John Betjeman in St. Pancras

John Betjeman 2
Originally uploaded by 28481k

Here are the pictures of St. Pancras Station as I took last night, click on the picture on the right.

Coincidences upon coincidences

I don't want to type too much because technically I've got three works to be completed in tomorrow and none of them have had much of a headway. However, I would like to share two incidences just now. Tom Morris seems to be a good influence!

1. I was shopping in Waitrose in Gloucester Road Arcade, and I met someone that I had attended summer language school with 5 years ago in Haywards Heath! I stayed with him at a homestay for about 2 weeks in a typical suburban family in Haywards Heath. He's studying mechanical engineering in UCL now, after being transferred from Imperial after finding it too hard. He lives around Chelsea/South Kensington now. It's just that I forgot his name...

2. After shopping in Waitrose, I went to a local second hand bookshop down Gloucester Road. I bought a couple of bargain books (they worth more than 20p certainly!) that were placed outside the shop, went in and met a lady who was chatting with the attendant to try to get a job (or just flirting with the attendant). I paid and left the shop, but dropped a glove on the way out. I noticed half an hour later and went back to pick up. Just on the way in to the shop, I met the lady again! She turned back to the bookshop after failing to meet her acquaintance from a nearby cafe.

Real life is full of unexpected events. Who knows I bought a pair of over-priced gloves in Tie & Rack in Charing Cross after thought that I lost my right glove, and found it (with my beanie) in my now torn backpack?

How to beat the Tube Strike

(AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE on 8/9: It might be a week late, but since RMT vowed another strike in the coming week (10/9 - 12/9), I would like to say a few words about that)

As I have heard, there is a wide-spread tube strike in London at the moment. Simon moaned that he is not looking forward to go to Newbury for the next few days. I believe many of you would have the same feeling under such crippling strike. Here are some of my tips you can get around a bit.


1. Read your map!

Yes, you should read not just the Tube Map, but the Tube and Rail Map like this.

So, say you live in the South-West of London and you're trying to get to Newbury. Forget about getting to Paddington first even though it is usually quicker: go through South West Train and change at Reading. Where to get on this particular train to Reading? Clapham Junction mate. Even though the journey between Clapham and Reading is about 50-60 60-70 mins, it'd beat getting stuck at the traffic trying to get into Paddington!

(Edit notes on 5/9: I've rechecked the timetable and therefore change the time needed to travel from Clapham Junction to Reading. It is also interesting to know that South West Trains had retimed slower than it used to be!)


2. Get a bike

If you're adventurous enough, riding a bike would be a fast option in London nowadays sans strike. You'll get sweaty but fit. Though you might inhale a lot of exhaust so wear a mask. Man, you should wear a mask even taking a tube! (Prominent example: this)

(PS. Since taking the tube often involves getting into a deep-level staion, the apparent time benefits have diminshed there. Still, it's quicker than bus before the road traffic above can be horrid in rush hours.)

3. Just stay at home

If you can afford to work at home, do so. You'd alleviate people from crushing buses.