"The one with touchdown..."

Salam dari London!

Gosh it feels so surreal. Setting afoot on a foreign land. I’ve always pictured being in a place such as London before but now that I’m finally here it’s quite a feeling to muster. As this KL-borne face is gently welcomed by the icy breeze of UK’s winter at 7am, I am quickly grasped by the fact that the weather would get some getting used to. Thanks to Fadil’s jacket, I could’ve just drop dead upon entrance. The climate’s not that bad – with a reported 10◦C on the thermometer but the winds could easily kill you, especially if you’re none too fond of sub-zero temperatures.

Of course, Afzal says today’s weather is a disappointment.

The flight inbound was quite pleasant; our carrier for our transit in Swarnabumi was something to be awed about. An Airbus that fitted quite like a 747, both big and comfy. The fact that we were sited at the end of the aircraft was not a blunder at all. Arrived in Bangkok at 10.45pm and scoured the recently reopened terminal for an hour before our next boarding. Having been a frequent visitor of KLIA, I find Swarnabumi to be quite a run-down airport. The architecture’s a bit, unorthodox. It seems, unfinished, incomplete. Probably due to complete, I guess.

For some reason, the people there were surprised when I spoke English. Somehow, in some way they thought I was their own. They thought I was Thainese. I was greeted by sawadeekaps at every corner. At which I cynically answered, “Sawah padee di Kedah sana noo..”

Anyways, boarded flight TG910 for Heathrow Airport at about 12.35am. Later than expected, but miraculously we managed to arrive almost an hour earlier. The 12-hour haul flight was nothing too pleasant an experience, of which two-thirds spent sleeping and eating. Mummy 3 was showing on that flight, so it was A-okay la. Kudos to Thai Airways for two satisfying flights.

I’ve heard lots of stories about strict British immigration policies, and was quite nervous to go through customs in Heathrow. Alhamdulillah, there wasn’t any drama that unfolded as we strolled pass the counters effortlessly. At one glance it’s a totally different atmosphere – for the first time there were more Caucasians than Asians around. Passing through the terminal exit, there stood a familiar face, the reason this journey was concocted.

There was Afzal, clad in his winter apparel anxiously waiting.

That day Afzal gave us a crash course of London - taking the tube to almost every landmark it had to offer. By the time we reached Malaysia Hall for dinner, all we were looking for was the bed.

Our first breakfast in London - Nasi Lemak for about 3 pounds.

I'm sure Aiysha shall appreciate the architecture here.

-JeP

p/s : I apologize for the lack of updates in this post – catching up with me jetlag and the hectic schedule. We’re in Sheffield at the moment, and in two hours’ time Afzal shall receive his 1^st dose. Pray that everything shall be made easy for him.