking Rose' as they joked and laughed about the happenings of the week ?
A bench like this I would like to give and receive. Simple. Beautiful. Full of meaning and love.
Now tell me this, who would give such a walk up and use the underground?
"Not I", said Aakanksha.

London Learnings

Top 10 things I have learnt after moving to London:
1. How to not sink and swim instead in a pool
2. Roasted vegetables is tasty dinner made easy.
3. In England, people (friends/strangers) really do say "love" to every woman/girl (I suppose I should use the word, wench) .
4. If really DOES rain over here.
5. Shepherd's Pie has no crust. It is just baked mashed potato and bits of meat
6. It is 'normal' to consume peas in MASHED form, especially with fish and chips.
7. Oxford Street and Regent Street must be avoided on weekends, except from between 9 and 11 on a Saturday morning.
8. If you are at Paddington, Earls Court or South Kensington station, prepare to hop across suitcases and kids.
9. The Science Museum on a weekend is a BAD idea (the queues outside were proof)
10. Do not stop walking and look around to see what has happened if you hear a police/ambulance siren. You'll hear one every 3 minutes. Make that 2. Also, if you stop, the person walking behind you will bump into you.

10. " What ho, what ho, what ho?"

Views from above

The view from the Terrace outside the Physics Common Room at Imperial. Can you spot all the major landmarks?

Three and a half years from now, the bells will chime.

Curtain falls here too

This blog barely has 10 posts. Those of you who have been reading, thank you.

I am not sure what I should say and how, so I will be brief, I won't be writing here anymore.

Thanks for your support etc. I am not good at saying byes/ see you arounds etc.

Best Wishes,
A.

It's only in my head

There is something oddly satisfying and entertaining about talking rocket science over drinks on a Friday evening with colleagues, discussing everyone's projects and the conversation drifting towards the places the various people have lived in or where they would like to live in the future. My colleagues are a funny lot and I am now participating in the social evenings and weekends.

Saturday, a week ago dawned bright and sunny. The clear day was a direct sign from up above that I go get art supplies for my stay in London. As I made my way towards the art shop near the National Art Gallery, I came across the little lawn/garden/call it what you will at Leicester Square. Tunes of a very strange English country song filled the air drowning the loud buzz created by tourists and Londoners in the area. I couldn't help laughing out loud when I saw a few women and many five to seven year old kids (boys and girls) dressed up in elaborate satin dresses and dancing in the way the English country folk do and twirling around appreciating the warm summer day and spreading a cheerful vibe all around. That is something very London - using every patch of green grass available on sunny weekends for entertainment purposes. I didn't stay very long for I had places to go to.

The wonder and delight that fills me when I walk into an Art Shop is similar to that I feel when I stroll off the street into a bookshop. This is one of the few places where I want to touch the little bottles and tubes on the shelves, stroke the brushes, feel the different types of art paper available. Lock me in an art shop for a few days and I won't even notice that days would have flown by. Buying art supplies is serious business and must not be taken lightly. There are big decisions to be made about the type of paints and crayons and pencils you want. Buying watercolours is far from simple. Do I want them in little bottles or tubes? Or the little square pellets? Should I stick to what I am familiar with or try something new this time? Should I get the box of 12, 24 or 48? The biggest joy ofcourse was the fact that almost everything I wanted was less than half price!! Loaded with my art gear and a smile so sunny that the sun suffered an inferiority complex, I headed towards the Royal Festival Hall.

The Royal Festival Hall at the Southbank Centre is a big deal here. For the last few months, renovations were going on and it was finally ready again to greet people with a love for music and art in all forms. As a special treat, there were free events on for everyone all weekend - from choirs, gospel singers, one of Aakanksha's favourite artists, and also performers from all walks of entertainment, or jumps if you will. Ever seen Cirque du Soleil on tv of for real? There were two dancers on the pavement in front of the Southbank Centre who were dancing so beautifully and romantically, I was more than absolutely smittened. With perfect precision and coordination, the woman was raised into the air by the cable around her waist and swung with such grace and perfection that the world's royals would appear inelegant. But the real treat waited me on the Riverside Terrace.

Dave is very jealous that I was able to see Billy Bragg perform live. I had to pinch myself to confirm I was infact there and seeing him play. His music is something I will leave you to explore. But I couldn't help chuckling when he sang Ringo and was so delighted when he did sing Milkman of Human Kindness. He also sang quite a few songs from his busking days on the streets of London back in the 70s. What struck me most is his aura. He is just a good man. A very distinguished, funny, frank, kind, just nice gentleman. He even asked his mum to join him on stage and sing along with him. The man is 50, so his mum must be around 70 at least and used to be a teller at the Royal Festival Hall back in the 50s so it was a very special day for her. He played for an hour but it was enough to fill my heart with happiness as well as sorrow. I miss Dave. Lots. And standing there knowing how much Dave would have enjoyed the performance, my heart ached and missed the friend I love so very much. I am glad Billy didn't see my face for he would have been confused by the pursed lips, sad eyes that were fighting tears and nose that looked like it was trying to keep the tears from flowing (refer: Lorelei Gilmore's stereotypical I am about to burst into tears look).

On my way back, a surprise awaited me at Trafalgar Square. As I neared the place, I noticed a significant number of police vans and policemen and policewomen on the streets. I was a little worried when all of a sudden the police brought the traffic to a halt everywhere, all around the square and also blocked the way for pedestrians. A few seconds later I heard bells tinkling....cycle bells. It was the World Naked Bike Ride in London. The crowd went wild, whistling, laughing and chuckling. Aakanksha? She was just very surprised and tried to squint and figure out what the flags on the bike read. The idea folks is to commute on bicycles, rollerblades or skateboards as much as possible and not drive! Curb your urge to drive cars!

When I finally got home, I sat down for a date with my water colour pad and paints. I wish I had a camera to show you what the eyes saw and the heart felt that day.

"Shiny happy people holding hands"

Listening to Shiny Happy People by R.E.M.

To do the last two weekends justice, this post would need photos but as I don't have a camera in London, my words will attempt convey what the eyes saw and what the heart felt.

Saturday (a week ago), dawned bright with the sun smiling down on Londoners and visitors. After a grilling gym workout, as I walked towards Hyde Park, I contacted a colleague to ask if he wanted to meet up that evening. He couldn't. But, he invited me to the barbeque he was going to that evening! The evening was fun, simple and interesting. With a French man, an Indian girl, three Slovakians, one Austrian and a Paraguayan (?), the conversation around the wooden bench in the lush green lawn at the student residences was bound to be fun. Ofcourse the Slovakian fellow hosting took great pleasure in picking on my 'vegetarianism'. Vegetarianism? Oi! I was born and brought up a Vegetarian - way before the word Vegetarianism was coined. The evening ended with thoughts of going on the Sunday the next week down to Kew Gardens for a picnic and a game of frisbee. (Note: I might join the Ultimate Frisbee club at uni!)

The next day (Sunday) had been dedicated to the sport of tennis. The flatmate and I headed of looking cooler in our tennis gear than chilled water with a slice of lemon in a tall glass on a hot summer day. Yes, I have gear too! I was not prepared at all for how the day would twist and turn. When I arrived in London, Hyde Park took my breath away. As I entered Regent's Park, I could not help marvelling that human hands along with a little help from nature had managed to create such a beautiful and thrilling place. In search of the tennis courts, we (slowly) walked past the lake which was full of birds and 'birdlings', past the boat paddlers, across little bridges over 'giggling' streams (not gurgling, but giggling), past the Weeping Willows that looked like they belonged there, past the people picnicking and playing sports, past the London zoo and the smell of animals and a braying donkey till we came to a stop at what looked like a festival in one area of the Park. Postponing the idea of a game of tennis, Chantal and I dumped our bags and raquets (not rackets) on the grass and just lay in the sun - watching the families milling around and listening to a band play Irish tap dancey tunes. Lunch and a quick browse through the different stalls offering fortune readings, marinated olives, tattooes , yoga lessons, exotic fabrics and GREEN CARS AND BIKES, we continued on our 'Hunt for The Tennis Court'. Little did I know that there was more in store for us. What I saw next reminded me of one of my favourite books of all time - The Secret Garden. Speaking like Ladies, we decided to do join each other for a 'round of the garden'. And finally, at the end we spotted what we had spent 4 hours looking for. The courts were fully booked, so we indulged in some ice cream to cool off again as we watched other players play. When we left and reached our park entry point, the map at the park entrance indicated(very subtly) that the tennis courts were a 10 minute walk on the anti-clockwise route. We were destined to have a lovely, relaxing , surprising day.

This weekend's surprises? All in good time!

Pain

I am reading quite a few books (medical and non-medical) on pain, back pain and specifically low back pain at the moment. They're far from boring. A few are actually quite entertaining.

Pain is a subjective feeling influenced greatly by personal opinion and our ability to withstand pain depends a lot on our mood, our personality and the circumstances in which pain occurs.

Aristotle said that we cannot learn without pain. The Dalai Lama (I am not sure which one) said that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

My maternal grandfather passed away yesterday after suffering a brain haemorrhage the day before, a day after he decided to stubbornly ignore my grandmother's and aunt's ardent requests of not working in the garden under the hot Indian summer sun (43 degrees Celsius). He was 86. He had lived a very healthy life. It was sudden. It was quick. There was little pain and practically no suffering.

How do I feel about this? I am not really sure. I am okay. I am just fine. It was a lot harder for me when in December my paternal grandfather passed away. Was it because he had suffered for a very long time? Was it because he had been in pain for a very long time and I had seen him suffer for some extent? I am not sure. Right now, I am more concerned for my maternal grandmother.

Or can it be that I might have grown up a few more inches on the Emotions Scale in the last few months?

Grassy Gardens

London is a city full of lush green, sprawling gardens and parks. But the common people living in London have a two metre square grassy patch in front of their house for a 'garden'/'lawn'. As I was walking past a few houses yesterday, I came up with this:

The Queen's private garden is so big that the common people are left with gardens so small, they rake the leaves with pocket combs.

The Mental Stimulation

Everytime I think "I am so glad I made this decision", it fills my heart with incomparable warmth and my body with a rush of adrenalin. Ever seen videos of people being shot out of cannons? That's the thrill I feel - the thrill of being the shot-from-the-cannon-chick, soaring high up above everyone and then after a few moments, parachuting calmly back down to earth.

Why did I decide to move across half the world? Because of the work, the technology, the vibrant intellectual atmosphere where I am working. I love being mentally stimulated. An atmosphere that feeds my ambitious spirit and curious mind, spurs my desires of developing new ideas and coming up with multiple visions of the way the world can change positively in the future is what I was after. And, that I have found here.

So what do I do? You might know the words - robotics/medical robotics but I think it would be easiest to say, this (random company) is the area I am working in. This, is an event I will be participating in. Next week, I have a workshop to attend with some of the experts in the new area I have started working in. The week after, I am attending a lecture being given by the second fellow on this page. No, my work is not related to human DNA in anyway. But I am curious.

I am curious about how stuff works and how stuff is and what stuff becomes etc. So, irrespective of the area, I like to read information or watch documentaries about different things. Last year, I saw a documentary on the human DNA and how the double helix structure was discovered by two very young scientists. It was a rather riveting documentary unlike most documentaries that can bore to tears. So I was more than delighted when I received a free invite to the lecture being given by the very honoured gentleman.

Yes, coming here, was the right decision.

Sliding Doors

Today was the first major depressive episode that I've had in months. It was the day, for those of you who are familiar with how these things sometimes work - where I was upset, ate lots, and slept and woke up and did it all over again, several times a day. The reason? I felt really lonely.

I still haven't made friends outside work and at times when opportunities have arisen to go meet people socially, for reasons I am unsure of, I have withdrawn and made excuses for not being able to join. So once work is over, I return to my bedroom and on weekends I should go out to art exhibits, for a coffee somewhere, for a lunch date with myself etcetera etcetera. But I don't. It appears like I've had enough of that. Last year it wasn't this way as my sister was there. But before that, for four whole years, I did that and somehow now, I seem to have had enough. I don't want to see movies alone, I don't want to go out to a restaurant and have a good meal on my own, I just don't want to. But I thought I would want to because I am in London and London is supposed to be a place of fun.

Before a few of you chant 'I do stuff alone all the time and it's fine'. Tell me, do you REALLY do stuff alone ALL the time. Like buying groceries, shopping for clothes, going out for coffee, all your breakfasts, all your dinners, day in day out. You don't even talk to your flatmates (because they are too busy and retreat into their bedrooms after saying a quick hello). You don't meet family once in two months. You don't catch up with a friend over dinner and say bowling once in three months. Friday evening, you are all on your own and you walk past restaurants/pubs/bars full of people cheerfully talking to each other and laughing.

I have tried to chase the numerous student clubs here and have received no response from even a single one. Then a couple that I wanted to join cancellened their lessons (eg. ballroom dancing). I gave up today. I just gave up and buried my face in my pillow and tried to bury me in my big bed under my big doona. And then Melbourne just came rushing back to me. All the dark days, all the pangs of loneliness that if you felt it would make your skin crawl. And I buried myself further.

I don't miss Melbourne because I wanted to leave it. I wanted to leave Melbourne behind me and start afresh. The fresh start seems to be rolling me back again, through those sliding doors that open up on me every now and then and engulf me in what lies behind.

But, I can't last very long this way can I? So, I am going to try again and chase the Student Union up to find out which clubs are currently active and where are they meeting etc. And if I want to withdraw from meeting people (because I feel very weird about friends...in a way, I don't believe in 'friends' the way I used to, I don't know. I oscillate on my opinion about friends and having friends in my life).

So here we go again. Hopefully, next Saturday, I will not bury myself.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special mention must be made of my parents, brother and Mark who have been calling me and talking to me every day. I would go nuts if it weren't for them.

Just For You

So here I am, having left you behind there. Everytime we talk, I tell you that I am happy to be here. I really am. I don't miss you when I'm busy working. But when I'm not, like on my lunch break, I miss you, in a good way. I don't feel sad. Sadness is only for Friday evenings. The rest of the time, I feel happy. Happy knowing you are there. Happy knowing what we would be doing if you were here. Happy knowing I might just pinch you and take to my heels teasing that you can't catch me. You always catch me. I have fallen so very often and you've always caught me, easily.

Everything is temporary with one exception. The only thing permanent is change. We have changed, much to our surprise, much to my joy, even more to yours. I am not worried about the future because I am comfortable. Comfortable with you. I see it and I hear it. No matter when it is we talk, you talk to me so tenderly and lovingly. My heart melts into a pool of Chocolate Orange. And the look on your face and eyes, it radiates love for me as mine did for him for such a long time. I respect that. The best part though are the jokes and laughs, teasing and chuckles.

Thanks for deciding to try your best to move here next year, just so we can both be here and here.