Reading Time: 3 minutes
Is it possible that real life experiences replicate the ones that fictional heroes had in books? Soumya, relives some such moments, during a recent trip to England. Read more in the weekly column, exclusively for Different Truths.
I too, like many of you, re-read Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat whenever I want to destress. You, no doubt, fondly remember the scenes where they stop over at riverside pubs and your ROFL moments when they are lost in the Hampton Court Maze.
Recently, during a trip to England, I was driving with a friend through the very picturesque Surrey
I found out that Hampton Court was nearby and imaging that this may be the same inn where our heroes camped before visiting the Court and immediately made plans for reliving their adventures including trying out the famous Maze.
That night, I stayed over at a charming cottage with my friend and woke next morning to a lovely sight; the lawn covered in white and a flurry of snowflakes coming down. But what looked so pretty from inside the heated cottage turned out to be a freezing nightmare outside. However, that did n
Hampton Court was everything I dreamt it would be, and the audio guide which dramatises the experience brought alive the colourful bloody episodes of English history you may be familiar with through such books, films and TV serials like Wolfe Hall, The Other Boleyn Girl, Tudors, etc. Despite the wonderful interactive display, my heart remained in the Maze. So braving the howling winds and flurry of snow, I trudged across the lawns and gardens to the famous Maze.
It looks quite innocuous and I bravely ventured in, slightly disappointed that I won’t relive the Three Men’s experiences.
Finally, help arrived just as it did in the book. Some kids playing hide and seek in the Maze led us out from the entrance with much merriment. Only half an hour had passed and we laughed with relief once outside realising the uncanny resemblance our adventure had with that of the Three Men in the Boat.
©Soumya Mukherjee
Photos from the Internet
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