Day 23-24: Visiting Cambridge (I)

Since our last trip together, I was egged to go up to Cambridge and visit them. So yeh, I did. Took an evening train up to Cambridge to visit the Machas. Keng Rui (also known as Mr Wee to some of you) was kind meet me at the train station to walk me to his room, where he would be hosting me. We met the other machas for a hearty dinner at an Indian restaurant, a long with an extended talking-cock session.

The next day, he took me around Cambridge......

University Library. Apparently, it holds all the books ever published in UK. Well, to go in, you can only carry things in an empty plastic bag. With security like this, who wants to go in in the first place. No wonder the books are so well-preserved.....

I forgot what's the name of this chapel. It is nice lah.

Castle Mound - highest point in Cambridge (no joke)

View from the top.

Steps to enlightenment

King's College Chapel. It's really grand. And when we entered, someone was playing the organ somemore. All we need is some vampires to jump out (in broad daylight??) to complete the Gothic experience

Cambridge's version of "Bridge of Sighs". The joke is that the sighs came not from crimanals to be executed (like the one in Venice), but from students who just gotten their results.

Cambridge River with the "Bridge of Sighs". Rumour has it that if you fall into the river, you will graduate with First Class! If NUS didn't operate by a CAP system, I would have jumped in already.

Notice that the clock tower doesn't have a clock? Rumour has it that this college was competing with another college, to see who can build the clock tower first. Well, clock tower mah. Didn't mention about the clock.

Senate House.

Trinity College, ala one of the richest college due to the amount of estates they own. Becaues of that, they were able to provide a lot of subsidies. Apparently Lee Hsien Loong was from here. Was telling Keng Rui, if they wanted more money, they could always mark the room door where PM Lee stayed and charge Singaporeans 3 times the rent if they request for that room.

St. Catherine's College, the one Keng Rui is in. If some miracles happen that I get to study in Cambridge, I would choose this college over the other richer and swankier ones. Why? Cause I like the vibe this college gives me - very humble, friendly and intimate, unlike the more famous ones that leaves a showy vibe in me.

The bar where the discovery of DNA structure was announced.

King's College Chapel.

In the evening, I was brought to the Asian Food Festival, which was organised by the Cambridge University Malaysian and Singaporean Association (CUMSA). Royce and Keng Rui paid for my dinner (blardy hell). Got to meet many fellow Singaporeans and Malaysians.

Lo Hei!

The food was all cooked by the members of CUMSA. So the quality varies, but there were more hits than misses. I never had so much rice and chicken in one sitting. Why? The Mains lor. It was Chicken Rice, then Nasi Lemak (with Fried chicken), Mee Siam, Pilau Rice with curry. Yes, it was CHICKEN curry.

Day 19 - 22 - Nothing Interesting

It was just lessons lor. Nothing interesting. Didn't explore around, and was beginning to do more work. So I shall muse about London......

there are hardly any street signs. All street names are on buildings! So it's not very consistent - sometimes you have to search a while to find the street name

Day 18 - North Pennines Part 3

Our final day at Holwick and North Pennines, in the land without handphone reception. After breakfast and payment, we trekked on. And it snowed a lot more yesterday night!

Just outside the B&B.

Sheep Wells that was all green yesterday. We trekked on to Gibson Caves.

Colours of all 3 seasons in one place.

The yellow bear strikes. Lovely woods. We couldn't find the Caves, but we suspect it is beneath us - which doesn't have any paths to access.

but we saw this beautiful cleavage (yes, it's a geographic term). Check out the beautiful waterfall at the right.

My feet were already wet, so I couldn't care less.

Nardev crossing.

We climbed down the steep slope opposite and climbed up the one here. The darken tracks opposite? We created that.

The road is long

The angels called.

Spotted this sign on our way back.

So we walked back to Middleton-in-Tessadale. Called a cab back to Darlington, where we had our reunion dinner. That place really felt like CNY eve - everything is closed! So we had our dinner at BK.

What a trip it was!

Day 17 - North Pennines Part 2

We all woke up expecting to trek at least 20km today. First stop, makan. Bed and Breakfast, how can don't eat the breakfast?

My first English Breakfast. Confirms my dislike for bacon. :P

My First sight of snow! Ok lah, a bit pethatic, but for a mountain-tortise from a tropical island, don't niao lah.

The stream near our B&B.

Geography-teacher-to-be had to explain why the landscape is like this.

Low Force

Royce needed somewhere for his Totoro to pose.

Then after don't know how many kilometres of trekking, we finally arrived at High Force - highest discharge in England.

Sorry to spoil the beauty of High force lah.

high force (proper)

High force from the other side

He just love to take photos really at the edge. Like Royce and I say "It's once in a lifetime, but I only got one life!"

More snow!

Walking towards Cauldron Snout. We decided not to venture into there as we wouldn't be able to make it there and return before night falls.

My attempt at making a snow angel

As you can see I went snow crazy.

The sun is setting. Trekking back.