Hillsong prelude

Hillsong has gotta be the coolest church ever, occupying the Dominion Theatre where they play the musical 'We will rock you' every sunday, they have got the lightings, the sound system, talented musicians and most important of all, the anointed and well loved Pastor Gary Clarke.

Tamas and John


Our Christmas tree ( a lil' sloppy, i know...)


the wine i contributed


tadah, Christmas steamboat


foggy London morning


Hillsong Christmas Eve service


drunken Szabi


enough is enough, this has gotta stop, this binge eating habit of mine...

I know, i know, it's the holidays, so what if you are eating more than usual, it really doesnt count, does it?

well, quite apparently it does...i was staring at my naked body while trying on new outfit yesterday (thus hogging the fitting room for a good 20 minutes or so), and i was rather alarmed...my body has ballooned up considerably since the last time i checked...

and really, i blame it to my much altered lifestyle...first of all, ive been eating a whole lot ever since i came here, my appetite has definitely grown astoundingly...the small portion of food that stuffs me easily back home can no longer satiate my constant hunger, and due to the never-ending food supply at work, and the quality of it (we eat what we serve the client), i have been binging every single time i visit the chefs in the kitchen...and let's not go to the high starch component of the english food.

and i know how they say an average londoner walks more than anyone else in a developed nation, that much is true when we've got warmer days...nowadays, with a travel pass in hand, everyone just jump on any mode of transportation to get from point A to point B, even for a mere 500 meters journey...(im the culprit, hehe)

roomie szabi has been urging me to join him on his daily workout session at the gym which is located conveniently in the next block from our house and so far ive been far too lazy for that, but seeing the urgency at hand, i might just take his offer up for it...

***

Still deliberating whether to celebrate NYE in London or in Paris...

the Drawing room


the vaults


fellow Colleagues


RSA Christmas Luncheon


Hillsong Christmas service

it was completely random, i was just fooling around on the internet, looking up stuff and chatting up people, when i just subconsciously pulled up this airline web page, saw some great deals where the promotion ends in a few hours' time, and without much time to hesitate (i had to go to work in the next hour), i bought myself a ticket to VENICE...

the advertised price was 10 quid, but after adding all that miscellaneous, it came up to 20, which i think is fairly cheap! and so it's official, my next travel will happen on the 4th of feb, after rey's visit and after les mis...

now that's what im talking about, something to look forward to (other than Christmas and NYE) and something to plan on...

the date also coincides with Venice Carnival, so i'll be witnessing the real masquerade party...hip hip hurray!


***

on an unrelated note, i kinda got mugged yesterday, was pretty wasted and somehow recall someone going through my stuff and took my money...40 quid...

well, that's that, i guess...cant do nothing about it...

end result


capsicum and onion


chicken


On such a rare occasion that all of us are at home at the same time due to dayoffs collision, tamas suggested that we make fajitas for dinner...

the very thought of fajitas triggered me down memory lane, i can still remember my first fajitas was at TGIF, mom's favorite chain and she was the one who introduced it to me, telling me the correct pronunciation and what it's made of.

and while i was at it, i thought of all the chains back home that i used to enjoy so much, damn, one thing we dont have here in London, it's all these megamalls with everything under the roof, and damn (again), they are scattered in almost every other corners in the klang valley...how can i not miss the lovely city?

we dont have anything even remotely close here...all the shops are on their own, and to windowshop, you have to fast-walk along the sidewalks with a million others, oh, did i mention, walking in the freezing cold. Don't even attempt to slow down your pace to admire the dazzling jacket on mannequin, you will not only be cursed, but be shoved and on one incident (i read it in paper), be killed. This poor old man was getting in some lowlife's way and ended up getting walloped and died...it's sad but true...

so while the boys were out getting the ingredients for cooking, i cant help browsing through the store directory of Pavilion, i heard it is the latest addition to the shopping scene in kl. and my my my...all that food chains (not so much of fashion's) really turned me right on...

what have we got? Dome, dragon-i, breadtalk, madam kwan's, rain nudle house, tony roma's, la bodega( cant miss that one), ms read, SAKAE!!, thai express, kampachi(is it the same as the jap restaurant in equitorial?), TGIF!!, and of course, all others that i havent the pleasure to visit, yet...

have you guys the slightest idea how spoilt you are being a KL-ite?

ice-skating at somerset house


somerset house


the eye, again...


st paul's cathedral


oxford street

It's here, it's here! the lights and decorations are up, and carols are played in most stores, merry shoppers with a ready smile can be seen up and down Oxford street, doing last minute Christmas shopping and taking advantage of the Christmas sales...

as if that's not enough, the council cordoned off Oxford street and Regent street yesterday for what was known as the VIP day, or Very Important Pedestrian day...it was a complete madness, the entire length of Oxford street was filled with human beings, and trust me, it is a very long street, the length as covered by four tube stations...

and what is more unbelievable, is that i didnt buy anything, well except for some thermals and long johns and scarfs, you know, the essentials, i didnt even so much as glance at other stuffs...

I am waiting for the annual Boxing day sale...now that's the real deal...since when ive become such a money-pinching freak, i really dont know...i guess London can really transform a person without one realizing it...


***

Petra came over from Germany for a weekend getaway, and along with Mustafa (libya) and Tino (Italy), we braved through shitty london weather of freezing cold wind and went bar hopping, started in Camden town and ended in Oxford Circus...

we talked about some winter travel plans and i really like hearing that she has got it all sorted out, we are gonna be going away to some snow-capped mountain somewhere in Austria, and good old Tino has also promised to fix me up with his friends when i do my italian trip next year...

so what if im working really hard right now? it's gonna be all worth it after all...

i've always been saying that the only thing that makes a travel interesting, it's the story from all these different people that you crosspath with...

everyone has a different story, every single person...

so i was sharing a bottle of red wine and coke (Kalimotxo) with roomie Szabi, when he told me how he got about living in London...

the dude took up electrical engineering back home in Hungary, where he studied for two years, and got offered a scholarship to be trained as an athlete in the states. So without much hesitation, he quickly signed up, eager for a change of environment.

So what do you do when you have zero literacy of the language in an english-speaking country? you adapt.

He got his friend to sit for the TOEFL test for him (fake ID and everything), where he passed the test with flying colour and have his scholarship granted, and before he knew it, he was on his way to memphis.

So long story short, he only stayed in the states for one and a half years, and got expelled from the uni in his sophomore year when they found out he faked his toefl test (that part was interesting, he slept with some bloke's girlfriend, the dude found out, got pissed off, went to the authority and rat him out).

with only two grand in his pocket, he bought a car for one grand, and started a cross-country trip to LA, california, where dreams can come true. it did for him, he got himself a rich girlfriend, spent his remaining money in vegas, and flew off to hawaii, all expense paid for...

and then when family affair called for, he flew back to europe, and on returning to the states, he found that he has been deported, they discovered that he has been staying there illegally after his student visa became void, and decided that he shall never step foot in the land of america in his lifetime.

so instead of flying into the land of dreams, he took a detour and ended up in Mexico. and while he enjoyed the lifestyle there and lived there for a bit, he soon realized he's getting no where and hence came to london to earn the pounds.

and now he's just stuck here, like everyone else...the thing about london is that, people easily get complacent and fall into the comfortable zone, and as time goes by, it just gets harder to get out of it...

i have been invited to Hungary for white Christmas, but im gonna pass for now, as ive already made plans for Christmas in London, will hafta wait till next year for my first white christmas...

will just be contented with a Gray one this year...

you know it's cold when you breathe and your breath is visible in the air...Grrrrr...i mean, seriously...


***

So Suya came to visit me in town and we went out to a really cozy restaurant in Angel, along with her sister, brother-in-law, and cutie pie Casper...

we got to talking and before long, her ever cant-sit-still syndrome got the better of her, and she started coming up with all these traveling plans and all these incredible deals her company (she works for airlines) is offering...

and as im infected by the travel bug as much as she is, i quickly became interested in the places that she's mentioned, and we both decided that croatia it is next...

i will hafta look at the map again and draw out the would-be travel route, and a feasible one...i made a huge mistake last time flying from spain to germany and missing out everything in between, aint gonna happen this time...

Eurostar international station was shifted from Waterloo to St.Pancras two days ago, and they are offering a return ticket to Paris for only 60 quid, tempted as i am to have a weekend getaway to the city of romance, i really have to wait for the proper time to go, i.e., when i have the means to splurge...

right now just wanna concentrate in raking in the money and have a fantastic Christmas, oh, and a happy new year too...

now im really getting in the spirit...

it was altogether a very sad and disturbing occasion, and such a blow too, after two weekends of dual celebration of Halloween and GuyFawkes, when we are feeling so highly spirited, it's like a slap in the face, and my dislike for London has since sky-rocketed...

our house was BURGLED!

and if you are starting to wonder if i do indeed stay at some kinda scum area that spells 'danger', think again...

fine, i wont exactly call it a posh area like NottingHill or Mayfair or Lancaster Gate, but hey, Hoxton is located in central london in ZONE ONE, and only four tube stops away from West End, can i ask for a more secure precinct? well, apparently yes...

So i got home on tuesday to find tomas leaning against the banister at the balcony, smoking a fag and looking somewhat subdued, upon seeing me, he gave me a grin and announced (a little too cheerfully) that we have been burgled...

i was taken by surprise for a minute, quickly inspect the state of the house, not to check on my belongings, because i simply have nothing valuable lying around, but just to collect bits of evidence that a crime has indeed taken place there...

i got nothing...the room was as MESSY as before, clothes and undies were everywhere (they still are), CDs, DVDs, magazines, food, were scattered literally in any available space that you can find in our crib...but wait a second, something is missing, yeah, the laptops were gone...

all in all, three laptops were being taken away, and i learned that the house was empty for only a period of 40 minutes, the thieves were watching our movement the entire time! how creepy is that?

when asked how they feel about the tragedy, szabi merely shrugged and said nonchalantly: Shit happens...

now i really like that attitude, because one thing that i loathe, is people who cry things over spilt milk, they just drive me up the wall...

Needless to say i was a happy person when he bought a new laptop the next day (it's that cheap, around one week's wages), not only because i get to use the internet again (:p), but simply because these are the kind of people i want to hang around with, the cool ones...

that doesnt mean i want to hang around in London longer than it is necessary...

So after work on saturday night, roberto and cyrell dragged me to club101 for a well deserved glass of wine, apparently there were cause for celebration, it's Halloween weekend and also the end of DayLightSaving time, which means we gained one Full hour, big deal...

people can be seen dressing up to the occasion, the streets were infested with vampires, zombies, mummies and younameit...thing is, they were not exactly treatOrTreating, but merely, as you would have guessed, drinking!

we chilled for a bit and just meeting friends, friends of friends, and it turned out we all have common friends, which i find it really amusing...London is a city of seven millions, what is the odd of that? It's happened to me on few rare occasions, and im beginning to lean forward to the theory of six degrees, we are all related somehow...

i've also recently succumbed to all these facebook invitations and thought i will just give it a try, and bam, i'm meeting all these folks ive lost touch with again...it's just great to receive messages from a travel mate whom you havent seen for over a year, and update each other on our current location and doing...

would like to take some time and hangout in the network and sort out the whoswho, send someone a poke and just keep in touch with the people you have crosspathed with...it takes so little effort nowadays to be in contact with other people, i just hope we dont start taking it for granted...


***

brought Roberto to Hillsongs yesterday and he really did enjoy the service tremendously, he declared after the service that he is gonna be attending church every Sunday now...

i cant be happier that i have managed to touch yet another person's life...

Hoxton, London


Cant believe how quickly things get organized once you've had the experience, yeah, i've managed to find a room in just two days!

Was kinda worried if my new roomies could top that of my previous ones, because they were just absolutely amazing! didnt i have such a grand time in Spain?

My concern is totally uncalled for, turns out my current roomies are just as fabulous! So there're only the four of us essentially, two hungarians, one british and myself, all dudes. Szabi's brother is right now visiting london, so he's here hanging out with us as well.

The moment i stepped into the house i knew im in serious trouble, the kitchen shelf is filled with tonnes of alcohol! just about any kind that you can name, plus those that you cant, and rightly so, as two of the boys work in the bar around the corner...im thinking my plan of staying sober at least until Christmas aint gonna be working out so well afterall...

Im hoping i can quickly get acquainted to my roomies and hit it off well (we already have), and eventually get invited to Hungary, which is in my travel list...i know it sounds like im befriending friends for ulterior motive, but im really not like that, i do treasure each and every individuals that ive met along the way, even the touch-n-go ones...

I've started working with the RSA and hopefully i can top up my bank account for a little bit, so that more travel plans can be forthcoming...

things are pretty much working out so far, guess for once ive really got nothing to complain...

oh wait, maybe just one, but we'll leave that for some other day...

Camden Town, London


it sure feels good to be on payroll again, it can only mean one thing though, the spending power is back!

u wont believe me if i told you i havent bought anything for myself (other than the basics) during the entire course of my six-week travel, truth is, ive been very careful with my money, for one, i didnt know how long i was gonna travel, for another, using your UK card in Europe is really expensive (they slap u with lotsa charges and commision).

so it's fairly accurate to say that i spent most of my money only and purely in food and transportation (and booze), and the verdict is...

total expenditure = €1000 (+/-)

which amount to only about €25 a day!

from the beginning of the travel, i have given myself a challenge, budget traveling with minimal expenditure, very much inspired by 'the amazing race'. Needless to say im feeling pretty proud of myself, and who can write a better book on 'budget traveling' other than me?

With that said, i want to challenge you guys out there to beat my current record, let me know if you are successful, coz if you are, you might just be the perfect travel partner for me, someone who doesnt hafta travel in STYLE...


drunken days back in germany...(i passed out in the bar and was carried all the way back home, kinda embarrassing i know...)

London

Havent felt so exhausted for a long time now, getting in to London always give you that feeling, people hustling about, over taking you on the street because you are being such a slowass, try carrying my backpack, you holes...

welcome back to London, it's freezing here and im glad im well prepared, i even got myself a ear cover! dont say it, i know im a total wuss...

so being back here means getting back to business, something in which i hate...first thing first, i needa get my lodging sorted out, i know i shoulda done that BEFORE i got back, but im really not so much of a planner, in fact, i didnt know i was coming back until one week ago...

next up, dont i need a job? hate to break it to you but i do, and the reality is killing me, doesnt it to all of us? good thing is, ive established enough contacts before and i should get going in no time at all...

would also like to take up some courses while im here for the next two months, i have a good idea of what i wanna do, just wanna do some more research before committing myself to it...if only i was that sensible when i chose to do five years engineering course in the Uni last time...

what's next? just looking forward to celebrating Christmas for the most part...it kinda feel right having Christmas in Winter, and not summer like down under or back home, have always wanted to cuddle up in rugs near the fire place, chestnut roasting on an open fire, on Christmas eve, just like what we see on television...

dont worry, none of that is gonna happen in London...Bummer!

Berlin

ive always been obsessed with visiting the capital city of a country, there has gotta be some unique qualities that govern the choosing as such, other than the obvious such as being the major CBD or in the population perspective.

but like Madrid and London, im in for a major disappointment...

to be quite honest, i really dont know what the big donkey has to offer, first off, everything seemed scattered and distant... never mind the fact that the city was divided before, but surely they can come out with a new plan when the wall was torn down? how'bout concentrating on beautifying a specific area and mark it as the city central, instead of having developments in different parts of the city? it really makes it difficult for travelers who travel by foot, like me...

and if you are here for the architectures and old buildings, you will have to be contented with new, characterless ones...

on the contrary though, there are heaps of museums and theatres and philharmonic halls if you are into them, you can also walk along side what seemed to be the remnants of the wall and soak in the history of yesteryears...

but then again, who am i to judge? hell, im totally biased when it comes to big cities...will always be a country boy at heart...

boy, i sure miss buenache, alcala, hildeshime and offenburg...


***


went out with my lovely hosts last night to the local sushi bar for some temaki and A drink, as it turned out, we had more than one drink, we had three drinks each, one maitai and two zombies, and by the time we were done with our drinks, we were the only ones left at the bar, and we walked back home like zombies...

things are not that hot during the week, the night scenes in berlin only heat up towards the weekend, and generally mondays and tuesdays are detox days, you've gotta give the poor liver a darn break at some point, you dont wanna mess it up...

one thing about all my hosts is that, we all share the same passion in traveling. German Vanessa and aussie Michael have been to countless places, and they never stick around at one place long enough to call it home, the world is their home...

we exchanged travel tales and i sorta like what they are doing, just doing what they are doing, worry bout nothing, and you know, Living...

life isnt all that complicated if you get down to it, live it and not to be lived...

Save the Earth!

so im committed to writing bout the environment for today, in support of the greenies...will just present a few observations seeing ive only got 10 minutes left of internet usage.

The germans are dedicated to creating a very environmental-friendly atmosphere, they are aware of the importance of recycling, and they are actually practising it too...

First off, you get charged for every single piece of plastic bag at the store, bottles and glasses alike. Not only that, you are required to categorize your waste according to the different substances and you are legally obligated to dispose them accordingly into the different bins.

Smart cars are highly supported here as well, ppl are willing to pay a higher price for a small car in the name of saving the environment. Brochures and flyers are all printed in recycled papers, lights and heaters in the apartments are operated with timer, electrical appliances are made to be energy-saving...

It is also a common practice for people to carpool around here, ive been using the facility myself arranging rides to different places and traveling with complete strangers in the car. It is a brilliant idea, not only does it conserve resources, but more importantly, it is very cost effective as well.

We can all learn from the germans in becoming a greener person, they are really making an effort in making a difference, and they sure have done a helluva job at that...

Hildeshime

Im loving Autumn, something about the falling leaves that feel very close to heart, a sign that there is always a beginning and an end, and something to look forward to next year...

im feeling detached to other people, im feeling melancholy, im feeling the cold weather and the gray sky, and when i say i dislike changes, i dont really mean it...truth is, it's good to have changes...

will be flying back to London from Berlin on wednesday...do i miss London? not a chance...someone here in Germany is holding me back that it's so hard for me to leave...i guess im in love...

i will be back here next year...

Hildesheim, Germany


When you gotta go, you gotta go...

so i left munich and headed north...my initial plan of going through prague didnt work due to some logistic matters...

right now im staying here with Chloe, indefinitely, as ive been traveling for a while now, and a good rest is in order...somehow, going to another country with another language just doesnt seem so hot to me right now...i need some time to rejuvenate and yeah, detox my body for a little bit...

this is a really quiet town with some good walks and some unesco heritage sites, not so much on the happening side and also on the nightlife department, but hell, it suits me just fine, what i really need now is some wholesome food and a good place to sleep and to catch up on telly (i mean american TV)...

as chloe and i go way back so im pretty sure i wont wear out my welcome any time soon...

it's about time to think about getting back to the UK to earn some money...

Oktoberfest 2007, Munich

Official logo


Chloe


Petra, Carola and some crazy americans we met


inside the famous HB tent


Strong bavarian girl


the Olympic rollercoaster


Spatenbrau tent


horses with beer


fische


Eurostar


Munich


band


pork chop


Welcome to the biggest, craziest and most happening party on earth!

it was madness! there are no words to describe the magnitude of it unless you see it for yourself, ive never seen anything that huge a scale in my entire life...

and no, it's not just about drinking, there are tonnes of other things to do and eat and see here, and of course, to meet other crazy travelers from all around the world...

everyone has gotta go to oktoberfest at least once in their lifetime, i promise you, you will have the time of your life!