London Diaries - Q&A

London is disappointing in some ways. 

For starters, its not Paris. 

The Heathrow Underground terminal would make everyone in Bengal proud of Howrah Station.

(Redundant, though. I guess everyone in Bengal is anyway proud of Howrah Station.)

Canary Wharf is a whimper before Hong Kong Central.

The cabs haven't changed their look since India got independence - purportedly to maintain at least some sense of continuity in the Empire.

And yes, it rains.

Quite literally, the weather here is not going to set anyone's world on fire.

It does, however, seem to have a refreshingly new but suspiciously non-publicized aspect to it - asking questions to complete strangers.

Day 1 

I stand on the railway platform and a random guy in a suit walks up to me to ask 'do you take this train often'? 

Me: "Considering its my first day in London, I'd have to say no." 

Same day, we're having beer at a Canary Wharf pub and a man in a suit walks up to us.

Man in suit: "Do you know where (insert name of an absolutely unknown place here) is."

We: "Considering its our first day in London, we'd have to say no."

Later that day we're walking back to Rathee and Birla's place.

A man in a suit (surprise surprise) walks up to us.

Says: "would it be okay for me to ask you if renting a place here (points to a place by generously waving his hand towards his right) as opposed to there (gently lobs an imaginary basketball over his shoulder on the left by way of indicating where 'there' is)?

Technically, the most correct answer would have been - "Yes, its okay for you to ask us that"

The next best answer would probably have been - "Well, there's a lake on this side and a river on that side. Guess it just depends on how big a boat you own."

But we said, "Considering its our first day in London, we'd have to say 'no idea'"

Looks like word got out that day.

Londoners have shown great restraint against the urge to ask me questions on domestic affairs since then.

Unfortunately, this has had major macroeconomic ramifications.

Some disliked the idea of letting me escape scot free from my duty to answer strangers' random questions and started rioting in protest.

(See?)

The Indian team is having to field my share of questions because of which they can only spend limited time at the crease and need to get out quickly.

(Get it now?)

The weather has been well behaved the last week so as to deprive me of anything quintessentially British.

(I'm telling you)

And of course...

Why else is GBP/USD going down if not to ensure that I get lesser HKD back on my return journey?

The latest addition to Ripley's Believe It Or Not, ladies and gentlemen...

For want of an askee, the nation was lost.

Swell.

Any questions?