Dinner party – success! *beam*

The cost of living in London is exorbitantly high! Imagine:

DLR (light railway)/Tube ride from apartment to training center: GBP2 (S$5.50) for a 10 minute ride

Monthly pass for the DLR/Tube: approx GBP 90 (S$250)

Takeaway lunch: GBP 4-5 (S$11 – S$14) for rice with 1 meat

Can of Coke: GBP 1 (S$2.8)

Starbucks coffee: GBP 3 (S$9.50)

4 plums: GBP 2 (S$5.50)

2 pieces of Pak Choy: GBP 1.50 (S$4)

I could go on and on about the cost …! Anyway, you get the idea.

In an attempt to combat costs, us group of trainees staying at Canary Wharf have taken to cooking nightly and hosting “dinner parties” – great fun, though we do create quite a mess and cleaning up after is a huge pain!

I hosted my maiden dinner party tonight! It was a great success, if I do say so myself. The menu:

Roast lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic

Roasted vegetables (carrots, parsnips, new potatoes, mushrooms and onions)

Spaghetti Aglio Olio

Profiteroles and chocolate fudge cake (ready made from the supermarket, of course! )

Am looking forward to showing off my new “leet skillz” to the S.O. when he comes visit

In love with London

Landed in cold, foggy London last Sunday after a long 14 hr flight. The plane departed from Terminal 3, which was nice, and it was SQ so service was good. However, the plane (a 747) seemed really dated and cramped. For one, it didn’t have enough bathrooms so there was a permanent queue at the miserable few that were available. Plus, the person in front of me kept her seat ALL THE WAY DOWN throughout the flight. Grumble.

On the bright side, the apartment where I’m staying now is fantastic! Will post some pictures soon. The only complaint is the erratic wireless connection … sometimes, it goes down the entire night and other times, its incredibly slow.

I love London. I love how I can see the mist coming out of my/others’ nose and mouth when we breathe. I love the low rise and brownstown buildings. I love the “sprawling” layout and feel of the city (as opposed to “towering” like Hong Kong and Singapore). I love how the rich culture of the city manifests itself with every few steps I take – beautiful architecture, landscaping, the theatre, all things I hold dear to my heart.

 I already know I will have a hard time leaving this wonderous place, come April