Please excuse the mangled photo! My brother and I at Hyde Park, London, circa 2000.
This post has been written for the theme “26 Places, 26 Memories” for the #AtoZChallenge.
E FOR ENGLAND:
This diminutive country in the British Isles is best known for colonising a significant part of the modern world. The world, thus, adopted its language, customs and mores. Its bustling capital, London is a large melting pot of cultures; and its beautiful countryside has caught the imagination of many poets and writers. England has always been at the forefront of industry, arts, and business, and is one of the rare monarchies to survive the modern world.
I’ve visited England many times, even pursuing studies at the University of London. I’ve seen the regal University towns of Oxford and Cambridge; the picturesque villages and sandy beaches of Yorkshire; the castles of Windsor and Hampton Court; and the rich neighbourhood of the Ascot races. However, one memory really stands out.
EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS IN ENGLAND:
I first visited England in the summer of 2000, as a 12-year-old. Our group consisted of my maternal grandfather, my parents, my younger brother and I. After a week in London, we hired a dinky Renault hatchback, and followed the great British Atlas through the famed Lake District. We stopped at many villages and towns, spending the nights at local ‘BnB’ Inns (Bed & Breakfasts).
At one quaint place, my grandfather and my brother shared the double bed, while I occupied an extra bed in the same room. The space was well-lit and comfortable, with a typical Tudoresque floral décor. On the first night there, we slept off as soon as we hit the bed, tired from the days travels. My brother woke the next morning with his blanket thrown on the floor, which he didn’t remember discarding. We gave the incident no thought till the next morning, when I awoke with two blankets on me, my brother’s thrown in a pile over my own, all the way across the room in my bed. Neither of us knew how his blanket reached there, nor did we have any memory of waking in the night.
You can imagine how alarming this was to two children with overactive imaginations. We endlessly discussed the incident.
Could my brother have sleep-walked and put it on me?
Could he have discarded the blanket as he was too hot, and I have picked it up because I was too cold?
Could my grandfather have mistakenly thought I’d thrown my blanket off instead of my brother, and put it on me at night?
Or, could it have been some paranormal activity?!
Fortunately, we moved on to the next place before we could discover the answer. This extraordinary episode taught us that the wondrous sights and sounds of travel fade away, but the unique experiences we share with our loved ones stay on forever. My brother and I discuss this strange mystery till today, and of course I still blame him 😉
Come back tomorrow for the letter F and another story!
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A for Amritsar, B for Bhopal, C for Cambodia, D for Delhi
I was there for one year have seen most part of it. Good one!
Thank you 😊
I am sure it was your caring grand dad sacrificing his blanket 🙂 .
Haha! I might’ve believed that but my grandfather had his blanket on him in the morning, and my poor brother had nothing to cover him! If it was a ghost, they may not have liked my brother very much 😂😂
Poor kiddo 🤣🤣🤣
That’s some weird experience. I am sure thinking back it must be fun bit at that moment it must be strange and scary.
Yes of course it was! As children, we made it even stranger and more scary in our minds, than it actually was 😋
hehe
Paranormal and horror makes the best gossip sessions, always! Not something I should have read at night though 😀
Hahah! Yes that’s true.. i have another scary paranormal event coming up in this series.. Waiting for your reaction on that! It’s for the letter I- warning you so you don’t read it at night 😉
Interesting! What really happened? May be your grandad wanted your brother to get up early and go for a morning walk. He simply put a blanket over you as a note of affection. I am reconstructing after 19 years, like Sherlock Holmes.
Hahaa that’s a sweet one, and i’ll add your theory to the mix whenever we discuss this incident as a family 😋
Thank you.
Love the way you describe your memories 👌
Thanks Rashi! I’m so glad 🙂
Nice one! It’s my dream to visit England one day. Hope so even I can Sagar’s something like this then
Lovely! I think you love travelling. Now I am very excited to know, which will be the next one? Can I ask a question? What is the basic difference between Indian and foreign universities? Just for information.
Thanks Deepika! I thrive on travel!
Basic difference (not to offend anyone), is that foreign universities offer a more holistic education. Their interactive form of classes, extensive reading lists and focus on critical thinking really enhance the educational experience.
I’ve studied at one of the best college’s in Delhi. My experience here was more about sleeping in lectures at the back of the class, studying from guide books and photocopied notes of seniors 😂
I don’t remember much from my course in Delhi, but I do remember most of what I learnt during my Master’s in London.
Thanks for the reply, Noor! The holistic approach should be applied here also.💝
Yes it really should!
I would say it was Casper the friendly ghost who visited you’ll as you’ll were sleeping, and made his presence felt with the blanket game:)
Haha! I used to tease my brother that the ghost didn’t like him, but loved me and needed to give me extra protection with the two blankets 😂😂
Mystery of the Fallen Blanket…. Fun read again Noor. I love travelling too and believe this is the best way to create memories to cherish.
Yes indeed it is 🙂
great story of siblings, I am planning a visit this oct.
Thank you! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it 🙂
Great
Fabulous
Thank you for appreciating:)
I dont think it was a paranormal activity, if it was then the spirit would like to throw the human beings…just kidding, anyway, it was really interesting to go through your experience.
Haha perhaps it was a friendly ghost 😉
Loved how you contained these strange happenings!:)
Thank you for appreciating 🙂
Haha another interesting anecdote Noor. Loving your posts.
Thanks Vartika! I’m so glad you’re enjoying them 🙂
Loved the twist of the memoir in the end buddy. Every post has that uniqueness
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
I really enjoyed reading this, great little anecdote. It’s interesting to think that were it to happen as adults, it would’ve been quickly forgotten.
Yes you’re right! As children, it caught our imagination. As adults, we would’ve put it down to too much booze at dinner 😂
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
this reminds me of one episode of HIMYM with pineapple. it doesnt matter how that happen, what matter is the way you tell the story. really amazing.
Thank for appreciating it Pinakin! I remember the pineapple episode 🙂
Liked the way you are sharing your memories one by one..
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for appreciating:)
This was such a delightful read. A beautiful trip down memory line with a curiosity quotient that stays unanswered even today.
Thanks for appreciating Sonia 🙂
woow loved the post!!
Thank you 😊
The wondrous sights and sounds of travel fade away, but the unique experiences we share with our loved ones stay on forever. – This is my favourite line from your post. Good to read about your experience in England.
Thanks for appreciating it Deepa 🙂
England is on my travel list. Hey, what if your brother was planning a prank on you? Did he ever share anything? 😀
Hahahah! No I don’t think so.. if it was a prank, he would’ve admitted it by now!
This series is building up beautifully Noor. Loving each chapter of your life along with your memories of these travel trails.
Thank you Dipika! Glad you’re enjoying it 🙂
Did you try going back there, just for curiosity sake? I am loving your series, Noor.
I don’t even remember the name of the place 😋
I’m glad you’re enjoying it 🙂
Oh my Noor, the mystery still unresolved..haha.
Guess, you must be feeling cold and pulled your brothers blanket 😉
Enjoying your series and your memories attached to it.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it 🙂
Thank you!
Thats a great post. You penned down the memories beautifully. I think in U.K. many have such experience 🙈 my hubby once went to UK for a month all official trip and he had same experience at a the place he lived.
Oh no! That’s so creepy! 😳
I loved this slice of life story from the memory lane. It is a very well written article. And yes, sometimes the most flawed photographs are the best.
Thank you for appreciating 🙂
England is on my bucket list of places to visit, but it was nice to read a memory of England from decades ago. 🙂 Traveling to places covering the alphabet must have been interesting. Will stop by again to see where else your virtual tour takes the readers.
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Indeed strange happenings in England! England is a place with so much of history and somehow the happenings that you have talked about seems so appropriate. Though not been to England have been passionate about reading English literature and somehow this seems straight from an English classic!
Thank you for appreciating it 🙂
Ah, the little stories that make a sibling bond stronger! Is it possible that your grandfather played a prank on you two and enjoyed seeing you both weave your imaginative stories around it? 😉
Hahaha! How I wish he was here so I could ask him 😊
personally never went to England but yes saw many movies shoy in England and its one of the happening place in world
Yes it is 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Brilliant post, cannot wait to read your posts next week. Yet to visit England and make beautiful memories.
What an Interesting incident. It was referringr to read an excerpt from someone’s life, usually blogs are about events or products or trips.
I really enjoyed reading
Thank you so much for appreciating! This whole month I’m writing about incidents that took place through my travels. I hope you’ll come back to read more 🙂
it sounds a spooky one but the best thing you got two blankets..:)
Hahaa that’s one way to look at it!
Memories are always sweet and remarkable. I loved the way you described it. I never been to England but may be one day I too want to witness this 🙂
You must visit England some time! It’s lovely!
Childhood stories are always mesmerising and I too one of them thinking about the ghost.
I am planning to go in December. And definitely will not forget about ur story.
England is lovely!
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Such a lovely memory! I love the mystery behind the thrown blanket. And you still blame your brother for it! What does he has to say about it? Loved reading the anecdote from your childhood.
Thank you so much for appreciating:)
He doesn’t mind- it’s part of our usual sibling banter!
Childhood travel memories are to be cherished forever.
Oh yes! Thanks for stopping by!
England is a beautiful place… I have never been there, but have always heard good things about it! Btw, your blanket experience is really interesting! 😛
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
England is known for its ghost stories but after reading your post I assume it’s your grand dad.You all look so nice in all the pictures.
👌🏻👌🏻
Glad you liked it! If you would like to read more of my stories similar to this, please do download my ebook “Tales From My Travel Treasury: An Alliterative Anthology”. Here’s the link: https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/noor-anand-chawlas-tales-from-my-travel-treasury-an-alliterative-anthology/