Transitions....

Moving to the UK lock stock and barrel with 3 suitcases, the trusty laptop, the ipod and the D50 has been quite good fun. Throw in tenancy agreements, tax regulations, very different shopping experiences, dependence on public transport , the rain and the cold make it an eclectic experience. Here's a 10 point irreverent rant on the same.

1. Living here relies a lot on how well you plan things. For e.g. when back home in India you don't plan your shopping because you know there are zillions of shops and you would be able to get things in time. However if you make the same assumption here, you are going to be sorely disappointed. Shops tend to start closing by 6 p.m. which is about the time you start heading back home ! Need a hair cut get an appointment is the mantra ! It takes a bit of getting used to - especially the getting an appointment for a hair cut and paying 34 quid for it but then you get there in the end. This is the bit one is still trying to get used to. Pakoda Kadar agree with the sentiment albeit grudgingly.

2. Improve your manners. Being used to thanking people aloud one gets by alright but do remember to thank the bus driver after you get off the bus, the taxi cab driver after you get off the taxi. Be polite and people will be polite to you in general. Stand in a queue, for heavens sake Ghanta Singh, don't jump that queue. Negotiate with anybody or for anything politely .

3. Movie theatres are generally empty and appear to be rather well maintained. It's a miracle really how they do any sort of business here. I watched Slumdog millionaire the day after its release with about 12 people in the theatre for a 10:30 p.m. show on a Saturday night. In Pune or Madras I wouldn't have got the tickets !

4. The cold - Whatever you do, this is the toughest part to adjust to. It is biting cold, you need 2-3 layers as I am wearing right now even to write this blog entry. Go out of the house and you need 4 layers which are quite the interesting bit. Also as I am repeatedly told cover your head with a cap or something or the cold does get to you ! BTW remember to carry an umbrella around after checking the weather reports you'll find that useful for sure :)

5. The water - It's really hard. What surprises me is the hardness of water for a nation which has so much rain and is always being filled up. Should Jayalalitha teach rainwater harvesting here to improve the quality of the water table ?

6. The buses - usually work on time but sometimes you miss them ! Travelling on a bus is infinitely more pleasurable because sometimes you can also login to the internet if you carry your own 3G dongle . However there are jerks on the bus which can cause problems with your hard drive ! Trains are also fun, you can get most tickets by booking off the internet, remember to plan your travel in advance the difference in fares can be up to 7x.

7. Learn how to walk. This is a country for people who can walk. If its close by you walk because you can't be bothered about finding parking or parking is expensive in the city centres or the malls and the airports are so huge that you need to walk. It might also be good to invest in a lighter laptop and to demand one at work to save your back !

8. Food - Well this is the most interesting bit and something I'm still figuring out. If you are vegetarian and love Indian food then you can find enough of the ready to cook stuff in one of the big supermarkets . If you feel enthusiastic about cooking , you can find most ingredients in the supermarket or in a local Indian store. If you are a tambrahm like me and absolutely dig the curds, go buy yoghurt and flavoured ones at it . They make quite some eating. Also you'd enjoy the Fru and the Gu as were introduced to me by my cousins. Now this is going to be a life long addiction.

9. Practice on Ironing your clothes and using the washing machine. Using the washing machine is usually fine but then each one in each of the places I have been in has different controls and programs and hence sometimes it becomes quite a pain !

10. Carpets in Bathrooms - The only place where you have carpets in bathrooms . Makes you wonder if people bathe with water or the latest perfume out of Gucci. More on this here.