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  • Citymapper App Helps You To Travel Around London Easily

    Citymapper App Helps You To Travel Around London Easily

    Citymapper App Helps You To Travel Around London Easily – London is a huge metropolitan city and with around 11 underground lines and hundreds over of bus route, travelling around is not an easy task. I have a friend who has been residing in London for over 2 years still couldn’t not master travelling on complicated transportation system and in the city, he still need to relies on the Legible London wayfinding system and Google Maps.

    I have been visiting London very frequently and travelling around without a local Londoner guiding is quite difficult. The Legible London, a wayfinding board that erects at almost every street corner gives you quite a lot of information of where you are and what’s around. So how do I travel around London like a pro? I use an app to guide me around and that’s Citymapper.

    Citymapper can shows you the best way, configures the fastest route and lists the costs of different travelling mode when you want to travel to your destination. So it helps you to save costs, and time. It just made travelling in London so much easier. Yeah. At the moment, the app serves New York, Paris & Berlin. I don’t think it will reach Malaysia in any near future as the public transportation system in Malaysia is lacking very far behind.

    You can download from Apple AppStore or Google PlayStore for free. Have fun!

  • London: Breakfast At Le Pain Quotidien

    London: Breakfast At Le Pain Quotidien

    London: Breakfast At Le Pain Quotidien – A London friend had brought me to this very nice breakfast place calls the Le Pain Quotidien (French pronounciation as luh pan koh-ti-dyan), or literally means The Daily Bread at Tottenham Court Road. There’s actually quite a number of outlets in London, in fact it’s an international chain cafe, having outlets around the world. A little bit of research found out that Le Pain Quotidien was not originated from French, but Brussels, Belgium in 1990.

    It was about an hour to noon and the place was half full. 3 of us, were sat on a long communal table at the far end and later filled up as time went on. The cafe is setup in a warm and cosy atmosphere, with lovely industrial light that bring a twist into the warm design. Food is mainly about breads, sandwiches, omelet and their set of breakfasts. The very friendly staff had made a bit of recommendation to me as a newcomer.

    I’ve ordered myself a Organic Scrambled Eggs with bread, side with Sauteed Mushrooms @ £6. The succulent mushroom was very good to me whereas I couldn’t identify the goodness of the scramble egg, pretty standard. There’s a variety of jams and spreads that you can use freely for the bread which is quite a new experience for me. Everything was quite fine, only that I find that it doesn’t really fill up my huge hungry stomach.

    Head over to Le Pain Quotidien’s website for the list of location.

  • Meeting Up Friends At M&M & Piccadilly Circus

    Meeting Up Friends At M&M & Piccadilly Circus

    Meeting Up Friends At M&M & Piccadilly Circus – Last holiday in London was like a little gathering, meeting up with him and her and they and them. The world is really small, London being in the middle of the Earth was like a meeting point for me and friends from Malaysia. Although they did not come directly from Malaysia to meet up, but from all over United Kingdom and Europe, it was a good meet up. Don’t you feel it’s amazing that you can still meet the you know well at a very foreign land, but not your hometown? And right, there’s really many Malaysian in the UK. Hmmmm.


    Inside M&M, one of the famous attractions in London at Leicester Square. It’s like a retail + attractions, always that crowded.


    At Piccadilly Circus, something like New York’s Times Square, but with so much less LED and sign boards.


    Friends of Malaysia & Hong Kong from Newcastle.


    Embracing 1Malaysia.

  • Play The Flappy Bird

    Play The Flappy Bird

    Play The Flappy Bird – I was late to Flappy Bird, only started playing it like 3 days ago and I still consider myself lucky to have the game in all my devices! I don’t really want to discuss on why the developer Dong Nguyen had decided on removing the game from AppStore and PlayStore, I just want to tell you that I am suck at flying my bird through the Mario-style pipe, but I am enjoying the game from time to time and also feel tulan when hitting the pipe (My current point is 15, you can call me noob and I don’t mind. LOL.).

    So, the game is now off the shelves, but I have found the web version that you can play it on your web browser. Yay? Although not as smooth as on the mobile, but if you are just getting to know about Flappy Bird, click this link  (flappybird.io) now to play!

  • London: Burger & Lobster

    London: Burger & Lobster

    London: Burger & Lobster – Most people (I would say, Asian mainly) will not miss the opportunity to visit Burger & Lobster, a restaurant that sells only, burger, or lobster in London. It’s like becoming one of the must-eat food in London. ‘Have you been to Burger & Lobster?’ ‘You must really try the Burger & Lobster!’ Most Asian friend will recommend this food outlet in London when you ask them what’s good in London. It’s more like a hipster place, where eating at Burger & Lobster is cool and must-do.

    The place must be good, because 5 of their outlets are always full and have a queue all time. It’s not that you can just walk-in to eat anytime, you just have to wait, from as little as 15 minutes to an hour or more. Reservation only available for 6 or more, yet you still have to wait despite having a reservation. We had about 10 of us, and we still waited for like 15 minutes to get our table ready. The one I went to was at SOHO, and there’s 4 more at Mayfair, Farringdon, Knightsbrige and London City.

    Eating at Burger & Lobster will let your mind have a break because you do not need to think that much on which and what to eat. There’s only, burger, or lobster! Burger, is a succulent huge beef burger serves with fries and salad; whereas lobster has the choices of lobster roll, or full lobster steamed, or grilled, or mix, or you can pay more for larger lobster. A standard burger, or lobster cost £20/each. Most newcomer will of course, go for lobster because at this hefty price tag, a lobster would be more worthwhile than a beef burger. I did not try the beef burger, but Foursquare has good review on it. My lobster was a grilled one, served with salad, and fries.

    The aroma of grilled lobster was so good, and the lobster meat was very juicy and fresh. Not to mention, the fries was good too! However, I find that steamed lobster could be a better choice as the steamed one still have the lobster red roe intact (eggs), I’ve no idea where’s mine had gone. Dipping the lobster with the garlic butter sauce were just superb. You know what, the whole meal took about 1.5 hours to finish everything up, it’s like the longest meal I’ve ever had for one main course. I was just trying to clean everything up inside out of the lobster, no wastage. =D Thumbs up!


    Friends from the same high school, Chung Ling High School, Penang! Interesting that we met not back in Penang, but in London. // Photo by Oohjii.

    Head over to Burger & Lobster’s website for their list of locations and details.

  • A Night Out To London’s Chinatown & Leicester Square Christmas Fun Fair

    A Night Out To London’s Chinatown & Leicester Square Christmas Fun Fair

    A Night Out To London’s Chinatown & Leicester Square Christmas Fun Fair – I don’t know is it that I have the Chinese/Asian traits in me, or is it that the Leicester Square & Chinatown are so fun that I’ve to visit the place almost every time I am in London. There was once 4 days trip to London that I’ve been there for like 2-3 times.

    I don’t think I am typical Asian that Chinatown is the only place I belong, I just feel that Chinatown, Leicester Square and surroundings are very happenings throughout the day and night. Of course, not to mention the great choices of Chinese & Asian food, and they are good too! Oxford Street is for shopping and Leicester Square is for food and chill. Where else in London is a good place to hangout? I need to know more about it, or else, the next time I head down to London, I’ll be heading to Leicester Square, again.

    Unlike Newcastle where the main street get deserted after 8/9 after shops close, Leicester Square, Chinatown, SOHO and surroundings are very well alive! Food, pubs, cinema and casinos are the main thing there. During last Christmas, the area was hyped out with the Christmas Fun Fair located at the centre of Leicester Square. Beautiful and wonderful, how could I not spend some times at there? Seriously, I need to explore more of London instead of heading to Chinatown when I’ve no place to go in my mind.


    The small Christmas Fun Fair at Leicester Square.


    It’s like a mini-Las Vegas at Leicester Square as you can find a plenty of mini casinos. Well, not surprised that you will find a numbers of Asian in there.


    Street food stall which just feels so Asian.


    Are you a fan of Chinese roasted meat? I am super duper am! The roasted pork belly, siu yok is good!


    Chatime – the always-good-business Taiwanese bubble tea chain-store that makes everyone goes crazy and queue for it. There’s not a time that there’s no queue in front of the shop.


    This is Chinatown, London.


    Chinese’ Pastry.


    This is a Polo Bun, unfortunately it’s not hot.


    Golden Gate Cake Shop. Sad that most of the pastries were cold, but the taste still ease my Asian’s food craving.

  • Chinese New Year’s Celebration At Newcastle’s Chinatown

    Chinese New Year’s Celebration At Newcastle’s Chinatown

    Chinese New Year’s Celebration At Newcastle’s Chinatown – Following up the Chinese New Year’s celebration in London, the Chinatown in Newcastle also had its own Chinese New Year celebration on last Sunday. The  Chinatown in Newcastle covers the stretch of Stowell Street that filled up with Chinese restaurant mostly, and a few Chinese retails and hair salons.

    Unlike London’s CNY celebration where you can find a series of performance at a main stage and a small CNY parade, the celebration at Newcastle’s Chinatown was actually just the performances of Lion Dance & Dragon Dance. Local, Geordies and students, all flocked into the street of Chinatown – Stowell Street early on Sunday morning to experience the sound of live firecrackers and ‘dong dong qiang’ of lion & dragon dances. Me and friends went at noon to join the fun and feel the Chinese New Year’s atmosphere as it was the 10th day of Chinese New Year.

    Chinatown in Newcastle has been quiet all the while, and finally, the only day of the year that it’s very happenings. Lion dance went to each restaurants and retails on the street to perform a short dance to bring luck to their business. Funny is that most of the crowds followed the lion dance team all the way from beginning to the end. There’s also a very small fun fair at the end of the street which I think that day was the most crowded day of the year. Well, the celebration was quite interesting, with lion dance, fun fair, some Chinese performance that I’ve missed it and a sea of people. This gave me a different perception of the Chinatown in Newcastle instead of being a quiet street with no Chinatown’s feeling. Anyway, the food price at all restaurants remained the same on that day, which was a very good thing!


    The crowds in front of the Chinese arch near St. James Park.


    People watching the lion dance ‘performance’.


    Live fire crackers. This just spiced up everything to make the day more festive.


    A very small merry-go-round.


    Inflatable slides that made the kids went crazy. This reminds me when I was small that loved to get on these inflatable slides!


    Some little fun CNY thingy or souvenirs or toys for the locals, not for the Asian though.


    Genting, a very familiar name for Malaysian.


    Cute little girl with a small lion head.


  • Amazing New Year’s Eve Countdown & Fireworks At London

    Amazing New Year’s Eve Countdown & Fireworks At London

    Amazing New Year’s Eve Countdown At London – Having the chance to countdown for a new year of 2014 at one of the greatest city of the world was already one awesome excitement. I never know that the experience and awesomeness was more than what I’ve expected. It’s all started at around 5pm; ‘Faster liao, faster liao, we have to go to find a good spot for later’s fireworks!’, we were telling each other when we were having the worst Chicken Curry Katsu ever at Wasabi near Harrods after touring the Natural History Museum. Some friends were already there at Westminster, the Thames’ riverside with a good spot where we were having our own sweet time.

    The tube was freaking packed, more than sardine and yes, a friend of ours didn’t get to board the tube and we have to wait for him to arrive at the arrival station – Westminster. Slowly moving our ass out of the tube station, we started to join the sea of people, slowly flowing into Embankment riverside. Phone signal was full, but totally unusable. The whole network was jam, but we kept on trying as to find the location of another group of friends and meet up. Well, we found at last, but couldn’t get to another group as the crowds filled up the space and I couldn’t get any closer to this group, so we just moved to another spot to book a good view for the fireworks. It was on the middle of Westminster Bridge, where we again, met up with another group of people and it felt so good that we were able to spend the eve together with so many people.

    Well, the wait started from then on at 7pm. I’ve read that this year’s fireworks is very different as it provides a multiple sensory experience where you don’t only see, but taste and smell as well! Sounds cool to you and me, BUT I didn’t get to experience that I didn’t know how it works. I did get a pack of goodies including a pack of sweets (taste) and a booklet of (smell). The paper reported that there’s a special location where about 50k of people could taste the edible bubble and smell the fireworks. Hmm?

    What we did in the 5 hours of wait? It’s like ‘shiok sendiri’, having fun on our own, dancing with the music blasting from the speaker right above us, as if we created our own outdoor party. Others was just standing and waiting. Cold, of course, and wet. Luckily, there’s no rain throughout the wait, only it rained 30 minutes before New Year, but it was a small one! The music was pretty cool, but I just think that there should be DJ to hype up the atmosphere to another level instead of us ‘shiok sendiri’.

    I didn’t see previous year’s fireworks before on Youtube, so it’s very much new and exciting to me and I didn’t expect so much too! 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, seriously, I was amazed, mouth dropped with the fireworks, syncing with a series of great music, and colourful lights blasting off the London Eye. The show was spectacular, I just couldn’t stop screaming with excitement. ‘Damn, it’s really very good, and I’d no regret waiting for 5-6 hours.’ I should had go earlier and book a better spot, like the place just across the London Eye. (The video on BBC1 will make you go WOW). My favourite parts of the fireworks is the dubstep part and the final where it blast everything off.

    About 11 minutes of screaming, and ‘Happy New Year’ nonstop, it’s the end of the countdown and 2014 is here, finally. That’s also the worst part of the whole countdown thingy, as getting onto the free tube takes about an hour, and we didn’t bother to queue for it. We just walked, walked and walked under the rain, through the crowds, past a stupid fighting scene, then crossed the bridge, an about an hour, we reached Chinatown at Leicester Square. Chinese restaurants were all open at midnight, and all with an extra special crazy 30% price hike in the menu, yet, we still had our supper. Yeah, some times in the future, I want to come back again. One more thing, after seeing this fireworks, I just don’t know where else has a better fireworks!


    All from Penang, Malaysia.


    Just look at the sea of people. As Chinese always says, People Mountain People Sea. 😛


    Again, with the people from Penang, but all from different part of UK. There’s Liverpool, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Newcastle and one outsider, from India.


    With the friends from Newcastle.


    View of London Eye from Westminster Bridge.


    View of Big Ben.


    Here comes the fireworks!


    The street doesn’t look pretty after all.


    All moving out to find a way back home, or back to the city.


    Facilitating the crowds.


    Kilometre long of queue into the tube station of Waterloo.


    Passed by the Royal Courts of Justice while on the way to Chinatown.

  • London’s Natural History Museum In South Kensington

    London’s Natural History Museum In South Kensington

    London’s Natural History Museum In South Kensington – British Museum – CHECKED, Natural History Museum – newly CHECKED. The best thing about London is that there’s plenty of museum and gallery for arts and intellectual individual, and the best of the best that most of that has no entry fee or whatsoever, except some private showcase. Even if you are not a museum person, I still think you should pay a visit to these museums as the architecture and (or) interior design is very cool.

    On the day before 2014 arrives, me and a bunch of Penangite went for a tour at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington before heading to Westminster for the greatest New Year countdown in the world. One, was to kill time as it’s still early, second; was to cross the list of free-museums in London. The visit also brings me to South Kensington for the first time where the Royal Albert Hall, Harrods & Discovery Museum are also located nearby.

    London is really horny, she’s always that wet, as usual on that day. Queuing outside the rainy weather was frustrating and it took about 45 minutes to get in. Yes, the queue is always that long, everyday, even longer during holiday. I didn’t encounter queuing at the British Museum though! Why would people love dinosaurs so much.

    In there, it’s a queue again, more like a line, you can hardly roam freely, you have to follow the viewing line that everyone is moving to see the history of dinosaurs and bones. Then there’s several halls that showcase different type of animals, more like a zoo, except with animal sculpture instead of real animal.  I think there’s more thing to see, but we leaved after seeing dinosaurs and animals cause we found it rather boring and not interesting to us. HAHA. It’s good one, just it was too crowded and we were more looking forward to the New Year’s Eve countdown.


    Cute little man’s skeleton.


    T-Rex! Not really scary after all.

  • London’s Tower Bridge At Night

    London’s Tower Bridge At Night

    London’s Tower Bridge At Night – I always thought the nursery rhyme of ‘London Bridge Is Falling Down’ is refer to the Tower Bridge because the bridge opens and close for ship to pass by. It close as if the bridge is falling down, but then it’s not true that the ‘London Bridge Is Falling Down’ is referring to this Tower Bridge, nor the real London Bridge. Last time, I was at the Millennium Bridge, overlooking the Tower Bridge from far. Now, I am just standing right under of it, chilling.

    One by one, I am crossing the checked list of some major London’s attractions and Tower Bridge is out of the list. But it doesn’t means that I won’t come back again; hey, it’s beautiful! I went to check out the bridge on a cold and wet night after spending the day at Westfield Stratford Mall with a Arron, a Malaysian friend who came all the way from India and also to meet with two friends, Wes and JH who were my classmate back in Taylor’s University. It’s pretty cool that I can still able to meet up with friends from Malaysia at a foreign land. The world is just really small, after all.

    Well, Tower Bridge is truly fabulous at night when it lights up. Don’t even bother to visit it during a cloudy daytime, a clear blue sky day would be nice, otherwise, go at night like I did.

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