Celeb Travel: Kajol
London is my all time favourite holiday destination. But you look at any travel guide, or manual, you will realise it says in bold, "London can be stressful to travel with kids". I have first hand experience of that. And you realise once you have kids, how your life can change. Everything has to be done with your kid in mind first, and I like that because that’s what I have always wanted. So trips to Disneyland and theme parks are a priority right now, but I miss my good old London squares, and take time off to go there as and when I can.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of London is the amazing tube line, which is the heart of the city. I wouldn’t dare to take the local trains in Mumbai, but it’s quite liberating to hop onto a Metro in London and just experience the anonymity it offers. Every face on the tube has a story, and it’s nice to see people just being themselves, not bothering you, and maintaining their own personal space as they go around their business. There are flower shops outside every station, and you see young people picking up flowers for their loved ones, and it fills your heart with warmth.
Trafalgar Square is one of my favourite spots in the city and I love hanging around there, in the coffee shops reading a book all day. You can also do that at Hyde Park, which is surprisingly busy even during the day. That’s a place I would like to take Nysa out for a day picnic, and have a chilled out time. I am not a clubbing person, neither do I like going to pubs. But Trafalgar Square has some really nice clubs and pubs in the area, where people go after work and the atmosphere is fun. London is an interesting mix of the old and the new, with the newly built London eye being another tourist attraction. And the view of the city from there is breathtaking.
The Thames just adds to the glory of the city and I have walked several times for many hours along the banks, getting lost in my thoughts, not knowing where I was going.
Of course, there are the historic and architectural landmarks like the Big Ben, the Tower bridge, and several magnificent churches, like the St. James Cathedral, which are a must see if it’s your first trip to London, and also the Buckingham Palace. But at the same time, don’t miss the museums in the heart of the city, which hold some of the important paintings and art works of all times.
We Indians will always feel at home in London, with its huge South Asian community there. The Indian restaurants in London are as good, if not better than those back home.
Since I am a complete Indian food lover, I have problems travelling through other parts of Europe, but not in London.
It is a great place to shop, with hi-end brands housed at Selfridges, but you can also shop at Topshop and H&M, which are at every nook and corner.
The only problem with travelling to London is that it is so expensive, and given the conversion rates between pounds and rupee, one feels the pinch even more. A lot of times, I too convert everything into rupees and see the feasibility of what I buy. But maybe we should just live and splurge a little when in London, because it’s so worth it.
Source: Deccan Chronicle
