Saturday 26 May 2012

Cambridge

Day 3 - Cambridge!!! Rival of Oxford where Yong Fei was doing his law. A continuation from Stratford trip Day 2 of course. The environment here is quite different than both Oxford and Stratford. Its very erm.... medieval-like kinda city. All the grand buildings, with different kind of freshness in the atmosphere. Brilliant.


We met up with his friends there, 2 of them, also Malaysian. It seems that most popular conversation topic for Malaysian undergrads/grads there is - getting a permanent job in UK. Understandable. After all the years spent over there, even more understandable. The quality of life is just totally different. You pay taxes there, but you will feel that its money well-spent....unlike going back home, you know? But then, lets get back to the topic shall we? Cambridge!!! Most of the photos will be revolved around a river. Sort of like Oxford, but here we get others to "drive" for us. Many students here earn some pocket money by doing part-time jobs. Like erm..a river taxi.



These boats will use the streams running through the backyard of houses, shops and schools.

Where are the rubbish eh?

Beautiful architecture along the trip

Quite a popular past time here

A few of the faculties along the way




The one who was paddling our boat is a Cambridge undergrad, doing some part time job. Kinda superman lookalike. Tall, well-built, handsome, perfect hair, articulate. Quite strange though when he wet himself in the middle of the journey. Some sort of kidney disease he said.

After that we just jalan-jalan around the area visiting the bigger campuses. Apart from that, didnt really venture much. This is the last day I kept Yong Fei busy. The next day - London!!!

Friday 25 May 2012

Lost bracelet

GG

Lost my bracelet. Not really lost it. I some sort of threw it away, not intentionally of course. GG.
I was throwing a rock, in the quarry, with my right hand.

I was wearing the bracelet on the right hand, and it was loose. GG.
It flew off, and can never be found again. It just assimilate itself with the surroundings. So gg.

There goes $$$.

Friday 11 May 2012

Stratford-upon-Avon

So, from Day 1 - Oxford, I came to Stratford. The feel and environment here is very different from Oxford. The comfort is still there, just not as bustling as Oxford. Less people are walking around, less activities going on, wider streets, more distanced buildings. Kinda nice for a lazy soul. Maybe thats why this place is the birthplace of William Shakespeare.






One of the plays we get to watch there. Free for the public to watch. Not sure what it was about though. Not ngam me.


The architecture here is amazing too.See those wooden nails below. Well, there are many other places which uses wooden nails, but I am impressed nonetheless.






One of the olden painting method. Gave it a try and ended up having sore fingers for the day. Not very easy oooo. You will need to etch on a piece of paper over a copper block. To have a nice colour, you will need to apply significant pressure on the paper. Since its my 1st time, the result was not that good despite the chamness fingers.





In Startford, not only its filled with gardens like Oxford, but they are also filled with flowers, everywhere.
Very soothing to the eyes I must say.




 The Church where William Shakespeare is buried.







Alas, the final stop for Stratford - the train station again. On Day 3, we went to Cambridge to visit Yong Fei's friends and toured around the city.


Oh ya, before I left, I had to take the shots below.



A very comfy small city. Not hectic, refreshing, relaxing....ah...
Next up - Day 3 - Cambridge!!!!

Thursday 10 May 2012

UK with Yong Fei - Oxford

1st of all.....woah...wtf, it was 2008? Cant believe it is overdue for so so very long. It was some sort of impromptu trip as London was my stopover airport before going back to Malaysia, from Trinidad and Tobago (my workplace at that time). Yong Fei was my schoolmate back in VI. He was doing his law in University of Oxford, so I took the chance for free accommodation during that trip. And also a free tour guide!!! Heh, Thanks a bunch bro.

Naturally, my first stop was in Oxford. I took a bus from the airport to this place - my first stop in Oxford.

Nice weather heh? I thought summer will be the best season to fit in my plans - longer daylights, means more time to travel around. From here, I made my way to his hostel, a walking distance. I am not sure if I should post his room photo here, but since its so long ago, and he is taken anyway; I dont think it will do him a lot of harm..heh
It is small but very adequate in space. You even have your own toilet here. There is a common kitchen which we didnt really utilise. We only cooked a few meals as I wanted to try out local flavours. I slept on the floor with a mattress which is comfortable for me. I just hope I didnt really disturb him too much during my stay. I had a tour around the campus and was very impressed with the environment there. It was very relaxing and filled with activities, which can be very bad on your studies if you get to comfortable with it. I know I will be led astray. I will be too busy exploring and enjoying rather than keeping up with the academic competition here.

Almost every campus/schools have nice gardens, feels so...refreshing


The library I went to is quite small, but I'm not sure about the others.


I took a walk outside the campuses too, but this place is full of students, like some sort of University town, if you get what I mean. It is just like those ulu small town near ulu colleges/universities in Malaysia, but much bigger and livelier.
I even had a shot of a gondala here.


See how relaxed the students here are? Sitting n gathering by the riverbank.



The next day, we took a train to Stratford-upon-Avon.

Day 2 with Yong Fei




Saturday 5 May 2012

Vacations

I guess everyone needs a vacation every now and then huh? I cant say Im not a fan, but the vacation aroma doesnt really last long after I smells one. The taste dies off pretty fast, but it might be the reason I look forward for another in the future.
As I mentioned in the past, I tend to overplan and overschedule things. It might get you covering 'important' venues or attractions, but you can really miss out on the spontaneous part of a vacation. BUT without proper planning, you will miss some of the best things that particular place can offer you. BUT and BUT, I guess you can always relive the vacation again, if you really like it, and explore the unexplored part!! That will be the best way of vacationing. Alas, not everyone will have the time, or $$$ to live the best vacationing way huh?

I was thinking about vacations because everyone seems to be on, or has been or will be going to a vacation lately, in my circle at least. It gets me to think of my next vacation - Macao/HK in June. It has been scheduled down to the minutes and HKD which I dont think will run very far from the plan. For a vibrant city which has so much to offer, I guess its best to choose and select the preferred destinations and to-dos for us, me n the gf, instead of getting lost and dunno where to go. I am not sure we will repeat this route anyway.

This also gets me thinking about my previous vacations. And surprise surprise. I lost my Japan trip photos!!!!! WTFF!!!! And I didnt record down the details of my remaining days there!!! Oh no!!! I think its time for me to visit my trusted travel partner at that time, for backup of those photos - my mum. Im sure she has all of them....somewhere. Then I will finish up the stories where I left them.
And there is also the UK trip. Damn....I will have to finish them up too.
A total waste if I would let them die with my brain cells.

Ah, I remembered an incident when someone actually invaded my privacy by posting my FB photos to a public forum in an attempt to humiliate me. You know, keyboard warriors losing keyboard fights, thinking the keyboard winner has an ugly face as the keyboard loser scenario? So the keyboard loser thought by posting my photos in that particular forum, people will just flame me - "OMFG, so ugly", or "mah eye!!!! mah eyes!!!" kinda remarks. To his frustration though, and to my surprise, ppl were actually impressed with my photos. Hmm.....not bad ahBan....not bad....a pat to myself. One of the comment stuck in my mind too - "well traveled man". Heh, along with other not bad remarks too. Heh. *smirk*

But then again, what I really wish for, I mean my dream vacation, doesnt really involves too much of $$, or flying for that matter.
I enjoy a good timeout, with my buddies and friends, hanging out together on a common destination. Penang, Pangkor, Melaka, Pahang, you name it, Im there.
I am still very very very looking forward to drive round the peninsular Malaysia. Still looking for the kaki, and also the time.

Till the next update on my UK trip, and the missing Japan photos.... tata