it’s london, then…

when i came to london on Dec 2nd, 2007 the weather is about 5C and i feel so cold just the time the tube arrived at upton park station. padahal selama di airport hingga naik tube, i didn’t feel so cold before. plus, the day was rainy, so the cold makin tambah lah. mampir di rumah asim for breakfast and mandi. guess that i couldn’t get the temperature. so mandi saat itu adalah wrong time. but i had to, because my long journey sejak saturday afternoon until monday morning (actually, if arriving london at 5 am, means 12 pm in jakarta), boleh dikira tak segar jika tak bathing.

asim then took me to a pakistani restaurant to have our lunch, makan donner turki yang subhanallah, mantap kenyangnya! then catch the tube to whitechapel and took join prayer for zuhr and asr. because asim was called by his motherfor shopping, he only accompany me till i get the piccadily line straight to heathrow. what a short day in london, between rain and shine. gak sempat mampir oxford circus, maybe next time.

it was dark in heathrow when waiting for boarding to canada. i join the prayer for magrib and isha before board the plane. it was an 8 hours journey to vancouver, must have enough rest to get fresh when arrived.

Dorset, Enid Blyton’s country

Do you know that Enid Blyton’s stories are based on real life from her experience when visit Dorset? Famous Five Have Plenty of Fun tells about Faynight Castle in Kirrin Island. Faynight Castle, a ruined castle because of war, is based on Corfe Castle. Andi felt the famous five experience when taking steam train travel from Swanage to Corfe Castle yesterday. Andi also bought some Enid Blyton’s book in Ginger Pop Store, while he had read the indonesian translation in his early age, for gift.

Swanage has beautiful sites to be visit, it’s white sand beach, and many seagulls you can find more than in Bournemouth. It’s Old Hary Rocks in the edge of it’s Jurassic Coast is a natural monument. Also the Corfe Castle Village, which has a nice ruined mysterious castle. Didn’t find any mosque in swanage, andi took his prayer in the garden near station.

Going back to Bournemouth just as simple as go to Swanage. A return trip ticket of Dorset Belles from Dorsetcruise bring you v.v. Bournemouth Pier – Swanage Pier.

 

get in travel in london

going anywhere in london is easy, that’s what the underground offer you. by a travelcard, you dont have to buy ticket everytime you take the tube train or bus. you can take Day Travelcard, 3 Days Travelcard, 1 Week Travelcard, or Oyster Travelcard for you who stay in London. But the fares will be different for each zone. But still, it makes easy to getting around london.

Mas Asep had took andi to Temple station and show him some interesting places to visit. then Andi went to Westminster sta to get closer to Bigben Clock and Parliament Building. Andi could also saw the wheel from Westminster Bridge.

For taking his Asr prayer, Andi went to London Central Mosque which is near Regent’s Park. He also had his dinner in the restaurant under the mosque. Then Andi went back to Baker Street Station by bus. Andi back to Willesden Green and had his Magrib prayer in Central Mosque of Brent, a Pakistani’s mosque.

Andi likes to go to the mosque. Anywhere he goes, he always try to find mosque nearby.

 

reporting for bbc london :)

this morning, andi woke up late. yesterday was a busy day and so tired. went to Indonesian embassy for a sign in report by tube jubilee train from willesden green to bond street. andi purchased a 3 day Travelcard for his convenient travel around london zone 1 & 2 for only £16. cheaper than he buy ticket for every train.

at the embassy meet wahyu, an indonesian who work as a house helper. he has a thai wife, they met and married in london. but his wife now works in germany. many stories from him while had lunch in embassy’s canteen. but we have short of time because today is friday. andi went with some embassy worker to egypt embassy which held jumaa prayer. because of late coming, andi with some people who also late, should waiting outside the room, and conduct the prayer outside.

after prayer, andi went to bbc indonesia by tube central train stop at holborn station, to meet mas asep setiawan. and this report was written from bbc, by mas asep account. thanks mas.

 

day out bournemouth

this morning jogged along the sandbanks to pier to garden of the town center. andi checked out for his last day in bournemouth. but he planned to take some tour to swanage by cruise and corfe castle by steam train and feel Enid Blyton’s experience. in the afternoon will be back to hotel to take his luggage and be picked up in hotel then run the wheels to london. wisma merdeka, where andi stay in london. andi will report his day out tour later.

whole day work

Morning walk to the beach along the sandbanks to bournemouth pier. watch the seagulls for their breakfast. and picked up at 9 straight to the factory. what awhole day work, witness for hydrostatic test of heat exchanger for North Belut Project, Natuna.

Taken after hour to Pak Hari’s house on St Anthony road. Talk many things until isya, and he and his wife drive me to the hotel.

long night flight

continuing andi’s previous post he catch up the gate just before closing. only 40 minutes in changi you can’t do many thing. even can’t andi use the invitation of silver kriss lounge. the flight took about 15 hours from singapore to london heathrow. was a very long night flight.

andi arrived at heathrow early in the morning, so the terminal was not so busy. on the exit gate andi was picked up by taxi straight to bournemouth. after clean up, andi take a walk around the town centre.

meet an indonesian lady named ibu Haryati, she is the wife of an indonesian employee who works for BP. she took andi walk around the city, to the sandbank of bournemouth, and walk on pedestrian on commercial road. andi remember malioboro in jogja. walk on the garden.

andi also came to bournemouth islamic centre and central mosque located on st stephens road. not far from commercial road. after all day, andi wishes to have a pleasant rest tonight.