Until next time...

I couldn't decide which blog to post this on but since all my sentimental posts are on this one, including the last "Good bye" post when I left CEP, I decided to post this one here too! :)

Sigh. I don't even know where to start. I know I write a lot about change, its inevitability, its heart wrenching pain, it being a new chapter and so on...but it's easy to preach than to practice. A huge change for me is in the happening and that's saying goodbye to Swansea, for now I hope. I always say I'll be back...just to revisit the place, the memories...

Having said that, the last three years have been the most amazing journey of my life. I grew to be the person I am today (or so I like to believe) because of Swansea, the education, the people and most importantly, the independence that led to responsibility (again, I hope).

If had to start thanking people and jotting down memories from day 1 on this post, it would be endless. Nevertheless, I have a long list of people who have made the experience of Swansea what it is and I know I wouldn't want to have it any other way :) All you guys, you brought out the good, the bad and the evil (I had to :P) in me - (this is the part where I tried jotting down names, but there are way too many!)

So having failed at that, you know who you are. You hold a special place in my heart and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making Swansea home :)

It's difficult to say goodbye, but it's even more difficult to let go of the memories. But as rightly put, it's better to always look forward but mainly, live in the present. As said correctly from The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, "There is no present like the time." :)

Swansea, you will forever be my second home.

Rhossili Bay!

Cliffs at Sea

I've been to Rhossili three times, and this was my fourth trip. I was excited, as usual. There's nothing more than travel that gives me an adrenaline rush. Tanushree and I headed to the bus station from Swansea University. We were meeting a few more friends there; that's what made the whole trip more exciting! The three different trips had been three different experiences, because of the people I went with.

Turns out, our friend, Ketan, was the only one there. His roommates were meant to join us. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, they couldn't make it. We didn't let that affect our excitement though. It was Ketan's first visit to Rhossili, and we were determined to make it lots of fun!

Walking around

We took the bus. It was more or less a 45 minutes journey. We did our own things - clicking pictures, listening to music, talking - and finally, we were there!

It's like the weather suddenly decided to match our moods, and it was sunny! Rhossili Bay is gorgeous when the sun shines all over the damp grass. The waves across the bay look dramatic, no matter what weather! But the colour of the water, that deep, oceanic...almost "can't-stop-staring"...blue, happens only when the sun is out; and this time, we were lucky.

Our lovely walking surface!

We walked on top of the cliffs, daring to approach the edges. We clicked many pictures, putting our photography skills to work. As we kept walking, we saw a young man, of our age. He had a backpack, a small snack and his Nikon D3100. He was seated on a bench, observing the people and scenery around him. We didn't notice how he looked as we were more engrossed in our experience. But I do remember Tanushree whispering, "He's like you! You came alone once, didn't you? So cool!" And I couldn't help but smile to myself, thinking that there are people out there, just like me.

We finally reached the left-end of the bay, where we could get a sort of clear view of Worm's Head. There were pebbles between the end of the bay and Worm's Head. It was 13:30hrs and the tide comes in at 17:00hrs. We were all seated, gazing out and taking in the beauty of the nature (and the warmth of the rare sunshine). Just when we were discussing whether or not we should cross to Worm's Head, the young man we had observed earlier stood behind us and smiled. He greeted us.

The four of us exchanged names and a few facts about each other. His name is Brian and he is a student from America.

Stopping to click photographs

Then the most amazing two and a half hours of my whole stay in Swansea, began. We crossed the stretch between the bay and Worm's Head. It was lots of walking, climbing, jumping and photography. Alongside all that, it was a lot of laughter, stories and talking mini-autobiographies of our lives.

We finally made it to Worm's Head, like it was a hike from one city to another. We were not tired. We still burst with excitement. And this journey just made our hearts pump with more adrenaline. After a few photographs at Worm's Head, we headed back to Rhossili Bay.

At Worm's Head

There, we enjoyed the most beautiful sunset, where Brian said something I'd never forget, "God is just showing off now!" Indeed he was...and why wouldn't he? The world is so beautiful.

The beautiful sunset

Needless to say, it was one of the most epic journeys of my life. I met a new person, discovered new things about people I knew, did what I enjoyed most - photography and adventure...and had a new experience. Like I said, Rhossili is a place where you are guaranteed to always have a different experience, no matter how many times you go.






Some helpful facts:

- If you're travelling from Swansea City Center to Rhossili, take the bus number 118.
- Buy a day ticket - it should cost you 4.70 Pounds, with return.
- Wear waterproof shoes as you'll have a lot of walking to do in a lot of wet land.
- Carry water and some snacks as the cafe closes pretty early (around 5pm , if I'm not mistaken).
- If you plan on crossing the stretch to Worm's Head, good footwear and a decent backpack is recommended.

University Days

So I haven't blogged for over a month now. I don't even have a valid excuse. I've been on break since May 7th. Sigh pie. I guess the blog was becoming too personal for me. I need to keep some things to myself also, noh?

Having said that, this post is a very light topic.

Guess what?! I'm in India! Bangalore, to be specific. It's good to walk around without a jacket. Feel humidity. Enjoy thunder and lightening. Eat dosas. I'm so gonna get lazy these holidays.

University life is fun. Don't get me wrong. But when you live alone, you realise the amount of home chores your parents (and if you've a maid) do! Oh so many! Cooking, for instance, is so much fun! On the other paw, doing the dishes? Bleh. Cleaning your room every week is a must. The sense of organisation is needed when you're studying. Finding your textbook among your clothes pile is a sign that you need to clean your room.

Don't even get me started on living with your friends. I mean, no offence. It's a shit load fun when you're staying in a flat with your friends (or roommate). But that interferes with your routine. You'll be busy studying or pondering over some stuff when someone knocks on your door. It'll be for a minute's job but damn! You'll stand there talking for hours! No privacy bro.

University life and living alone gets you active. You tend to become more responsible and empathise (literally) with your parents. One thing to always keep in mind is the reason you're there. Study, get a degree, work. Life is very mechanical that way. But that's only because we always look at the broad picture. Look at it in detail, and you'll find the reason why life is so totally worth it!

London

So I was in London a few days back. It's not like I've not been there before, but this was my first time exploring the city alone. The sole purpose of going was to apply for my Canadian Visa, which look about 2 hours only. Very efficient, I must say.

1 and a half days in London. Alone. Best experience ever. Recently, I knew I deserved a break. Lots going on with work and life in general. I really needed a break from Swansea. Don't get me wrong. Swansea is a lovely place. But once in a while, it's good to be alone in a crowd of people. Rewording that, it's good to be in a place like London.

London is a city worth exploring. I know many people who travel like to explore the unexplored. But I believe that exploring the explored can be equally exciting. Why? We are all different people. Seeing something from your perspective is seeing it differently. This is why opinions matter. If we all looked at something from the same perspective, life would be boring.

When I arrived in London Paddington, I just sat there for an hour, staring at people. I was in awe as to how many people there were! Furthermore, the cultural diversity of the city is amazing! From Africans to Indians to various Europeans! So many people from all over the world! I felt like I was at an International Conference of Trains or something. You don't hear only English being spoken. It's every language you can think of: Spanish, French, Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, German and so on.

After my hour of observation in Paddington, I headed out to Soho. Soho's night life? Happening. Such a live place. Loud. Plenty of people. Music booming from everywhere. People dressed up. Youngsters everywhere. Smoking. Drinking. Very live!

The next morning, I headed to the Canadian High Commission on Grosvenor Street. At 6am. Grosvenor Street is parallel to Oxford Street. So I had to pass by Oxford Street. Guess what? Busy even at 6am! People walking at a fast pace with coffee on one hand and a newspaper on the other. Most people rushing to work or rushing to catch the tube to work. It was amazing! I felt so safe in the presence of such a vivacious crowd!

After my work at the Canadian High Commission, I just walked around the city. I had a day pass.  I went to every place I could within the given radar. Started off with Oxford Street. That place is a beauty. Busy all day, people rushing about every minute. It's like the Time Square of London. Really. Oh and another thing. I had to hide my face and walk around. The shops around are so tempting. Student budget and what not. Just walk and wave. Walk and wave.

I then went to London Bridge. It was amazing! I stared at it for a few minutes. Busy traffic all over, cool breeze once in a while. It was a good feeling. I regretted not carrying my camera. But if I did, I probably would not have been allowed inside the Canadian High Commission. So meh.

I could only look around the place for a couple of hours. But those few hours were some moments of my life I would never forget. Sometimes, it's good to stick with the regular than trying to be unique. Don't always try something new. Try the old too. You might discover something new in the old!