london blues

it's 11.40pm now in london, am feeling rather bored cos the guys are playing a modified version of bridge. 5 is a crowd, so here i am blogging.

anyway current position is london, kensington area. thanks to tianxiang, dearie's ex classmate from rj, we managed to save on accommodation, which is a big thing here! he is here on internship, and his company sponsored him a beautiful fraser service apartment for the time he'll be working here. the apartment is fantastic! it's like a hotel, possibly even nicer than one. a living room, a small kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom and a balcony. there are people to clean the apartment everyday and there is dishwasher provided. the rent here is 1000 pounds per week! it's crazy.. i honestly wouldnt mind living here haha..

but having said that, london is unimaginably expensive. you really cant imagine how expensive it is until you stay here. a BK meal is 5 pounds, a single trip on the subway is 4 pounds, a bus trip is 2 pounds, an ice cream is 4 pounds.. 1 pound is around $3, start converting. an average decent meal here we have is 10 pounds. note, it's just an average meal. if we're downgrade a little, we can find food for 5 or 6 pounds. we had crepes with tianxiang for 15 pounds yesterday, and dinner with the other rj pple at this chinese restaurant, which cost us 68 pounds for 5 people. but when we're alone, we hardly eat anything. we rather go hungry than part with our precious money! we walk most mostly, because every trip on the tube means more money down the drain. nothing is buyable here. we spend every penny carefully.

it's a tough life. i'm a irritated, because i cant eat as and when i like. i'm starting to appreciate hawkers centre in singapore more and more. even if singapore seems too distant, just give me holland or italy, buying in euros is still a more attractive notion than pounds.

nonetheless having said all that, i DO like london. it feels...alive! no big deal about the architecture..buckingham palace, westminster abbey, london eye, st paul cathedral...what is it that i've seen here that i havent seen in the other european cities? it's not the buildings; it's the people and the feeling the entire city gives me. everyone walks very fast and purposefully, if you know what i mean. they dress very well too. limos and big car names litter the roads. there's a tinge of anticipation in the air, as if something exciting is about to happen any minute.

or maybe it's just me. haha. not everyone thinks like me.

i've heard numerous people telling me before that london is bleak and gloomy, and therefore they hate this place. it's either pure luck, or it must be the month of june, we had only bright and sunny weather here since i've arrived. not a drop of rain or grey skies! not what i've imagined, i think we're just lucky.

we also realised many of our friends are studying in london, especially the imperial college, and probably 3/4 of them are from rj. we visited this 'hdb' somewhere in kensington too, which is occupied entirely by singaporean students. met up with rachel, still as amusing as ever. kailun, my ex classmate is staying there too. siwei was visiting on holiday, and there are at least 5 or 6 other rj guys around. i felt 'singaporeanised' last night. haha. we call them the atas gang. rich and smart. how can anyone survive in london seriously, i think i'll just stay at home and eat bread everyday if i were to stay here.

oh but one thing abt this place is that london has many nice parks. the hype park, the green park and the st james park. nice, big green pastures, ponds, pelicans, pigeons, geese, swans, benches, memorial structures...how nice it would be to be able to take a stroll in the park after a stressful day at work! especially during this period of time when it's cool, but not too chilly. i like that sort of tranquility that the city has to offer despite its crazy pace of life. it's where you find peace from all the buzz and bustle from the business centre.

i'm really sleepy now..when are these guys ever going to finish playing spade?? *yawns*

europe is getting warmer. a good sign. i'm starting to appreciate the sun more and more.