Everyone kept telling me how lucky I was to be staying in a location which is two minutes from the Westminster Bridge, and how I should not miss the fireworks at the Thames on New Year.

My husband, Subodh, had joined me here in London for New Year’s. I can see part of London Eye from the window of my room and was wondering if we ought to stay back and see the fireworks from there, instead of freezing outside. We finally decided it would be foolish to miss the celebrations.  

Since the morning I had seen signs being put up, the road being blocked for traffic and lots of policemen in their fluorescent jackets buzzing around. And then I could see rows of green booths being lined up at the sidewalk. Lots of men and trucks coming and going all morning.

When we walked out around 9.30 pm, as we were told there wouldn’t be any place to stand later, the crowds were just coming in. It was drizzling and it made the cold worse. And then I saw multiple long queues of men and women lining up. I was wondering what it was all about, when I realized that those green booths were temporary toilets and those folks just needed to go to the loo! With all that booze inside them and the weather not helping either, that was one necessary arrangement the civic departments had to ensure more than security!

We found a place on Westminster bridge to sit down. There were people from lots of countries and we could hear a Babel of tongues. One common factor was that they had all brought their favourite bottles of alcohol- I guess it kept them warm! We found people littering the place with their bags from McDonald’s and bottles of beer.

It was boring and cold– inspite of so many people around, there was no feeling of camaraderie. It was an abominable long wait. And no entertainment either.

And when finally at midnight, the fireworks happened, they were spectacular. Colourful, synchronized, and theatrical. The London Eye was used effectively and the reflection on the Thames was pretty.

But it was over in less than fifteen minutes, and I was hugely disappointed. Not so much with the fireworks, but with the people. Had this been India, I am sure each stranger would have wished every other a Happy New Year. Here, inspite of the Big Ben ringing out its dozen loud chimes, people didn’t have enough warmth to share with people other than their girlfriends and boyfriends!

A damp squib indeed! 

PS: But what is admirable is that by the time we got up the next morning at 7 am, the authorities had ensured that the entire place was spic and span– litter, toilets all had magically disappeared! This is something we could learn in India please.