I've been shuttling back and forth on the Eurolines webpage, trying to book my train tickets to Paris. It's times like these when you wonder if technology has really made the world a better place. In fact, Talib and I decided to go on a clicking frenzy last night as we clicked our way from "1 Sept" to "16 Dec" on National Express' website just to check coach fares. It's impressive how desperation and exasperation can drive you to do insane things. When we finally got to the fare listings for 16 dec, we encountered an error which required us to begin from square one all over again. Genius.

It's getting colder, slowly but surely, in Nottingham. I have to think twice about running out in the cold now, especially with the wind blowing in your face for an hour straight. The food served at the hall has been pretty deceiving too. Everything's becoming tasteless and unappetizing. More boiled vegetables. More deep fried fish cutlets. And even more hashbrowns and potatoes. Variety please? Alas, beggars can't be choosers.

To wrap up, I present you pictures from Manchester. Love that city.

Nottingham, England

I spent the whole of last night decorating my room yesterday. Felt like the right thing to do after leading a nomadic lifestyle the past few days--so talib says. Indeed, a chapter was closed as I lifted my empty luggage and rested it atop my wardrobe. Good riddance I don't need to lug it around for 3 months. It's strange, though, how the room makes me feel like I'm a little girl all over again. The whole idea of moving out and staying in hostel, away from your family. It's not typical of Chinese culture since we seldom move away from home that early, but in UK you do what the locals do and, eventually, feel what they feel too. All the 18 and 19 year olds coming in today looked equally lost and helpless, like when I first got here, as they sieved through heaps of clothing and watched cardboard boxes of odds and ends from towers in their dorm rooms. The lucky ones had their parents to send them over and also to help them through the mess. The not so blessed ones, like me, sit in solitude in their dorm rooms as they watch and listen to the rest of the world bathing in the euphoria of their first day away from home. At 7.15pm, while the freshies are pumping with adrenaline awaiting orders from the hall student leaders about the week's itinerary, I sit peacefully with my Murakami book in hand, gazing at the willowy trees swaying in synchrony with the wind.

Nottingham, England

Amidst the gloomy grey clouds, the most beautiful of rainbows I have ever seen in my life manifested itself. Plus, a double arch! I was and still am in awe.

Nottingham, England

Wherein lies the tipping point between being too sociable and simply being friendly. Coming to a foreign land inevitably leads one to have no choice but to step out of his/her comfort zone or risk being isolated in utter loneliness (unless you delight in solitude, that is). At the same time, there is doubt and suspicion lingering in the air and a tinge of hesitation before one makes the first move to get acquainted with the random person seated next to you in the dining hall. The occasion varies. It could be the girl using the basin next you in the public restroom, or just someone next in line stuck in the same long queue as you in the grocery store. Despite the location, the same tension manifests itself--the short time two individuals spend observing the other party while mentally running through a checklist of safety measures. Some of the most obvious features are good enough warnings to not get acquainted. Potty-mouths are a definite out. Smokers are the next on my list. Multiple piercings and tattoos sometimes qualify for the blacklist too. Yet, you never know when someone might make a good friend when you're all alone in a foreign country. When all else fails, just wait for people to make the first move then decide if you want to follow through. Don't be the hero. You don't want to be on the losing end. Let's be realistic, it's a cold, cold world out there.

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Today's dinner was the best so far. We got to choose between the roast chicken, vegetarian patty (which I was inclined to get if not for it being deep fried and filled with yucky green peas) and the beef steak which ran out before we even got in the dinner queue. After deciding on our main course, our plates get filled with vegetables and potato of all sorts. Today was boiled broccoli, carrot slices, mini potatos as well as french fries. The highlight of dinner was the dessert though, which too ran out before we got our food. All that was left of it was the whole metal dish of warm chocolate fudge which was to be drizzled over our imaginary chocolate chip brownies. It's not that we went for dinner really late. The queue for dinner was simply too long and intimidating, plus being left in the cold and shivering with hunger wasn't a very pleasant thought. Dinner's served at 6pm, the same time when the doors to the dining hall are opened. I swear, at exactly 6pm today, a line similar to the McDonalds Hello Kitty queue magically formed before my very eyes. I know this because I was the only person sitting in the dining hall from 530pm--minding my own business and reading the local papers while sipping on my hot chocolate, foolishly thinking I'd not have to rush to get my dinner. Tough luck. Surprise, surprise these international students have a bit of Singapore in them as well. We're not so "Uniquely Singapore" after all.

A free screening of Sherlock Holmes took place after dinner at one of the rooms in the nearby Cripps Hall, and with that my day has come to an end. Good night, folks. I hope to fall asleep without trouble tonight.

Dear Cold,

I beseech you to refrain from waking Fiona and I up in the middle of the night like you did yesterday.

Your cooperation is much appreciated. Do note that no reply is needed.

Thanks yo.

Regards,
Celine

P/S: You might want to work harder in the day to keep my tic tacs from melting again.

Nottingham, England

So I've finally arrived at University of Nottingham. School only starts during the last week of September but I'm here early for the orientation week. I've decided to turn in early after not being able to sleep a wink last night. Must've been the back-to-school jitters. Just gonna upload a few photos! Sneak peak :)











Thank god for skype.

Skien, Norway

Pronounced "shi-en". We walked the whole day in the rain when in Skien, with Moody as our tour guide. It was also this very day that my Muji canvas shoes decided to give way and rip a hole in one my the soles so I walked around with squelchy feet. Zzz. Moody brought us to this little museum at the peak of an enormous flight of stairs--home to a number of old Norwegian wooden lofts. Pretty amazing stuff. I think we were most amused though, by the fact that we were blowing smoke out of our mouths at one point in time. Cooooooooooooooool huh.

Porsgrunn, Norway

Sidetracking a little, my computer's currently running at snail speed thanks to the overload of photographs post-europe tour. I'm sitting on the carpeted floor of our friends' apartment with my beloved macbook in London at the moment. In just two days I'll be bidding London goodbye for awhile and heading for Nottingham, where I'll be joining my university's orientation week. From there, school starts a week later, and it'll be my humble 21st in no time. Wonder how it'll be like spending my birthday away from all my loved ones.

Norway was a quiet break from the bustling city life, especially once we arrived at Porsgrunn on the 10th. We managed to squeeze 3 places in 4 days--Oslo, Porsgrunn and Skien. The latter two are smaller municipalities which are part of what makes Grenland (or Telemark, I'm not too sure!). I'll post the map up for your reference. [There's fireworks display outside my apartment window now, woohoo!] Time seemed to pass really slowly in Oslo. I guess we didn't really have any idea what to do there, except to try and make every single krone (norwegian currency) count because everything is super duper expensive! Here's an idea of how much stuff cost in Norway. A kebab wrap costs on average 4 pounds in London, 3 euros in Germany. It's more than double the price in Norway at 7-8 euros! An extra value meal at McDonald's is even crazier. 80-100NOK which translates to about 10-12 euros. We basically survived on kebab and cheeseburgers for the first two days in Oslo.

We then trudged our way by foot to our one-storey hostel in Porsgrunn after a 2.5 hour bus ride, which was pretty scenic with lovely rivers and lakes. If you've watched Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho before, our hostel looked almost exactly like the motel featured in the film. For those who haven't, it felt like we were staying in a stable--no thanks to the fact that there was a horse-riding centre right next to our hostel. There, we managed to meet a nice Palestinian guy whose been living in Norway for 2 years. He offered to take us around the city and paid for our lunch and dinner too (chicken salsa burgers from Macs for lunch and kebab rolls for dinner). Honestly, everyone doubted his intentions at the beginning but turns out that this single Norwegian boy was simply lonely--he moved to Norway for his then-girlfriend whom he broke up with a few months later, as has been stuck in Norway alone ever since. How sad is it when your girlfriend shortens her three-week vacation in Norway to just one week because she finds Norway to cold in December. Very.

I didn't do much in Norway really. I think we could have visited more of the picturesque nature-abundant areas but we simply didn't have the time, nor did we plan to do so beforehand. Would have been a drag if not for the time spent watching Mandarin films (Jay Chou's Secret!) on Yawvwee's laptop and cooking Campbell soup in the hostel kitchen. I think we're a homesick to some degree and it was great sharing the same smiles with everyone when we all took our first sips of mushroom soup. If only we could order a cup of Milo-peng at our every whim or fancy, now that would be kick ass.

Oslo, Norway

It says "Oslo has got Murakami-fever and it is very contagious!!! -enjoy :)". Murakami's one of my fave Japanese authors by the way! :D:D:D