Jom Makan ~ So Called Malaysian Restaurant in London

A newly opened Malaysian restaurant in London.

Went to try it on my way to the Cesar Pelli lecture last Friday. 

Well... they stressed that it's Malaysian food, BUT... I don't feel the Malaysian taste, sorry to say that.  

I ordered the Assam Laksa which they claimed to be a good one, true that the fish paste is pretty thick, but it lacks the special aroma for Laksa.  The kind of pineapple they added taste wierd with the whole thing. Before that, I requested to make it more spicy, and the waitress said that I need to order extra sambal or chili which i remembered the extra chili cost £0.75... Insane! Anyway, when the food came, they did give me extra chili with no cost. 

Em... about going back there... perhaps when I really miss Malaysian food, and maybe give some other food some chances. I would say they do put a lot of ingredients in the food, but just lack the true Malaysian flavour... haha... 

Here's their official website: http://jommakan.co.uk/

and a TV3 coverage. (be patient, not the 1st news about murder, wait for the next)

http://www.tv3.com.my/Shows/EpHighlight.aspx?MasterID=190&ShowID=231&MenuID=2&TemplateID=1&SubMenuID=1&VideoID=13448&EpID=16764#anchorVid

A glimpse of London

Sunday 15th

Sunny Sunday

Went to China Town with 2 girls (friend of friend) who's squatting with me in a incredibly small bedroom for 1. China town is the best place to buy phone cards for cheap international calls.

Walked to Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, London Eye and Big Ben. Just a few shots here.

Dirty London

You think London is clean? Nope, it's not. A bit disappointing to see the rubbish at this tourist spot. London eye is just behind me. 

1st Parade

When we've decided to go back, we saw this parade. I would say it's the first time in my life, I'm so close to a parade.  It's about George Bush. 

As usual, the busy body Malaysians, found some higher place to climb up..

Stayed to watch for some time. One of us went into the crowd, don't know where.. so the other two of us found a nice spot to sit down, and I took this picture which I think looks like some photos in Times magazine.. haha.. 

Smart Policemen of London

Real smart! I don't need to elaborate much, here's a photo below and more here. That's when I've the mood to take more photos, but I did not want to drag too long there, and distract them from work. Don't you think they are smart? 

Haworth- Home of the Bronte Sisters

My memory is failing me, can't remember what I did the day before 7th June.

Anyway, Esther took me to Haworth, the home of the famous Bronte Sisters. For those who wonders who they are, check here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontë

A little refreshments, 2 very famous English literature (I read in Secondary School, my bf didn't know about it, OMG... what school was that? hehe)

The sisters, Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre, and Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights.

Back to the journey...

Did a little stroll to the bus stop in front of Morrisons, to save cost.

Bus: 696 to Keighley

Fare: ₤1.80 one way

Can't remember exactly how long it takes, 30min. perhaps. Stopped at Haworth Road and walked to the Bronte Parsonage Museum (the house that they lived).

Well, we did a little exploration to find short cuts, but ended up a longer route(click the photo for larger view). Anyway, interesting walk. Extra nice scenes to shoot. Check out the photo album of Haworth.

Treat ourselves with ice-creams upon reaching the junction to Main Street (the road to Bronte Parsonage).

Took a short tour in the Haworth Parish Church. Battery change when i'm about to take a photo of the frontage,but forgot about it after that.... no photos of the church frontage!

Didn't enter to the Bronte Parsonage Museum (the house of Bronte family) as it costs ₤6 per adult. Emm.. a bit expensive to view someone's old house, I think, and there's lots more of these kind of 'museums' throughout England. Can't go into all, I'll be broke, and you'll be bored.

So, we went to explore the meadows. There's a Bronte Meadow behind the house. Alas, I can have the chance to step on the meadows! Small one, but better than nothing!

Ended our day with fish and chips at a nearby shop. OMG, I forgot the name of the shop. Hmm.. I need to think of a better way to organize my travelogue and photos.

London Day2

Slept at 12:30am, woke at 6am! Very unlikely of me in Malaysia!

Followed my friend to the Ford service centre to get his car fixed in the morning.

The tube station that I arrived on the 1st day - Archway.

In the afternoon, his wife and sister had invitation to Burberry's warehouse sales for staffs and their family and friends, so we tagged along to Piccadilly Circus. 

China Town is just nearby, and we had dim sum for brunch. Well, I know I know, very unlikely 1st meal in London, but they missed the food, so... (I've just had the famous Ipoh dim sum before I came). Each had to order at least ₤6 of food, and the portion is big as usual. Then the gals went Burberry shopping, my friend took me around banks to check on opening a bank account. By 4 something, though I should wander around the city longer, my head is already getting heavy... yearning for sleep, so back we went.

~sigh... bad habit, didn't went to sleep immediately back home... dragged till the later evening, the weather was quite nice, so did some shooting around. Some pretty nice flowers they had in the common garden.

Main entrance. (Click here for more)

Landed In UK Again After 15 Years

Step foot in UK again after 15 years.

Thanks to those friends who went to send me off in the airport.  Luckily didn't cry... well, this time less emotional, perhaps I'm going to somewhere I've been, perhaps it's not the first time I'm away (though it's the longest period).  Who knows I'll start to be home sick pretty soon.

*taking off from Penang (very seldom see reflections like this on the wings, the plane must be very well kept.. hehe)

Flying on SIA

Both flight was not full. I've chosen a window seat for the long flight, 2 seats/row so that it's easier to go to the lavatories, just pass 1 person. Who knows, not many passengers, I've 2 seats to myself with some extra space to put my things.  If I've booked the 3 seated row, I can lay flat. Now I can only straighten my legs on the other seat, but... don't hiam not bad liao la... pretty lucky, the screen of my booked seat was old and a bit blur... so I watched movie on the other, show flight

status on the lousy screen.

Food? not a problem for me.. consider good.  

Service? I'll say good. They kept going around serving drinks. Not like MAS, you've to kept asking for attendance between meal times. 

high up in the sky

London greeted me with this weather, raining.

Arrival

Bravo to the pilot (didn't notice his name), smooth landing. Sometimes you'll feel the jerk if not landed smoothly.

Long queue at the immigration. Was questioned if I intend to work or travel more (of course have to answer travel more lah, I'm on WHM Visa leh). Then what kind of jobs I intend to do, of course contract architects or architectural technician lor... (if just mention architecture jobs, I'm sure they'll question further, luckily I did my homework well, hehe).  

Since I'm staying for more than 6 months, they sent me to the health control for X-ray. So... when I went to claim baggage, everyone else collected and left, mine was left on the floor. 

Walked few Kilometers

From exit gate to immigration counter, I don't know how long I've walked, seems very far. 

From Immigration to Underground station, it's also a long way. I believed it summed up to at least 3-5km. Can you imagine how big Heathrow Airport is? Sorry, no photos, don't want to drag too long, getting late and I'm traveling on Tube to my friend's place myself. 

Not very wheelchair friendly underground system. 

No lifts, no escalator at some stations. I've to take tube on Piccadilly Line and change at Leicester Square, damn! There's few flights of stairs! With a 23kg trolley luggage, and a 10kg backpack on my back, regretted I didn't ask my friend to come fetch me at the airport, but it's too late. Slowly and carefully, with my stronger right arm, holding the rail with another hand, I managed to get up the stairs. No one around when I carry them up, until the last few steps, the guys must be surprised: such a fragile little body carrying such big luggage! haha.. 

Again! When I reached Archway, few more stairs... oh dear! 

Oh ya, there's about 6" difference in the level of the platform and the train, so... my strong arm was in use again.. haha.. 

Now tumpang at my friend's house in London, sleeping in the living room. What to do? small place.  

Work, will find later.

Mood

Well, not much difference. Even upon arrival, just feel like another process. Perhaps old liao.. haha...

Whatever it is, just face it! 

Time To Say Goodbye

At this point, the song 'Time to Say Goodbye' came to my mind.. 

For the past week, cleared as many stuffs I could, painted few deteriorating interior walls of my home (Ipoh one la). Planned to do the portfolio during the nights, but ended up worked my house till late night and lay flat right away. 

Planned to do the portfolio by Saturday no matter what, but still busy tidying, cleaning the mess, dragged on till Sunday, have to let go... close my eyes and quickly pack... With a super overloaded luggage, rushed to Sungai Petani to meet my bf's family before leaving the country. 

Wanted to continue the portfolio overnight, but seriously sleep deprived, I decided to let go, just get it done in UK, and print there... at least less weight (which at the end of packing, I realized that's a smart choice).

Finally, finished packing. 

1st round, overloaded and overweighted. 

2nd round, overweighted.

At the end, switched to another smaller luggage that weighs less by itself, and let go more stuffs.  

Friends asked how's my feeling and emotions, before I finished packing. Now... well, I've to say I'm feeling sleepy, finally I can rest for few hours before I fly.  

Almost exactly another 24hrs, I'll be in UK. Yeah! To my new life! Still not much changes in emotion, I guess sleep is more important now....

To be continue when I step foot in UK....