My new home for the next 10 mths

International Hall - Russell Square, Lansdowne Terrace Checked into my hostel after 2pm.... This is what I get for paying 800 pounds a month..=> This is my double bed.
=> This is my mini kitchen=> This is my toilet

Look at the inside of the kettle...I have tried to soak it with vinegar to remove the rust but it couldn't work... worse thing is my whole room smells of vinegar..

This is the view from my room...not fantastic but at least away from the noisy streets...

First time London - Memorable in the wrong way

Arrival date - 5th Sept 2007, 5.50am

I was asked to go the the health custom office to do a chest x-ray. The custom officer was quite hostile and asked a few questions regarding my visit to the UK.

After chest x-ray, i proceeded to belt 6 to collect my luggage. I waited and waited, the carousel belt was empty but my luggage never appeared. I walked to the baggage claim counter and told them that my luaggage was not there. Then the officer asked me to go to belt 9 to check it out as SQ last minute changed the belt. I went and waited again, no sign of my lugguage. I walked back to the officer and told him about it. I filed a baggage lost report.

I was without my baggage early in the morning. Could only check into the hostel after 2pm. Found cafe near my hostel and bought a cup of coffee in order to hook onto their wireless network. Emailed almost everyone in Singapore, shouted for help. I was so lost then.

Then late in the evening, i saw this email:

Hi Mei Zhen

Someone from Warminster School called me to say that one of their students has got your suitcase by mistake! They are also hoping that you may have theirs. Can you call the following person as soon as possible to discuss : Mrs Cottam (she is the lady who called to tell us about the suitcase)House mistressWarminster School

I have been informed by Mrs Cottam that the person who took your suitcase by mistake will be returning it early tomorrow morning (Thursday 6 September) to the Cathay Pacific check-in desk in Zone B, Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport. Please go to the above location at Heathrow and tell them you have come to collect your lost luggage which has been returned to them by another passenger who had taken it by mistake.

I was jumping with joy when i saw this message; like strike 4D or Toto. It was about 12am (London time then). I slept for a few hours and then woke up to get ready to go to the airport to collect. I spent 4 hours (including traveling time) at the airport but did not manage to get my luggage. Dun ask me why... ask the bunch of inefficient brits. I was fuming mad... wasted time, wasted money, wasted effort...

To cut the long story short, i finally managed to get my luggage but it was no longer in the original condition. The lock was broken with a foldable trolley missing. I am in the process of typing a complaint letter to SIA to ask for compensation. Wish me good luck!!

Farewell Gathering with Cousins

Ah Mei (the big sister big) organized a gathering for me..... We went to Xian De Lai Ma La Steamboat restuarant... Attendees were: Me, darling, Ting, Chee, Leng, Jin Xiang, Weiling, Ah Mei, Florence, Angela and Gordon....

Here's me and Darling....

Here's Ting and her PP (still dunno why she calls him PP... dun tell me he luvs to Fang Pi?? hahah)

Here's Leng and Jin Xiang (Ex-fairsian also leh...)

Here's Angela and Gordon (the most humourous cousin....)

Some other groups pics.... Ah Mei, Weiling and Ting.....
Me and Flo....

Me and Angela (my lunch kaki)

The soup is really shiok man.... Spicy to the core.... It helps me in my detoxification process... simply put it.... I Lxx Sxx 3 times the next day.... haha...

Wah... other than the dinner... They bought me presents..... so touched (~sob sob~).... i received 4 prez in all... now trying to find some space in my luggage to bring them over to London...

Thanks CUZ... I really had a good time that evening....

My last day at work

Haiz... my last day at work was on the 21st August... didn't have feelings of relief though... maybe becos i did not see those projects which i was handling to fruition.... but then like wad YM said, "There will always be work waiting for you in your In Tray, so just go..."

I am really blessed to have many nice people and frens around me. On my last day, even the cleaner for our department baked a coffee marble cake for me. Together with the cake, she said to me many well wishes.... she said, "I'm not very good at words so.... "Zhu Ni Yi Lu Shun Feng", "Kao Shi Kao De Hao Hao"..... I'm so touched... she really has the heart.... I happily ate the cake which contained all her well wishes for me.... Jus wanna say... Thanks Auntie!!

While waiting for darling to come and join us for lunch, we took the pic....

Tada... he finally arrived..... let's go for lunch.....

A slightly higher class than Polar Cakes.....

I remembered someone in the department warning me about buying Polar Cakes (orr... Chin Han... ) for the dept on my last day in the office.... Polar cakes were meant to be associated with words like "insincerity","cheapskate"...... haha... then I try.. "What about Old Chang Kee?"..... then that someone immediately said "you might as well buy for you mother...".... haha... i know he was kidding lah... but just in case he wasn't and to play safe, I decided to order a mini buffet from Andy's cousin.... tried and tested food... good comments and reviews.... why not?

The food was really good... for those interested... you may look up http://www.flavoursnspices.com.sg/ .....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~yummy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The eve before my last day at work.....

We had 2 rounds of the mixed platter for the night.... i had a glass of Heineken.... like Jess, we were so sleepy after the beer got disgested in our stomach..... but then, we still went back to the office to clear some work.... took a cab back after that....

It was really generous of Charles to treat all of us.... it was really fun as we chatted and enjoyed the food and beer.... the ambience was great.... This was the group pic which we took.... look at Charles... there must be some babes in the pub that caught his attention.... on the count of three, his eyes were still away.... :>I like this pic a lot.... it was really well taken... of course.... must see who is the photographer mah.... :P

Dinner treat from bestest frens in the department @ Aqua Marine - Marina Mandarin

Look at us.... so demure in the office......
This was what happened to us when we saw the food... sorrie...not normal food but real good food....
Look at the giant prawns.... wow... and the lobsters, fresh oyster, scallops... not forgetting the small little Tabasco sauce that did a great job in removing the raw taste from the fresh oysters...

Thanks babes for giving me such a wonderful treat..... i really enjoyed the food and your companionship for that night.... :)
A decent group pic during half-time..... "Let's go for our second round!!".....