UK/USA 2010 Day 3

010310 1900 local time (GMT)
London, England, UK

Today began with a long car ride up to Stonehenge, which I took a walk around. Not much to say though, you have to be there.

We then went to Salisbury Cathedral, which is really huge. Soon after we entered, the massive organ started blaring Pachelbel's Canon in D. I can find no escape from that piece, can I. In the room containing the Magna Carta, I discovered something quite interesting. The guide stationed there served in the Royal Air Force during WWII, and was posted to, of all the possible bases in the British Empire, RAF Tengah. This base, obviously, is now known as Tengah Air Base, RSAF. Small world.

After a stop on the motorway for lunch, we headed for central London for my mum to shop. On my part, I stopped at Chappell's to buy a trumpet mute and be stunned by the high price of reeds. Then, I headed for Russell Square to meet Brian. I made a call to Jinjun on the way, which I found reassuring I a way.

By the time I met Brian it was around 5. We embraced each other as though we hadn't seen each other in months, which, since I missed him in Singapore, was the case.

We took a relaxing walk around the UCL area, and talked about life, love and RWinds. Brian also showed me around UCL before bringing me up to his room. We chatted a while, discovered that SLRs can't be used to camwhore and slacked a bit before he had to head for a meeting or something.

I bid Brian farewell outside his faculty building with another embrace, then tried to find my way back to Russell Square. This did not go too well, but after some aimless wandering I found my way to King's Cross and took the train to Queensway.

I am there now, enjoying the long queue for the lift. This is quite annoying, both here and in Russell Square, the only access to street level is by lift. Not very efficent, is it?

2230 local time (GMT)
London, England, UK

Dinner was quite uneventful, and we headed home after that.

I'm starting to like London a lot. In a way, I'm feeling the same affinity and warm familiarity as I do with Hong Kong. I don't feel this way with my other two favourite cities, San Francisco and Tokyo. Not just because I haven't been to them as often, but probably because I've explored London and Hong Kong myself on my own time. Nevertheless though, there is still no place deeper in my heart than my hometown.

Also I really, honestly, loved meeting Brian and Yuhyiing again, especially since I missed them in Singapore. Makes me want to come back to see them next year.

Off to the United States tomorrow, and I am looking forward to that. I love London, so I am sad to leave, but as a country, I love the USA. New York is waiting.
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