Goodbye Country Hello Night Hub

The Final Festival of Me in London and Excerpts from the Journey Home......
18th September, Scavenger Hunt Time!!!


For those of you who told me that you don't "do" activities and just wanted to drink, you guys really missed out...... Running around in the historical city of London, really was fun :) Ironically, we were in team "Hufflepuff" - and were also the slowest. If only we had another 30minutes - we probably could have won the thing :p~

A big thank you to everybody who made it to dinner and drinks..... J., I want the other photos when you have some time! :)




....and to H. for making it to a very early fry-up at cafe 338 in Bethnal Green. (I am quitting drinking.....for the umpteenth time.)

Sadly, I was too hungover to participate in the Sunday Stroll, so instead of blading 10 miles, I went back to bed.

I woke up on in the evening feeling slightly better and went to see Daragh O'Brien (the comedian) with M. The show wasn't particularly funny.... I'm still searching for that comedian who makes me laugh until my stomach hurts. During the audience participation section of the show, Daragh talked about dreams, and whether anyboy had ever dreamt about a celebrity. It turns out that the majority of these dreams either involve marriage or something a little risque. I confess that I have had neither of these dreams. In fact, the last celebrity dream I had (or more like that last one I can remember,) involved Anderson Cooper. I was having a very enthralling political discussion with him, until my alarm clock interrupted our conversation. I very reluctantly dragged myself to work, sat at my desk for an half hour, before realising nobody else was at work. Yes, I had gone to work on an entitled day off. I then drove home, went straight to bed, willed myself to continue the same dream, but very annoyingly could not. After living in Ireland where the guys grunt, drink beer and drive tractors and talk to their cows, you too would be upset if you interrupted a wonderful conversation with THE Mr Anderson Cooper. *sigh*

20th September, 7:20pm GTM, London Heathrow Terminal 5
BA to Frankfurt
And then, before I know it, it's almost time to say goodbye and good night to London. I am in awe of the number of readily available seats at my gate - is that normal? Everybody is carrying two hand carry bags (hand bags and a small wheely bag,) but none of the staff seem to care. The variety of free newspapers prior to boarding the plane, the fact that I don't have to brave the elements and walk along the tarmac.... I always tell people that I dread flying BA (crappiest long haul commercial airline bar the American ones IMO,) but I'm pleasantly surprised by the staffs' friendliness (I recall that they are generally abrupt and always going on strike?!) and the roominess of the seat and leg room and the front seat pocket.... Then it suddenly hits me - I've been flying European budget airlines for far too long. (Damn you, Ryanair, you cheap bastards.)

Final thank you's to...
J. for baking me that chocolate muffin! The lopsided bow on the box was the sweetest looking thing..... Only a boy would do something like that :)


Also big thanks to E. for organising all the festivities.

20th September, 10:50pm, GMT +1, Frankfurt Terminal 2
Qantas to Singapore
I notice a distinct difference between London and Frankfurt security (needing the transit there as I booked my flight through my Qantas frequent flyer points). In London, I remove everything metal bar my ring, small stud earrings and necklace and still set off the alarm. (I swear this only happens so that they have an excuse to search everyone.) In Frankfurt, I start removing my belt when the security guard tells me that it's not necessary, somewhat alarmed as though I'm attempting to disrobe in front of small German kinder. I am somewhat displeased that I have to go through security again for my connecting flight.

"I wouldn't have bought cosmetics if I had known," I say crossly, thinking that they were going to be confiscated (and then be given to some German security employee's wife). The Germans seem nonplus and say that it's all okay, and don't even ask me to separate my clear plastic bags from my bigger hand carry. Just to let you know that I do not set off the alarm even with my belt, and all my jewelry. Blah. Oh, one of the security guys also asks me if I am from Singapore, (somewhat impressive from the usual lame "ni hao's" and "konnichiwa's" that I normally get,) until I realise that the security line is very close to the Frankfurt to Singapore gate.

21st September, sometime in the early hours of the morning, Qantas Economy
I manage to sleep part of the way and watch one movie (Sex & the City 2). SATC 2 is shit, so thank God I didn't pay to watch it. I want peppermint tea at some point during the flight, press the attendant button.......and nothing happens. I end up flagging down a flight attendant during one of the trolley service rounds. It's official: as Dustin Hoffman said in Rainman, "Qantas sucks".

21st September, 6pm GTM +8, Singapore Airport, Terminal 2
I get off the plane some 13 hours later, extremely relieved. The lady next to me tells me that she's on transit waiting to fly back to Auckland..... I can't imagine doing that after 13 hours of flying..... Immigration is a breeze with practically no queue in the "All Passports" line. I notice that there are TEN, yes London, TEN desks opened for the "All Passports" line. Perhaps London can learn a thing or two from Singapore..... If you want to ask people silly question, why don't you open more than two desks so that people don't have to wait two hours in the line.....?

Then I realise, my four year stint in Europe is officially over. Missing all you people in London already. X