Four years back
Ah London...
Four years back, I travelled the first time to Europe. A third year student then, I was there for an exchange programme in King's College. I had never been so far away from home and that made it somewhat exciting and scary. To be really on my own freaked me out a little.
The good days of ditching school to travel, changing buses in the middle of the night to the coach station to head to Luton or Stanstead airport for cheap flights out, hitting the road with a backpack, staying in youth hostels...
Fast forward four years. A nice hotel in Zone 1, walking distance from the tube. The first time I stepped into the train, that similar smell hit me like a rock and I immediately had goose bumps. A bit stale but not repulsive. Nothing much seemed to have changed. The windows are still dirty and dingy, the lights occasionally flickered overhead, still no proper ventilation.
Started the day at Leicester Square, where I headed to one of the booths to get a same day ticket for the musical Wicked. Struggled against watching Les Miserables and Phantom again. The last times I watched it they were so good the experience could hardly be topped. Lunch was at Pizza Hut, buffet. Man.. don't you miss that in Singapore?
Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum. First time seeing a holographic display.. intriguing!
St Paul's Cathedral. Finally managed to attend a service there!
Wicked. Apollo Victoria Theatre