22nd of September 2000 (Part II)

We're finally in Europe! Our plane is flying over Vienna now. Soon we'll be flying over Frankfurt! Finally! At last! Not too long now.

It is terribly cold outside, but the sky is beautiful! I had drawn the pane down earlier so I could sleep (and drool), but when I opened it, I was struck by its beauty! We're flying over the clouds and looking out the window, it resembles Iceland (I've never been there before, but I think this must be what it looks like). The clouds look like snow on the ground and it is so level and so dense, you'd believe you could walk on it! Little ice crystals have formed on my window pane. They remind me of snowflakes during Christmas. Beautiful! If poets of old could fly around in an airplane, this would be sometihng they'd write about!

3pm [UK] ; 10pm [Singapore]

There's daylight saving time. I'm 7hours behind Singapore, not 8. I'm also FINALLY at my destination! Leeds! I had stopped in London Heathrow Airport earlier, but had no time to write. There was the whole customs business. The customs officer asked to see my letter of acceptance from Leeds Uni, and an assortment of other documents. There was also a lady health officer who looked at my medical report. It took a long time and I felt I was holding up the queue. There were only 2 customs officers there though. Had to wait AGAIN at the waiting are before boarding the British Midlands flight to Leeds. There was a cafe and a bookstore there. They also had some video game machines in the larger waiting areas. I found something I had not expected to see while browsing in the bookstore. You'll never guess! I saw a row of raunchy magazines on the topmost magazine shelf! You don't see that in our respectable Changi Airport!

The flight to Leeds took only 40mins and I had a lovely view of Britain. The plane, a small one that had a maximum capacity of 117, flew low and I could see the farmlands and forests and low-rise buildings dotting the land. Farm animals grazing were also visible from my window as we were landing.
[View from plane]

Ah! I have not mentioned the airplane food! Altogether, the food was okay. I had a lot to eat. I had breakfast TWICE, courtesy of Royal Brunei Airlines. Buns, sandwiches, stir-fried beef with steamed rice, etc. Really not bad on the whole, although I feel I should have eaten less!

[Leeds-Bradford International Airport]
Everyone was telling me how dreary and cold London would be, but surprisingly, it was hot! 18°C, though I felt it was alot hotter, very much like Singapore, but less humid I think. I started to wonder when I would need to wear my lovely purple Mango jacket!

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