WALES'S BEAUTIFUL CARDIFF

OCTOBER is pre-winter in the United Kingdom and so, was quiet an unpopular choice to be visiting the island nation in. Also, being a Lahori, choosing Wales to be having a winter vacations in added to the unpopularity of my preferences.

''It will be quite, dreary and melancholic,'' people told me. Even going by the weather reports for the  15 days I was to spend there, I figured the atmosphere would not entirely be all that  uplifting.

But I wasn't the one to revise my plans based on the assumptions and hearsay. I was to spend every single day in Cardiff, Wales, to its fullest; doing justice to every penny I spent in going there.

And so my trip began on Oct 29, 2018. It was a Monday and I took the 3am flight to Cardiff via Doha.

It was 11 am by the time I landed in Cardiff, Wales, but my energy was sunk and shrunk, and all I needed was to stretch my legs and catch up on at least six hours of sleep.

Immigration and customs was harder and gruelling but once outside the airport, the cool and chilly breeze with a light sun welcomes with open arms.

I got a taxi from the airport which cost me Pound 39 to get me to Lisvane. The drive gave views of beautiful parks, mountain ranges, small towns and lush greenery. I had arrived!

But my tiredness was getting to me and eyes were closing shut. After all, I had hopped three continents and time zones and relaxation was important in that case.

If I were to explore all the fantastical sites and learn about them, an active mind was important, so I dozed off in the room I was given by my Airbnb host and drifted off to sleep.

It was 7pm when I woke up. And the excitement to move out and see Cardiff was like an  itch. And so began my exploration  journey from there.

PIERHEAD BUILDING : I will advise everyone visiting Cardiff to see the Pierhead Building  during the daytime as its colour and unique shade is such that only the sunlight can do justice to it.

I on the other hand visited it at night but even then, the light winter moon's reflection glared on the historic site, making it a site to behold. I stood there frozen as before this, I had only seen it in films or read about it online.

The crowd was scant. There were some children playing right outside the space allotted for visitors and some women could be seen jogging around.

The red bricks and the humongous clock dome stood ahead like a rock. The Pierhead Building is a  Grade 1  listed building of the national Assembly for Wales in Cardiff Bay.

The honor and serving of the latest operational research on great countries and cities continues. The World Students Society thanks author Saira Agha.