Radhika, Avinash and Raj's UK Trip : May - June 2010: Part 2, Day 3

Hi

Am updating our trip chronicle at Bristol Airport, on June 6, 5 days after my last epistle. Unlike our previous trip back in 2006 where we had a number of train journeys, which provided a good opportunity to type out these mails, this trip has not provided similar opportunities - in fact, given how Avi keeps running around, I wonder whether I will be able to complete an update on our trip so far by the time we land at Edinburgh.

Day 3 - June 1


As mentioned in our last mail, we had been very apprehensive about the Oxford trip, esp if it wld be too stressful, but decided to go ahead with it. But as it turned out, this trip was probably the most relaxing day of our vacation so far. Avi woke up, hungry, at 230 but after some "pedia", he was of to sleep again. We then got up by 545, and were ready to leave the hotel by 730. When, we reached the hotel gate, our pick up coach was already waiting for us. We were then ferried across London to the Victoria Coach and Bus Station (near Buckingham Palace) accompanied by an impromptu guided tour of London at day break. On reaching Victoria, we were directed towards our bus. Fortunately, the bus was not full, and Avi got a seat even though he did not have a ticket.

The trip to Oxford was accompanied by 2 sets of running commentaries, one from the tour guide, and the 2nd from Avi. (After a while, Avi was politely asked to move to a "special seat" in the last row, where he continued to entertain an old American couple).

After 90 minutes, we pulled into Oxford in front of Christchurch College, the second oldest college at Oxford, and went to visit its grand dining room where the lunch scenes in the Harry Potter films were set.

The hall was extremely grand, with portraits of various professors, including Lewis Carrol. Avi was glad to see "Harry Potter's college", but was miffed that he could not have "mammam" on the dinner service that was kept in place. Incidentally, the dining room is actually used by students at the college.

We then went on a rapid walking tour around Oxford, starting with the "Quads" (short for quadrangles) at Christchurch, and moving on to look at various other colleges from outside. Seeing the style with which Oxford conducts itself made me and Radhika hope that Avi wld be able to study in some such place one day.

By the time we were halfway thru the walking tour, Avi was hungry and asking for Chapatti and "Cholai" that Amamma wld have kept in his dabba. Fortunately, the walk lasted only about 20 minutes more, and radhika was able to fix some tomato - cheese sandwiches which Avi ate, sitting on the pavement at Oxford.

Post this, we were off to Stratford on Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare. As part of the tour, we avoided the main motorways, and instead drove thru a number of scenic country roads in a region of quaint villages called the Cotswalds. The undulating landscape was truly beautiful, and the guides pointed out several architectural gems and the odd castle.

By 115, we were at Stratford on Avon - in the meantime, Avi had drifted off to sleep. A light drizzle had broken out (as predicted, it was a gloomy and cold day), and so I ended up carrying a sleeping Avi (dressed in a rain coat) thru Shakespeare's house. Some wiseguys in the queue commented on how Avi cld wear a T-shirt saying "I went to Shakespeare's house and slept thru it". The house itself has been painstakingly restored and amazingly, they have records of every resident since well before the Bard's time there.

Avi woke up as we were leaving the house.

After grabbing a quick bite, we were off to Warwick Castle, which is touted as the oldest medieval castle in Europe. Parts of this castle are well over a 1000 yrs old. The castle is today a theme park - it was owned at one pt by Mme Tussauds. There were various exhibits playing up all the stereotypes of British history - knights jousting around outside the castle, and wax works inside the castle depicting Warwick's services to the Crown, and a party. The interesting thing was that there were also live people in medieval dress as part of the wax works - and at times, you did not realise that someone was a live person until they moved and started speaking to you. Then it was time to head back to London. All in all, it was a fun trip, and since most of it was sitting in a very comfortable coach, it was not very tiring either.

Its now the morning of the 7th - I have written the above in 6-7 instalments, mostly late last night and early today morning - and Avi is up again - so am sending it out even though I covered only 1 aof the 6 missing days.

Luv

Raj, Radhika and Avinash.