Adventures in UK - Part I

~*Adventures in UK - Part I*~

Warning: deluge of words and pictures..better go make some coffee and toast some sandwiches and come back…

Day 1

23rd April (Sun):

Okieokie..i know this is old news but since some of u wanna know about my so-called adventures in UK, I’ve decided to blog it..

Had a very good bday present this year. Just days after my bday on the 18th, I was flown to London for work (and leisure of cos!). I was to attend the Induction training jointly organised by Hertfordshire Institute of Business & Technology (University of Hertfordshire) and London Institute of Business & Technology (Brunel University). I managed to squeeze in a visit to our main client, Bellerbys College's 4 campuses in Brighton & Hove, London (Greenwich), Oxford, and Cambridge...okie, nuff said!

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Finally arrived Heathrow around 6am. Damn the 14 hrs flight. My butt still hurts man! i feel damn lethargic.

Boy, was I overwhelmed or wat? Gosh, the crowd in Heathrow, they’re so right to say that this is the busiest airport in the world. It took me a good half hour to spot the driver from Chelwood Executive Travel.

Stephen will chauffeur me to Brighton. It's a 1.5 hrs journey and I hope to catch some sleep so that I'll be able to do some shopping in the infamous Churchill Square.

1st stop: Brighton

Ahh…finally reached Brighton. Now I’m excited. I planned to do some shopping for my frens and family before I start work the next day.

My first impression of Brighton: it's a very small, safe and quiet town. Not my type at all…

Actually, Brighton & Hove is a lively seaside city on the sunny south coast of England. As a city with two universities, Brighton & Hove has all the amenities expected of a thriving cosmopolitan community - theatres, cinemas, museums, art galleries and leisure facilities.

Brighton is well known for its vibrant gay scene. It's known to be the number one gay seaside resort in the south of England. (woohoo…My fren, CS was teasing me when I called him upon arrival in Brighton, telling him how bored I was, etc. He asked me to check out the gay bars! haha..like they're open at 10am la dude!)

Have been warned by my colleague that Langfords Hotel is damn old school. There is no lift, so I gotta take the stairs. The last time she was there, there wasn’t any porter to help her with the luggage. OMG, my baggage damn freaking double H (huge & heavy). Phew, I managed to get the concierge to get someone to lug it up for me. I’ll be staying on the 2nd floor, there’s only 3 floors here. Thank God.

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Gee, I couldn’t sleep nor rest at all…
Decided to take a shower before heading downtown. Guess what? Cold water greeted me in the shower! OMG!!!!! Oh, did I mention that it’s a damn cold morning, it’s about 8 degree at the moment. Yeah, I know, it’s end April already, it should get warmer. But I heard England’s experiencing an extended winter this year. bRrrr *shiver shiver*

Walking along the st, whilst looking for a bus to take me to town, i saw pretty flowers along the residences near my hotel.

It's freaking cold as it's drizzling, so i suspect the temp has dropped further...
Took the bus to Churchill Square…as it was a Sunday, the service was pretty slow, was waiting for like 30 mins at the bus stand. Bought a day pass for £2.80 (RM18.20).

Decided to stop along the street b4 Churchill Square, so that i could take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the city better.

Brighton city also has a superb variety of shops and restaurants. It is ideally placed to enjoy some of the most beautiful countryside in the south of England and for those who want to venture further afield, the limitless attractions of London are less than an hour away.

Whilst walking...

i saw this nice window display..very "cina" ~ i likes~

i also like this angel/fairy winged gown displayed outside a fabric shop

Passed by this Msian restaurant. Melati. I like the sound of it..

This is Churchill St

Churchill Square Shopping Centre - the biggest in Brighton. For a taste of high-street shopping, Brighton's Churchill Square has over 80 stores under one glass-domed roof.

Inside Churchill Square....

i noticed lotsa ppl queueing outside this stall.

Oh gee…lot at the choc fountains!…Mmmm..it’s the ultimate decadent! *drool* Shall i get the white choc or milk choc? hmm..choices choices!

i chose strawberry with marshmallows (they ran out of profiteroles) in milk choc.Didnt bother converting the £2.99 into ringgit.

My first bite and I was hooked! Oh gosh, it tasted so damn good. The choc went so well with the strawberries. It didn’t work so well with the marshmallows though. I reckon the mmallow's a bit too sweet for me, whereas the strawberries, being so fresh n fruity is the perfect combination.
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La dida..Got some shopping done : went to Topshop, H & M, Marks & Spencer, some vintage shops, sports stores, and had my fair share of 1st day damage already. I've already used up like ₤150 (shh..dun tell my parents)

Gotta take it slow...i have like 13 more days to go...
Decided to head back before i do more damages to my pocket... :(

Walked along Palmeira Square, it's such a pretty place.

look at all the pretty flowers!

did i tell u dat i absolutely lurrve tulips?

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You know what?

I soon learned the following day, from Martin, my driver (the owner of Chelwood Executive Travel) that Paul McCartney stays here in Brighton, and his neighbour is….guess who...? Fat Boy Slim!! Damn!! Why didn't someone tell me earlier!! Also, down the road, by the beach is a white villa….and Australian actress Cate Blanchett resides there!!! Now, I geram liao.. The whole of yesterday I was walking around aimlessly. If someone told me these celebs stay so near, I swear I will go and check out their residences! muahaha…

i was so near, yet so far! damn damn damn!!!

I only knew this as I was leaving Brighton for Greenwich. What a waste eh!?!! *geram*

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Day 2

24th April 2006 (Mon):

Alrite alrite..no more shopping, gotta start work today.

Checked out of hotel and took a cab to Bellerby’s College at Lorna Road, which is about 10 mins away. Cost me £4.

1st stop: Bellerbys College (BC), Brighton campus

After a lengthy discussion with Mr Peter Corcut (Vice Principal), I was shown around the campus by Paula (PA to Peter).

Paula standing in front of no 44, Lorna House

Paula informed me that the this greenhouse is a striving project by the students. They have planted lotsa plants here and have some fishes by the pond. Basically, the students will be monitoring the ecological cycle/interaction amongst the insects, fishes, plant, etc. Cool!

Was introduced to the Admissions Team. I’ve been communicating with them via email all these while. It’s nice to finally put a face to a name. L-R : Jennifer Bridges, Jasvinder Kaur, me, and Alison Cullen.

This is where the students have their breakfast, lunch and dinner. Had my lunch with Jennifer and Alison here. Food was ok, value for money. About £3 per meal.
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After lunch, Martin (owner of Chelwood) picked me up to send me to Greenwich. I kinda wish i could stay another day, it’s really tempting to go check out Paul McCartney/Fat Boy Slim/Cate’s place! Bye bye Brighton!

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2nd stop: BC London (Greenwich) campus (after 1.5 hrs of travelling )

Received a warm greeting from Andy Quin, the notoriously good looking Principal of the Greenwich centre. (sorry no picture)

Andy brought me to tour around the super-campus (it’s been given the name as it is the newest, the latest, and the most technologically advanced)

Martin (the man in black) was my faithful designated driver for 2 days. Before setting up Chelwood Executive Travel, he was a pub owner as well as a cop. This guy certainly knows his stuff. We (he) talked about football a lot. He watches footie with his mates during the weekdays as well as weekends. He was telling me how they talk, eat, sleep and dream footie esp since world cup is around the corner.

This caféteria is definitely more chic than the Brighton one..

art classroom

students having their English tute..

pretty "canggih" science lab

me outside the students' hostel
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Finished work at about 4pm. :D Checked into Novotel hotel and decided to go for a walk around town. The city is bustling with ppl (students) at this time of the day.

Love the fact that the sun sets at around 8pm this time of the year. =) I thought I’d better make use of this opportunity to explore a bit more.

cam-whoring ... hehe

aahh...finally I’m getting to stay in a decent room. It’s chic, modern and more me as compared to yesterday’s accom. I like Greenwich already!

i wanna stay in Novotel for the rest of the trip...

Got this photo from Langfords website. But the actual room was way older and nothing as great as this. I'd choose Novotel anytime! Didnt bother taking a picture of the actual room as it was quite drabby looking.
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Time to have some fun!
i quite like the idea of doin things on my own..It’s nice to be in control, i can do whatever i want and i don’t have to answer to anyone! On the flip side, i wish i could share all these amazing experiences with someone. Quite sien also doin things alone.

Like, imagine, having dinner alone, eating breakkie alone, lunch alone..Sien right?

Anyway. Back to my adventure…

This is the 1st thing i see as i get outta Novotel

Greenwich Village market opens Fri, Sat & Sun. Darn! I missed it!

Discovered that East London is the classic example of "beauty in diversity". The area is cosmopolitan. People from the most diverse countries and of different nationalities contribute their own flavour- through culture, cuisine, clothes, arts & music. England has Europe’s largest community of artists - many of whom are based in East London.

Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark is the most famous tea clipper built, and is the only one to survive. She is now dry in dock here at Greenwich.

As a tea clipper, she is tangible evidence of the importance of tea in 19th century trade and cultural life.

She was preserved in Greenwich partly as a memorial to the men of the merchant navy, particularly those who lost their lives in the world wars.

She was launched at Dumbarton at the River Clyde, Scotland in 1869. The name comes from Robert Burn’s poem, Tam O’Shanter; Tam meets a group of witches, most of whom are ugly, except for Nannie, who is young and beautiful and is described as wearing only a “cutty sark” i.e., a short chemise or a shirt. The ship’s figurehead is a representation of this witch.

Nannie the "witch"

Greenwich Pier

Greenwich Pier provides Transport For London and private pleasure boat access to the very heart of the town centre in maritime Greenwich.

The pier is serves by a regular ferry boat service that carries commuters and tourists to other major piers in central London where passengers can transfer to road and rail. There are also a good selection of pleasure and sightseeing services available from the pier.

Greenwich information centre

Statue of Sir Walter Rayleigh - probably the greatest ever Englishman to go to sea. Sir Walter Rayleigh was not only a great seaman but a great explorer. During Elizabethan times Rayleigh's voyages of discovery brought the likes of the Potato and Tobacco to English shores, making him a household name and greatly celebrated by all.

Old Royal Naval College

The Old Royal Naval College is home to a wealth of Royal and Military history. Built upon the birthplace of Henry VIII the current building began life as a seaman’s hospital, before becoming a training centre for naval officers. Today the buildings and grounds welcome visitors to explore their glorious past.

Statue of George II in the Grand Square of the University of Greenwich, with the dome above the Chapel entrance to the left.

After long negotiations, it was decided that the University of Greenwich should take 150 years leases on Queen Anne Court, Queen Mary Court, and King William Court. The remaining building, King Charles Court, is to let to Trinity College of Music.

Trinity College London

As I was walking passed Trinity, I felt my goosebumps rising. Could hear people rehearsing, playing all sorts of instruments, singing (opera style sommore). SO so cool! :D I was on high man!

NZ monument

The interesting obelisk is dedicated to all those brave New Zealand Officers who served on the seas throughout the history of the British Army. A great seafaring nation and part of the Empire, New Zealand ha ve provided a great deal of military support to the British army throughout the ages and this monument honours those who died in battle.

The gardens that surround the Old Royal Naval College are some of the most impressive in Greenwich. Broken up by long straight walkways the gardens feature a great selection of unusual trees and plant life.

Felt very serene whilst walking along this stretch..
It's getting dark and my tummy was growling..i need food!

Was practically drooling when i passed this pattisserie...but wait, how come so "cina" wan? Got chinese characters written by the window (below the word "Table service")... ceh! not authentic wan!

Tapau-ed steak pie with mash potatoes and peas from a pub for about £3.50. Bought a smoothies for £1.99 (or 3 for £5) and pasta with tomato & chicken basil £2.50 from M & S. So kesian man, had to makan alone. Haih..so sien..