Finally, finally, after so many years of dreaming, it was happening. There are so many ways I had imagined this moment, and now that it was finally here, it somehow seemed unreal.
The drive down to the airport with my parents itself was bittersweet, as I was drinking in the sight of the place that I would not see for a whole year, which would always be home.
Even after we got on to the flight, it still seemed as though we were off to just another holiday, not the place where I would be spending at least a year of my life.
When we arrived at Glasgow airport, we were too tired to really look around and appreciate a new place. All that changed when we got our first look at the city. After hot and dusty India, we saw a clean place, with lots of green around. The buildings and houses themselves seemed to have grown up with nature, with no shiny glass or concrete to jar the effect. It seemed to say, " Welcome! Make yourself comfortable."
The first two days were spent in exploring Glasgow, discovering places to shop, to eat, just walking around. The place more than lived up to its original promise. The roads were wide and dust free, with an abundance of trees and flowers. It was like all the colors had suddenly come into sharper focus, into higher definition, as it were. The people were delightful, easy-going and friendly. The best part about Glasgow was that, most people travel on foot, and because the air is pure, and the roads good, this was more a pleasure than anything else.
We also explored other places in Scotland; Edinburgh, with its old-world and historical charm, and Fort William, with its stark rugged mountains and wide lake. Each place had its own character, its own sort of enchantment. We had our first visit into a real Scottish Castle (one major item off my bucket list), had meals at roadside cafes and watched the world go by.
It was the sort of life I had always read about in books, but never really imagined I would experience. The delight of finding small, unexpected gardens of flowers, of walking in the woods.. It was like I was in my own version of an English novel, something I never wanted to get out of.
Then, came the all important week.. The week I finally started university life.
The first two days were spent in exploring Glasgow, discovering places to shop, to eat, just walking around. The place more than lived up to its original promise. The roads were wide and dust free, with an abundance of trees and flowers. It was like all the colors had suddenly come into sharper focus, into higher definition, as it were. The people were delightful, easy-going and friendly. The best part about Glasgow was that, most people travel on foot, and because the air is pure, and the roads good, this was more a pleasure than anything else.
We also explored other places in Scotland; Edinburgh, with its old-world and historical charm, and Fort William, with its stark rugged mountains and wide lake. Each place had its own character, its own sort of enchantment. We had our first visit into a real Scottish Castle (one major item off my bucket list), had meals at roadside cafes and watched the world go by.
It was the sort of life I had always read about in books, but never really imagined I would experience. The delight of finding small, unexpected gardens of flowers, of walking in the woods.. It was like I was in my own version of an English novel, something I never wanted to get out of.
Then, came the all important week.. The week I finally started university life.
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