Winter's a b!tch

Ah yes, look around. People rushing from place to place, all aloof and apathetic and indifferent. Just another face in the crowd, I am. Buses rumbling past every 10 seconds, simultaneously making me wish I were deaf and fulfilling that wish. The continuously chilly days, the gloomy drizzles of rain every other day, the gusts of cold wind buffeting me making my eyes water. How bloody lovely all of it is.

And by "lovely" I mean stupid. And by "stupid" I mean CURSE YOU, WINTER! Curse you and your bitter temperatures! Ah, but what's this? Doth mine eyes deceive me? Flowers! In this cold?

And lookit! Daffodils! My cousin tells me they're a sign of an approaching Spring.

C'mon, Spring! Get here and make things warm up already, even if it's only a little bit! Kick Winter in the nads and send 'im packing!

Oh, to be back in Brunei's blissfully warm 30°C. I even miss the torrential rains!

Anyhoo, for you fellow Naruto fans, check it out-- Naruto kids!


Kakashi is just too cute.

By Chester with No comments

Walking in a winter wonderland

After 24 years, I can finally say it--

I love snow.



That's right, ladies and gents. It snowed not an hour ago. My cousin saw it first. He'd said "Oh, it's snowing!" I almost fell over trying to look out the window. You should've seen me sprint outside. It was real, decent honest-to-goodness snow! It had been raining before, and we'd headed to my cousin's room for some Guitar Hero. Of course as luck would have it, it only snowed properly for about 15 minutes. But in that short span, I had the time of my life.

Yeah, baby!

Made meself a mini-snowman! With berries for eyes!

See, now this is pretty much what I came here for. Now I can go home happy. The only thing that could make this year better is if it snowed again.

*Fingers crossed*

By Chester with 8 comments

Need a Kleenex, God?

It's bloody windy today. I'm not talking just a strong breeze. I'm talking crazy-squall, gale force winds. Could hear it whistling outside during the exam. The bus ride home was slightly frightening too; the double decker kept swaying from side to side. Needless to say, I'd gauged my surroundings to make sure I knew how to survive a toppling bus.

Check it--



According to the Beaufort scale, the wind gusts can be listed under the hurricane classification. And it certainly feels like it.

I was being blown around!

By Chester with No comments

I say! It's cold, what!

Since I already regaled you with things I love about Brunei, I will now tell you what I hate about being in Manchester.

Yes yes, before all you Brit-lovers and Man U fans get all uppity, there are lots of things I like about it here, most notably the plethora of consumer choice, the incredibly convenient bus system, and the fact that I actually get to dress in combinations of shirts, jumpers and jackets rather than just a t-shirt and jeans everyday. But at the end of it all, my heart is in Brunei. Despite the good things about Manchester, there are of course certain things that detract from the overall experience (besides the fact that I'm missing everyone and everything back home).

For example, I hate the fact that I have to go indoors to get warm! Hell, I hate that I want to get warm. Damn, I miss sweating. I miss being in a country where the weather makes sense! See, it rains a whole lot. The wet, I can take. Heck, Brunei has its fair share of rain. The cold, I can more or less bear. It's the cold and the wet I can't stand.

And then there's the wind. Freakin' sun of a beach, it's frigid. As if it wasn't cold enough to begin with. There's not really much one can do when the wind puckers its subzero lips and blows like its trying to asphyxiate itself. And heaven forbid you have to walk into the wind. So there I am, my face feeling like I use a dry-ice moisturizer, and I can't feel my nose. Plus, my hands feel like I stuck them in a freezer.

OK, gloves it is!

So now my hands are not quite as cold. It's all good. Except have you ever tried doing things with thick gloves on? Getting something out of my pocket makes me feel like I'm 80 with Parkinson's.

What's that? Take my gloves off? What are you, nuts?

I'm sure many of you will agree with me (keeping in mind that temperatures are 10°C and below) when I say that by far the thing I hate the most can be summed up in 3 simple words--

Cold toilet seat.

By Chester with 5 comments

It's official

Autumn has started. Leaves are turning brown, the temperature is cold enough to spoil my mood, and gloomy enough to make me think of home. Being here this past month or two has taught me a couple of things, not the least of which is this--

I hate the cold.

Gimme warm, sunny, humid Brunei any day. Though it's not a total loss. The park nearby is quite the scenic route, and I've decided to get off the bus stop a bit earlier, just so I can walk through it each day.


While I was walking through it, somebody's gorgeous golden retriever ran up to me, seemingly wanting to play. Or maybe it was the burger I was carrying. Either way, it ran off with those kids on bikes in the picture. There's also this large pond (or small lake, however you wanna see it) with lots of birds. Ducks, swans, geese... I'm tempted to buy some bread for the next time I go there! There's just something so idyllic about a big green park (green in autumn, mind you) on a sunny day that calms the senses and makes everything in the world seem like it's going well. Plus, it gives one time to pause.

And think.

And think I did. And I've discovered that since I got here, I've not allowed myself to feel. I've not given myself time to sit back and really look at everything around me. I've viewed everything through a veil of detachment, and I realized that I've been hiding behind a defense mechanism; I take everything as it comes. Everything has become so matter-of-fact, and I've lived so constantly in the moment that I've lost sight of what the moment is. I've been going through life here with a big invisible cloud over my head, and today I suddenly realized what it is and why.

I don't want to get comfortable. Because once I do, I'll lose my place. If I don't hold on to what was, then what is will not make sense once I get back. If I allow myself to "move on and let go", as it were, then home will feel less like home everyday. And I refuse to let that happen.

I refuse to stop missing home.

By Chester with 2 comments

Ninja terrorist

It's been pretty cold lately this week, and coupled with the rain, has made it a pretty miserable few days. The upside is I finally got a chance to break in my new umbrella.

And of course, there's the hours of fun to be had with steam breath. But after a while, it gets too cold to play.

Since it was a cold (and wet) day, I bundled up to keep warm and dry and managed to snap this clandestine picture. And by clandestine, I mean taking it in such a way that no one would notice and label me a poser.




My initial thought was like, "Whoa. Ninja!"

But my second thought was less flattering--

"Burqa."

By Chester with 7 comments

Ahh, Brunei...

It's a little over a week since I've been here, and I'm beginning to miss Brunei. As much as I may complain about hot days and sweating, I'll be the first to admit--

I love it in Brunei.

I love the year-round sun.
I love the fact that everyday is a perfect beach day.
I love the frequently clear, shockingly blue skies.
I love how everyday is hot, which makes it always a good day for ice-cream.
I love the fact that you can go out in a t-shirt and jeans any day of the year (hell, even shorts and slippers!).
I love the fact that you can have a say in how cold it is (I love thermostats!).
I love how people actually enjoy the cooling effect of rain (as opposed to despising it here because it adds wet to the existing cold).
I love the calm and quiet and how laidback everything is, even in the "busy" areas.
I love walking at my own pace.
I love not being a minority.
I love taking a shower and actually enjoying the cold water after a hot sweaty day.
I love the fact that you can't go out without seeing green everywhere.
I love cheap Chinese food.
I love pasar malams.
I love the coziness of everything, like how you can sit in Coffeebean and relax with a coffee and not be distracted by the world outside whizzing past (simply because nothing whizzes in Brunei).
I love the fact that Brunei is home.

I miss Brunei.

Oh, and Weird Al rules. Total genius.

By Chester with 4 comments

Yum

It's a beautiful day here at number 9, Gildridge Road.



I got to use my bus pass for the first time today. There's just something so cool about being able to flash that thing to prove I can ride whatever bus I want anywhere I want. Of course, I must've stood there with a retarded grin on my face for longer than I thought 'cause the bus driver seemed like he didn't know what to say. Speaking of retarded, I just got my student card today, and the picture really is retarded! Why is it that passport or whatever other card photos always look terrible?

Anyhoo, one thing I've encountered in Manchester is the abundance of choice when it comes to food. I won't regale you with tales of what I've tried in the week that I've been here, but suffice to say the best parts would have to be the chips, and Subway! Bought a number of Walkers Sensations chips. They have flavours like Slow Roasted Lamb with Moroccan Spices, Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon & Thyme, and Peking Spare Rib and Five Spice. Sounds like a full meal right there.



And Subway is goooood. Doesn't feel as artery clogging as normal fast food hehe.

By Chester with 10 comments

My feet hurt

Got up early today 'cause I planned to follow my aunt on to campus to find the Roscoe Building (where my orientation is) and then go exploring from there. But wouldn't you know it, it was raining.



So I got bundled up, grabbed an umbrella and after parting ways with my aunt on campus, went off in search of adventure. Or at least, to find a good shopping centre to explore.



Walked here and there, found this store called Millets and bought a whole lot of stuff-- A jacket, 2 jumpers, 2 pairs of pants and socks, and a pair of waterproof boots. Good stuff. I won't say how much dosh it came up to, but a Bruneian would probably have a heart attack. I know because about 5 minutes after I'd left the store, I actually stopped in my tracks 'cause I'd just realized how much I'd spent in Brunei $$$.

Anyhoo, seems like I'm all set for colder weather. Though that said, it's plenty cold now. At least, cold enough to have steam breath! I actually spent a few minutes just expelling lungfuls of air 'cause I was so sakai. After I was bored with steam breath (and after a few weird looks), I walked around the city. Found a few interesting spots, like Ikan.

Haha IKAN!



What can I say? Go ENG-URGH-LAND!



I was also looking for something to buy for lunch. Thought of Subway, but then I saw Burger King and I thought, "Screw Subway!" hehe. Just got back a little while ago. My feet are killing me 'cause it was a long walk back. Could've taken the bus, but opted against it since I needed to familiarize myself with my surroundings. But carrying my stuff all that way wasn't exactly a stroll in the park. It could've been, since I passed a pretty big park on the way. Haha I'm funny.

Ooh, and I went plum-picking yesterday!





"Turn your head and cough!"

Anyways, tomorrow's the first day of orientation. Wish me luck! Should be pretty fun.

By Chester with 4 comments

Woke with the dawn

Ah yes, the next day. Woke up and brushed my teeth, and nearly yelled when I touched the water. It's ice-cold. Oh, and apparently drinkable. I don't know about that though... All the years of religiously purifying, boiling and filtering water have rendered me a tad unsure about drinking tap water. Ah well, gotta get used to it.

Today was sunny and totally gorgeous.



Again, I'm told it's unusual right now. I wouldn't presume to assume God's easing me into frigid weather, but it's nice to dream, eh?

Helped my uncle set up his brand new 50-inch HDTV. There was a lot of heavy lifting, moving of shelves, plenty of DIY and general manual labour involved, but it's all done now. A thing of beauty, it is.



Imagine playing PS2 on that! Oh, and just so you get an idea of how big this monster is, do you see those stickers on the top left corner? Size of my hand...



On a more retarded note, apparently the Force is a tool of Satan, and R2D2 is a false God.



Link update: Added The Creation of Man.

By Chester with 10 comments

Yo from Gildridge Road

Flight to Singapore:

So here I am, cruising at 30,000 feet (or so the captain would have me believe). The plane is trembling a bit from some slight turbulence, and I can't help but have images of flaming wreckage hurtling to the sea below.

Are we even over sea? *Looks out window*

We're higher than the clouds, and it's quite peaceful. That is, if you can block out the constant drone of the engines.

How do I feel? Well, DUH... I miss everyone terribly. I'm a little surprised I didn't bawl at the airport, but I think all the reassurance from everyone that it's only a year away, and really only 3 months before I'm home again had a hand in that. I think sitting on the plane in the 15 minutes before take-off was the hardest. Now begins the countdown to going home.

Ooh, FOOD! Lunch is being served. I just realized how hungry being depressed makes me. This is why sad people get fat.

Damn comfort food...


Flight to Manchester:

It's so quiet on the plane. Been dark ever since we took off. Watched Forrest Gump for the second time... cried both times too. Such a good movie.

And there she goes again. The little toddler has been crying continually through the flight. I wonder what she's wailing about... I wonder if anyone else is as annoyed as I am.

Ah, breakfast. Omelette du fromage with sausage and roasted vegetables. C'est magnifique, non?


So here I am in Manchester. Weather's good if a tiny bit chilly at times, though I'm told this is an unusually warm day... o_O" It's cold enough that there isn't any need for air-conditioning, even with the windows closed... although I wonder what it's like in summer. Would probably sweat like a pig in a sauna.

Got here at about 6.30am and was showered and all unpacked 3 hours later. The Internet connection is bloody unbelievable and is totally wicked.

Tomorrow's another new day. I might go plum-picking in the backyard, and later help my uncle set up his new HDTV. Will keep you all posted on what I get up to. Just so you know, I'm leaving the time stamps on my posts on Brunei time.

Miss you all terribly. Keep me in your prayers as I keep you in mine.

P.S. I heard the clip-clop of hooves and looked out the window and saw horses!! I am so sakai.

By Chester with 10 comments