Weekend @ Eastbourne

I found myself immersed in configuring data and referencing data for the global rollout phase requirements when Sethu and Sudarshan (Sud Gopal) approached me at my desk.

Sethu: Sashi, do you drive? Me: Absolutely, and I love it. What's on your mind? Sethu: How about driving to the countryside this weekend? Me: I'm not sure if I can use my Indian license here. Sud Gopal: Yes, you can for the first 12 months. That's what I've heard from others. Me: Let me check that online, and we can decide. Sud Gopal: Meanwhile, I'll look into car rentals.

In the next few minutes, I frantically searched online to determine if I could indeed drive for the initial 12-month period. Despite numerous discussion forums and FAQs, I couldn't find a conclusive answer until I stumbled upon the DVLA website. Their response, received two days later, was somewhat ambiguous, but one line lifted my spirits:

"As a resident, provided your full license remains valid, you may drive any category of small vehicle shown on your license for up to 12 months from the time you become a resident."

In just the third month, I was eager to hit the road again. The excitement of driving, tinged with anxiety about driving in a foreign land, was invigorating. Thankfully, driving on the left side, similar to India, brought some comfort.

The following days were spent planning various activities for the trip. The tour party consisted of Sethu, Sud Gopal, and myself by default. However, work-related challenges affected Nagendran's availability, renamed NASa Nags after this trip, and the Vijay fan-hero Vignesh was uncertain. After deliberation, the "famous" five was finalized, with NASa Nags and hero Vignesh making the cut.

Sud Gopal handled the car booking, including a co-driver (yours truly) and insurance, while I took charge of planning the itinerary. After extensive Google search and consulting the National Trust website, I settled on Eastbourne and charted a detailed trip map, which included Tilgate Park, Arlington Reservoir, Cuckmere Valley, and Eastbourne.

However, expert advice prompted a change in plans. We skipped Tilgate, drove straight to Cuckmere Valley, then Cuckmere Haven, and closed the day at Eastbourne. On Sunday, we planned to visit Beachy Head near Eastbourne.

The unpredictable UK weather threatened the trip as a sunny forecast turned to heavy showers mid-week. After deliberation, we decided to proceed with the trip.

Friday night involved extensive shopping at ASDA for provisions, booking rooms at The Big Sleep hotel facing the sea-shore, picking up the car from Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, and parking it at Vignesh's place before heading to Croydon.

We left Crawley by 9 am on Saturday, driving the Vauxhall Meriva 1.6 Petrol. After a smooth drive on A23 towards A27 and a stop at Cuckmere Valley, we noticed the windy conditions and decided to head directly to Eastbourne, postponing the South Downs Walk to Sunday.

The weekend involved exploring Eastbourne, trying our hand at gambling in a small casino, and a lively night at Duke of Devonshire with drinks and dinner. Nags earned the moniker NASa Nagendran during the party.

Day 2 started with a hearty English breakfast, check-out, and a drive to Beachy Head, Berling Gap, and Seven Sisters Park. We hired a bicycle to ride down to Cuckmere Haven instead of inside the park. The weekend ended with a long drive back to Crawley, followed by pizzas, pastas, and garlic bread before heading home, to Croydon.

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