Finding 221b Baker Street

a full, typical English breakfast

On our second day in London, we head out of the hostel at around 9AM and go straight to Camden Town. There's a little cafe that does "gourmet English breakfast", because apparently there is a lot of culinary skill involved in cooking baked beans and frying bacon.

this was a huge lie. It took us a good half hour!

map of Regent's Park

After paying a horrific amount of money for my breakfast, Emma and I decide to try and walk to Regent's Park. Our plans for the day include the Globe Theatre, and finding 221b Baker Street. I've recently been introduced to the literary works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and have been attempting to get through the stories. I've been watching the BBC series of Sherlock since it came out last year (of course I would; since it's co-written by Moffat), and have enjoyed it just as much as I do watching Doctor Who.

I think part of being a tourist is making huge colossal mistakes throughout the day; and repeating them. Even though there was a mutual agreement on the first night we were in London to never underestimate the distance of places solely by looking at the map itself, Emma and I still managed to repeat the same mistake by attempting to walk from Camden Town to Regent's Park, and go round the whole of the park in order to get to Baker Street.

In hindsight it wasn't that long of a walk; 45 minutes to an hour tops, but considering that we walk really slow, and that we were quite full from our English breakfast, the walk felt uncomfortable and unnecessary.

apparently these guys are a nuisance? HOW?

crazy mutant sized ducks...

However, the weather was beautiful that day- perfect for taking photos of all the ducks, cranes, and squirrels. I can't actually begin to describe how lovely Mother Nature has been to us tourists over the weekend. It's been cloudless blue sky, and the sun would set later than normal (around 6pm) so that we could use as much of the day as possible.

We finally head out of Regent's Park and who knew? Baker Street was conveniently located opposite the park. Luckily enough for the two of us, 221b Baker Street was also at the very start of the road itself, meaning that A) we didn't have to go looking for it like maniacs, and B) less walking involved.

The minute I saw the musuem, I squealed so loud, and proceeded to freaking jump up and down on the spot. I swear the locals were convinced it was my first time at Disneyland or something. Poor Emma had to calm me down and coax me into actually lining up for the musuem, instead of pacing the entrance like a lunatic. But in the end I was somehow lucid enough to take a photo with the man standing outside the door, dressed in appropriate gear and everything. There were about a dozen women dressed in attire appropriate to Mrs Hudson. Not entirely certain it would have been bright lime green, but what can I say? The illustrations in the novels are black and white, and the modern adaptation on BBC One would not be of much help considering that it's a modern adaptation.

Within the musuem itself was a replica of what the house would have been like- including where Mrs Hudson and John Watson would have slept, and Sherlock's study. Emma and I had the privilege of sitting in the front room (along with every single visitor to the musuem), and we posed accordingly. I'm extremely pleased I could actually visit the musuem this second time around to London. The first trip to London was spent doing some generic sightseeing, and I finally had a clear list in my head of the things I wanted to see and do whilst touring around with Emma.

The wax figures on the top floor of the museum was a bit scary at first (a bit relieved that I didn't visit Madame Tussauds Wax Museum now that I've had a good look at the ones here...), but I stopped being a wuss and took photos anyway. Moriarty looked extremely frightening. My favourite display was by far the Scandal in Bohemia one. John and Sherlock had a display too- but I was unfamiliar as to what story it was based on, and couldn't appreciate it as such. (look below)

I bought the Baker Street sign at the gift shop for my brother (and if he doesn't like it, I'll keep it), and a postcard to send back to a certain friend of mine who loves Sherlock and everything Moffat related.

I'm extremely fortunate that R got me the complete works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in mutant bible form, because buying it from London would have cost me a small fortune, and not to mention that it would break my arm in the process of bringing it back on the train up to Durham.

I definitely recommend visiting the Sherlock Holmes Museum if you are ever in London. There is also a Beatles shop to the left of the museum- but I wouldn't recommend it. Overpriced and cheesy, it was a huge letdown after the visit to 221b Baker Street.

All my love always,

April

London China Town

I spent the last few days in London with Emma, who came from Denmark to visit me. She's a really good friend of mine from Japan as we both were past exchange students in Tokyo. It didn't really hit me that I haven't seen her in a year and a half. It was as if no time has passed at all, and we had just randomly bumped into each other in London.

The past few days in London have been absolutely fantastic, and the more time I spent with Emma, the more I realised how much I truly miss all the exchange students in Japan. Although I initially disliked the idea of being in a girls high school, I'm grateful for the sense of community it brought out in all of us, regardless of nationality, age, or cultural differences.

I arrived at Kings Cross around 5:30pm on Saturday, and by the time we checked into our hostel near St Pancras International, it was close to dinner time. Reminiscing about the good old days in Japan, Emma and I began to crave for some authentic Japanese food. R had taken me to a Japanese restaurant when I was here in London last year, so after several Google Map consultations and crappy mental mapping attempts, we headed out for China Town.

Google Maps offers you directions either by foot, bus, or tube. We decided to try and walk there because China Town did not look particularly far from Kings Cross on the map itself.
We did not consider the fact that maybe, just maybe, a 5cm line on a map would represent a kilometer, thus making actually quite far by foot.
As expected, we gave up after step two and hopped into the nearest tube station towards China Town.

The restaurant was packed as expected, and we had to wait for our turn to be seated. We had a reasonably authentic obento, and although I secretly thought that my host dad could have conjured up a tastier and more affordable meal, I enjoyed it nonetheless. I'd also forgotten the polar opposite speeds in which Emma and I consume food. By the time I was done with my obento, Emma was hardly a quarter through. I slowly worked my eating pace back down to Emma-Eating- Speed eventually, and we could both enjoy each other's company without feeling pressured to eat faster/slower.

After dinner, we decided to walk back to the hostel to work off some of the obento. Going through Piccadilly Circus, Oxford St, Regent St, and Tottenham Court Road was a physical challenge in itself. The shops were starting to close, and walking in central London on a Saturday night will result in bumping into randoms like this:

.....

After consulting various maps along the way, we arrived at the hostel an hour and a half later.
It's probably best if one takes the tube in London if they can. The walking does take it out of you, and sore leg muscles the next day is not a good way to start a morning.

The next night for dinner, we returned to China Town for some proper Chinese food. Ordering some special set menu which cost us nearly 20 pounds per person each, it took us almost 2 and a half hours to get through the course. Altogether there was about six dishes to share between two people.
Despite the sore leg muscles, we walked back to the hostel again due to guilt of having being such gluttons. We were one of the last customers to leave the restaurant. Many people came in to have their dinner later than we had arrived, but left earlier than the two of us.

The dinner itself was extremely satisfying. I really missed Peking Duck, and I'm glad we got to have some for the new year. I'm missing Chinese New Year because I'm spending most of February in the UK, so my cravings for Asian food in London have been fulfilled accordingly. Emma had not tried much authentic Chinese food until this trip down to London, and throughout our dinner I was an annoying and anxious friend who persistently asked if the food was edible, as if I was somehow responsible for the opinion she formed in her mind about Chinese food. I was relieved to know that she did in fact, found the food edible; if not actually enjoyable as well. She ate just as much as I did, so unless she's very good at lying, I'm going to assume she enjoyed it.

Many Asian bakeries tend to have elaborate and tempting cakes in the window, and though we were both quite full from all the food on both days of having splurged on Japanese and Chinese dinner, much self restraint was exercised in not purchasing one of these beautiful cakes.

Just looking at a picture of it now is making me realise that my new years resolution to decrease the consumption of much dairy products will not be feasible quite yet...

That pretty much sums up our oriental experience in London for the new year. If you are ever in London, you should definitely visit China Town. Not just for the food, but for the atmosphere, and the buzz of all the different tourists that are around. It's also a comforting place to be. I've noticed that wherever you travel to, chances are there will be a China Town somewhere conveniently located in the heart of the city.

All my love always,

April

fish and chips

We came back to Durham last night around half eleven at night to discover that we didn't have any food to eat. Making plans immediately to go grocery shopping today, we managed to hike it up to Tesco Metro and buy some bread, cheese, and butter. Unfortunately, hunger got the better of us and stopping by Robinsons and Iceland proved too challenging a feat to accomplish.

Rushing home, R and I heated up some canned soup and baguette for lunch, and planned to have fish and chips for dinner. This admittedly, is my second time having fish and chips here in the UK.
Though I'm not entirely certain if fish and chips tastes better in different parts of Britain, R has assured me that this little chippy shop in County Durham has the best fish and chips he's ever tasted.
Given that he's spent most of his 21 years of life here, I'm willing to trust him on his opinion.

*not my photo. I was too busy stuffing my face to take a photo of the chip butty R made for himself

R even made a chip butty (which I never knew existed) with his remaining chips. It's pretty much a chip sandwich. I tried a bite and left it there. Somehow I couldn't enjoy it as much as normal fish and chips. Not too keen on combining carbs and carbs.

We splitted the fish amongst us because the first time round, I struggled to finish a whole piece to myself.
This time around I managed to finish half a fish, and some of the chips.
It's a huge, HUGE portion to what I'm accustomed to in New Zealand. Also- the ones here in the UK where it originally came from is unsurprisingly much tastier than the one in New Zealand.
I suspect it is mainly to do with the length of time the fries spend in the fryer, and the batter used to coat the fish.

Nonetheless, a good guilty pleasure that I plan to indulge in a few more times before I return to New Zealand. =]

All my love always,

April

bits of Birmingham

Coming to the end of my stay in Birmingham at R's parents house, R and I went into town to have a sushi buffet lunch and run some errands. The architecture and landscaping of Birmingham was extremely beautiful, and it's a shame I didn't get to take more photos. Although the locals (and by "locals", I'm directly referring to R since he's the only Birmingham local I know..) do not seem to think that the city has much to offer, as a tourist I think otherwise.

At times, if not all the time, I tend to think of Auckland city as a huge dump.
I used to regard Kuala Lumpur as a dump when I was a kid because I didn't think it had anything to offer, but the regular amount of tourists that visit both Malaysia and New Zealand would definitely disagree on that thought.

In fact, when I return to Malaysia to visit relatives and such, I see Malaysia in a new light each and every time. I appreciate the intense and diverse cultures, the cuisine, the people, and the vibrancy of it all.
I guess I've yet to learn how to appreciate each place at the right time.
Especially since New Zealand is in fact a gorgeous country with lots to offer.

If I had the opportunity to explore more of the town, I definitely would have done so. It's a gorgeous place that reminded me a lot of Wellington (minus the fact that Wellington is by the sea), and Wellington still remains my favourite city in New Zealand to date.

I'll be heading down to London again at the end of next week to visit a friend from Denmark that I met on my exchange in Japan! In the interim R and I plan to spend lots of time together eating, shopping, and visiting places in the Northern parts of the UK. Still have yet to see the Angel of the North!

All my love always,

April

hiking in winter

this "hill" looks relatively small in the photo (but the muscles in my legs would beg to differ)

I'm not entirely sure if hiking in winter is a good idea.

The winter in UK this year has been considerably mild, and snow hasn't graced even the northern parts of the UK.
Although I'm still sick with my never ending cold, I do acknowledge that a healthy person would not find this winter especially unbearable. 

Hiking in Malvern Hills with R and his dad was an experience I thought worthy to blog about. I took some beautiful photos despite the lack of daylight. Although I don't particularly enjoy the cold, nor do I enjoy moving about while sniffling every couple of seconds, the scenery and company was indeed a good distraction from my trivial problems. 

This place dates back hundreds of years, and it's beautiful to know that there were once people living on these hills, and that there were forts built especially for defense against Lord Voldemort.

The surrounding scenery reminded me a great deal of New Zealand. 

Driving down to Wellington from Auckland in itself, you'd see landscapes that can almost be identical to what I've seen so far in the UK in terms of agriculture. 

This isn't a terribly intellectual cultural observation, considering that New Zealand was colonized by the Brits a few hundred years ago. Not to mention that they were mainly in charge of the landscaping around both the North and the South islands of New Zealand. 

On the way to Malvern Hills, and on the way back, I slept like a log in the car. 

I've said this numerous times in my previous blog entries, but I do not understand why humans can't hibernate through winter.

It would be a huge standstill in human progress...but I think people (and by people, I really mean myself) would be healthier, happier, and less grumpy throughout the cold seasons if they were relatively unconscious through it all. 

So although I did not expect to go hiking in the UK, let alone go hiking in winter, I truly appreciated and enjoyed the experience.

Would I recommend it to future travelers to these parts of the UK?

I'd first do a critical self examination regarding health, warm attire, and appropriate shoes.

I slipped an embarrassing amount of times coming down the hills due to poor soled sneakers (thanks Converse), bad balance, and muddy grounds. Not a brilliant combination for hiking in whatever condition really.

All my love always,

April 

New Year's Eve: Castle Visit

For New Years Eve, R and his family took me to go see Kenilworth Castle. This castle is supposedly the site where Queen Elizabeth I's boyfriend/lover/admirer/stalker Robert Dudley built to impress her in 1575. He would also make various adjustments and renovations to the castle over time to no avail, because Queen Elizabeth I obviously stuck to singledom.

It might be offensive to many that I am quick to assume she only remained single for personal reasons, because sources from the exhibition at Kenilworth have proved me otherwise.
Queen Elizabeth I was known to only decline his proposal for marriage due to royal duties and obligations, and consequently after poor Dudley's death was too heartbroken ever to remarry.
It's quite tragic really- but the castle was, and truly remains beautiful.

The ruins of the castle do not directly give you an idea of how the castle may have looked like back then, but pictures such as the one above helped provide a general idea.
Also, having R's mum take me on a personal guided tour helped me understand why this 500 year old castle is significant in English History.

the tower

R took amazing photos of the castle (as always), and though I took almost 200 photos of the site in total, I've managed to practice self restraint (yet again), and upload only 60 photos to facebook. We left for the castle around noon time and it took around an hour to get there if I remember correctly. It was a beautiful day and the weather lasted a good three hours before the sun started to set around 4pm as per norm due to the winter season.

Initially we had planned to go hiking but I think it was pretty obvious I'm not exactly the fittest of the fit. We opted for Kenilworth Castle instead and though the ground was quite wet and muddy, my legs did not experience any fatigue whatsoever. We were also supposed to go a party as well but then decided it was A) too far, B) felt sick/tired.

So we ended up having dinner at home, and then playing finance related games (not gambling, just Stocks and Shares/Monopoly) until it was fifteen minutes till the witching hour.
I spent my New Year's Eve in Japan in a similar fashion last year. It was quite laidback but I enjoyed it far more than going out and drinking myself silly, then spending the whole of New Years Day feeling awful.
I've had a very productive New Years Day today.
I've written three blog entries, and completed around 600 Japanese cards...

...okay, I'm only just about to finish. I don't plan to sleep unless I'm done though :P
So it will definitely be a very productive New Years Day.

As far as New Years resolutions go, I have mainly academic related goals set for the following 12 months ahead. I plan to integrate my Japanese study much more than I did over the course of last year. This decision has been heavily influenced by R since he has managed to not only maintain his proficiency but improve on his Japanese despite not being in the country. I've had a bit too much confidence in the proficiency I gained whilst in Japan, and thought it would not slip at any rate.
Unfortunately, coming here to the UK and opening my Anki deck, reading articles online and so forth, have also served me up with a nice warm slice of humble pie.
So that's a big New Year's resolution on my part.

Another would have to be associated with my degree at university. Given that I've been granted acceptance into hoity-toity University of Auckland law school, I'm quite nervous that I can't cope with the workload. So time management is another big thing that I have to work on.

The remaining resolutions that I have in mind are always and have always been constant since young; keep relationships I have in my life strong, be selfless, and treasure each day as it goes by.
I should put "go to the gym" in my New Year's resolution, but I think I've had enough disappointment with that for a few years now. It's time to let it go. =p

I hope you all had a lovely New Years Eve, and all the best for 2012.
So far, it's been going great. It's only been a day though, so I'm not entirely sure how well I can judge the remaining 364 days that are left to go.

All my love always,

April