Cold in London

In London now, it's early in the morning. I woke up at 6AM to help someone finish their paper. It's on film studies. Something I haven't done in a long time. Sitting here in the chilly living room in a foreign land suddenly reminds me of when I was a student 10 years ago. Waking up early to write a paper; braving the cold; and missing home... those were the times.

Strangely, I've adapted to London quite fast. It's a very metropolitan city. I hear many languages on the streets. The ladies here are very beautiful. I look at the posters of models in boutiques like Top Shop and Debenham and the clients who walk in, they look alike.

Now I get it. In Malaysia, when I walk around One Utama and look at the banners in La Senza, its just a caucasian pretty lady. We just assume they got someone pretty to model their clothes. In London, the La Senza customers actually look like their models!

I think the reason I can adapt so well to London is because of the British influence in Malaysia. We share the same road systems; language; and legal system. Here, if you have a Malaysian driving license, you can drive on the roads already. It feels like Malaysia is left behind in time when you see the advances London has made in terms of transportation and the road management system.

They have CCTV's everywhere here. They also have really expensive parking charges here. 2 pounds for an hour of parking! Thats not including congestion charges. If you go into the central London area, you have to pay extra to use certain small streets. I wonder if something like that can ever be applied in KL.

Shopping in London doesn't 'wow' me, mostly because I'm not a gal. I think the ladies would have been salivating over the number of shops they have there. The whole of London is one giant shopping Mall. In Malaysia, we have shopping mall clusters like One Utama and Pavilion. Over here, almost every street is a shop you can visit.

I bought a pair of boots. My old boots came apart at KLIA just before I boarded the plane. I had to fix it with tape. 44 pounds for a new pair. I've been wearing it around town. It hurts a little as it's still new and still needs to get worn in.

I also bought me an Iphone, the 8GB model. I got it for 169 pounds. Much cheaper compared to Malaysia. I was sitting in Top Shop waiting for an old friend and someone gave me a free newspaper. I flipped through it and there was a full page Iphone advert. I walked out of Top Shop with my friend Gerard and lo and behold, the shop that had the Iphone on sale was right in front of me. They'll only sell it to you if you have a local bank card. Good thing my friend had one.

Now I have to find a way to unlock it.

I remember what wind chill is like now. My lips are cracked and my legs are itchy. When ever I'm freezing outside, I silently thank Gerard for loaning me his winter jacket.

Anyway, time to get back to work on the paper!

A foggy day in London Town
Had me low had me down
I viewed the
morning with alarm
The British Museum had lost its charm
How long, I
wondered, could this thing last?
But the age of miracles hadn't passed,
For, suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London Town
The sun
was shining everywhere.

A foggy day in London Town
Had me low had me
down
I viewed the morning with such alarm
Your British Museum had lost
its charm
How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
But the age of
miracles hadn't passed,
For, suddenly, I saw you there
And in a foggy
London Town
The sun was shining everywhere.