A Weekend in London for a spontaneous Conference

The year 2005 started quietly for us in Vrindavan. People had been coming and going and now, with my leg getting better every day, I was happy that my travelling plans were also getting more and more concrete. With my contacts in Dublin I had been planning a big program for the summer, which we had already talked about the year before. We were writing mails back and forth and sometimes talking on phone but my friend suggested having a meeting, if in any way possible. I said we will make it possible and started planning.

I had not decided yet whether I should really start travelling at the beginning of the year because I wanted to be in Vrindavan for Holi, which would be in March. I generally preferred spending the summer in Europe, when it was just too hot in India. But now a plan took shape in my mind and I started arranging for it: I would just make a short trip to Europe and have a conference there with people who were involved and could give advice or help with the Dublin program.

The organizers of the program contacted some people and I did, too. I called my Danish friend, the writer, as well as my German friend, the doctor, and asked them to join the planning and to meet. I loved the spontaneous reactions: they were happy and immediately ready to make further plans. The suggestion was: we should meet in London! In this way they could do some sightseeing, we could have our meeting and it was for everyone somehow in the middle – except for me of course. I liked the idea though because I had friends in London, too, whom I wanted to inform.

When I told my Indian friends that I would come to London, they were happy and wanted me to give a lecture there, too. That really confirmed my plans then to go and have this meeting in London. It was great, something would get done and I would get to meet many friends and introduce them to each other.

So I started on Friday from India, arriving in London on Saturday morning and checking into a hotel downtown. It was the first time that I stayed in a hotel in London but the purpose was to have a meeting there, so staying in the suburbs would just not do it! I checked in, rested some time and then went for my lecture with the Indian community. When I was done, I knew my friends had arrived in town, too, and was looking forward to our meeting.

It was a wonderful international meeting with lots of friendly people who were all just happy to make plans and have a good time together. My Danish friend had brought his girlfriend with whom he had just visited us in India and my German friend had brought his son. One of my good Indian friends from London had joined us as well as of course my Irish friend who was the one to organize the program. A singer who would perform in the program had come and some further friends who wanted to participate.

We all went for dinner together, made plans, laughed, enjoyed and then parted in the night. I had breakfast with my friend, the doctor, and then everybody took their flights back to their countries.

It was the only time until today that I did a weekend visit to Europe but it is true, I really had a wonderful time and it had been well worth it!