I've been to London and am now living in Clarence Dock! So much has happened in just 3 days! I had better start from the beginning......

Saturday 30/9 - I went for the Singapore Society (Singsoc) lunch thingy at Justin's (a Singaporean senior) house along Winfield Terrace (really near the Uni). The food was not bad, tho' not typical Singaporean cuisine (what could we expect from student cooks?) Lots of people turned up. I never expected there to be SO many of us here. There wasn't enough space in the 1st floor of the house (there were 3 floors), so many stood outside to chat and mingle. I even saw some kids there (wonder whose??) and even a couple of non-Singaporeans. Anyhow, I got to know my fellow Singaporean Law students - a total of 4 (excluding myself). There's Celine, Daniel, Alvin and ..erm.. I don't know how to spell his name.. Jaysu? Indian fella. I also met up with the other Singsoc people whom I've already met at the BBQ held prior to our departure for Leeds. Of course, I also made friends with some of the other people present (too many to have known ALL). It was basically a meet and eat session. Rather fun.

In the afternoon, my mum came to pick me up at the house. It was here that we met Celine's mum and we all decided to go to London together (Celine & her mum had the same idea as my mum & I... both our mums are left-handed while Celine & I aren't.. funny coincidence eh? Anyhow...) So off we all went to the coach station hoping to catch the 3pm bus (it takes 4 hours by coach to London) but we were a bit late and the British were punctual, so we had to wait for the 6pm one.

[Soho at night. More people now than in the day I think!]

Meanwhile, we walked about the Kirkgate Market (interesting place. Sells things cheap.), our mothers yakking and Celine & I making faces and exchanging knowing looks when our mums said funny things about us (we know better!). Well, the coach finally came and we were off. It was a horrible ride. I developed a slight headache and neck pain from turning my head towards the window during the ride. I had only my thoughts to amuse me when it got dark. Before that could still enjoy the scenery and yell "Horsies!" when I came across any grazing (by the way, I want a horse!).

[Bad pic of Westminster Abbey]

At about 10plus we got to London. London! The place with the famous bridge, famous streets and the famous royals! I thought since it was late we'd just head straight for the hotel, but no.. we were to visit Soho at night! It was an unforgettable experience! There were people dressed to the nines, strolling about or queuing to get into places. The atmosphere was electrifying! People were talking to us like we were their friends (they were drunk people methinks). I saw a bar with a long queue too. Nothing surprising. I think it was called "West Bar". But there were mainly men in the queue. ALL men actually. And then I saw this guy (through the window of course) gyrating on a platform. It occurred to me that it was a gay bar. Bot that I'm against it or anything. It was just interesting. Not something you'd see in Singapore. Very liberal place here. Mohammed Sultan Road is nothing compared to Soho at night! Of course we didn't join the crowd (we weren't dressed for it.. you can wear really outrageous things and look normal there. Some wear super skimpy clothes too. I wonder how the take the cold. We were of course all bundled up in our sweaters and jackets. Looked very out of place).

We went to have the mose expensive Chinese meal I've ever eaten. It's not that we had really good, superior quality shark's fins and abalone or gold dusted scallops. It was just fried beehoon, spicy black bean and bean curd (I think) and other simple dishes, but it came up to *cough* £40!! Sheesh... £1.50 for rice! And not a big pot either! Lotsa Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. All open past 12 midnight apparently. We were having our dinner at 12. After dinner we kind of lost our way to the hotel, but we finally got there. (though not after practically freezing to death! I thought my fingers were going to fall off!)

In the morning, we took bus type city tour. It's an interesting service. A bus will take you to over 50 places in Central London (all the sights) and you can get off at any of the 50 stops, take all the pictures and time you want, then wait for the next bus (one comes every 10mins) and continue the tour. I got to see lots! I love Westminster Abbey! It's beautiful! But it was closed! ARGH! (I'm going there again I tell you.)

[Tower of London I think.. heh]

And we saw tons of other stuff like the changing of the guards at the Buckingham Palace (The furry black bear fur hats the guards wear come long or round! Plus the buttons symbolise the regiments they come from. I remember that if the buttons are placed 3 down, then a space, and 3 again, it's the Scots guards.) I remember I was looking for a bin to throw a cup after I'd finish drinking my hot chocolate, but there wasn't one in the Palace grounds because I was told they were afraid of bombs. Anyhow, the palace gardens are AMAZING! Walt Disney got his inspiration for the castle in Cinderella here. I saw what he saw and I was in awe! I also saw the descendents of the pelicans given to Charles the I by the king of Spain then. Funny how I first thought those birds were just smart enough to find such a nice home.

[Scots guard]

We next went to Portobello market. There were lots of 2nd hand stuff. But I didn't buy anything. Shopping was next on our itinery, so we went to Regent St. and Oxford St. Of course, we took the London Pride open-top tour bus again. We sat upstairs and the cold wind blew so hard I was practically frozen in my seat, but it was worth it. We had to catch the 6pm coach back to Leeds so we rushed to the station after shopping just in time! Apparently Arsenal was playing against Manchester United that day at 4pm (information courtesy of my dearest). A guy wearing the Arsenal jersey got onto the coach we were on, so I asked him for the score. 1-0! Way to go, gunners! Anyhow, the ride (4 hours AGAIN. I'm bring my MD player wherever I go now.) was the same. Tiring. But I managed to sleep abit (because I took both the seats and propped my feet up too). Caught a cab back home from the Leeds coach sttion and ZZzzzz.... Today, I went for my first Law lecture. It was on Contract law. I have 4 subjects this semester. Contract law, constitutional law, tort law and the english legal system. I found out my contract law lecturer is an arsenal supporter. He's a really funny guy.

I went to the accomodation office after my hour long lecture and they said they had a room and asked if I'd like to view it, so my mum (I met her there) and I went down to Clarence Doc, but no one was in the office, so we just walked around the block which we were told the room would be in, and went back to the Uni for lunch at the Refectory. It was after this that I convinced my mum that we needn't see the inside of the flat, and that I couldn't wait anymore so we moved (tedious, I tell you! Packed most of our stuff into a cab, but there's still more. We'll go back for them tomorrow) to Clarence Dock. It's a very nice room! Slightly bigger than my previous one, and a lot more comfy. Newer too. Faces the inside of the compound and the furniture is all in place. There's a shower head and a plastic cubicle-type shower. No more stupid shower curtain. I'm happy here. The block next to mine is the ocnvenient store. Heh. And I can wash my clothes anytime in the day or night. It's open 24 hours!

Well, I'd better go do some studying. My boyfriend would be so proud of me!

P/S: I just played 7 credits worth of Street Fighter Vs. Marvel in the Clarence Dock bar and I got to the last "boss" (not that I got to beat him)! Ha! I'm good okay, Clarence!

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