Return of Internet!

Today marks the return of our internet connection! Probably the best thing that came out of our city tour that was quite disappointing due to the rain. I didn't take any pictures due to the rain but on our journey home, there was finally some nice clouds and skyline that were not a simply a mass of grey throughout. From the tour, I realized that China chinese people seem to not know that Singaporeans speak chinese. When we speak to them in mandarin, they were absolutely delighted and relieved to be able to revert back to their mother tongue. Interesting.

After the tour, we also bought slug prevention/killing pellets. And I immediately scattered, or rather asked Alan to scatter, it around the back yard, front yard and on the damp corners of the kitchen and toilet. I was quite happy that i haven't seen any slugs yesterday after my salt spamming, but was horrified when Tong Wei and Alan knocked on my door to ask, "Want to see us kill slugs?" Bloody slugs are tough. Nevertheless, I videoed down the last moments of the puny slug that we killed. MAY ALL DEMON SLUGS LEAVE OUR HOME OR SUFFER THE SAME FATE!

Bridge that separates the purple and blue sky!

Nice clouds

Slug + Salt = Dead Slug

First day in School?

Today was the first day of orientation but it was more like a stroll around school. With the international students briefing tomorrow, all there was for us to do was collect our student cards, and signing up for various tours, e.g. school tour, city tour and shopping tour. Collection of our student cards turned out to be a non-event as they were closed for the day and we had to go back tomorrow. Now I'm starting to get worried about my modules as i realised i don't have a clue what to do. Just found out there is a freshers induction for geography and environmental science students which clashes with the city tour. Crap! I don't even know if i need to attend that. At least i have emailed my prof-in-charge. May he settle my doubts as soon as possible.

More excitingly, there will be a sports fair tomorrow and we signed up for various try outs over the next few days like badminton, akido (Alan wanted to learn some self-defence) and FUTSAL! Futsal should be indoors so no disadvantage over the cold. WOOHOO~ And i bought 2 posters to decorate my room, as well as getting a low-maintenance cactus plant! Now i'm not the only living thing in the room and both posters actually have UNCOUNTABLY LOT of people in them. May the slugs not be attracted to my room cause of the cactus. I have managed to spread the paranoia to Alan and Tong Wei. Now, we have decided to buy the slug killing/prevention shit and salt to scatter around the lawn, kitchen doorway and related areas.

Finally managed to msn webcam chat with Kiwi too. I hope she is doing alright and happy 61st month anniversary to you!

Clock Tower amongst the beautiful park setting

R26 Geography, Earth and Environmental Science Building

My 2 new posters! Where's Wally and a Manchester United Crest made out of many minute photos. Both consists of many people to keep my company here downstairs.

My new cactus

Slug Shock

Tong Wei mentiond he saw a slug in the area between the kitchen and toilet during our first day here but i just brushed it off, thinking that whatever i don't see is not there. However, as i went to pee before i sleep yesterday. The worse fear of my life greeted me. A slug was crawling in the kitchen towards the toilet. I couldn't sleep for half an hour, having visions of a slug crawling onto my bed, accidentally stepping on one, or one falling onto me as i bathe. I shall not get a plant in my room after all, maybe a fake one would suffice. Now i'm getting paranoid and i shall go buy some anti-slug shit to put all around he kitchen, toilet and maybe my room. Demon slugs!!

Demon Slug

Spring cleaning and unpacking!!

2 A.M.~
And I'm here~ Blogging~

Today was a very tiring day again. My right arm is dying on me after the luggage carrying from yesterday. I think i busted one of the veins on my forearm. Despite the pain, we proceeded to Birmingham city centre and bought plenty of household essentials according to the list in Alan's iPhone. They include cloths, washing liquid, shampoo, condition, cup, cotton buds, 2 pillows, pillow cases, duvet, duvet case, bed sheet, food, etc. The large amount of items meant more carryingof heavy loads. No wonder my vein is burst!

Upon reaching home, spring cleaning commenced and we washed and scrubbed the toilet, cleared the backyard, cleaned spider webs, vacuumed the place, etc. Finally, Alan and me got to clean our rooms. It was tiring but definitely worth it! As of now, I'm finally not living out of a luggage. WOOHOO~ My king sized duvet on my single sized bed looks amazing comfy and inviting, while blending into the lighting and colour of the beige wall at the same time. Not to mention my shelf of chocolates by the wall, as well as retro wooden table and cupboard which adds a vintage touch to my modern coloured bed. Perfect would be an understatement. Now, all it lacks is a plant to ascend the room into post-perfectionism.

Today, I finally decided Vietnamese 2 is not for me after my attempts to communicate with the Vietnamese housemate failed miserably. Perhaps i need to read up on my old Vietnamese notes. If only i ave photographic memory.

While doing all these, I missed the skype session I'm supposed to have with Kiwi and I hope she is not upset with me over this. For tomorrow, my schedule is planned around the skype session so i will definitely be by the computer at 5pm UK time.

Primark Birmingham

Tong Wei in the living room

Kitchen

Bed

Retro Wooden Cupboard

Chocolate Shelf!! 27 bars and 2 M&S boxes all accounted for to prevent theft.

Retro Wooden Table with miscellaneous items on right, as well as the WHITE BOX on the left, all in front of my big and beautiful window!

First day in Birmingham

How time flies! In a blink of my slitty eye, my pre-birmingham travel has come to an end. I remember Prof. Miksic from Southeast Asian Summer School saying that the end of every trip is sad, and yet a relief. It's sad because travelling as a group grows on you and it becomes a habit to be with your travel mates. And a relief because it means everyone made it to the end safely. Imagine how it feels when summer school was 12 days but our travel lasted 21-30 days!! At least my wallet survived. HAHA!

Anyway, today was a very tiring day. Travelling from London to Birmingham with 4 luggages is not something you would want to do on a daily, or even yearly basis. I tried pulling my trolley luggage with a bag on top and my forearms felt like it's burning. I tried carrying one bag in front and another behind and it felt like my shoulders are being torn apart in different directions. Luckily, I'm quite strong.

Upon reaching our old, little cottage, we (Alan and me) finally met Tong Wei, our housemate, and had a good chat while waiting for the landlord to come. When all is done, we were starving! Dinner here is way cheaper than London. Piping hot, delicious pizza only costed 2.80 pounds each! Shiok sia. But the 3 minute walk there was so cold i was shivering. From now on, i cannot act sart and not zip up my jacket or unbutton my long sleeve shirt already.

OK, i'm in my room now shivering too. Cold is definitely not my favourite four letter word. I'm looking forward to turn this cold, empty and foreign room into a warm, friendly and cosy place that just about reflects my kind-hearted character. But damn lazy to do anything. If only Leticia is here to do my chores!!!

And, I can finally video chat with my missus tomorrow. If you are reading this, I didn't forget you! WOOHOO~ Life will be great!