It was UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

It was unbelievable!!!

I have never seen spectacle like that on the sky in my life time.  Well, I am alluding to the recent New Year eve celebrations, over and near the Thames and the London Eye, which culminated in a huge spectacular Fire works display at the dawn of early minutes of 2011.

Twelve of us were there,  including mine and Chandru’s family.  The hosts of our New Year celebrations were there too, along with their friend.The visit and the delightful respite would not have been possible, if not for the magnanimous way in which we were accommodated in a huge apartment, near South Ealing, by our young hosts.

So, we left on the 30^th evening for a prolonged weekend break. The roads were like an empty barren land.  On arrival we were greeted very warmly by the couple and their friends.

Soon, we began to learn to play POKER, and were the experts by dawn of the New Year.  I mean it literally.

We played lots of poker,  albeit with fake money.

Well, the New Year eve started with an evening visit to Central London, where we meandered our way through the city’s revelling public.  Sooner, we spotted a place near the Embankment tube station, positioning ourselves for a clear view of the Thames  and the London Eye.The crowd was mostly well behaved and the next 3- 4 cold and freezing hours were spent, gossiping, singing, and eventually dancing.

There were lots of families hovering and milling around, relaxing with a card game or a cup of Tea, seated on the road abutting the Thames.  Soon we found ourselves part of the Two Hundred and Fifty thousand revellers, waiting for the grand spectacle on Sky.  I saw, a whole lot people that include, Europeans, Asians, Americans and of course the British.

Needless to say that by this time the kiddies were getting tired a bit, but not their exuberance and excitement, anxiously looking at our watches looking forward to the fire works.

By the time the official count down ended with the dawn of 2011, no sooner, and the spectacle on the sky began around the London Eye, which filled the sky as much as it can.  Soon, I realised that I was actually in a trance for the next ten minutes or so.  No words to describe, what I saw, however, I did see or think of nothing but the sky line in front of us during those wonderful minutes of 2011.

No sooner, after the fire works ended, we were back on track to the Leicester Square tube station to catch our train to South Ealing!!  And then a mini bus trip before alighting near our host’s apartment.

Well, the New Year evening was, later, rightfully, and thoughtfully spent by us at the famous Murugan temple in East Ham, followed by a heartfelt and mouthful dinner at Chennai Dosa!!!

More poker followed us during the night and it was our third night on row, spent on gossiping and playing cards.  Sunday morning, we left bit early for a log drive to Hull, for an evening Birthday Party at one of our friends house, for their Kiddies.  Party celebrations followed by a wonderful dinner, which once again culminated in card games!!

Back to Manchester on Monday pm, on M62, driving on the highest motor way in UK, over the Pennines, I was nothing but more than relaxed with our short break!!

Wish you all a very Happy 2011 and many thanks to our hosts in London and Hull and especially the kiddies, who made it very eventful!!!.

Oops, forgotten to mention the names of our wonderful hosts, who were milled, grilled, and drilled by our kiddies over the New Year!!

Thanks to Sathya and Vaishnavi in London and Ashok and Kitty in Hull( not to forget Aaju, James, Nila, Dhanesh, Mukil and Dharshan)!!