Chinese New Year: A Gastronomical Experience in Photos

School work has started to pile up, so I forsee that my blog entries in the next week will be fairly brief. But I wanted to make a mention of this before it slipped my mind completely.


Yes, in the thick of an Edinburgh winter, some of us gathered together on chu yi for a pseudo Chinese New Year reunion dinner!

And for some reason, I was assigned to prepare the vegetables even though I have absolutely no experience in Chinese cooking (or any cooking for that matter). But thanks to helpful, idiot-proof recipes online, I dare say the final result didn't turn out half bad.

Consulting hand-written instructions


The Bok Choy from the Aihua Chinese supermarket turning out very nice and green


The finished product - yay!

In all, it was a really delicious dinner. The steamed rice was a refreshing welcome to the rather hard grains we get in Pollock - poor, poor excuse for rice!! And of course, Chinese greens a nice balance to the fried bacon and eggs I've been accustomed to ever since arrival here. So apart from my oyster sauce veg, here's what was on the menu that night:

1. Felyna's Vegetable (or "Stone") Soup



2. Felyna's Onion Omelette

Sweet, tangy perfection. I like!

3. Iris' Tang Cu Pai Gu (vinegared pork ribs)

Apparently a Shanghainese recipe, and my absolute favourite of the night! I have to confess I gobbled up quite a few of those ribs.



4. PS's Roast Chicken

Only 2.50pounds for many chicken thighs of delight!


5. Chee May's Fish with Chilli Sauce

Red hot spicy love.

and

6. Kenneth's Brussel Sprouts



I really liked this. And coming from someone who usually hates brussel sprouts, that's a compliment.

Ended the night feeling extremely bloated, happy and nourished. Sadly, no gambling or daidee for me after the CNY meal - it was back to work, and that's exactly where I remain 3 days later. Sigh.

Well, will run now. Need to catch some sleep. In the meantime, gong xi fa cai everyone!

The Weekly Round-up

My expenses for the week of 19th - 25th January:

Food and Beverage: £5.41

Transport
Train ticket to Glasgow: £5.20
Subway tickets: £2.40

Entertainment
Jazz Bar cover and drink: £5.95
Burns Night drinks: £1.70

Shopping: £38.18 (see earlier post about Glasgow)

Total: £58.84

That's £30 down from last week. An improvement. Must keep this up.

Burns Night, Abridged (Pictures Added!)

New things I did / experienced today:

1. Finally plucked up the courage to wear stockings today with my dress. Wasn't as bad as I thought it might be given the weather.

2. Tried Haggis with Neeps and Tatties (Turnips and Potatoes) during Burns Night supper - Haggis tastes and looks like minced meat. Not bad, but very peppery and very oily.

3. Broke in my new shoes at a 3-hour long Ceilidh (KAY-lee), which is essentially crazy Scottish mass dancing. Amazing fun but extremely exhausting.

And it is now 2am. My feet ache and I am very tired. But I think I have fallen in love with Ceilidhs haha.

Gallavanting in Glasgow

Took a 50-minute train ride out to Glasgow yesterday at 8 in the morning. On the agenda was some leisurely sight-seeing in the Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis, followed by frenetic shopping at Primark, sweet haven to bargain-hunters.


We headed to the Cathedral first, which in all honesty is nothing much to shout about. One interesting feature though, is the underground crypt where St. Mungo's tomb is. It's a dark, gloomy place, reminiscent of the Chamber of Secrets in Harry Potter.

Following which we went to the nearby St Mungo's museum, which is possibly the strangest museum I've ever been to. I think it was intended to be a museum about world religions. However the sight of a Shiva statue in a room adorned with stained glass windows depicting Judeo-Christian imagery was strange to say the least. We went through a maze of a room which threw together a Mexican skeleton demon, a Guan Yin statuette and a likeness of the Virgin Mary all in the same glass display case. Odd. I have been puzzling over it since. Did the museum not have enough artefacts to create separate 'stand-alone' collections for each religion? Or were they going for a more postmodern approach, trying to symbolically break down the formal (divisive) categories of religion? In any case, I found it a rather confusing experience. Not my favourite museum.

We headed for the Glasgow Necropolis next, which is essentially a really big cemetary. And bizzare as this might sound, it was certainly one of the highlights of the day. It is a very beautiful cemetary, with huge imposing tombstones rising up in a rather messy but organic fashion. And the grass! It sounds strange to gush over vegetation, but if I were in a lyrical mood, I would declare the grass worthy of the Elysian Fields. And on the other hand, if I were not in such a poetic state, I would immediately liken it to the landscape in The Teletubbies which is really a compliment because I think Teletubby land is the only good thing about that show. The fields in the Necropolis were lush, verdant, soft and inviting, and a perfect complement to the grey, weathered tombstone faces which emerged from them. Sadly it was also rather wet thanks to the melted frost from the night before. But I imagine the place to be lovely during the summer.


So we happily bade the picturesque cemetary goodbye and took the subway down to the Glasgow Museum of Transport. It was packed with kids and after checking out the exhibits, it's no wonder - the Mezzanine floor is full of intricately constructed model ships which boast everything in miniature! From tennis courts to lifeboats, right down to the tiny golden door hinges, the ships were masterpieces of detail. If I were 5, I'd kill to have those as my dollhouse. I'm sure my brother at aged 3 would've gone wild as well.


All in all, a good place for the young and young at heart, and perhaps NUS Rag engineers who want something to oogle over. Not entirely my cup of tea, but hey, it was free entry and I got to speak with a very friendly museum guide who gave me my first taste of a Glaswegian accent.

Leisurely sightseeing accomplished, we went to PRIMARK! Dubbed the WalMart of Scotland by Felyna, I'd heard that it carried fashion and and accessories at dirt-cheap prices. So you can imagine how I approached its store front on Buchanan Street with a mixture of anticipation at the good shopping to be done, and anxiety over potential bankruptcy.


In the end however, I did manage to keep within my pre-determined shopping budget of between 30 -40 pounds (yes it was flexible haha), spending a total of £38.18. Here's a breakdown of the damage, which actually doesn't look so bad if I do say so myself!

Grey double-breasted Coat: £24.47
Leather Ballet Pumps: £10
7-pack Socks: £1.96
6-pack undies!: £1.96

Felyna came to my room later that night with a pair of scissors for the price tag-cutting ceremony.

In all I was quite happy with my buys. However I did leave somewhat uneasy for a variety of reasons. If my memory serves me correct, Primark was voted one of thel east ethical companies several years ago, and that might have explained the number of rather defensive posters on the walls which affirmed Primark's commitment to its employees' working conditions. I'm unsure if they've done anything to improve workers' rights, but you have to wonder why the prices are so low. But then again, I have to admit that my desire for bargain prices yesterday did outweigh any thought of fair labour conditions, which in itself is worrying.

And on that note, I've realized that bargain shopping brings out the Mr Hyde in me. Everyone in Primark rushes and pushes through the aisles, hurrying to snap up the best deals before someone else does. The shoe racks are chaotic, with customers rifling through rather aggressively, before callously throwing back the shoes which don't fit. And unfortunately, I might have joined this legion of careless shoppers whilst struggling to find shoes in my size 5. Perhaps bargain-shopping brings out that sense of urgency or kiasuness within, compounded by the fact that we had only an hour to shop before leaving to catch our 5pm train back to Edinburgh.

Whatever it is, I'm not sure if I'll make a trip back again even though the clothes are pretty reasonable and enticing. I have to end saying that even though I hated Biodiversity and Conservation and thought it was one of the worst modules I've ever taken, it has had that annoying effect of implanting a little bit more of a social conscience in me which I'm not entirely sure how to deal with. I certainly won't start collecting a 2nd-hand wadrobe or patronizing only locally-grown produce to reduce carbon emissions, but I think I will carry around this oversensitive conscience whenever I go shopping from now on.

And what a way to end this post. But there you go. On a lighter note, I think I will debut the ballet pumps at the Burns Night celebration later this evening! Will let you all know how that goes :)

Walk-about the Royal Mile

The Royal Mile; View from High Street

A brisk, cold day with temperatures hitting the big 0. Felyna and I decided to warm ourselves up by taking a walk to the Royal Mile for a spot of sight-seeing, cam-whoring and window shopping!

First up on the itinery was St Giles Cathedral, on High Street.

View of St Giles from the front

Felyna and I posing in front of the Cathedral's entrance. The carvings along the main portal are lovely. See close up below!

Figures in the niches.

Save for the construction going on, it's a lovely cathedral with awesome stained-glass windows. At this juncture, I have a confession to make: not wishing to pay the 2pound photo-taking permit, I took advantage of the rather empty church and hastily took some photos, while the likeness of Christ looked on reproachfully. My surreptitious snap-and-go might account for the blurry and shaky quality in these, but I hope they give you a sense of the church!

One of the many stained-glass windows inside St Giles. Sadly, none of the windows from the Medieval period survive, and the existing ones date from the 19th and 20th century.

Another view of the church

Large, cavernous space!

All in all, a nice spot to visit. It's a very peaceful place for meditation and solitude, which offers welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of town. However, if you're keen on photo-taking, I'd urge you to buy a permit lest you end up with my shaky photos and guilty conscience. Alternatively, you can do what Felyna did and buy a postcard at the Cathedral giftshop, which is a very sensible thing to do really.

Second stop: The Museum on the Mound

Template for 20 pound note

Essentially, it's a museum dedicated to money. Several interesting artefacts including counterfeit notes, and a glass case containing a million pounds - just for fun! Also, in the section dedicated to the history of insurance and actuarial sciences, there is an extremely amusing touch-screen activity which helps calculate personal insurance premiums based on various 'medieval' occupations and afflictions. Ergo, if I were a lady's companion suffering from insanity and due for a voyage to British India:

I love the caveat at the bottom about duelling and suicide. Felyna played along as well and got her own Policy sheet; apparently if you're a mid-wife travelling to Jamaica, your risk factor increases by 200%.

On hand at the museum, were very helpful staff who answered our various questions which ranged from "Can notes produced by Scottish banks be used in England and Ireland?" (Yes, but not in Southern Ireland where the Euro is used) and "What is a guinea?" (equivalent of 21 shillings). Apparently, all the 3 major banks in Scotland (RBS, NBS and Clydesdale) issue their own unique notes! How cool is that? I must start collecting...

3rd Stop: Window shopping along Princes Street. Special mention to Lush

Headed down the rest of the Royal Mile for some window-shopping. Checked out Marks and Spencers which is absolutely enormous, spanning 4 stories. The food section in the basement is literally a gourmet supermarket, with fresh produce and packed meals lining the shelves. Capping it all off was the fantastic smell of pastries which permeated the wide, brightly-lit aisles, courtesy of the adjacent cafe.

And now comes the special mention. But first of all, check out these absolute scumptious looking photos:

...and my absolute favourite is when you put them all together!


No it's not a dessert or an ice-cream shop, though it certainly could be mistaken for one easily. They're the fresh handmade cosmetics and bath products which Lush specializes in. And what an apt name, for all of them do look extremely luscious and tempting to the palate. We were told that a customer actually took a bite out of the one above which looked like a chocolate cake thinking it was...well, a chocolate cake.

We were served by Ailsa, who is possibly the nicest and most enthusiastic salesgirl on this side of the hemisphere! And I can see why, working in such a heavenly shop. The smell is enough to get high on. Bodyshop has nothing on this.

After spotting us taking pictures of the macaroon-like bath soaps and being generally fascinated, she very kindly took us on a tour around the shop, letting us sample a gazillion soaps and creams, and even performed various product demonstrations just to satisfy our curiousity over the jelly-like soap and hot pink 'bath bombs.' Eventually, Ailsa gave us free shampoo and hair conditioner samples, and rounded off our Lush experience with a hand massage which warmed and moisturized my cold winter hands, leaving it smelling of chocolate and freshly-baked cupcakes :) We didn't buy anything at all, but weren't made to feel bad. But nevertheless, I'll definitely be back toward the end of my exchange to buy goodies for my mum and the girlfriends back home.

And finally, rounded off our day with a snack at Piemakers

A cheeky end to the day. Munched on freshly baked rolls while eyeing the various pies on the counter. Will definitely try one sometime soon.

And because I visited a museum about money and banking today, and because I also did vow to be more cost-conscious, and because I simply need to excuse to what I want to do anyway, I shall present a round-up of the day's expenses.

Total spent: 45 pence

And you said I'd never be able to spend within my budget, Joshua!

Monday: Snow and all that Jazz

The first snow in Edinburgh this winter!

One reason why I like snow is because it gives the entire landscape an added look of winter melancholy. Bleak, desolate but aesthetic nevertheless.



Yet as always, my liking of it declines once I leave my doorstep. Snow for me, is best appreciated indoors with a mug of hot chocolate in hand, curled up on a sofa. Or, (my favourite), when soaking in an open-air hot spring with your body immersed in warm water, and your face exposed to the delicious, tingly cold. Yum.

Snow is however, hardly pleasant when you're in the thick of it, at least for me. And certainly not so when its systematically soaking you to the bone, and splattering across your glasses during a 20 minute walk to school which balloons into a half hour journey because of the slippery ground. Eek.

But snow is snow, and coming from Singapore, it is an event to be taken note of.

On that same evening, we went down to The Jazz Bar on Chambers Street which apparently, is pretty well-known around this area. It's located in the basement and is a little subterranean gem of a place! Junwen, if you were here, it's like Jazz@Southbridge but better I think!

Listened to a 17-piece Big Band over a bottle of Corona, which was really quite a lovely, relaxing end to the day. I took a truncated video of the place - truncated because this (believe it or not) was the first time I was using the video function of my camera! Apologies for the amateurishness of the video and its brevity.





But sharp viewers might've gleaned the general demographic of the bar from my video. We were possibly the youngest patrons there amongst the white-haired oldtimers and middle-aged working adults! However as we left, we did spot a younger set of people filling in, probably to catch the subsequent funk and soul outfit. Oh, and possibly taking advantage of the free entry after 10.30pm.

But going back again; After the excellent performance, we chatted with James one of the trumpeters who was kind enough to give us a little musical demonstration about the different sounds and tones of a trumpet! Here he is below, in one of the only pictures he deigned to appear in (camera shy).



All in all, a pretty interesting day. Back in Pollock, the residual strains of music in my mind quickly lulled me to sleep.

Day Trip! The Edinburgh Castle

First off, it's a castle on a hill, just like the kind you read about in medieval romances. Better yet, it's been around for about a *1000 years. What's not to like?

*This comes with a caveat: though the site has served as a castle for about 1000 years ago, much of the original castle structures are no longer existent , and were even razed by the Scots themselves in the 14th century. A substantial portion of the present castle has been successively rebuilt over the years or even restored, and it is thus comparatively 'new' in some respects. See how tricky these marketing ploys can be.

Secondly, practically every guidebook on Edinburgh screams it out on the list of must-see attractions. Its rugged, stoney facade frequently graces the centrefold of these guidebooks as if Frommer's 2-star rating wasn't enough of a hint.

So as you might have guessed, we needed little persuasion to visit the Edinburgh Castle on our first real weekend here. Thankfully it didn't disappoint. Royal residence, military stronghold, bloody battleground and present-day tourist attraction, the castle is chock-full of interesting features and galleries, all of which pay tribute to its long and tumultuous history.

Here were some highlights for me:

1. The view from the top




The castle-fortress rests on a rock, giving soldiers of the past a clear view of the surrounding flatlands, and any approaching enemies. Today, the castle's strategic location affords brilliant views of the city itself, which lies neatly spread-out below. Military garrisons are still stationed within the castle, but they no longer peer over the ramparts anticipating invading English armies. They've been replaced by gaping tourists, who aim and shoot with their Canon cameras.

2. The Honours of Scotland

A very long, winding exhibit which takes visitors through the history of the Honours of Scotland, before culminating with a darkened room exhibiting the Honours themselves - royal regalia of the old Scottish kings, encompassing a crown, sceptre and sword.

After the union of Scotland and England, the Honours were locked away in a musty chest, and forgotten about. They were only recovered a full century later, untouched and unmoved. Talk about finding buried treasure in your own backyard.

No photography was allowed in the galley sadly, but the Honours themselves were truly exquisite. All gleaming and shiny. Fit for a King, indeed!


3. The National War Monument



Erected in the memory of Scottish soldiers who fought and died during the 2 world wars. Later expanded to be a monument for all Scots men who perished in all post-1945 wars. Names are still being inscribed into the ledger of the dead, which is housed within the monument (actually, there are several ledgers). For that reason, no photography is allowed inside the structure out of respect to the recently fallen.

It is however, a beautiful monument fashioned like a church. Poignant phrases are etched onto the walls, and an elaborate chest containing the names of all the war dead has a place of honour in the monument. It is overlooked by some statue with the likeness of a warrior angel, which hangs rather imposingly from the ceiling, acting as some kind of silent guardian perhaps.

4. St Margaret's Chapel


The oldest structure in the castle dating back to the 12th-century, the chapel was built by King David I in memory of his mother, Queen Margaret who later became known as Saint Margaret.

It's a very quiet, small and unassuming chapel with minimal adornments apart from 5 stained glass windows (including one depicting Margaret, above) and a simple altar at the front. Though it seats only 25 people, the chapel is said to be a popular venue for weddings and baptisms in Edinburgh. I liked it simply because it offered refuge from the rain and the wind - yes, the wet weather chose to follow us all the way up the castle.

More pictures if you click on the slideshow in the right scrollbar!

The Weekly Budget

Because I am usually a notorious spendthrift, I have decided to make this exchange a test of my discipline when it comes to the purse-strings. Barring this week which saw the incursion of extra expenses due to general settling in/ buying groceries etc, and the weeks when I plan to travel, I shall aim to spend just £50 - 60 per week for the rest of the semester! Can do? Yes, I must believe in it.

Expenses for the first week in Edinburgh:

2 bottles mineral water at airport: £3
Transport from airport (shuttle and cab): £7.50
Lunch expenses: £13.60
Clothes (socks and hat): £8.98
Stationary:
Ring file £1.15
Foolscap £1.75
Stapler and staples £1.55
Laundry expenses (Detergent, laundry tokens): £7
SIM card: £10
Text book: £5.99

Recreation/Touring:
Drinks £2.20
Burns Night ticket (inclusive of Haggis!!!) £5
Edinburgh castle admission (anticipated) £9.79
Holyrood Palace (anticipated) £9

Total: £86.51


Shocking discoveries this week:

1. Photocopying in the Edinburgh library is 10pence per page. That's about 20cents. In Singapore, photocopying is 3 or 5 cents per page. Here's my chance to atone for all those defective photocopies I made in NUS, and willfully tossed away into the recycle bin.

2. The dryer in the laundry room charges 1 pound per use, but requires about 2 uses for clothes to be properly dried because it's that crappy.

3. Given all the walking I have to do here, I clearly did not bring enough socks.

4. And given the crazily strong winds here, I did not bring enough (or rather, any) warm headwear. The hood of my winter parka can suffice, but is dangerous because it prevents me from looking properly sideways when crossing the road. And cars can have a tendency to disregard traffic rules here, so that is an issue.

5. I searched everywhere for nice, warm and reasonably-priced hats and was surprised to find very few fitting the bill. I even went to H&M and Topshop on Princes Street but nada. What is the world coming to when three levels of Topshop don't stock nice hats?!

Finally found a nice Angora cap on Clerk Street for £5.99. Yay!

6. The number of kiasu students, see point about textbooks below.

7. Instant noodles cost SGD$2....for a single packet.


On the bright side, cost-friendly discoveries!:

1. Greggs Bakery sells pastries and soup as a meal deal for a nice, grand price of £1.25. Similarly, set 'meals' available at Lidl, consisting of a sandwich, drink and packet of crisps of 99pence. Goodbye overpriced and cold sandwiches in the school cafe.

2. Or. There's always smuggling rolls out of the Pollock dining centre in the morning for lunch. I'll just have to avoid being seen by the cafeteria wardens.

3. Second-hand book stores at Oxfam and Southbridge. But a pity they don't always carry some of the more obscure titles on my literature booklist.

4. And double the pity that books in the library get checked out weeks in advance by very kiasu students. It's only WEEK 1 people stop living in WEEK 6.

5. £5.49 all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet! CNY dinner anyone?

6. Edinburgh is a city made for walking. I have spent zilch on transportation with the exception of the initial ride from the airport.

7. The school organizes free walking tours of Edinburgh! Went on one yesterday - delightful, bar the wet weather!

8. Most museums and galleries appear to be free. Wandered around the National Museum of Scotland between class this Monday. Very peaceful. Offers sanctuary from the cold as well.

On Lessons

A wintry scene

The ground was covered in a thin layer of frost this morning. More than one student fell prey to it on the way to school, as evinced by the various shrieks I heard around me followed by loud thumps. I suspect that the girls who went around campus with ripped stockings might have been said victims of the pernicious frost.

I'm starting to familiarize myself with the long stretch of road which leads from Pollock Halls to the main central campus. It's about a 25 minute walk every day to class, which I must say is quite a workout for me. Pollock's dining hall feeds well, both in the mornings and evenings, but I find that all the walking coupled with the weather makes me extremely ravenous by noon.

In front of the EUSA building in Bristo Square



After much running around, I've finally settled my timetable! And I'm proud to say that I've gotten down most of my lecture timings and lesson venues pat!


Tuesday and Thursday mornings are set aside for Medieval European History. The entire lecture theatre scribbles as the professor goes on about the Christian crusades and the black plague. He uses yellowed OHP transparencies, the likes of which have not been seen since I was in secondary 3. It seems very traditional History with a capital H; there's been a lot of emphasis on dates, the names of various battles and bullet-pointed lists of causal factors. It's certainly different from NUS history but I suppose somewhat...romantically quaint in the way large leather-bound books evoke a wistful sense of old-worldliness. The professor himself is rather adorable in a slightly bookish, grey-haired kind of way. I shall quote a joke of his uttered during the end of lecture because I found it amusing:


Professor: What is the difference between the Middle Ages and yoghurt?


Audience: nonplussed


Professor: One's a live culture, and the other's a dead one!


Audience: feeble, sleepy laughter


Professor: *drily* Well I suppose that didn't go down too well did it. Anyway - *shuffles papers and resumes lecture*


In the evenings, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, I go to David Hume Tower for my History of Art class which is proving extremely interesting. The lecture theatre is usually darkened so we can better view the images of medieval art which flash across the screen. It's a little bit like a Dan Brown novel, as we decipher the various symbols and icons appearing in each painting. But nothing controversial involving Jesus' lineage of course.



Finally, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons are spent on Scottish Literature. I have been blest/cursed with an immense booklist, covering about 20 texts. But thankfully we are not expected to finish them all (or so my tutor says). Thus far, we've only looked at Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" and Thomson's City of Dreadful Night which is unabashedly depressing. Both texts are rather sober starts to the new semester.


One thing I should say here is that even though the lectures in Edinburgh are just 50 minutes long, several of the professors I've met (barring the yoghurt one) don't just lecture. They orate. Perhaps the limited time necessitates such carefully planned and compact lessons. Or maybe the professors I've encountered just have a natural charisma. But in any case, it's almost as if the lecture theatre is the pulpit from which they, literally, deliver a well-rehearsed speech complete with dramatic pauses, rhetorical questions and witty anecdotes. Indeed, some completely do away with visual aides, preferring to simply talk. And the lessons never end with some mundane announcement about where to buy textbooks or what to read for the following week's tutorial. Rather, they are rounded off nicely with a line from Tennyson or Wordsworth, followed by a deliberate pause for the quote to sink in and impress (as intended). Finally, a quiet but definite 'thank you' signals the end of lecture.


They aren't necessarily the best lectures in terms of content or organization, but I would credit them for being delivered with much finesse and aplomb. And packaged of course, in that crisp and clipped British accent which seems to imbue the entire performance with an additional polish. I'm tempted to clap at the end of some lectures.


So as you might have guessed, I'm enjoying lessons so far.


Off to do some reading now. Will update later!

Sights in the City

The weather cleared up enough today for me to venture into the city centre. With the storm clouds gone, Edinburgh showed itself to be very lovely and picturesque.




...though I'm pretty sure my photography skills don't do the sights too much justice haha.

My greatest achievements since yesterday in no order of merit:

a) Waking up at 7 (yes, 7am) for breakfast at the John McIntyre Centre.
b) Finding my way to the central campus without getting lost
c) Walking all the way from Newington Road to North Bridge, without getting tired (this coming from someone who has not exercised/gymed in 3 years)
d) Getting a UK phone card with 300 free text messages, and 5 minutes of free international talk time!
e) Finding Blackwells to get my textbooks
f) Sourcing out all the bargain stores while doing (c): poundstretcher, pound saver, the pound shop, tesco, lidl....
g) Meeting two more of my neighbours today
h) Overcoming jet lag!

Not very exciting I know, but little steps, little steps.

Will be settling various administrative matters tomorrow. I need to meet my director of studies, register for tutorials, get my student ID card and set up a bank account! Nevertheless I hope to round off the day with a nice cold beer at the pub.

Off to do some reading now. Ta.

Arriving in Edinburgh

So.

After an exhausting 12 hour Singapore-London flight; a near nightmare at Heathrow immigration involving an absurdly anal and thick-headed officer; a 1.5 hour domestic flight which ballooned into a 3 hour affair due to the fog, subsequent delays and general airline ineptness; and of course, after a half-hour journey to the city centre which saw me tottering precariously around Waverly Bridge, with all my luggage, trying to hail a cab - I finally made it to Pollock Halls to check in for a good night's sleep on 10th January.

And believe me when I say, that is an extremely pleased me up there, standing in my dormitory taking this picture of myself well-fed, alive and happy! (albeit jet-lagged)

Woke up today to rather depressing weather. My damp clothing bears testament to that! It was 10 degrees celsius outside which is actually alright by itself, but horrible when combined with rain and extremely strong winds. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I was almost swept off my feet more than once today. But no matter; life goes on, and so do I heavily swathed in my winter togs, and plenty of Crabtree and Evelyn hand salve.

Had a very hearty breakfast this morning, which I am told (by the menu) is a very 'traditional' Scottish meal - potato scones, 3 huge slabs of bacon, fried tomatoes, 2 pieces of buttered toasts and black pudding! For what is essentially a sausage made out of congealed blood, black pudding tastes quite good never mind the rather ...gruesome sounding main ingredient. It looked like a rather large oreo cookie to me.

Headed down to campus for orientation day afterward. The talks were pretty informative. Trips around Scotland/England organized every weekend on the cheap! Have made a mental note to grab any opportunity to go to Inverness. I can't help it - even though I know the monster doesn't exist, Loch Ness (the lake and the surrounding region) still has an irresistable draw.

After Orientation, walked around the city area with some new friends. We went around Princes Street which is sort of like the ...Orchard Road of Edinburgh? I took pictures here and there, but I'm still so new in the city that I wasn't sure what I was taking pictures of. Haha. Will have to verify my photos later on. But in the mean time, here are some people shots and those I definitely recognize!

Pre-Departure Notes: Packing Day

After some bouts of procrastination, I managed to draw up a packing check list today. If I do say so myself, it's a pretty comprehensive list! Gained some satisfaction checking off the various items while packing earlier this afternoon.

I think I can say with some certainty that I am 90% packed and ready to go.

Also spoke to seasoned travellers (haha) Clement and Gabriel in the afternoon. Upon learning that I was leaving in a matter of days, both were quick to proffer advice which - amongst other things - included warnings against pre-departure drinking.

Gabriel: Don't drink too much alcohol

Jeanne: Yea, alcohol's really dehydrating anyway especially when you're in the air.

Gabriel: No I meant don't drink so much the night before you leave if not you'll get a hangover and miss your flight in the morning...ey...free alcohol on the plane you don't want?!!

Clement in turn, encouraged constant Zen-ness even when in transit.

Clement: *matter-of-factly* Remember ah...Heathrow's not the most user-friendly airport...even if you lose your luggage must keep your cool and act like its normal hor.

Very cheerful. But oh well; I have travel insurance.

Prospect of lost luggage (possibly) and hangovers (dim) aside, I'm really excited about leaving!!

Pre-Departure Notes: Anticipation and Just a Little Trepidation

Little Things I Worry About

Flight Mishaps: A delayed take-off. Missing my connecting flight. Snaking queues at immigration. Lost luggage. Every traveller's nightmare.

Resulting Homelessness: Arriving late at Pollock Halls, with no one around to help me check into my room.

The Cold: and subsequent cold-weather ailments and afflictions. I dread raw cheeks and cracked, sore lips.

Transporting Luggage: Lugging x number of suitcases/bags around on a bleak winter's night is not an inviting prospect.



Things I'm Looking Forward to

The Local Grub: It may have been disparaged as an 'inflated sheep's bladder' by the critics, but hey, one must try Haggis when in Scotland and finish it off with a dram!

Meeting New People: The whole point of an exchange.

The Scottish Accent: Believe it or not. I haven't decided what to think about the Scottish accent. It ranges from deliciously pleasant to downright unintelligible. I shall form an opinion when I get there and acclimitize to it.

The Sights and Sounds: Edinburgh, Scotland and yes, Europe are waiting to be explored!




My suitcase is filling up. I leave in nine days.