******
12 May 2009. Years after posting this album, I finally decided to add a little more to this album's description. I guess I really had to put down in words what happened during this visit so even I will not forget it years later. And it begins...
The second I was told I might be going to the UK in 2005, I was hoping it would all come true. I was in the middle of exams and report writing that I was certain I had to do a lot of late night work at the laboratory. My adviser even told me that I was only allowed to go if I finish all the things I need to do along with preparing my travel documents and visa. I really wanted to go so I guess I did try hard because here I am right now, writing all about it. The schedule was very tight as far as I can remember that I don't even recall now how I got my passport and visa. Yet it was definitely only a day or two before our actual departure.
I remember though that I was able to let a friend in London know that I am coming and could get her stuff she wanted back home. We thought it was a good reason for us to be able to meet in London and have a little weekend look-see with Eden. On the night before my departure, I went to see this friend's brother to get her things. Wow, there were so many that I had to repack my bag (which I have just packed before meeting him). But I didn't mind because this favor was just a little favor for an old friend :P
Upon arriving at Heathrow in the worst time ever, around 4 A.M., Eden and I were already freezing cold. We arrived on Valentine's Day and it was still winter. My friend offered to pick us up at the airport at anytime we wanted but unfortunately, we had to go to Cambridge right away. This time, we didn't arrange for a cab to take us to the university. Instead, we opted to take the three-hour coach ride into town so we can at least see a bit of the countryside and have a little time for sleep. It was good we decided upon this because we have just realized (or did I just realized it now?) that the gatekeeper at the college might not be available yet if we arrived earlier if we took the train, let's say about 530 A.M. When the coach stopped at Cam, we hired a big cab to take us to our place but as you know, we had to pass by to get the keys from the gatekeeper. We almost got lost looking for Assissi House because I wasn't familiar in that part of the town; we even had to do a little bit of a U-turn after deciding that we have gone far enough. At Assissi, we did have trouble opening the door. It seems that I have a problem with doors in the UK because on my first trip out, I stood up for a long time waiting for someone to open the Department's door because I couldn't open it. I was really embarrassed when a girl arrived and opened the door easily. I thought it was locked but it just needed a unique turn to the handle. How the people manning the CTV must have laughed at me back then! Anyways, when someone finally helped us with the door, our landlady arrived and showed us to our room. However, it wasn't to be "our" room because we were assigned separate rooms, the gatekeeper just had given us one key because I was the only one who claimed the keys. He might have assumed that one of us will be coming for her own set of keys. But the landlady was kind enough to open the other room and it was much bigger than the first one, which was already mine. I asked why her room is bigger and was told that it was the only available room (or something like that). Funny, I remember what she said after that, "No squabbling between the two of you!" in a very motherly fashion. So Eden got the bigger room and me the smaller room. However, Eden says that my bathroom is better than hers! :D
Now I'm just wondering we ever did eat breakfast after that, or where did we eat lunch? All I can remember is that after resting for a while, Den and I decided to go to the visitor's center after letting our adviser know that we've arrived safe and well. The house was far away from the university center and I can remember Eden and I walking for almost thirty minutes (I hope I'm not exaggerating) just to get into the university. Luckily, or out of necessity, Eden found out how the city bus works and we bought our own week tickets for about 10 pounds. That ticket entitled us to unlimited rides around the city for one week. Now we didn't have to walk that much and that far in a freezing weather.
The second I was told I might be going to the UK in 2005, I was hoping it would all come true. I was in the middle of exams and report writing that I was certain I had to do a lot of late night work at the laboratory. My adviser even told me that I was only allowed to go if I finish all the things I need to do along with preparing my travel documents and visa. I really wanted to go so I guess I did try hard because here I am right now, writing all about it. The schedule was very tight as far as I can remember that I don't even recall now how I got my passport and visa. Yet it was definitely only a day or two before our actual departure.
I remember though that I was able to let a friend in London know that I am coming and could get her stuff she wanted back home. We thought it was a good reason for us to be able to meet in London and have a little weekend look-see with Eden. On the night before my departure, I went to see this friend's brother to get her things. Wow, there were so many that I had to repack my bag (which I have just packed before meeting him). But I didn't mind because this favor was just a little favor for an old friend :P
Upon arriving at Heathrow in the worst time ever, around 4 A.M., Eden and I were already freezing cold. We arrived on Valentine's Day and it was still winter. My friend offered to pick us up at the airport at anytime we wanted but unfortunately, we had to go to Cambridge right away. This time, we didn't arrange for a cab to take us to the university. Instead, we opted to take the three-hour coach ride into town so we can at least see a bit of the countryside and have a little time for sleep. It was good we decided upon this because we have just realized (or did I just realized it now?) that the gatekeeper at the college might not be available yet if we arrived earlier if we took the train, let's say about 530 A.M. When the coach stopped at Cam, we hired a big cab to take us to our place but as you know, we had to pass by to get the keys from the gatekeeper. We almost got lost looking for Assissi House because I wasn't familiar in that part of the town; we even had to do a little bit of a U-turn after deciding that we have gone far enough. At Assissi, we did have trouble opening the door. It seems that I have a problem with doors in the UK because on my first trip out, I stood up for a long time waiting for someone to open the Department's door because I couldn't open it. I was really embarrassed when a girl arrived and opened the door easily. I thought it was locked but it just needed a unique turn to the handle. How the people manning the CTV must have laughed at me back then! Anyways, when someone finally helped us with the door, our landlady arrived and showed us to our room. However, it wasn't to be "our" room because we were assigned separate rooms, the gatekeeper just had given us one key because I was the only one who claimed the keys. He might have assumed that one of us will be coming for her own set of keys. But the landlady was kind enough to open the other room and it was much bigger than the first one, which was already mine. I asked why her room is bigger and was told that it was the only available room (or something like that). Funny, I remember what she said after that, "No squabbling between the two of you!" in a very motherly fashion. So Eden got the bigger room and me the smaller room. However, Eden says that my bathroom is better than hers! :D
Now I'm just wondering we ever did eat breakfast after that, or where did we eat lunch? All I can remember is that after resting for a while, Den and I decided to go to the visitor's center after letting our adviser know that we've arrived safe and well. The house was far away from the university center and I can remember Eden and I walking for almost thirty minutes (I hope I'm not exaggerating) just to get into the university. Luckily, or out of necessity, Eden found out how the city bus works and we bought our own week tickets for about 10 pounds. That ticket entitled us to unlimited rides around the city for one week. Now we didn't have to walk that much and that far in a freezing weather.
snow at our neighbor's backyard
I told you that we arrived during the winter season but on that first day, it was cold but sunny. One morning, I got an sms from my friend, hoping that I am now enjoying the snow. Groggily and still not really comprehending what they were trying to say, I got up and looked out my window and there it was! Snow! All I can do was cry out loud and in my pajama's run out of the room to wake Eden up. Together, we went back to my room (I guess the snow view from her relatively bigger room was not that good) and had fun watching the snow. She even had her camera rolling while we opened my window and held up our hands out for the snow. It was a pretty amazing moment.
After that great moment, reality descended upon us as we had to go to school. Eden decided to come in later so I went out on my own. As I walked out of the door, I gingerly stepped on the snow, relishing the moment when my shoes came in contact with the snow (although it was just a little less than an inch thick - it is still snow anyway) and it made this crushing sound. I relished the moment when little snowflakes fell down my face, my eyelashes. It was perfect! But after a couple of minutes of walking in the snow, I started feeling the cold in my lungs as I breathe the air and there I decided that snow isn't that much fun after all when you're about to die of suffocation from cold. Hahaha!
Anyways, on weekends, Eden and I decided to see some of the places she wanted to go to (since I've done this already the previous year). Fortunately, it was almost just a repeat of what I did before and it was already easy for me to navigate through the transportation system. On our side trips, we were able to get lost at Paddington Station (I didn't realize there was actually two of them), deliver my friend's stuffs, had a sleepover at Eden's friend in Surrey (yes, the same town where Harry Potter lived), master the Tube, visit the London Aquarium, Prince Albert's Memorial Park (or something), the theater where Les Miserables' Anniversary was held, visit Imperial College and the National History Museum, Buckingham Palace; visit Stonehenge and climb the Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.
Rhomaleosaurus fossil at the Museum of Natural History, London
so happy after watching one of the best shows in town!
At another night, Eden and I decided to go back to London to watch the Phantom of the Opera at the Queen's Theater. As I was not familiar with West End and the only map we had was one that was handwritten, we were not entirely sure where to go and ended up walking towards the opposite direction. When we realized this we headed back where we came from but couldn't quite get it right still. We were already getting desperate because the show will be starting in less than an hour and we still haven't got our tickets yet; we decided then that we'd ask the first person, who looks like a local (because there were a lot of Chinese tourists loitering there), that comes our way.
"Excuse me, sir? Can you please tell us which way is to the Queen's Theater?," I asked. "Sorry, I can't help you. Actually, I'm from New York!"
Oh damn! The first person we asked after getting up all the courage just to approach a stranger and ask that question! The next few people weren't of any help either, even the vendors! Finally, being desperate people that we were, we realized that the theater guide given to me by my friend can actually be used for a map. We were thinking that "if this street is showing Mamma Mia, and then this other street, The Lady in the Water, then the opposite street must be where the Phantom is!" Hurriedly we walked and found the theater. We got there in time to buy our tickets, go to our seats, realize it was way up high, upgrade our seats, realize I left my wrap around in our previous seats, go back up to retrieve it, go back down to our final seats, and then the announcement for the show to begin. Whew! What a night! :D
It was a fun month and productive one, too! :D
"Excuse me, sir? Can you please tell us which way is to the Queen's Theater?," I asked. "Sorry, I can't help you. Actually, I'm from New York!"
Oh damn! The first person we asked after getting up all the courage just to approach a stranger and ask that question! The next few people weren't of any help either, even the vendors! Finally, being desperate people that we were, we realized that the theater guide given to me by my friend can actually be used for a map. We were thinking that "if this street is showing Mamma Mia, and then this other street, The Lady in the Water, then the opposite street must be where the Phantom is!" Hurriedly we walked and found the theater. We got there in time to buy our tickets, go to our seats, realize it was way up high, upgrade our seats, realize I left my wrap around in our previous seats, go back up to retrieve it, go back down to our final seats, and then the announcement for the show to begin. Whew! What a night! :D
It was a fun month and productive one, too! :D
we made it -- climbing in the most less traveled way! :)
no trip is complete without a visit to the stonehenge
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