London, you are my 2nd home.
I think its fitting that my last day in London, I've got time to sit down and blog abt it. It has been, almost, exactly to the day, 6 weeks since I left Melbourne and came here to good ol' London.
I still remember the first day I came here. I was tired, worn out from our 28 hr flight, hating having to drag my massive bag over x number of stairs and then realised, I had come to...whitechapel. It was 11pm, it was dark, our accomodation didn't look pleasing and I was scared shitless of the place we had just arrived. Plus I had argh moments from the idea of just being away from home for 12 wks.
Probably in the 1st 2 wks, I was adjusting to being in London and realising my memory of it was quite good considering I had only stayed in London for 2 days. Because of that, I felt bored here, out of place and kinda wanting to move from London. Throughout that adjustment I actually had mental countdowns to the rest of our europe trip, to the time I would go back home.
But then after that 2 wks had gone, those feelings left too. And London became home. We went to Ireland, we went to Scotland, and the return back to London always felt like us going back home. I grew comfortable, I enjoyed coming back, I enjoyed London.
So yesterday, while I was taking photos of my hospital, my room, my whitechapel, saying goodbye to the lovely radiology department here, I became quite sad and nostalgic. It has only been 6 wks. Hardly enough time to grow attachment. But it has been the longest period I've lived out of melbourne in the 1 place. It is such an odd feeling for me, to know that tomorrow morning, when that plane leaves London ground, I won't be coming back here. I don't know when I'll be coming back. It could be as quick as 2 years, it could be 10 years. It is so unknown, so weird, so not the feeling I was expecting.
Anyway, enough of that soppy stuff let's break down London in nice dot points shall we??
THE GOOD
Ah, after 6 wks, and being all sad and nostalgic, there have been heaps of good
* Catching up with ppl that I may have never otherwise done in Melb. Oh yes, going to a foreign country will do that to you, make you hang out with ppl u don't really in melb: Amit, Jane, Pip, Kate Rankin, Katie, Shiv, Paul, Ev, Tuan, Ivy, Fil... I think that's all?
* Meeting new people! Always a pleasure: Mel, Nicole, Sheree, Anne Marie, Jamie, Phil, Daniel, Katija, Terence, Euka
* Entrance to Tower of London for ONE POUND. We found this out via the good ol' connections of being 'aussie'. Yep, an aussie guy who had been living here for a very LONG time told us how to become whitechapel library members to get into the tower for a pound. It usually cost 14 pounds. One of the very happy asian moments we had in London.
* The shopping: I initially didn't think it was that good, but for some reason, I have accumulated alot! Oxford st is the best for shopaholics like myself. U do have to mentally prepare yourself for the millions of people also shopping with you. The interesting thing abt London shopping is that everyone in Australia will tell u abt Topshop, Zara but no one mentions Primark. EVERYONE SHOULD MENTION PRIMARK. It is always cheap but rather fashionable clothing. U do buy rather low quality stuff, but its amazing they can still sell at those prices. Be weary though, the store on Oxford St (there seems to be only 1 Primark in all of central London) is always NUTTERS. Think melb boxing day sales at chadstone...EVERYDAY. Oh yes, the horror. But some good stuff!!
* London TV. Yes, there were some time for us to watch TV. Six degrees (which is actually an american show) became a favourite after one night, the F word, Top Gear, and our last night here we found this hilarious comedy show! Ah so different from melb.
* The sights! How can I forget. Some awesome architecture going on here in London. I just love it. Walking around London is the best. The parks are the best. Sitting in the park is the best. I know we have it in Melb, but I don't spend that much time in the actual city of Melb so this was more fun to do.
* Castles! I think Becky and Casey took my initial: I WANT TO SEE CASTLES comment earlier in the year too far. It didn't matter if we didn't know abt the castle or what it looks like or who owned it, we just went. What did we see (and i'll include Scotland/Ireland castles): Buckingham Palace, Hever Castle, Hampton Court Palace, Keningston Palace, Casey and Becky went to Windsor Castle, Falkwner Castle, Dublin Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Hollyrood Place, Rosslyn Castle (or its ruins), St Andrews Castle (please don't go, read my previous post). Where there more? Probably.
* Going to see WICKED! West end...Hello! And it was a good musical too!
* Going to eat at Maze Grill which is a Gordan Ramsay restaurant! Very cool!
* The radiology department here at RLH. They were all so lovely! My last day, one consultant told me if i wanted to get into radiology to give him a yell and he'll hook me up w a job in melbourne. Don't know how he'll do that, but hell yeah I'll take that contact. Then he went and bought me abt 60 cakes to eat as farewell. So good.
* Pubs. I must say we didn't really get into the pub life but its still nice place to hang out. I still prefer cafe/bars but do as Londoners do. Plus, I now know what drink to order..a cider please.
* Tube riding. Tube is the only train system so far that I've taken on my own. I haven't even done it in Melb. It's so easy here.
* Sansibury and Telsco. Ah the way to go. Supermarkets.
The BAD
Yes, there had to be some
* The weather. Omg. The first wk we were here it rained shitbergs. Of course, its sunny now the day i'm leaving. DJFFLSDJFS. But yes, London rains in summer. Imagine what it would be like Winter! Holy Shit!
* Whitechapel. I have a love hate relationship here. For the deal we got, it is very cool place. But really, never staying here again. I do have to visit next time I'm in London!
* Cost of Public Transport. HOLY MOTHER OF SHIT it was expensive!! On average we were spending around $50 Aus a wk to get around the tube.
And instead of an in between section, I'll just write a section of the tips I've learnt over the 6 wks to how live well in London.
TIPS for London
* Always stay near a tube station. It makes travelling around London alot easier. Stick to zone 2 and inwards. Zone 1 is best. If u know u'll be using the tube alot (which in the end, u will) then go for a weekly ticket (that is of course if ur staying for 7 days).
* Get into Tower of London for a pound if you can. Ie, stay at whitechapel and get a library card.
* Some other places, like Hampton Court, when u go buy a ticket for the train to get there, they can give u deals like 2 for 1 to get into the place.
* Don't go and see Kensington Palace. They'll just make u see an exhibition abt debutantes in the 1950s. LOL.
* Say student everywhere and anywhere. U could get lucky.
* Try and make friends here (if ur staying long). Aussies tend to stay w aussies i've noticed, but that's cool too! If u have a Londoner friend, they cook for you. LOL.
* Eat indian and halal food. Tis good, tis cheap. Whitechapel, bricklane (down the road from whitechapel) is actually very good for that.
* Go to markets. Camden Market is the best.
* Go eat at hummingbird bakery at Potterbelly market. Good cupcakes.
* Go see Hever Castle if u can. Not well known, but such a lovely castle. Outside of London by 20 mins.
* Always bring an umbrella and a jumper. No matter how good the day looks. The weather changes in a minute.
* Microwave food is actually pretty tasty so if ur cheap on food, go microwave!
* The supermarkets always have interesting sales on. Take a good look around while u buy food.
There's plenty more I can think of (which I will eventually) and add to the list, but i think that's enough for now. London has been very good to me. I really did enjoy myself and I'm glad I did this. I'm so glad I did this. I'm so happy that my wish of staying here for a long period of time was possible. I can't believe its over.
London is wet, rainy, sunshine, busy, so busy, libraries, microwave food, telsos, sansibury, brownies, cookies, mc flurries, churches, castles, grey, best views ever, meeting friends, driving around city, night bus problems, fabric line, radiology, whitechapel, bricklane, oxford st, tube, big place, heaps of tourists, friends, hot friends.
London is my 2nd home.
Thank you London for such a great time. I'll miss you. I'll be back in some years.
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