London - First view

The first time I saw London was through a foggy window of a British Airways flight BA 118.

After hearing and watching London on screen for almost 3 decades, the day has arrived to see it live thru my eyes.

A damp Heathrow at 1-30 pm looked wonderful. The misty grass, the A slope red tiles on big houses and as the flight descended rows & rows of cars parked and suddenly This huge sign " Available for Rent" showed up. I realized I am at the developed world where recession has been at the maximum.

Pilot announced it was chilly 11 deg centigrade outside. I was prepared for even worse. But suddenly my Jacket zipper suddenly seized to work.

As I got out of the airport, I realized how huge the airport, my other realization and feeling being at one of biggest airports in the world.

As I walked to train to get to the next building, my thoughts began to work, when Bangalore is going to get the metro running like this. However why think about that now.

I walked into the transit line and got into security check where literally I removed everything. Good India has stopped our good old tradition of wearing the waist thread. I remember my grandfather telling me Women wear silver thread and men gold. With gold shooting to sky rates, I think people have to work their way only thru artificial gold threads.

As I finished my security check, I went on to check when my connecting flight is. To my disappointment it was not till the next 3 & half hours. My major disappoint was lying ahead. I settled down in a comfortable chair, pulled my laptop to make some calls to home & friends thru Skype. Surprise! Surprise! There is no free internet at the world’s largest airport. You need to buy internet time. Bangalore airport is way off better. You need to send a sms & boom! You have a password to browse the net FREE!

Thought let me call my friends in London from a pay phone, the dumb me had the phone numbers on the net. The first thing tomorrow is to write it down the numbers as soon as I am connected.

So I caught up a light nap and among strangers of different countries, watched the BBC news on the Samsung 72 inch screen, walked around aimlessly. tried the sample of Baileys new Mint flavor drink, even though showed interest to impress the salesgirl to buy 2 bottles for 20 Pounds, I had no intention of doing it.

At last thought let me write to put it up on a blog, so write now typing it. Will upload it when I find a connection....now it’s time to catch my flight to Copenhagen....Ciao