CLAUD

Sunday, July 24, 2011

London

This post is really about my experience in London, for my friends who couldn't come with me:

I dedicate an entire blogpost to London because I'm so infatuated with this particular city. It has always been a dream of mine to be there and experience the city I have only read about in Geography books and journals.

Before I went, I heard many things. There were those who absolutely hated the city, saying it's disappointing or disgusting, and there were those who sang praises and told me that I made a right choice in staying there for the longest time.

I didn't want my opinions to be swayed by the camp who was disappointed. Sitting on the plane for 13 hours, I still wondered if this decision was a right one. To abandon $4500 to sit on a plane, to be with a good friend's birthday when she'll be alone, to leave my father on his and more importantly, to take a bold step forward and leave my humdrum life back in Singapore. After that the $4500 doesn't matter anymore, because friendship and experience, as the cliche goes, cannot be bought.

Perhaps I have very little travelling experience as compared to my friends, but somehow London affected me in quite a substantial way. It's just a really cool place: like it doesn't try too hard to cover up its grubby image and just is. I could perhaps understand why people were disappointed with London is perhaps it imagined it too be a "First World" country and so, their expectations were that it must be better than Singapore.

Too often we like to compare cities, and I do so too during my stay here. It makes me appreciate what I have back home, it also makes me humble during my stay here. Simply because it's just comparing apples and oranges. A certain set of circumstances gave London its character, just as a certain set of circumstances gave Singapore hers. So in essence, it's not about the place fitting you, it's about you fitting the place. I somehow felt that I can also call this place my home apart from Singapore. Partly because Shangyi is there, and it just felt like she'll be there forever but we all know that her studies will end next year and perhaps, London will be a different place.

Having said, it just reaffirmed something I knew in my gut: I don't like to settle down. Travelling is what I love and wanting to settle down in a single place for too long a time seems to be to traumatising for me to take. For that, I realised I'm not ready to be attached just yet, and I realised that doing what others are also doing, is not necessarily doing right by me. So for now, I'll just move along with life and try to travel as often as I my wallet and time will allow.

What I've learnt from my stay in London:

1) The little things gives Character.

Little things just amuses you on a trip. The London Underground for instance, till this day, they have a person on the platform to announce the direction of the train and it's stops, to usher people to stand behind the yellow line ("OUI! The lady with the PINK BAG, stand back!"), to make sure that the coast is clear before the train conductor drives off etc. It's archaic, but it works. And I feel these are the things that give the city some character. The little quirks like poetry on the trains because there is simply no reception undergound and so therefore, they have billboards for the bored to read. Furthermore, the city has a vibe you know? It's hard to believe this when you're not there, but you can literally feel that there is a sense of London-ness in the big city. I think this vibe can be attributed to the little things as mentioned above. Like how people here are rude - it's just they seem to always be rushing off to somewhere, so they don't have time to sweet talk you. They just tell you like it is and some might find that a little offensive. Like a person, no place is perfect, you just have to see if you can live with it's flaws.

2) We need to let loose some time.

In all of Europe, it's a myth that nothing runs on time. In London, the train leaves exactly on time, although that doesn't happen all the time (a city of 20million, I'm not sure if anyone can do a better job). Instead of stamping your feet and making a fuss, I just learnt to chill. Delayed train? No problem, just go to a nearby shop and buy a magazine. I also learnt that we don't have to always play by the rules because here, there's simply a lax on the enforcement. People here have a half-hearted attempt at enforcing people to show their tickets on the rail between stops and a little apology can get you anywhere. It's more fun when we can break the rules once in a while.

3) Having a little danger can be exciting.

In Singapore it's so safe, often we don't think about our bags or wallets a lot. However, out there it's a whole jungle. Sometimes, knowing that it's a little dangerous out there is enough to make one feel more alive. We don't need theme parks to make our adrenaline rush. Running down the street at 4am in the morning at one of London's most dangerous drug-ridden neighbourhood with a bright orange Samsonite (courtesy of Shang) luggage is enough to get your heart pumping. I find myself smiling, of course since nothing's happened, and that this kind of excitement is actually pretty healthy. Being on your toes is good because it means you're alive to experience. I finally understand what Prof meant when the night takes on a different character. At night, there are different people on the streets and they present a sense of mystery - are they on your side? Do they discriminate you? Are they after your money? Then I realised at the dead of the night on the way to catch a flight to Lisbon that my senses are alive.

4) You don't need a lot of things to be happy

I suppose we have a lot in Singapore - like clean streets and nice bus stops, but staying here for a while, I realised there are a lot of things we can do without. A simple bus stand serves the same purpose as an elaborate one. I don't even mind the smell in the Underground because you just get used to it after a while. Instead focussing on the important things matter. In such a complicated and extensive transportation system, they bother to tell the handicapped which station has wheelchair access. It's not every station, but at least they tell you. I didn't even know that people with hearing aids have a problem with speaker microphones at ticket counters. The microphone interference can cause discomfort and so they have stickers that say "Please turn your hearing air to the 'T' position". In addition, they also made concessions to prams on all buses, that we must move aside for prams and pregnant mothers. It's a civil society, where after fighting for rights, people implement changes to make certain groups feel better. It's not necessarily everyone, however at least some voices are heard. You don't need a lot of things to be happy, just those that matter.

__________________________________________________________

I'm really happy that some of my friends came to send me off. Name Chris, Xinglin and Guan. Somehow this send-off reminded me that I still have roots back here and I cannot totally abandon everything and not come back. Of course the smses of "please come back soon" from 222 were equally important in making SURE that I DO come home. How easy it would be that I just left the country and never returned eh?

Shang asked if I was disappointed with Hyde Park like she was, I wasn't really disappointed namely because I was pleasantly surprised to see that the park was in use. I always felt that Hyde Park, and it's hype, was all for show and tourist. But amazingly, people do spend time here with their pets (Europe is so pet friendly) and do USE the park.

St James Park still wow me today mainly because of this dude. He was feeding the birds and animals here and they all loved him for it. They just followed him around and it was quite cute to see his goofy smile.

and of course, the reason why I travelled when I did. =) this picture is priceless and I still look back at it and smile. I am still laughing at the moments when Cat and I first burnt the pancake and realised we can't screw it up because we don't have enough batter. LOL…But the end result was worth it and it's always a joy to make our beloved Shangyi smile!

For those who want more pictures of day-by-day accounts, go to my FB!

London will always have a special place in my heart. With its quirky weather and endearing pubs, its funky grungy shops and the grandeur of royalty, the unrealiable public transportation system and strong culture of reading thanks to a lack of an underground cell signal. I will definitely be back.

12:43