My first visit to London was in sometime in Spring of 1977. London, a city that I had read so much about when I was in school, was to be my "home" for a good five weeks, with a week in Birmingham. The first impression was that London was a very old city, people were friendly and there was an air of formality in the way they spoke. I caught the train down to the city and checked into a hotel at Queensway. It was another old building and very Victorian in design. The hotel was run by Indians, who of course spoke with an English accent. After checking in, I wandered about the neighbourhood, discovered that Sunday was meant to be a leisurely day at the park, at the open air market or at Speaker's Corner. It was my first encounter with the Underground tube, but it wasn't difficult to get accustomed to him and especially with the help of my colleagues based in the London office then located at Fleet Street. Before long, I was bus hopping to Trafalgar Square, Carnaby Street and Piccadilly Circus. I was on a training attachment with the British tabloid newspapers, spent time in their newsroom to learn how they operated. It was meant to be an exposure for me before I took on the responsibilities as a New Editor in the newspaper back home.
I love London, for its theatre, its museums and all things British. Language was of course not a barrier though I had to time and again remind myself that I had to watch my spending lest I bust my budget. Food and transport was much more expensive than back home. I did what tourists would do in London, though I wasn't quite a tourist by day. Certainly by night, I took in the sights and even went to the casino where lo and behold I meant another fellow colleague who was also there on holiday.
I traveled to Birmingham by train; and was attached to another tabloid paper. The pace was slower here and indeed there was a noticeably larger population of people from India and Pakistan. I remembered the News Editor spoke to be about the "black edition" which I didn't quite understand the reference at first. He explained that it was the newspaper edition that was meant for the foreigners who were working in the city - he meant the Indians and the Pakistanis. One thing that I didn't regret visiting Birmingham was my visit to Debenhams Department Store where I bought an executive briefcase and a pair of semi-boots that were to last me for years.
Before long, it was time to leave London. I looked back at Big Ben and wondered when would I be able to come back again for another visit. Little was I to know that since then I had re-visited London another three times.
I love London, for its theatre, its museums and all things British. Language was of course not a barrier though I had to time and again remind myself that I had to watch my spending lest I bust my budget. Food and transport was much more expensive than back home. I did what tourists would do in London, though I wasn't quite a tourist by day. Certainly by night, I took in the sights and even went to the casino where lo and behold I meant another fellow colleague who was also there on holiday.
I traveled to Birmingham by train; and was attached to another tabloid paper. The pace was slower here and indeed there was a noticeably larger population of people from India and Pakistan. I remembered the News Editor spoke to be about the "black edition" which I didn't quite understand the reference at first. He explained that it was the newspaper edition that was meant for the foreigners who were working in the city - he meant the Indians and the Pakistanis. One thing that I didn't regret visiting Birmingham was my visit to Debenhams Department Store where I bought an executive briefcase and a pair of semi-boots that were to last me for years.
Before long, it was time to leave London. I looked back at Big Ben and wondered when would I be able to come back again for another visit. Little was I to know that since then I had re-visited London another three times.
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