London- A dream came true

Since I was a kid, I loved the Victoria era in the movies. I loved to see London streets in the fictional world. I loved the characters who lived in this city.

I had always been a dreamer. I daydreamed about going abroad and meeting new people. I daydreamed about being alone in a new city. But I never prayed for it to come true. Maybe I didn’t believe that it can actually happen.

But it did come true. I visited London to attend the screening of my short film as a filmmaker. It was just a 6-day trip. But every moment spent there was magical. When I was about to be landed in London & looked out from the window of the airplane & saw the clouds, within the cloud, I could see the London city beneath me. I couldn’t believe that a city could look this beautiful from afar.

Within a few minutes, I got comfortable. I could walk the street without any worry. I understood the train system quickly. It felt so strange to be so adaptable on a new continent. I was many miles away from my home country but I didn’t even realise it there. It felt like that I belonged.

I was living my dream there. My childhood dream. The time passed so fast there. Every day it was my own decision. There, I was living every second for me. Just for me. I was visiting places which I saw in movies. The places which I saw on Instagram & never thought that I would be able to photograph it myself.

I was living a different life there just for six days. The time zone was changed. My mobile sim was changed. The weather was different. Maybe I was different too. I didn’t know that I had this much courage in me to be alone like this & do everything on my own. I always wanted to go on a solo trip but I was afraid that what if I wouldn’t enjoy it without the close people of my life. But I did.

Sometimes I would just walk & I never knew that walking alone can be so magical. I would put on earphones and look at the places around me. Sometimes, the streets were so beautiful that I didn’t want to leave.

I attended my screening event & it was such a short event. It ended so quickly & I didn’t feel much emotion there. It was strange. The main purpose was to attend the screening but I was more excited about visiting London than attending the festival. Maybe it was wrong or maybe the dream that I had for so many years was more powerful than anything when I was witnessing it coming true.

The most emotional day was the last one. I lived every minute of that day. It was so peaceful. I looked around the cafe where I was eating & knew that this is the last time I am seeing something like this. I walked the street & felt that this is the last time I am looking at these beautiful streets.

I visited the markets to get some souvenirs for myself. I loved every item which had something related to London. The telephone booth, the underground tube sign & the landmarks. I wanted to take so many of them with me. What surprised me the most is that I even loved the British flag too. It was funny right to love another’s country flag? It’s strange that within a few days, I started to love the city. The city filled with its non-living landmarks & streets. But for me, everything in the city was alive. If it wasn’t that how could I love it like that?

I was getting late for the flight. I had to take a train. But the street I was in, looked so beautiful. It was raining. In that moment, I wished I could get a few more minutes here. Just to look at this view. Just to breathe in this street one last time. But I was getting late so I had to go. This was the only moment that I wished that could have lasted longer. I didn’t wish for another day there but just a few more minutes in that street.

When I used my oyster card (the travel card used in London) for transportation on the last station, I felt so emotional, knowing that it was the last time I am using it.

At the airport, I looked at my analog watch. It made me so emotional cause I changed the local time from my home country to this city. Now, I was gonna go back to my old life, changing it again back to it. The same goes for my sim.

On the airplane, I cried, looking at the city. It wasn’t the tears of sadness. It was the tears of knowing that I lived such a beautiful week here which I only dreamed of for many years since childhood. I was crying knowing that I was this blessed enough to see my dream come true.

Some people told me that someday that I might come back again in the future. The host of the Airbnb said that to me. My best friend said that the same thing. It made me so emotional to hear that. But I lived every moment there as it was my last. I know God can do wonders for me. But I lived my last day there as exactly it was.

Since I am back, It feels so strange. I wonder if something like this would happen again. Everyone & everything around me is the same. My old life is back. But something in me has changed. Sometimes I don’t know how to deal with it. Now I have stopped talking about London with people around me. I don’t want to exhaust them with it. But the truth is I am not over it. I am still thinking about it. I have not been able to delete the citymapper app & other apps which I downloaded for London visit. I am unable to delete the unnecessary photos I took there.

I don’t know what’s written in the future for me. Truth is I am daring to dream. I am hoping that something like this will happen again. I am hoping that God would surprise me again.