Planned But Not Really

The Bridge of Sigh above New College Lane.

Care for a Bath?

Shuttled from Bristol, Bath and Oxford in 4 days. Each city distinct from each other. It’s surprising how different people are. Something I thought I would never be able to pick up, what not being just 3 months in a whole new world. Bus drivers tell you a lot about the people in the city I suppose. With that, Notts tops all the other 3 in terms of friendliness.

Enough about people. Highlights of Bath are the unmistakable Roman Bath and the posh Victorian architecture of the residential area. Since it’s the birth place of Jane Austen, Bath pays homage to its very own literary genius. There’s a costume museum displaying costumes worn in films adapted from her novels. Min Ying and I had a go with corsets, available to be worn by visitors.

Bristol is damn hilly. Serve me right for not believing her when she said it was. Don’t lug heavy bags when traveling in Bristol by foot. We trudged uphill, mind you a very steep one, only to find Cabot Tower shut. According to Min Ying, a student in Bristol Uni, it’s the best place to see the whole of Bristol. It’s a bigger town compared to Notts, with better high streets and Wisteria Lane like houses only more formidable looking. The city itself is neither new nor world, since a lot of it was destroyed in air raids of WW2; most of its buildings are reconstructed. But Bristol Cathedral is a must see of course.

We got lucky in Oxford. Asyraf met up with his Sunway mate who’s in Trinity College. Hence, we entered the dining hall of Corpus Christi – yups! the dining hall in all the Harry Potter movies. We also went to the pub frequented by J.R.R Tolkien and C.S Lewis – The Eagle & Child. It’s said that Tolkien challenged Lewis to write a book about Christianity that would sell, and he did, with the Narnia series.

Christmas was amazing simply because it was totally unplanned. I got invited by a family in Grantham (birth place of Isaac Newton) to spend Christmas with them. Ended up spending the night there. Woke up on Boxing Day to watch the annual Hound in Belvoir Castle and its surrounding area. Traditionally hounds would round up foxes but not anymore since it’s banned. We saw Princess Diana’s sister on horseback – horses are used to lead the hounds.

All in all, it was good to experience the traditional British family life. I still haven’t done my boxing day shopping and yes, the studying for January exams. Also, how do you study when you see snow for the first time?

Not to late to say Merry Christmas everyone!


Current music: John Legends’s Ordinary people

Minnie and Me in Lyme

The reading room's mince pie party; Pretty Padmini and 2 cool grannies.

St. Margaret's tenor's belting out Sinatra's My Way after choir practise.

All Saint's stained window.

The city centre.

Lake near Minnie's place.

Us reliving our picture-taking-crazy-days.

My growing frustration at the futility of working caused more than rattled spirits and eye-bags. It was timely then, that the last blow I received was quickly remedied by a weekend break. I left med school for the bus stop that took me to the train station where I gratefully left Nottingham.

The train ride wasn’t relaxing, but I was looking forward for something better - to meet Padmini after nearly 3 months in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, as Luke puts it “the wrong Newcastle”. UK has 2 Newcastles as it turns out.

Minnie met me at the train station in Stoke-On-Trent. We sat in the vicar’s ancient car that chose that precise day to be cranky. Barry, the vicar talked to the car the entire journey to Madeley, a village just outside the city centre. Padmini stayed in a house that was formerly the sorting room of the old post office. She has been working in Madeley as a Richfield volunteer teaching kids and actively participating in church activities.

When we got to her house, we sipped on a lame imitation of the teh halia – Ginger Lemon Tea and ran through my journey and planned the next 1.5 days without any success. We then dined on Chicken Tikka and Cous Cous before choir practice in St. Margaret’s church.

It felt like being in a story. The church was at least 500 years old, the cemetery in front of it glistened eerily with the yellow street lamps and had tablets of people long gone more than 100 years ago. Inside however had the warmth I never felt in med school. I joined in the practice. Singing in an unnatural high pitch voice for more than 2 hours can leave you breathless and knackered.

We got home and decided to watch the 6-hour long tele production of Pride and Prejudice Britain is crazy over, featuring its darling Colin firth. We managed 3 hours, stuffing ourselves with digestive biscuits and raisins – a passion we both shared since our KDU days. Of course, we ended that Friday by recapping the past year, exchanging news about much missed mates.

Scones were the highlight for breakfast. Geared now for a day of walking and window shopping, we left knowing we had only 1 day to make the most of. Took the bus that passed through Keele University. It’s very much like Nottingham University, except newer. The city itself was accommodating, with the weekend crowd and open market. We entered shops looking for a green cardigan Minnie had been pining over for sometime now. Had my first McFlurry since coming here while exchanging news about our barren love life.

Visiting town won’t be complete without entering Poundland, Boots, Sainsbury and other popular student shops. Mended our aching legs by watching The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Good movie, watch it, it’s not about possessions and 360° head turns, it’s about faith.

When we got home, we managed only 2 out of the 3 remaining hours of Pride and Prejudice with Minnie having dozed half way through. It was an early night for us, rightly so, the next day was all business.

Attended 2 services – at St. Margaret’s and All Saints’. One of which was an extra special one. Perfect timing I would say, I came to during Madeley during its Christangle celebration. It’s an early Christmas celebration for the kiddies. Intended to be a fund raising activity throughout England for children, its more festivities than business to everyone. Everyone took home a christangle – a red sashed orange stuck with a candle flanked by candy threaded on tooth picks.

Orange – world
Red tape – blood of Christ
Candle – Light
Tooth pick-ed candy – fruits of the world

We then went to the reading room for mince pies and Mulled Wine, a warm concoction of red wine boiled with cinnamon, ginger and other spices – Heavenly! Mingled with Minnie’s peers – the elderly. Such nice people they were, a lot more accepting and welcoming, all this providing me relief from the nonchalant student community I’m accustomed to.

After lunch at the vicar house, we rushed with goodbyes and thank you-s. I got on the train with Emma, the vicar daughter, who’s on her way to Cambridge.

One great, relaxing weekend. 2 more weeks till the winter hols. 6 months till I see Minnie again, this time in M’sia. Miss you already girl.


Current music: Guy Sebastian’s What a wonderful world

A Different View

Clumber Park

Major Oak
Saddiq's Crib


Finally went to see Saddiq’s crib in Sutton Bonnington despite being in Notts for 2 months and a little more. First thing I noticed - more like whiffed, Cow dung! No offence to Saddiq dear but I think he couldn’t smell it simply because he’s actually living there. Nice, quaint place. No need to walk for miles like we do in University Park (main campus) - which means kinder waking up hours.

Latt met us on the bus to Loughborough. We then went off to town to catch Harry Potter. Am I the only one who thinks it’s dull? Nothing much to shout about. By the time the movie was done, it was dark and freezing cold outside. I was wearing 4 layers that day – freaky. Have to add – Latt must be the first to acquire the Brit accent!

Sunday found me with RamSoc, walking 20 km in Sherwood Forest. Yes, that’s where Robin Hood and his merry men pranced about in tights. Common misconception – Sherwood Forest is NOT in Nottingham. We started the walking along the lake in Clumber Park – a beautifully landscaped place.

The forest itself was dreary. How can I compare it with a tropical forest right? Good thing it didn’t rain, but it was downcast the whole way through. The walk ended in a pleasant town called Edwinstowe. Their local version of Victoria’s Secret (the lingerie shop) is called Maid Marion’s Secret.

We had to see Major Oak – the legendary meeting point of Hood and his men before looting the rich to give to the poor. The oak is so old that they have to support it with stiles. Sad, really.

It was worth every sore blister on my feet. What’s more, met a German, Greda who allowed me to sample Stuffed Rice in Vine Leaf – a Turkish dish and invited me to Berlin.


Current Music: Mandy Moore and Jonathan Foreman’s Someday we’ll know – OST A Walk To Remember