There is nothing quite like
arriving in a city on the other side of the world, by yourself. Much to the embarrassment
my mother was putting me through at the airport, I was eventually allowed to
board a plane and leave on my first ever trip abroad. I was only 18 and had
been convinced by my older “smarter and wiser” cousin that I just had to come
to London after high school. It did not take much to convince me. All the talk
of pubs, clubs and shopping was all I needed to hear. I saved every penny. So
once I was finally free from the clutches of my parents, I was gone!
I have to admit I was scared. I
was alone on a plane for what seemed like days. Once I reached Heathrow this is
when it truly sunk in that I was on the other side of the world! I have never
felt such a thrill of excitement before! I could do whatever I wanted now. All
of the things I had been planning were now going to become a reality.
First thing first though, I
needed to find my cousin so I could start to settle in what would be my new
life for the rest of the year. Once he found me at the airport he took me back
to the house I was going to stay in. In my dreams I thought I was going to stay
in Buckingham Palace but no, this place was a hole. No, worse than a hole. It
was a dirty run down share house that smelt like cigarettes, beer and other
unidentifiable smells that made you think about the colour brown. The only thing that made up for the horrors
that this house had to offer was my new roomies; two boys, one girl and of course
my cousin. They were all London locals and so they knew the city quite well. They
really took me under their wings as I was the youngest of the group.
Well, I wouldn’t really say they
looked after me. Of course they made sure that I never wandered off and became
lost or that no harm came to little ole me. But they certainly encouraged me to
come out of my shell. On my first night in London, they took me out for my
first experience of London nightlife. As you can imagine, the combination of
jet lag and copious amounts of alcohol meant I didn’t last long at all. In
fact, for at least a week until I settled in, most nights ended like this. My
new family had taken me to all of their favourite clubs and bars. As I had just
turned 18, I had never experienced anything like it. And I still haven’t!
Nothing back home can compare to the types of places that they have there. For
me it was a celebration of my new found freedom and a mark of my independence.
When you’re enjoying yourself, it
is strange how quickly time seems to escape you. What I regret most about my
time in London, is that I didn’t get to experience and see all that this
beautiful country had to offer. During the day time at least that is. Whilst I
was busy drinking and being merry, I lost my chance to see London’s art
galleries and travel more widely around the country. I don’t think I wasted my
opportunity completely, but as I’ve become older I realise that there is more
to appreciate with travelling. My motives have now changed. It is no longer
about going somewhere to party every night and leave with a headache. I want to
appreciate and experience unique cultures, dine of exotic cuisines and learn a
foreign language.
I came back completely different. I was no
longer a shy timid youngster. I found myself over there. It definitely was an
experience that will stay with me. Most nights are a just a hazy memory, but
it’s not those nights that are important. Experiencing new places and meeting
people who you develop bonds with that will last a life time is what makes a
journey like this worth the while. Traveling by yourself is an eye opener. I’m
glad I had people there who I could count on, to watch over me and to make sure
my mischief was managed.
