The Gorgeous Isle of Wight

I keep coming back to the year 2013 because it was the year I shed apprehensions and decided to travel as much as possible with a full time job. There has been no stopping since then, but I have not been able to document all the stories of 2013 yet. The inspiration to pen them all came from the fear of forgetting the wonderful places I had visited that year.  The gorgeous Dorset made me fall in love with the Atlantic and I kept re-discovering the ocean every few days. On a visit to the beautiful Isle of Wight, I realised that it’s not just another bout of love but something real. The Atlantic has been really special to me and I intend to go back someday to declare my love, yet again.

Back in August 2013, it was a couple of months since I landed in the UK and I was almost settled with the new environment. I wasn’t missing India much, except for the times I had to do the dishes or cook. Weekends were spent wandering around London or exploring new destinations. One such weekend, we visited the Isle of Wight and this was a trip to remember. Many firsts happened on that trip, including my first time on a real cruise. I call it a real cruise because this wasn’t a joyride on a river but we had to sail through ocean to reach the island. It all began with a road trip to Southampton, from where we had to board the ferry.

We had booked with Red Funnel and they had given us a good deal for two cars and ten people on board. It was really interesting to see how so many cars could fit inside. We had an amazing time at the deck, watching the blues all around. It was way too windy to stand, but that didn’t change our decision to stay at the deck and enjoy the amazing views this journey had to offer.

But, as unpredictable as English weather is, we had to rush back in because it started raining. We had an amazing English breakfast while inside and those who were starving for their morning coffee finally got one. We kept praying for the rain to stop or else the trip would go down the drain.

It turned out that there are Rain Gods at England too, and they answered our prayers. It wasn’t sunny but the rain had stopped when we reached Cowes, Isle of Wight. The cruise experience was amazing and I already longed to be back and sit by myself near a window and adore the sea. But what greeted me outside was astonishing too! Have a look! 🙂 A road along the sea and I made sure I am by the window which faced the sea. We stopped a few times to admire how pretty and organised it all was!

Our first stop was the Needles and it was no less than a breathtaking beauty. We decided to walk downhill to reach, instead of taking a cable car which was also available. I stood there in awe, admiring the vast ocean and sky, the boundary between the two of them becoming invisible. It was so gorgeous that I could have stared at it till eternity. It was a pebble beach, one with huge waves and the Atlantic seemed to be at it’s mighty best. There was a pier as well, and I stepped on it for a panoramic view.

While we were at Needles, we decided to take another ride into the ocean and this time with a fast boat. This one remains one of the most memorable experiences I have had in the UK, or anywhere else for that matter. I have always loved the sea but this one made the mountain-people love the sea too! Our driver was a localite and before we began we had a little chit-chat with him. He promised us a ride of a lifetime and he wasn’t bluffing. We got on that motor-boat, put our jackets on and were literally flying over the ocean, riding the waves, jumping from one to the other. I can’t possibly put in words how exciting this was. There was water splashing on all of us in huge amounts, the chill of the cold breeze, and the rush of the speed, all rolled into one. It was like riding a roller coaster in the ocean and we just couldn’t shut up. Some were screaming in excitement and some in fear. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and tried this kind of ride again and again, wherever possible, but the one at Isle of Wight was the best of the lot and none of the subsequent ones could match that thrill. The picture is taken just before it began, and I have a reputation of not shying away in expressing excitement!

We were lucky that the sun came up when we were back to the shore and our clothes kind of dried soon. We decided to go back up-hill and did a little hiking to reach an astronaut museum which hosted many a models of various rockets and satellites. I found the walk to the museum more amusing than the museum itself, as nature entices me more than anything else.

It was one of the most picturesque walks I have ever done and I still remember every mile I walked, every turn I took. Our destination was interesting to some but it didn’t even interest me enough to click pictures. I just wanted to come outside again and bask in the eternal glory of nature. It was time to hit a beach and we headed to Ryde Beach to spend the rest of the day. Here, the water was calm and waves were inviting. I don’t have many pictures because I decided to leave the camera alone and head for a dip.

Isle of Wight gave me wonderful memories to cherish, some friendships to keep and a lot of pictures to bring back home. And a fridge magnet for the keeps, I never come back home without one!