I was exhausted by now, 7 hours flight from KLCC to Dubai, then 4 hours transit wait in Dubai Airport and being alone doesn’t help, then another 7 hours flight from Dubai to London.
First thing of all, I must find a way to activate this UK SIM card so I can call my friend, so I put it into my phone. Looking around and I saw a shop in the airport and I asked the storekeeper, “Can I top up here? And how do I activate this SIM card?”
GrrRingggg….
That’s when my phone rang right after I asked that question, my friend in London just called me. I don’t even have to activate it, just put in the SIM card and I’m on my way to use the phone. So I pay the storekeeper my first £10 and I got a voucher for the top up.
The next task, go to the tube station and learn how to get to my destination, London Stratford. Looking around, the station looks so old but well maintained, the tiles floor look exactly like my house’s tiles floor design???
Blurrr.. then I took out my phone and made my first call,
“Hey Leo, I’m already in the tube station, how do I get to your place now?”
After he guided me, I bought this London transport card call the “Oyster Card”, you must have this if you are here for cheaper rate, just like Singapore’s EzLink card and Malaysia’s TnG.
Dragging a 30kg roller bag and a sling bag of 7kg and a big plastic bag, I brave thru the train for a seat with my huge bag blocking the way. I was too tired but I still manage to take a glimpse of surrounding, now I feel like a foreigner for the first time.
As the train moved, the outside scenery wasn’t really nice, so I thought London is nothing special.. soon I see more houses, now these houses is different, their design is all brick look alike which you don’t see in Malaysia.
Hmm interesting… something new.. finally I reached this station call Green Park, now I have to brave thru the crowd in the train to get out. My bag got trapped and I cant move out, Boom.. this lady at the back grabbed my bag up and carry it out for me.. embarrassed but at the same time thankful to her.
Ever wonder why I got off at Green Park station instead of Stratford station? Someone I waited finally showed up, there she was with her friend. Both also name Suan, one Sue Ann from Grace PJ, another Soo Ann is her friend.
I’m half dead by now.. its almost 24 hours since I last slept. As I walk the stairs upward away from the underground train station, I’m almost freezing by the wind. They brought me to a sandwich shop, Pret A Manger where I met another friend of theirs. She spends me for the favor I’ve done for her, transporting some goods for her haha. All right after that, I’ve repacked my bag and now I have a 30kg bag and a 7kg sling back minus the big plastic bag. Back to the train station again, I was on my way to Stratford station.
Finally as I reached the station, I called my friend up and he’s on his way there with his friend. I almost don’t know how to get out from the station as there are few exit, after looking around I finally got out from the station and this time I really felt what’s its like during winter. I am cold and want to “double P”, you know what I mean.. after about 15 minutes, Leo and Vivian came.
By now I’ve met 5 Malaysian, amazing and I know God is there with me all the time. They brought me back to the house by boarding a bus about 5 minutes away. As I reached my second home, I off to the bed and slept my way off.. they cooked some bee hoon for me when I was awaked, then I continue my sleep after the dinner. The next day I met my roommate, Gavin and some other Leo’s friend and all Malaysian too.
Then the outing to Highbury Emirates Stadium.. I’m quiet about it but in my heart I’m all excited to see Arsenal stadium.
Hmm.. isn’t too long if I describe all in detail, above is just the 1st day and 2nd day and I think its enough. We went for countdown in London central on New Year eve and on New Year we went to the parade. Day by day I’ve started to settle down and its now a week plus, I’m still trying to adjust to the weather here and its time for me to look for a job as I’ve enjoyed for almost a week long here.
London is not only for white people, you have all races here especially I see more black people in my area here but also still the accent is different.
Lastly I hope everything back home is fine and I’m doing great here, just waiting for the right job now. Please do get me updated to things back home, don’t leave me out!
Places went so far: Emirates Stadium, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral, Leicester Square (Chinatown), London Eye, Big Ben, 02 Dome, Malaysia Hall, Camden Street, West Ham Stadium and this coming week got a trip to Portsmouth.
If you want some pictures, you can check out my friendster (yangsangfook@hotmail.com) and here I will include the pictures of where I stay right now.
The front of the house
The stairway once enter
One of the small rooms just after the stairs
The same room, opposite side
Kitchen
Bathroom with shower
This bathroom no shower, only to wash face & gosok gigi