Amchi Mumbai...

London, Delhi... and Mumbai, all within a few months! Its been incredible! I had hardly finished my welcome back parties, and I already had to start saying my good byes! Honestly, I never expected it to happen so soon!!! For some reason, we just tend to think we have all the time in the world to say what we have to!!

Truth be told, we don't! I never managed to say a hi or a bye to many of my friends back in Delhi! But nonetheless, Mumbai and Delhi are much closer than London and Delhi! So I keep telling myself, either I'll go there soon, or they'll come here soon!

Unlike many other countries, each city here is very different from one another! Delhi and Mumbai are poles apart! I for one have always been a 'Delhite', but now, I'm set to become a Mumbaikar!

Part of the excitement of being here is that I already know half the places - of course, living in a place and visiting the place are 2 completely incomparable things! But I'm ready to make Mumbai my new home - it's always been my second home!

Amchi Mumbai... Hope you live upto my expectations!!! :) 

Memories... Back in Time...

9 months ago, I landed in London at around 5 in the evening. My first thoughts - Has London changed since I last visited? Is the Baggage claim as bad as I've heard? I hope some of my friends are still in London!

The rush of questions was interrupted by the view outside the window. I could see London - from way up there, it looked just like it had the last time. My feelings about landing were just the same - only difference - this time round, I knew I had to stay here for a year. So this was going to be my home for the next one year - not just another vacation spot!

The view looked nice. To make sure I could hold onto those images, I used my petty phone camera and started clicking pictures. After a while, I stopped with the pictures and started trying to figure out where my place was, and whether I could see Russell Square Garden from up there - clearly I had my perceptions skewed - I had mixed up Russell Square and Regent's Park! So I thought Russell Square was huge, when it was actually not as big - not that I could see either of them from up there!

I saw a car park...

and some houses.... 

and then some more houses... 

Finally I gave up, and just waited for the plane to land. My thoughts shifted towards what my new life would be like. I was sitting next to another Indian student who was going to study in UCL. At that point, I had no idea that my classes would be held in UCL's Birkbeck. I just presumed that it would be far. 

A new city - all new people (except the few who I knew)... Looking back, I never thought I would be sad just thinking of going back. But the fact is, I am! Right now, we have 60 days of our course left. I would love to go back and meet my friends! But then again, I want to stay here forever! Although I must admit, when I think about it, I do crave going to some places and doing some things which I just can't do here!!

I'm in a fix... If I stay here, I'll miss Delhi... If I go back, I'll miss London... I need a job which will allow me to travel between the 2 and a whole list of other places on my travel list.