One Chance to See the World

Heading back home for Christmas

I wanted to post an apology as well as an update, for the lack of content in recent months. This is largely due to me staying inside to limit the risk of catching the virus before seeing my family, and also a big loss of motivation as a result.

Maybe this lack of motivation has helped me behave and stay indoors for as long as I have. So I can’t be too mad at it.

But the time has come to head home. I have had lots of holidays that I haven’t taken this year, and for this I have the rest of December off. I will stay with family until the end of the month, and head down to London again on New Years Eve.

I had a breakfast, double checked I had my things and headed to Kings Cross.

When I say breakfast, I actually broke my year long McDonald’s ban. Got so close to a year without a single meal from here!

But it’s what I needed to get me up and out, and walking through Kings Cross was surprisingly quiet. I thought more would be making the journey back home. The Harry Potter attraction was back, as was the photographer. I chatted to him for a few minutes, he told me a few businesses had to sadly close in the station, and that of course the lines for the 9 3/4 trolley was no where near what it used to be. I of course had to take a selfie, pretty standard routine now.

I wore a mask throughout, and didn’t want to risk travelling closer to Christmas as it could be very busy. My train is very quiet thankfully. It is a dilemma for me as I do not want to promote travel or reckless behaviour that could increase the spread, but I know that I haven’t been out during the easing of the second lockdown, despite it being allowed. I have also had two negative covid tests. London only went into a full lockdown yesterday, but I refrained from going out to ensure I was safe on the journey up, as well as for my mum and sister and everyone I may encounter. We are also sticking to the three-house bubble the government has recommended the country sticks to.

I am going to post here at least once a month I think. This will be achievable and enough time to get enough content to post about, if next year starts how this one ends. There will always be things to post about in London even if we are still forced indoors, so I don’t worry about that. However I apologise for not having much on here recently.

But I hope every single one of you has a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and please stay safe and sensible!! It won’t be easy for most of us and we have to tread lightly, but let’s all think forward to how great 2021 could be and not dwell on how bad this year was.

Thank you to everyone that reads this and continues to view my posts, I really appreciate it.

Love to all!!!

‘Banksy Tunnel’ hidden at Leake Street Arches, Waterloo

Underneath Waterloo Station lies a unique tunnel, one used by Banksy to host the ‘Cans Festival’ back in 2008. Today the tunnel is visited daily by artists and tourists, enjoying floor to ceiling graffiti that Leake Street Arches are now known for.

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First Impressions

It starts with a small gap in the fence. Above us is Waterloo Station, this tunnel was used by cars driving to the Eurostar terminal. Eurostar stopped using Waterloo and the road was no longer needed.

It is easy to miss Leake Street Arches when walking by. The tunnel doesn’t stand out from a distance, making it even more impressive upon entry. The darkness soon becomes a burst of colour and light, it would come as a big shock to those unaware of what awaits them.

The tunnel is around 300 meters long. Now I have to admit, there is a very large entrance on the other side of the tunnel leading out to the London Eye. This means that those with a disability can still gain access fairly easily, and entering isn’t as mischievous as I make it look here.

I couldn’t have started the post with that though, where would the fun be in that?!

The Banksy Tunnel

Street artist Banksy held the ‘Cans Festival‘ in this tunnel in May 2008. Inviting artists from around the world, they came and added their own creations. If you ever hear about the ‘Banksy Tunnel’ in London, this is it. The tunnel was used by cars until Eurostar moved to St Pancras International in 2007. Now, the disused tunnel has been revived and couldn’t look more alive.

Personally, I feel this is a great use of what would have been another bland, abandoned space.

The Art

Art is constantly being added, so expect a mix of old and new. It varies between styles and messages, some funny, some political. Some are drawings, some are simple messages. The Black Lives Matter movement has been very present in 2020, and the face of George Floyd was one of the first instalments I recognized upon entry.

It is hardly uncommon to see artworks being created, and the tunnel is often used as a shortcut for locals. Being in a busy area of London I saw families, people riding bikes and commuters in suits. With this in mind it feels very safe, I was in no rush to leave and I took my time looking at the countless pieces of art. Often artists leave their name alongside the art, helping them to be reached on Instagram and the like.

Some pieces are huge, such as this lady painted onto the tunnel ceiling. It is obvious that some take much longer to create than others, and need more than just a spray can to complete.

Venues operate in this tunnel, so don’t worry about getting hungry. Here you can find bars and restaurants, a gaming room and music venue. I also noticed another venue blocked off by a wall, can you see ‘The Vaults’ in the picture of me sitting on the kerb? I wonder if it will open up again…

A Vietnamese and Polish restaurant currently occupy the spaces.

Getting to Leake Street Arches

Waterloo Station and underground are the closest train stations. The large entrance below is at the north west exit of the tunnel, a five minutes walk from the London Eye. It is reachable by passenger boat, head to Waterloo Pier-London Eye dock.

As always, I highly recommend City Mapper to plan your trips around London. A real time saver!

What do you think? Let me know if you have ever been, or plan to when in London. Leake Street Arches are completely free to the public and always open, except for the possibility of events or maintenance. Venue opening times will differ, and I have linked the official Leake Street Arches website below.

For street art fans, it is a must visit. Despite it not being a top London destination, I would highly recommend a visit if you are around the Waterloo/Westminster area with an afternoon to spare. It is a great place to start before a stroll along Southbank, or a perfect place to finish with a cocktail.

Leake Street Arches- Main site

Leake Street Arches- Venues

Sky Garden, best free views in London

Sky Garden sits atop 20 Fenchurch Street. Known locally as the ‘Walkie Talkie’, it boasts two decks of lush plant life, bars, restaurants and stunning 360-degree views of London. Best of all, Sky Garden London is completely free.

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The Building

This isn’t an ordinary skyscraper. The building gets wider as it rises, the highest floors literally hang over the streets below it. Like a wave ready to crash it looms over you in intimidating fashion, yet draws your attention completely.

From here you can see the shape changing as it reaches it’s peak, a height of 525ft. A quick show of the ticket and a scan of my bag and I am on the 35th floor in just a few minutes.

A short walk from London Bridge and Bank/Monument Underground, it is easily accessible on foot and well connected by train and bus routes. Tickets are free on their website (linked below) and easier to book two to three weeks in advance. Last minute bookings can be made but I would avoid if at all possible. Tickets go fast and it is hardly surprising.

The Views

The 360-degree views of the city make Sky Garden one of the best views in London.

Classic landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge and The Shard draw your attention immediately, and signs on the windows help to spot the sights further away. London’s Olympic Stadium can be seen, as can the Wembley Stadium arch on a clear day.

Looking down to Tower of London — Looking down to the Tower of London… notice the vans inside the walls that are only visible from this height!

When should you visit?

I visited twice on two very different days in the city. First with Ju, my Brazilian friend living in London. The second time was during the recent heatwave with clear blue skies. Interesting to note that despite the clouds, the overcast day helped make many buildings more visible. The bright sunshine was beautiful but created a haze. When booking, you really don’t need to wait for a less cloudy day. Just avoid fog!

In summer the sun sets outside of the free ticket hours, so it is recommended to book one of the bars or restaurants to catch this. Also as tickets are required for the free trip, you don’t need to worry about it being overly packed during your visit.

It is important to note that the areas are ventilated, so even whilst indoors wear clothes appropriate for the outside temperatures.

My friend looking out to Canary Wharf — Looking out to Canary Wharf- facing east

Steps run up the east and west of the building, taking you even higher. It is possible to walk up clockwise or anti clockwise and then back down to the 35th floor.

Tower Bridge taken from the steps up — Tower Bridge- one of the most photographed landmarks up here

The Garden

The plant life really stands out in the middle of London’s concrete jungle. A lush oasis that gives you a sense of calm and tranquility, with seating areas hidden within the greenery. Signposts prevent us from getting lost, although getting lost is what this kind of escape is all about surely?

Couple taking selfie outside bar — Visitors looking out from the upper deck

Sky Garden outside deck

Two revolving doors allow access to the outdoor section of the building, the Shard is the first thing to be seen and looks incredible from here. Squint and you will see the tiny double-decker buses crossing London Bridge, along with the commuters that look more like ants. The deck is secured with a giant glass barrier that you have to look through, but being outside feels great at such a height.

Tourists taking photos from outside deck — A scramble for cameras!

Looking south west, the London Eye is visible behind neighboring buildings, along with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Tate Modern and Millennium (the Harry Potter) Bridge. Can you spot them all?

Bars and Restaurants

The easiest bar to find is the Sky Pod Bar, situated right in the heart of Sky Garden. With huge windows and an open plan, it is the perfect place to relax with a bottle of wine and watch the world go by. With your friends or your partner, on a date or even alone (like I did on this day!), it really is perfect for all occasions.

Prices seem to be slightly more than what is expected in London. A bottle of beer will cost £6, although it will hardly come as a shock in such a place. Full menus are available on their website, and the venues available are:

-Darwin Brasserie

-Sky Pod Bar

-Fenchurch Restaurant

-City Garden Bar

-Fenchurch Terrace

Although causal wear is accepted in Sky Garden, smart-casual is recommended if booking any of the above.

Pssst… if you head up on an evening from Wednesday to Saturday, a resident DJ plays live music as you wander the gardens and catch the sunset. From 7pm on weekdays and 9pm on weekends, what better way to end the day in London?!

Let me know if you have been, and add it to the list if not!

Sky Garden London- Official Site

Sky Garden venues and menus

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Early bird or night owl?

I have been following a lot of London photographers lately to get some inspiration. One thing I envy is just how empty the streets are in their photographs, they look abandoned!

Even in the height of lockdown, London’s streets were not totally empty, and getting up early seems to be the best way to get that abandoned vibe. The early bird catches the worm is very true in this case. The problem is I am not an early bird.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCGQWKAMK_v/

But I am getting better. The earlier I wake the less busy tourists areas are, it really is rewarding and makes me excited to leave the house. And as I get older (cheese alert) I am appreciating everyday more and more, and realising how much time a sleep-in can waste. Too much.

Here are some shots not long before sunset at St Paul’s Cathedral. The ‘what‘ installation above is a part of a wider project around the city, with many other words dotted around nearby streets.

*Google’s what the actual full sentence is*

Thanks to Londonist for the answer, the full sentence reads ‘What are you going to meet if you turn this corner?‘

The Millennium Bridge perhaps?

Cute dogs on walkies?

The Shard perhaps, taken on a different, more cloudy day.

This street gave me a real Harry Potter vibe, and was a great way to see the Shard unobstructed from across the Thames. The new pictures I am uploading here and to Instagram are new ones I have taken in the past few weeks of lockdown, and edited using Lightroom. I will have at least one new shot a day for the next month or so, so plenty of London to see if you have five minutes spare to check them out!

But back to the question. Early bird or night owl? Have recent events changed your habits or have you stuck to your guns?

Let me know, and happy hump day!

Sam

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak I am somewhat limited as to what I can do in London, but I aim to post as much as I can during this time. I promise to have some great posts coming your way once this is all over as I continue to explore London.

Stay safe and happy blogging!

Sam

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Will you miss anything about lockdown?

From Instagram, 29th June 2020.

Covent Garden before the post-lockdown crowds.⁠

I am going to miss the emptier streets in a way, currently 2020 has seen me lose faith in humanity more and more with every month that passes. More reasons to hate each other and less willingness for conversation. So a lonely walk without human interaction is therapeutic.
⁠
But then again the lockdown has seen us online more than usual, and this is where trolls and their toxic thoughts reside more than anywhere. At least people are rarely as toxic in person as they are behind a keyboard. We need real life conversations again as talking behind a username is a recipe for disaster.⁠

—

I have enjoyed the lack of interaction on my walks at times, but then again realise face to face interaction is usually much more pleasant than it is online. So the jam packed tube rides that we all label as ‘unfriendly’ in London will be welcomed with open arms… if I had that much room to do so. The commutes crammed but silent sound like heaven right now.

At this current moment, silence is like gold.

I hope you are managing to avoid the negativity, and more importantly, avoid being sucked into to it. It is contagious and sticks to you like glue. And once in that negative headspace it is hard to make that shift towards happiness again.

Stay motivated, stay optimistic and we will get through this, whatever it is that you are personally fighting for.

Stay safe and happy blogging!

Sam

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Two amazing moments I experienced in London last week

It is easy to talk about how bad this year has been. So I thought I would take a moment to show you two pretty awesome experiences I have had in the past seven days.

On the 18th June, the Red Arrows flew alongside the Patrouille de France over Buckingham Palace. It marks 80 years since Charles de Gaulle made a famous speech to the people of France to fight Nazi occupation. They flew over Paris on the same day.

The weather couldn’t have improved at a better time. Earlier that day it was cloudy and raining, however nothing but blue skies to delight onlookers thereafter.

But not every spectacle in London is expected, some just happen right in front of us. Take this moment two days ago, as I was about to cross a road at Piccadilly Circus. I was taking photos and had my GoPro with me, and could tell something was happening with all the heads turning.

I got my GoPro out as a dozen or so Supercars rocked up to the traffic lights, and stayed for a whole ten minutes at the delight of passers by. I filmed the whole thing and uploaded to YouTube, and the footage can be seen below.

I have no idea what the police thought about them holding up traffic for ten minutes, but as present as police were that day (due to protests), the cars were able to stay without repercussion. In fact they only drove off after one driver decided they had been there long enough, whilst the crowds grew. I understand that there isn’t much social distancing happening here, but I was never packed in with a crowd and when I did lean over someone, I was well back with my GoPro extended out in front of me.

I just wanted to cross a road. I wasn’t expecting so many people to turn up around me, or for any of this at all!

So the world isn’t all bad, some interesting things are still happening around us if we keep looking for them.

I hope you have some of your own stories too, what fun things did you get up to over the weekend?

Let me know of them in the comments!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBlyPbPMQDM/

Stay safe and happy blogging!

Sam

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The desperate need for conversation

‘We have never been so connected, yet feel so disconnected’.

It is a quote that has been repeating in my head every day since I heard it. And it couldn’t be more true. At least in the city I currently call home, London. This was the scene a few days back when a right-wing protester found himself over no mans land and into what he considers enemy territory.

The man carrying him, Patrick Hutchinson, noticed that he was in serious trouble and hurt, and carried him to police. He didn’t want to add fuel to the fire of the far right group and give an excuse for them to protest further. I am sure the white man respects this move, even if reluctantly so. Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and I am sure this moment will be remembered by both.

We humans don’t give conversation a chance all too often. The chances are if we disagree on something, we walk a very thin tightrope of discourse. We are emotional beings and show our emotion very easily. And the other person reads this emotion and bam, gets emotional as a result. A snowballing of emotions and a lack of willingness to listen kicks in, and before we know it our aim isn’t to understand the opposition, but to defend our position. A shouting contest. An ego trip. Sometimes, violence. We see this everywhere, from the streets to our parliamentary debates. If our leaders are susceptible to losing composure and even the odd fistfight, what standard are we expected to live by?

I am not sure if social media has ruined conversation, but it isn’t promoting it. Everything about a post is designed to boost our ego. There is a reason we are unable to dislike a Facebook status…. who is going to dislike it? We surround ourselves with people that think like us and if someone was to keep disliking our posts? Delete. Goodbye, friend.

Who needs that kind of negativity anyway? Not me.

But it is pretty vital. The more we surround ourselves with like minded people the less prepared we are socially for disagreement. At the same time, trolls and the very nature of being behind a username means we can be even more cruel to those that disagree with us. So now we are being more harsh than usual to a group we hardly engage with anyway… so if these groups find a day to meet in the street, why would we expect anything less than violence?

Saying that, most protests have been peaceful. However unfortunately as I type this, news is breaking that three people have been stabbed to death in a park in Reading, UK. More people have been injured in the incident. Living in an online world, word got out fast. And with that, assumptions were made fast. Especially with it taking place in a park hours after a BLM protest took place.

And this to me showed how much of a mess we are in.

-Racists blaming black people for the attack.

-Black people worried that right wing protesters carried it out.

-Media breaking news with ‘Stabbing at Black Lives Matter protest’ despite the earlier protest being peaceful and already finished

-Tweets from angry white people believing this headline is assuming white people went to carry out an attack without waiting for more information

-Tweets from angry black people feeling this headline suggests BLM protesters turned violent

I also read a tweet from a black Twitter user accusing the BBC of racism for the ‘Stabbing at BLM protest’ headline, despite the journalist in the article being black himself, and possibly worried that this ‘stabbing at BLM protest’ may have been carried out by a white protester.

The thing is, when we feel our beliefs are being targeted, any headline can seem like it is against us. ‘Stabbing at BLM Protest’ can sound both pro-BLM or anti-BLM. The perspective that hits us the hardest is the one we tend to stick with.

I refreshed the article as the evening went on (Saturday, 20th June, yesterday when this post is published), to see the headline edited from ‘Stabbing at BLM protest’ to ‘Stabbing at BLM protest site’ to ‘Reading stabbing attack.’ However those initial few hours of very little information had some people incredibly convinced they knew exactly what happened, by who and why. We can’t even wait for the information to come out before we need to tell everyone how we feel, and this is worrying in a world that seems more unstable as the months go by. We need conversation more than ever.

Protests aren’t conversation. They might be good at making governments act when tensions are highest, but the opposition in the general population aren’t really affected. Not in an educational sense at least.

Lets picture an angry mob of fifty white men, all in their 20’s-60’s marching down the street to confront BLM protesters, as seen recently in British cities. Do we really think the guy three rows from the front is reading the ‘No to Racism!‘ sign 50 meters away behind a line of police and a cloud of tear gas… with an aim of being educated? Are they really listening to the protesters as they try to drown out the chants with football songs that they haven’t been able to sing in the past few months without football? Maybe one or two protesters, if I am being optimistic. Away from a protest being used as an uprising against a government (which can be effective and caused the Minneapolis City Council to consider dismantling the Minneapolis Police Department), it is merely a shouting contest to boost ones ego. I cannot imagine too many people on both sides of a protest going home feeling they have learned something new like it was a walk to a college lecture. And not much changes when we go home and online to give further thoughts on how we feel.

Instagram Stories. Facebook Statuses. Twitter comments. They are all methods we use to tell everyone how we feel, and what’s right. They are all ways for us to tell everyone we are right, and that you should listen. And it isn’t working. The less time spent having conversation is more time the gap between the left and right has to widen. The differences become bigger. The hatred becomes more fierce. And the internet is not helping.

We need a way to promote conversation and be willing to engage with the opposition without being seen as the opposition. Sticking with our tribe is great for strength in numbers, but terrible for education. Being in a group of like minded individuals, what do we learn? Absolutely nothing. As a leftist (that is becoming ever more frustrated with the supposed left) we should be wanting to engage with those that have a difference of opinion if we are to find some common ground to build on. Understand the reasoning behind thoughts, engaging in conversation and educating. But I am seeing it less and less, the right and the left are becoming harder to differentiate.

The right needs to stop using violence as communication, and the left needs to have more patience in conversation.

That’s my thoughts on what is going on right now, and I would love to hear how you agree or disagree on this.

Featured Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash

Hogwarts is closed?!

I was on the Millennium Bridge the other day during sunset. It is a great place to walk, between St Paul’s and the Tate Modern, and to stop and think for a moment whilst overlooking the Thames. Lots of time to think however not enough energy to do so. That’s how I feel at this moment.

I am putting together a post regarding everything that’s happening right now, but admittedly I have been putting it off. I hope to have it up this week though. It isn’t that I don’t want to talk about it, more finding where to start. And I am mentally drained by this year as well. Typing feels like walking through thick mud at the minute but I am easing back into it.

So here is a short post about a recent wander. Something I have always enjoyed talking about and walking is really helping keep me sane right now. It is also very interesting to see how the city has changed and is evolving over time, now more lively than it has been for months.

…

Kings Cross is a short walk from me with a movie connection to the Millennium Bridge. Can you guess the connection?

That’s right, Harry Potter. Brownie Points if you can name the movies they both appear in!

During the lockdown the powers that be have decided to take down the Platform 9 3/4 attraction and replace it with a bench. Not much of a surprise, but I was intrigued to know what it would look like today. Would they have boxed it up or fenced it off??

Neither, just taken it off the wall completely.

For anyone unfamiliar, this is what it looks like normally. I am hoping it returns soon.

I would love to know how many train stations around the world have cool little features like this one. Airports such as Singapore Airport have made the waiting game cool, offering something new and exciting to look at whilst waiting for a flight. More train stations should do the same in my opinion!

(Click the arrow for more images)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBiJtHKMCTo/

Have you seen the Platform 9 3/4 attraction in London Kings Cross? Do you think they will reinstall it?

Let me know what you think of it’s fate… and I hope you are all having a great week, whatever Hogwarts House you’re in 😉

Stay safe and happy blogging!

Sam

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The lone violinist

It was a walk on the 18th May to Piccadilly Circus, a difficult time in a difficult year. Now I look back, it was an easier time in an increasingly more difficult year. The quiet walk absent of footsteps other than my own, very few cars and birdsong heard above anything else.

Then, the sound of music slowly getting louder, a busker playing without an audience to hear it.

She played between the boarded up doors of the businesses behind her, all around her in fact. The only life coming from the huge advertisement boards Piccadilly Circus is known for, advertising to an empty square. For the rare photo opportunity I put some money in her collection case, probably a quid or two, whatever spare change I had on me. Being a professional she hardly acknowledged it as I did, as if I was the hundredth person to do it that day.

Come to think of it, I probably should have counted the coins in there. I wonder how much interaction she had seen that afternoon.

The only interaction I had seen was this deliveryman standing beside her. Giving her encouragement or asking for her number? Waiting for his next collection or waiting for a song request? I am not sure, but she hardly gave him a look. Whatever it was the attendance doubled in that moment.

A couple days later I was taking photos close to Westminster, when the streets were a little quieter and before the barbaric murder of George Floyd. It’s crazy how bad we think 2020 is, until we give it another month. Now, protests have marched through these streets and the statues that I saw couldn’t be more fitting.

Nelson Mandela, and Millicent Fawcett, individuals pursuing the goal of equality and freedom, immortalized as statues not far from the Houses of Parliament. Other statues have been vandalized or even taken down due to connections with slavery.

After all these years we still need to fight for such freedoms. Even if we are slowly chiseling away at the rock of inequality there is still a long way to go. And every day there is evidence of this around the world. The buildings are nice but it isn’t just buildings that need to be worked on over time, human rights need to move along with it.

It makes me wonder how far into the future we will have to look to find a humanity confident that it is being treated fairly across the board. Will we have to wait for the inevitable merge of ethnicities in the coming centuries? Or will it be before then? What we do know is that it isn’t now, clearly what we have isn’t working.

What we need more than ever is conversation. It isn’t necessarily the difference of opinion that is causing problems, but our way of managing it. Our inability to sit and talk about topics we have different stances on, and our lack of ability to want to change our opinions also. From the left to the right, the problem seems consistent across the board. We won’t get anywhere without conversation, and this has to be promoted on social media, in the workplace, in our governments.

I just hope that this conversation begins before we get too disconnected with each other.

‘We have never been so connected, whilst being so disconnected’

Stay safe and happy blogging!

Sam

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Graduating in lockdown: A story of a student in India

I am delighted to introduce Vaishnavi, bringing an insight from India on the current lockdown situation for herself and her life as a student.

Vaishnavi has a great blog of art, photography, food and travel (safe to say it is four of my favourite things!) and I appreciate being able to share her story on my blog for the WordPress community.

I hope you all enjoy the read and this insight all the way from India!

Namaste! I am Vaishnavi Karnam, a 22-year old Communication Designer who just graduated from college during this worldwide lockdown. I am originally from Hyderabad and Bengaluru, two of the many state capitals of India, though I have been born and brought up in New Delhi, which is India’s capital. Coming from a rich cultural background from Southern India, my parents made sure my brother and I know our lineage, roots and our native language. Having said this, I am multi-lingual.

Being an elder child, I have always been given a lot of responsibility. But I have had my moments of being a brat and trying to do what I wanted to do. Also, making sure that I did things that I was expected to. I am not only my dad’s little girl, but I am close to my mom as well. My puppy dog eyes are irresistible and always works for me when it comes to my parents. Even though I was pampered a little bit, but I was also made to learn the hardships of life.

Since I was a kid, I have tried my hand at whatever was available to me. Starting from art, craft to music, dance and even sports. Oh, baking and reading too! You can say I am the jack of all trades and master of some. Not ‘none’! I have always had multiple interests, and I made sure to keep trying out new things as and when possible. One such thing that caught my attention and stuck with me amongst a few others is travelling. I have grown up looking at pictures and listening to my dad’s stories from when he used to travel for work. Listening to those stories kept me at the edge of the seat no matter how many times I heard them. It made me want to have some of my own stories like that, to feel that adrenaline rush every single time. That’s how my love for travelling started and, during one of my internships, I discovered my inclination to write. This gave birth, more like helped me to begin my blog. I write about food, travel experiences and sometimes life lessons as well.

When it came to choosing a career path, I was sure that I wanted to do something different from what anyone’s done in my family. A lot of parents in India pre-decide what course their child should pursue in school or college, mine never forced me into anything I didn’t want to do. From planning to study psychology when I started high school to then changing my mind and finally graduating as a Communication Designer, it has been quite a journey. All throughout college, one thing that my friends and I were looking forward to was an extraordinary graduation showcase and a memorable farewell. After all, we were going to start a new phase of our lives. I definitely didn’t expect 2020 to go like this. Like everyone else, I also thought 2020 was going to be my year. I was supposed to start the next phase of my life. I still would be taking the next step, but in a much different way than expected.

Never had I thought for COVID-19 to spread and become a pandemic leading to a lockdown almost everywhere in the world. Considering that I graduated not too long ago, I had about 2-3 months left for my college life to get over. I was hoping to have fun with my friends, peers and faculty in the college, having the most wonderful last few days of college that was left. Every plan I had went down the drain. I was sitting at home, either working on my graduation project, giving presentations online, which is nowhere near to the actual experience. I was usually found dancing and singing at celebrations in college, hanging out with friends, lounging in our studios, travelling and making memories that would last a lifetime. I was never a social butterfly, but I have had my fair share of memories from my college life. Now, I can only imagine what I would have been doing in the past few months if we weren’t confined to our homes due to the pandemic. At this moment, we are planning what we can do once all of this is over, but we can only hope that it actually happens.

A week before the lockdown was announced, I was travelling for my graduation project in the mountains in northern India. This trip I took was preponed at the last moment; otherwise, there was quite a lot of chances that I would have got stuck at an unknown destination with hardly 3-4 pairs of clothes. I was lucky enough for my plans changing at the last minute. Though I am happy that I was back home right on time, unlike my friend who is stuck in an unknown town in Rajasthan (I feel so bad for him). Being a restless soul and staying at home 24/7 wasn’t really turning out the best for me. I was used to staying out of my house for at least 10-11 hours a day, and suddenly it went down to zero. Coping up to this change was tricky, trying to adjust to the new routine all of a sudden. We are a family of four, and I can say for sure that this is the first time that all of us have to stay under one roof for so long without stepping out at all. We had to adjust to each other’s new routine as a family. It was quite hilarious actually. Initially, it was challenging for me to keep sane, but then I tried small activities to help me adjust to this new routine. The first few days, I used to go to the terrace to look at the sunset and walk around a bit. Never had I seen so many people on their terraces. With nowhere else to go, that was the only escape.

Though when I am talking about what I used to do before COVID-19 struck, I feel like I am talking about a different life altogether. A life before taking multiple precautions to step out of the house and terrible news reaching us every day. There are some things that I used to do daily and miss doing it now. I miss the peak hour rush in the metros, booking a cab or bargaining with auto drivers, chilling at my favourite cafes and exploring Delhi even after staying in this city all my life. One thing I miss the most is eating out, especially Indian street food. It’s to die for.

I had a plan, to graduate college, travel and explore a new destination with my brother, get a job at a different city, move there and start fresh. I have always lived with my parents, except for a few years in between where I moved out to be closer to college. I was excited and hoping for a change. With the pandemic hitting us all, there have been so many changes all of a sudden. With employees being laid off left and right, hiring has definitely come to a freeze. The dream of getting the ideal job I had hoped for has been crushed. Sort of. The chances are quite low, considering the numerous people who are now in the market trying to look for new jobs. Though I am not giving up hope to find the perfect job for me, it is still scary when I think about it.

Now that I am free, I am trying to catch up on writing, reading, helping my mum with household chores and cooking. What I do whenever I have the time mostly depends on my mood. There are days when I only feel like binge-watching a show, texting my friends or just chilling in our house cribbing about when I’d get to go out. Video calls, virtual collaborations, Instagram stories of our routine, Tik Toks are now the latest trend.

I sometimes wonder what if Covid-19 hadn’t become such a vital matter, what if things were different, but it’s just left to what if. We can only dream or imagine what the scenario would be but cannot actually know. I know that with a nationwide lockdown in India, there have been positive implications. Pollution levels have really gone down, natural habitat is getting better, less traffic on the roads and we are spending more time with family. But did we really need something severe to affect us to make out lives slow down? Life has given us time to make things better, take time out for things we stopped doing because we never had the time, but did it have to be after putting so many lives at stake? I am trying to think positive, hoping that we all get out of this safe and sound, but I sometimes fear what else could happen, which might make things worse.

Well, that’s just me. I hope all of you are keeping safe and are doing well. I just hope one day, things will get back to normal and life will be better again. Until then, let’s hope for the best and stay healthy!

**Thank you to Vaishnavi for providing this insight for my ‘Life in Lockdown’ series, aiming to provide a glimpse into the lives of people around the world during this pandemic.**

All words are Vaishnavi’s own and for more great stories, art, photography, food and travel, please visit The Vaish Saga, and @thevaishsaga on Instagram.

First Impressions

The Banksy Tunnel

The Art

Getting to Leake Street Arches

The Building

The Views

When should you visit?

The Garden

Sky Garden outside deck

Bars and Restaurants

Thank you to Vaishnavi for providing this insight for my ‘Life in Lockdown’ series, aiming to provide a glimpse into the lives of people around the world during this pandemic.

All words are Vaishnavi’s own and for more great stories, art, photography, food and travel, please visit The Vaish Saga, and @thevaishsaga on Instagram.

Have a great week everyone!

**Thank you to Vaishnavi for providing this insight for my ‘Life in Lockdown’ series, aiming to provide a glimpse into the lives of people around the world during this pandemic.**