21days

After 23yrs in Coimbatore, it was finally time to leave. It was not the usual Chennai or Bengaluru, but 5139 miles away. Coventry University, where I decided to pursue my desire, that is design. So, after a lot of "Will miss you" days in Coimbatore, my mom tried to control her emotions in front me as I went into the security check. Next stop Chennai.

Met few of my friends in Chennai and boarded the flight to my first destination, Dubai. Spent a couple of days there with couple of my close friends and started the last leg of my travel, 7hrs direct flight to Birmingham. After Fast 5, Battle Los Angeles and Finding Nemo, it was Birmingham. I was waiting for my luggage to come through, waited, waited, waited and started to get nervous as I couldn't find my luggage even after almost 45mins. Finally, at last it was at the last. Dragged the 30kg baggage of mine with a back pack of 8kgs on my shoulders to the exit, excited to see my friend who was supposed to be there but wasn't, Beeeeep!!!

St Michael's Cathedral, Coventry

I was dragging my luggage up and down the lobby trying to find a payphone. After locating one, I tried to make a call using my international visa card but it passed me to some guy and finally the thing was "I cannot make the call". So had to get some coins from money exchange and finally got through to my friend, before I could ask him where I should come my line went dead. I was running out of coins but managed to note down the address the second time before my call disconnected. Got myself a cab and it was a 20mins drive from Birmingham to Coventry.

"Door number 42 please" and the last number on the street was 38. WTF!!!

After locating my new home(It was actually 4A, which was wrong too which I later found out to be just 4), I checked into the university accommodation for the International Students welcome week. There was a party going on from the day I landed in Coventry just for the students but I skipped them for the first 3days coz I dint make much friends in the first couple of days.

"I think we both came in the same flight, I saw you in the flight." that was me.

"Yeah. I recognized you." this was Ruben, one of my best buddies around here. He is from Malaysia and happened to be my neighbor in the hostel. He is a hardcore Mini Cooper fan and I am a hardcore movie buff, we spent a night watching "The Italian Job(1963)".

"Ab Hindi nahi aatha hai" this is Love, who just backed me up when Ijaz spoke in Hindi with me. Loveleen and I have met a few times before but it was during the International Students Party, we rocked the dance floor and thats how we got close.

It was my first party and I reached my room around 3am, if am not wrong. The international week was over and I had to move to my home, which I did. You guys would know that the plug point in India and UK are quite different so I bought a adapter which got fused the moment I plugged in my laptop. It was just 8pm and I was not even close to sleepy. The guy who was supposed to move in with dint wanna share a room with me and backed out, so I was all alone listening to songs in my mp3 player.

Tower Bridge, London

Loneliness coupled with some very good songs (which turned out to be bad for the mood), I desperately wanted to change my home else I would go mad. So, made a few calls to my contacts around here and finally moved into the home of my pal from Coimbatore, Praveen a.k.a Kutty. But the thing was the guys already staying there are moving out only a couple of days later, so............ "Couch", for the next few days.

Then there was this short trip to London with one of my High School buddy, Saran, who is here in Birmingham.

It was induction week and I met my classmates. In the strength of 30 there were around 10 Indians including me and one guy from Coimbatore, that was like WTH man. Whatever, there was a guy from Mexico, Spain, Greece, couple of them from France and Iran. And this girl from Iran, is kinda cute and beautiful. Phew...still I have a year's time, guess I can work it out. Just kiddin'

Finally, got settled in my room, with a bed. Have this good roomie of mine who cooks for us and I help him out in chopping vegetables and getting the things he needs, thats Hari. But the thing is he is leaving in by end of next month so probably I should start to learn things quickly. So, my mission is "படிச்சு ஒரு பெரிய designer ah வரனோ இல்லையோ ஒரு பெரிய cook ah தான் India போகணும்"

Already started to make my move into the kitchen and the recipes. MISSION IN PROGRESS

I have just started partying only after I have landed in UK, already started enjoying the ambience and the fun of it. Already been to a few parties of which the International Students Party and the Platinum club freshers' week party will definitely have lasting memories. Its friday night and time for Kasbah now, one of the freaking clubs around here especially for students. Hope I have a great time. 

And its been just 21days from my home and still a long year ahead of me.(I said this just to give you an idea about my post's title)