Snake in a Basket – On Our Way to London

Every trip to London from India should start with a beggar woman outside your apartment offering you a peak at a live snake in a basket in exchange for a few rupee coins. Is this what Queen Victoria envisaged for the later stage of her empire’s maturity? Who knows.

Despite this last bit of Incredible India, we were off to merry ole England for a 10 day vacation. After nine months in Bangalore, this trip was to mark our departure from India. Jay’s work situation, however, resulted in us booking return tickets from London back to Bangalore. For the moment, however, we were forward looking with the expectation of embracing a bastion of western culture, drinking tap water, having a pint at a pub, maybe even eating strawberries and cream.

Helen, as usual, made wonderful travel arrangements. We booked a bed & breakfast in West Hampstead for six days. We left ourselves open to have a one day journey somewhere, which ended up being Brighton, followed by three days in the English countryside with Anna Oldman. Helen had met Anna in Bangalore through the Overseas Women’s Club. Anna had finished her assignment in India and had returned to her home in Stroud just weeks before.

Our first day touring began with learning how to use the London Tube. We purchased a seven day Oyster card that gave us unlimited tube access. The London tube is truly a wonder of the world. Efficient, clean, timely and waiting people let passengers off the train before entering. After a successful ride on the tube, our sightseeing experiences of London began with a trip to the British Museum. After a short walk through Russell Square we arrived at the museum.

The British Museum, like the Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC, is free! The museum offered much to explore. The Egyptian exhibit with its extensive display of mummies and the chance to run into a live Egyptian princess provided the most awe of the day. We toured the rich collection of 7^th century burial artifacts of the Sutton Hoo Treasure and the Old Reading Room of the former British Library. We also had a chance to be up close to the real Rosetta Stone.

Afterwards it was lunch at a small restaurant named in honor of James Cagney where the menu items were named after his movie titles. On that day England was playing Portugal in the World Cup and crowds spilled out from pubs and restaurants that offered a glimpse of the game on large screen panel TVs.

We walked on and were able to see Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. We crossed the Thames to see the London Eye, marveled at some street performers and then headed back to the B&B, tired but thrilled to be able to enjoy this wonderful, historic city. Not a single beggar or snake in a basket to be seen.