I am suffering from the after effects of yesternight's Toga party at the SUB.

I. Cannot. Drink. Beer.

Half a pint of beer and I'm gone. Note to self: stick to cocktail and wine. Better yet, don't drink.

Anyway, practically everyone went dressed like Romans, there were Roman statues and all that, wasn't too bad. I... improvised. Long shawl, wrapped sarong style and tied behind the neck and jewelled slacks which made me look more gypsy than Roman.

Got back rather early though, around 11.30, 12 o'clock? The rest stayed on till around 2-3am.

Am I getting old(er)? How come I don't enjoy these things anymore?

Why is it that I'd rather sit at home and curl up with a good book with a hot steaming cup of hot chocolate instead?

Or look up recipes on the internet and browse through Nigella Lawson's Feast that I just bought?

I'm getting boring, thats what.

I ended up on the phone for an hour and a half instead. Hehe.

* * *

On another note, been trying to make chapattis lately. Tried my first batch yesterday, since Bansi and I are kinda doing the dinner together kinda thing. He cooked an amazing chickpea sabji which I just couldn't get enough of. He claimed it didn't turn out well, too sour, but hey, I love sour, bring it on. It was LADEN with tomatoes. Yummy I tell you.

The chapattis were okay, only they didn't bloat and were a bit hard. Trying again today, adding more oil to them.

Whoever said 'thou shalt not live by bread alone'...

definitely never tried the bread that *I* made.

*ahem*

Yeaps, I finally tried my hand at baking my own bread, as the weather is getting colder and the prospect of walking to the store to get a loaf of bread doesn't sound very nice.

It all started with an sms though. A haiku that went: "mom's love - a slice of homemade bread. Walnuts are nice..." or something like that, I can't remember. From Malaysia, from an ex of three years.

His mom used to bake lovely, delicious bread, and since then I've developed a preference for homemade bread compared to the storebought version. And believe me, there *is* a difference. A HUGE difference.

So here I was, missing him for a bit, called him and we were chatting and he updated me about the going-ons in his family, his brother's getting married soon, another one decided to migrate to Oz, that kind of thing, and then we started reminiscing about bread.

About how his mom used to bake them in the afternoons for tea and we would sit together and talk about whats happening in our lives and she would advise me about everything and anything. I hate to say this, but sometimes I think she was more of a mother to me than my own mother. And I was probably the daughter she never had, hehe. He would sometimes come back from work later and find us sitting together talking or watching a movie or just perusing books together and we'd ask him to join us. He said he loved coming back to see the two of us having bread and tea together.

Ah well, those were the good old days.

Which reminds me, I should give her a call soon, been awhile since I've spoken to her.

Sometimes I don't know. Is it proper that I maintain such a good relationship with my ex? I've been with him 3 years. That 3 years he was my best friend, he was my confidant, he was my family. Its not to say everything was rosy, there were the bad times as well, he had his violent, aggressive moodswings, he had issues he had to deal with, that kind of thing, but things were basically pretty good. We had a lot of good times together, and we click.

People say it's unhealthy so be so close with an ex. Is it really? Why should it be, when we both know that although we're so close and all that, our relationship is not the kind that would blossom into something else? When we know that what we have is a genuine brother-sister care for each other? (yes, i do know it's a rather odd thing to discover after you've been together 3 years)

We understand each other in ways so many other people can't and should all these go to waste just because we're not together anymore? How anyone can so painstakingly nurture something and then callously just not care about it anymore? Do some people have that 'on/off' switch in their hearts that they can turn on or off at will that I don't? Or is it just that I can't control myself as well as they can?

I'm still young and probably naive. I trust people, maybe a little too much. I know have a lot to learn. About the ways of the world. About the ways of the people of the world. But in that learning and adapting, do I have to change all that much in the way I act and see things? Or maybe I don't even have to consciously change the way I act and see things, the experiences I face will, like it or not, change me. And I can only hope that its for the better.

Anyway, its a great day today. Had nasi lemak with Linda, Sudi, Hema and Kak Fiza. Bliss, I tell you. You guys in Malaysia don't realise how much we here miss Malaysian food man. They were regaling me with stories about what happened during their Kelana Convoy trip and all that. Ooh! I should've gone!

And spent the latter half of the day with Bansi. We went grocery shopping and after that had dinner together - the other half of the vegetarian curry I cooked for him, Alvin and Raymond yesterday.

He 'cleansed' my room. Some disturbances in the force. I'm superstitious that way, I guess. We did some prayers, burnt some camphor, and lighted a few incense sticks, and now the room's aura feels so much better. Or maybe it's psychology. Well whatever makes me sleep better at night, innit?

Malaysian bloggers meet

Riiiight...

Patrick suggested that bloggers in the UK do a meetup thingy and apparently left me to plan the thing - which isn't really a great idea considering the fact that i'm in Plymouth and the meeting is in err... London.

So anyway, bloggers meet.

Tentatively on one of the weekends in the month of October.

Does the 15th or 22nd October sound good?

Jon, can I rope you into organising the meetup as well?

Birthdays are best days

Happy birthday Ivy and Hibbs!

Today's theme was food and friendship. Am so stuffed from the amount of goodies I've consumed today! Not complaining though, it's not everyday that I get to have laksa, barbequed kebabs with insanity sauce and charsiew, chicken wings, cakes, puddings, and loads of german beer.

Mmmm...

*pats belly*

But best of all were the friendships formed, the shared laughter over Mr Bomba flash animations, the 'awwww' moments that couples evoke, and the feeling that my most fervent of prayers have been answered.

For that, I'm truly happy.

When it rains, it pours

Loneliness kills me
Like when cherry blossoms fall
Ponds, in winter, freeze.

Decisions, decisions

It must be the holiday season that makes people feel lonely.

Because this morning, I received a call from someone I used to date, inviting me to Switzerland for a holiday in the winter.

Now its not a policy of mine to go on holidays with ex-boyfriends, particularly ex-boyfriends on business trips, but he said it his friends and their wives (whom I also know and are pretty friendly with) will also be there.

No catch, he said. Except that I'll have to sit through a few dinner dates with them like I used to do while I was dating him (not a problem, the food is usually good, and the conversation very interesting, and they don't mind my having an opinion), and the rest of the time I'll be free to roam around with the women while the men conduct their business.

That left me rather flabberghasted. Like, why me? I thought we broke up liao. Surely he could've found someone older and more sophisticated than I was. But no, he said that of all the women he's ever dated (and thats quite a few, considering he's 15 years my senior), I'm the one that endears myself most to him and his friends *stunned*

The thing is, takut nanti, we'll head straight down the Heartbreak Highway once again.

Still, its a once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit Switzerland without worrying about having to plan my flight, accomodation, everything. Just go and enjoy.

Now if only I can discipline my heart not to fall in love so deeply so easily... but i know i cannot. Because i know if I do, it'll be hell to pay, and no amount of holidays will ever help me get over the hurt.

So I said no.

But he said to think about it. Could it be a reconciliation? Silly girl. I don't think so.

Resistance is futile

Wanted snickers.

But it was unhealthy.

So had an apple instead. Some grapes. And a peanut butter sandwich.

Still feeling unsatisfied.

Munched on seaweed. A few crackers and a mug of hot tea later, I unwrapped a snickers bar.

All cravings miraculously vanished.

Heh.

Oh the itch!

Just found out I've got next Friday off...

and guess what I want to do?

Why run off to London of course!

But whatever for? No good reason, except that I want to spend time with my friends, I want to watch a musical, and I want to buy food supplies from Chinatown.

Cost aside, which will add up to quite a bit, I won't be spending that much more compared to what I'd spend on weekends in the City Centre anyway. Damn I need therapy to cure my addiction to retail therapy.

Should I? Should I? Should I?

Aiyoh, why can't i *chey tiam tiam in Plymouth like a good student?!

*chey tiam tiam = duduk diam diam = sit still

i *heart* london

London was utter decadence.

You name it, I've probably done it. I even climbed an apple tree and ate fresh blueberries!

And kissed a girl. On the lips. With tongue. Because we had to prove we were 'partners' to get into G-A-Y. The bouncer was probably just pulling our legs, but we thought, what the hell... we only live once.

It was... different.

I don't think I'd mind kissing a girl. No really. But then again I like kissing men as well. Sheesh, why don't someone give me a man and a girl and let me have them both?

*grin*

Spent a big chuck of my nights in London at Soho. At G-A-Y, and Soho bar, and KuBar and mana tu forgot the name liao. Those are pictures taken with Yen and the rest of the MAS crew members. I absolutely adore Shukri (the guy without shirt), he's fucking cool and he's damn selamba about everything. And he promised to bring milo 3-in-1 everytime he flies to London. How can I not love someone who promises me that?

I like gay bars. I don't have to worry about being 'taken advantage of' or pei yan pok mong, because the guys would rather 'pok' other guys than kacau us girls. I feel safer there. After all, I only go there to dance and hang out with friends, not pull. I don't like gweilos. I don't know why. I just don't find them attractive... and they all look the same to me.

Terrible huh?

Its odd because Yen shares the same birthday as me and she ONLY goes out with white guys. Well except for once la. But she doesn't like Asian men. And me, I ONLY date asian guys except for one. Heh.

I miss Yen.

I miss apple picking with her at Jason's backyard. I miss squashing the apples and making lawak bodohs with apples. Like stufffing them into our shirts to make our boobs look porn star big. Like trying to walk across the lawn with an apple balanced on top of our heads. Like climbing the apple tree.

Jason must have thought he just invited two raving lunatic jackoons whos never seen apple trees (which is true) back to his place! But he ever so patiently layaned us. Of course la, we helped him do the gardening and trimmed the bushes and all that leh...

Such nice people hor?


Spent a lot of time with friends, mostly over meals, being typically Malaysian. Sometimes over coffee at Starbucks. Sometimes over a few drinks at pubs around London where I got to know a few other local London guys who seemed determined to get me drunk.

Ijun brought me for Japanese at Japan Central. Had my favourite udon with vegetable tempura, but the veggie tempura was a bit of a sham, cos it turned out to be just deep friend onion rings. Sheesh. Dissapointing, but it was lovely udon, chewy and wholesome, perfect for that cold autumn weather. We had california rolls and he had salmon teriyaki.

Been awhile since I had Japanese food.

*happy sated smile*

And I just remembered that I actually wanted to buy bonito flakes and japanese ingredient stuff in London. But forgot. All the more reason to go back there one of these weekends! Yeayness.

Ijun also brought me to the apple megastore. Omigod! Awesome. Nerd heaven. Looks like something out of a 21 century new age alien movie or something. I want an iPod nano now!! I want an iBook! iWant, iWant, iWant!!!

We went to Edgeware Road later to meet up with Jason at Mawar. They had charkoayteow which didn't really taste like charkoayteow. I had... teh o ais limau and soya bean! Was a bit too full after the udon. but teh o ais limau and then soya bean, and surrounded with so many Malaysian faces and people speaking chinese and malay... it almost felt like home.

But its funny that I've come to a point where I don't miss home all that much anymore. 8 months have passed since I've came here and I'm happy here. I like it here. I like the people I meet, I like the way I live, I like that I don't have to depend on a car to get me where I want to go and I discovered the joys of walking. Not to say that I'm ready to give up my heels just yet la. I love the weather here, I love the live and let live way of life.

No I can't live in Plymouth, its too quiet for me. I need something with more life before it eats up my life and energy. I like London. Albeit, a few weeks on holiday doensn't really count for much. I won't know until I live there whether or not I'd really like it there.

But this much I know. I beh tahan Plymouth.

Its too quiet. When its too quiet I get lazy. I get lethargic. Its a whole momentum thing, you know the way the busiest people always seem to have time to do everything, but the people with the most time seem to not have enough time to do anything?

Its like that.

I never have time to do anything in Plymouth because I think I have all the time in the world. Whereas in somewhere more, well, fast paced, I have the time and energy to do all i have to do and then some.

Thats it I need to get a job. If only to get me moving and do something useful with my time.

I nak balik Londonnnnnnnnnnnnnn......

The black and white stripes of Newcastle

I guess the whole holiday has been a bit of a re-visit to the past of sorts. A reconciling between the past and the present, a closure of sorts. Been tying loose ends, getting answers to questions I've been wondering why to, and finally being able to move on.

Newcastle was one of those 'see old friends' trip. To see Vicks. He used to be one of my best guy friends back in Taiping till we sort of drifted apart. Too many things came between us. My 'best' friend, his girlfriend. The desire to be 'cool' and be seen in the company of the 'right' people. How Jane Austen. How Mrs Bennett.

Anyway enough of thinking about all that and back to reporting about Newcastle. Well what can I say about Newcastle? It looks almost like every other city in the UK, but it was more the people than the place that made the trip worth the while.

Stayed over at Vick's place and met up with his housemates and all, they were complaining about the girls at medic being uptight and then we started talking about boobs and FHM and watched this weirdass movie called Castaway (but purely for the Amanda Donahue or whatever her name is punya boobs). Started joking and all that about gals and all that until Aizat remarked, "You're fast becoming my favourite girl!"

Sigh. I'm too much of a guy.

Also been ogling girls wayyy too much thanks to the only supply of literature in the house being Maxim and FHM and GQ. Not complaining though. I love FHM. Especially Ladies Confessions. Seriously yah, where do they get all those girls who pose for the mags? I mean, if you go on the streets, how many gals do you actually see with such chun bodies and faces? Or have I been hanging out too much where the hags are?

Anyway I digress.

We went to Alnwick Castle. You know, the castle where Harry Potter, Elizabeth and most of the lovely English movies were filmed? Its gorgeous!

It even houses the biggest treehouse in the world! What a merry wonderland! I want to be the children of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland in my next life!! Hah!


Oh yeah, I met a lovely old lady and a handsome punjabi guy on the way here. The coach to Newcastle was delayed cos of an accident on the motorway and by the time we got moving we were 3 hours late, but we had such jolly good fun chatting together that we didn't even realise that!

Anyway, the guy, Sanjeev and I sat next to each other on the coach and at the end of the trip became firm friends and he invited me to his birthday party. Of course I asked if I could bring a friend la, takkan I wanna go to a strange guy's place alone, right? So on Monday Vicks and I went over to his lovely place and had a lovely time at the party. I even learnt how to make chapatti from his girlfriend Nancy. They're really nice, and we wanted to go to the Metrocentre the next day together, but thing came up so I went on my own...


Didn't get to go for any of the famous Newcastle Nights Out because the guys were always so busy, but they were nice enought to bring me out one night to cross the Milennium Bridge and take pictures and all that. Newcastle by night looks magical. Spent time with the guys watching the footie match (them) and checking out cute players and their legs and bums (me).

Vicks was on call the next day, so Alvin being the sweetie that he is, sent me off at the coach station. I'm the eternal worrier, and we got there an hour early, which we spent talking about being piggies and looking for jobs and his coming MBA. Yeesh, tak aci, the guy 8 months younger than me, but already stating his MBA when I'm just halfway through my third year!

I left Newcastle with fond memories, strengthed friendship with Vicks, and load and loads of new friends.

And friends... Friends are always good to have around.

Scotland

those are random pictures of Edinburgh and St Andrews. Scotland is amazingly beautiful. It's probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to, no kidding. St Andrews Cathedral with its graveyards was... surreal and haunting, to say the least. I loved it there.


Thats Monica and Lidia, the polish couple I was talking about. They're super cool. I haven't gotten around emailing them as yet... I keep on reminding myself to, but I will, soon. I miss the times we'd just hang around at the dining hall at Belford talking about our travels, about the people we meet, about the people we love. We come from different backgrounds, we were raised differently, but funny how we see things the same way, funny how we feel the same.

Rambut tak sama hitam, tapi dalam hati quite the sama.

Hrm...

I finally met up with K. The first guy I kissed.

Maybe I was young and smitten then. Maybe I've changed. Maybe I'm not so impressionable and easily impressed by the 'I'm titled and I come from a posh public school and I'm doing an exchange programme at MCKK' image anymore.

He's a nice chap, he is. But I didn't like the way he dissed his own friends. I didn't like the way he talked about Dzul being a 'fairy', I didn't like the way he belittled others. Its really not what he said but more the way he said them. He may treat me like a princess, but if he's going to talk about his own friends that way... sorry but I have no respect for that.

Its funny that I actually waited 5 years to actually see him again. Counting the years, the months, the days... wondering what it would be like. Playing the 'what-if' scene in my head. Remembering him through the eyes of the 17 year old me, with only memories of the 3 months we had together. Perhaps I embellish my memories. Perhaps I choose to remember what I want to remember. But I never expected to face someone who was almost a stranger after 5 years. We didn't think the same way, didn't agree on the same things, we just didn't gel. He wasn't the K I remembered. He didn't even look like the K I remembered.

I guess its not a unique sentiment. How often do we remember things with such fondness, only to re-experience it and never be able to recapture what our memories had so elevated?

We said our goodbyes at the end of the day, and we promised to keep in touch.

But as I walked away I had a heavy feeling in my heart. A dull ache, a sadness for my memory of K that is lost to me forever...

hanky panky

Return of the prodigal student

Its good to be back. Sort of.

Its nice to have people greeting me with, 'Eh, dah balik!!!' happily. Its nice to see familliar faces around me, its nice to have friends bursting over to tell tales of their own travel adventures and hear stories of my own.

The Village is buzzing with life today, now that everyone's back from Kelana Convoy, tired but happy. I got souvenirs from them, happy happy. ^_^

And Shin Yee got me lovely dark chocolate. Me likey.

I actually got back to Plymouth on Saturday. But stayed at the city with a few friends. Raymond came down to Plymouth with Yi Duan for a match, and they invited me to join them for dinner and drinks with friends in the city, and I joined them la.

And met my first other chinese Malaysian friends in Plymouth, Wong and Hung-koh.

We went for lovely chinese food at New Spring Garden, had curried paiquat, kangkong, a soup, and a deepfried yam thingy with seafood veggies in the middle, damned sedap man. And the waitressed wahhh... dunno beauty pageant or modelling agency or what, damned chun pakai cheongsam some more. I wanna be a waitress there also la! Can wear nice uniform... ooh!!!



Then we went to a pub for some drinks, these people had to tell ghost stories and I thought I saw something beside me and let out a shriek... damn paiseh man. Everyone was looking at this weird oriental girl who simply scream for no reason. Cheh.

I spent the night with them. We had an impromptu Mid Autumn Festival celebration of mooncakes, milo and Ipoh white coffee that my mom sent to me. Pictures are with Wong, so you guys have to wait a bit for it.

*edit* just got pictures!!











Stayed over at their place for the night and the next morning, Hung-kor fried rice and cheesy onions for us for breakfast and we had lovely lovely tea at Debenhams cafe. Their Peaches and cream ice blended is splendid. Hmmmm...



After that went back to Marjons lorr... discovered that I had 7 parcels waiting for me, one of them being the bolster my mom sent me!!! Yeayness. Others were just presents from friends who have been travelling around. I got a Roxy bag from Adele who's in Oz. And waiting for Raymond Woo to send me something *ahem*cough*cough*. The rest were books and dvds I ordered from Amazon. Sally was nice enough to take them from the Lodge for me and keep them. Loads of bills as well. Grrr...

Was not going to have dinner but then passed Munir's house and he invited me to have dinner with Farouk and him, so yeah, had taugeh, eggs, onion and mushroom rings, and assam pedas. Munir's a great cook. Although I like to comment on the way he cooks while he's cooking just to irritate him, haha. We spent some time talking in his room, playing the guitar, singing songs, then I talked to his girlfriend on the phone and we made him pretty uneasy giggling away like chimuis, haha. And Abul came back from work and joined us for awhile before excusing himself to pray.

It struck me how much I really miss them. I miss the time we spent together as a group. Our dinner sessions. Our talks with their layers and double entendres, and our sometimes serious sessions. I miss cooking for them, and singing songs with them, and just hanging out with them, watching movies or listening to music.

But I think...

Our friendship's back on track.

I hope.

I said goodbye to Kai... he's leaving for Kazakstan for good, but he promised to come to Malaysia to meet up and all that. Gave him a parting gift. Poor Doreen is going to be so sad. Allen will be waiting at Heathrow to send him off, so at least there's someone to comfort Doreen on the way back... sigh...

*auld lang syne*

After I went back to my room, I had some tea, read a book, called Munir and chatted again, and then got a call from Abul saying that his gf Ainna sent her regards and started chatting about nonsense again and before long, realised that my heater wasn't working (again) and that the mini heater that I had, well, there were sparks flying out of it! So rosak. Grrr... It was fucking cold, but never fear, Vish the ever genius slept with her hairdryer beside her so that can heat the bed up whenever she woke up because of the cold.

I still miss London though. I miss the hecticness. The liveliness.

Most of all, I miss the people.

Sue Yen. Ijun. Jason. Winson. Queen Sheng. Yi Duan. Raymond. James. Beng Beng. Kah Kit. Jim. Dave. Kenny.

Its only because of them that London is what it is to me.

Loveliest day in London

Had a haircut at Toni and Guy (Oxford Street branch) today... here's a picture of me and Tomomi, the hairdresser who cut my hair, she's from Japan, and ooh, aint she cute?



Got a call from Winson telling me to get my ass over to Village at Soho to meet his hunky brazillian friend, whose name I forgot, and the three of us had a pretty good time over a few drinks and nonsense chat. The guy is getting married with his partner in December. Yeaps, as of December this year, gay marriages are legit in UK. Or so he says la... *shrug*

Then went over to Bayswater with Winson to meet up with the guys... it was Choon Beng's farewell dinner. We met at Four Seasons. All 8 of us and ordered a dish each. We had crispy duck, fish, XO baby octopus, seafood kailan, prawns, fish, chicken, and a stewed yam pork thingy and they were oh so lovely! Been awhile since I've seen Jim but we hit it off pretty well, cos we both love love love Murakami and have a thing for erotica =P


Ray, Beng, Me, Jim and James happy happy together

Thats all of us at the Bayswater Station
QueenSheng,Jim,BengBeng,Vish,Winson,James, Ray

After dinner, commenced to Soho Bar and then to G-A-Y yet again. But too full to dance. Met a few Japanese girls who were really friendly, exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep in touch, but we'll see how that goes. I'm pretty cynical about friendships that are formed at bars and clubs. Heh.

Neways its almost 3. Am really really tired. Off to bed now. Will update on the rest soon.

Last day in Edinburgh

I am a terrible tourist, I am.

First of all, because I love sleeping in and waking up at like 11 am and lingering over morning coffee and only getting my ass out of the place after 1pm.

And then stopping at shops. La Senza is the bane of my entire existence I tell you. I cannot see lingerie on sale. Nevermind that I have two armoireful of bras. I'm making up for years of not having nice pretty *cough* plus sized bras in pretty colours and patterns. And they're not all that expensive either. Wah liao, the ones in Malaysia, look like grannie underwear but costs a bomb. Ptui!

After La Senza I went shopping for more clothes and souvenirs for friends and family. Especially for Sue Yen and my family cos she's coming over.. so yeah. Bought shortbread, fridge magnets, scotch whisky, heathergems, the works...

Also went around the Tron Kirk and sat there chatting with this guy who seemed to know a lot about Edinburgh's history and heh, it turns out that he's THE JAN ANDREWS HENDERSON prolific writer of a series of books on Edinburgh, ranging from stuff about the McKenzie poltergeist to Edinburgh's nickname as the city of the dead, also chatted quite a bit with my guide yesterday, Cara, about esoteric Edinburgh, so maybe I could write a story about that as well.. ^_^

*fingers crossed*

Feeling a little tourist-y, I went into the museum for a quick look - so quick that the curator remarked, "you're not into museums, are you?" wah liao, damn embarrassing wei...

what to do, such a phillistine.

hey but i liked the Tate Gallery in London worr...

But I did get to sample some scotch and whisky - which was a pretty bad idea, considering the horrible headache i am currently experiencing. I actually wanted to go for another underground tour tonight, but I don't feel like it... hrm, should I? there's another one at 10. Maybe... then again maybe not.

Hrmm.

Am heading back to London tomorrow.

I love Edinburgh. It's lovely. The people are lovely. They're rather touristy, though, as well. I love walking back to Belford at night alone. That 30 minutes of silent solitude. Sometimes it feels so surreal, the mist, the bells, the cool and not being able to see more than a few yards ahead of me....

I love the rowdiness of the hostel. The initial embarrassment of seeing other women naked in the shower. The waiting until everyone is asleep so that I have the whole shower room to myself to shower in. The shock of waking up discovering your dormmates 'going at it'.

It's all experience, I guess.

And I met another Malaysian girl as well. The people at the tours remarked that Malaysian girls are the only Asian/Oriental girls who are independent and free spirited/brave enough to travel alone.

*thumbs up*

Last meal in Edinburgh? A pot of haggis and tatties at the SX restaurant off the Royal Mile.

Drama at Belford

Woke up really late today so missed my Roslyn Chapel and Da Vinci code tour...

*£25 grows wings like in Lao Fu Tze comics*

So what to do, took a train to explore St Andrews on my own. Went to chapel, castle and beaches, tried their confectionery, visited museums etc etc etc...

and came to the conclusion that I really am not a 'scenery' kind of person.

I was like, what the hell £9.80 entrance fee to get into the supposedly grand Edinburgh castle, £4 to get into the St Andrews Cathederal and £5 for the castle was a total waste of £££. Seriously. They were all but a pile of rocks to me. I just don't appreciate these kind of stuff.

I ended up shopping and eating in St Andrews, heh. I bought some really nice ice cream and fudge, gorgeous strawberry tarts and shortcakes and ooh, a lovely cashmere wrap. Me like mucho!

So far the best tour I've been on was the graveward tour where we got to witness poltergeist activity (McKenzie's Poltergeist) at the Black Mauseleum (sp?) in Greyfriars cemetary. That was really really cool. I absolutely love esoteric Edinburgh.

And ooh, there was drama at the hostel today. There was some sicko staying here last night, he was trying to chat with me last night as well, but i was like, "i not the unstand yingleesh" cause he looked pretty weird to me.

Well today I found that my instincts were right. He was going around touching some girls and also asking weird ass questions and tried to hurt a portugese girl cos she was looking at him, called her a whore and all that and threw the kitchen utensils across the kitchen at her. Monika and Lidia (the polish gals) were telling me about it.

Thats the thing.

I may seemingly go around befriending random people and gather pretty weird oddballs into my circle of friends, but most of these friends feel right. They just do. I can't explain it. And if I don't trust someone, there has to be a reason for it, whatever reason that may be. Maybe its the pheromones. Well, sometimes I do make mistakes, like with that psycho stalker....

*shrug*

I'm still trying to sort things out with myself about some stuff.

But one thing I need to remember as well.

Things will sort themselves out. As they always do.

Edinburgh is breathtakingly gorgeous!

I also tried haggis.

It really isn't as bad as it sounds. Really.

So many things has happened these few days.

In London. On the way to Edinburgh. In Edinburgh.

It's just... whoa.

Sometimes scary. Sometimes exhilirating. Sometimes... I dunno.

Sometimes I think my life in Plymouth is but brief commas and breathers for when life really happens, like when it did in London.

Something happened in London.

I don't know how to feel about it.

I'll just... take is as it is then. Come what may. I *think* I'm prepared for whatever outcome it may come out to be.

Oh by the way, I've just met up with two of the coolest Polish girls around, and omigod, they're an awesome couple - so lovey dovey and just amazing! Am planning a trip to Poland to visit them soon. And they're going to Malaysia as well, and if their timing is right, they're gonna bunk at my place. Yeayness.