Sunday, October 20, 2013

End of #Project21 series!

Happy Sunday peeps! (:
End of the #Project21 series posts.
22 days after my #Project21! (:
Spend the day with my friends.
The company and the thing I've done to remember my 21st Birthday is all that matters.
However, had jet lag after I came back from London.
Tips which some websites and people don't teach you.
Don't sleep in the plane.
What do I mean by that you may ask.
I boarded the plane at 10pm. Quickly set the time to the destination time.
It should be 4am in SG.
So, sleep.
But if you wake up for the loo, check the time.
If it is noon time already, no matter how tired you are, please don't sleep!
I made the mistake of sleeping throughout my flight.
So, I slept at 2am in the morning.
Subsequently, 5am, followed by 3am, then 2am. It was crazy.
So, yea, hope these lil' tips help! (:
God Bless You! (:

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

#Project21 -- Extraordinary!

Some interesting things to share with you! (:
London have a few interesting & cool museums and places to visit! (:
Sherlock Holmes Museum
Museum of Brands
Florence Nightingale Museum
Alexander Fleming's Museum
Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum
BBC Tour

Although a lot of museums in London is free. They 'encourage' you to donate 5 pounds to make the museum free for public. If you have to donate 5 pounds to keep the museum "Free" for public, I don't see how the museum is free.
However, if they were to charge, I don't mind paying for it.
The museums are really BIG, and houses a lot of interesting exhibits. It's totally worth the 5 pounds, or even more than that!
Can't imagine if anybody will walk in and walk out of the museum without paying.
Totally amazed at the exhibits they have.

One of my day tour guide recommends visiting the Shard instead of the London Eye. London Eye was a bit boring, I'm sorry to say.
Madame Tussaud was considered worth it with the London Black Cab Ride. Didn't go to Scream because I was afraid.
As for London SEA Aquarium, hmmm...a lil' pricey.
For free tours, consider Sandeman's tours! (:
For paid tours, I went with Premium Tours.

Come, join me together in this adventure to London! ;)

Monday, October 14, 2013

Swiss

Was in Zurich Airport, and saw all the advertisements about Swiss Air. How good their service is and etc.
I was extremely disappointed.
Stewardess stepped on my foot not once, but multiple times. As my seat was an aisle seat, the stewardess walked quite fast and hit me.
Tsktsk.
I didn't receive hot towels for the flight back to SG from ZUR.
One stewardess even passed me my No Lactose meal with the plastic wrapper still on. She expects me to unwrap the plastic covering my food tray. The plastic wrapper I'm talking about is not the one covering your hot food. Normally, they hand you the tray without the plastic covering on it because they have removed it for you. Mine was still intact.
Service was totally inconsistent.
Touched down in SG, baggage was still in London or Zurich. Fantastic.
Please people, just to let you know that you can claim money from the airline if your baggage is delayed or lost.
I bought insurance and my friend told me I could claim so I went to claim.
By the way, I attended a Fairprice course where I learn that people give complains because they care and they want you to improve. Really true.
This time round, I don't even bother sending feedback to them.
Because I'm not planning to take another flight with them. At least SIA has better service compared to Swiss Air.
Heard Emirates has pretty good service. Shall try Emirates next time! (:

Saturday, October 12, 2013

#Project21 -- Shopping!

I bet you must have heard about Primark right?!?
I went there, telling myself, "Okay, shop for 2 hours will do."
I went into a relatively packed Primark filled with women and men.
For the first time I stood in a store feeling lost. My North South East West was filled with clothes. I TOTALLY HAVE NO IDEA where to start my shopping!! It was packed with clothes and people.
Things were sooooo cheap that I keep grabbing and they added up to a high amount.
I bought a few pair of leggings. Dirt cheap. 3.50 pounds for a pair of 150 denier leggings. 5/7 pounds for a pair of superrrrr thick and comfortable thighs for the Autumn/Winter season.
Not to mention a pair of faux Suede boots for hello, a mere 8 pounds. If I were to buy a pair of similar shoes in SG, they would have easily costs twice or thrice the amount!
Candles that could burn for 12 hours for 1 pound.
Onesies for 12 pounds, but costs me 11 pounds after discount.
Coloured leggings for 3.50 pounds.
Bra for 5 pounds.
Thermals for 5/7 pounds.
No, you didn't see wrongly. Primark things are just so nice and cheap.
You really have to see it to believe it.
My jaw dropped for 4 hours in the shop. 4 hours in a shop. Record breaking. I think you could easily spend half a day in the store okay! It's just so crazyyyy.
Another store which I like is...the 1 POUND STORE!
Hehehe.
I walked into the store located at Canterbury.
Wow, it was crazy too. Literally 1 pound for EVERYTHING!
If you are those people like me who like to buy souvenirs, head to Portobello Market!
6 keychains for 5 pounds. Still expensive, but they are the cheapest.
Covent Garden has a market too, but I heard from locals that it's v.expensive because it's for tourists. Haha.
For branded goods, Bicester Village is a good option.
You can get to BV by train or by their luxury shopping coach (Evans Evans). Return trip for 25 pounds.
Prada Saffiano wallet (small & black) costs me 160 pounds. Outlet price.
If you buy it in local stores, it will cost you 245 pounds if I'm not wrong.
I saw a brown leather Prada bag which I was sooooo tempted to buy okay! But I didn't because Prada staff didn't allow me to use my card because the name on my card is different from my driving licence. So, please use the name on your NRIC for your cards.
Outlet price: S$1.3K.
Local store price: S$2K ++.
Other than that, Michael Kors wallets are 89 pounds. MK bags, the most common ones, are 159 pounds.
Kate Spade, MK phone covers, 20-40 pounds.
Discounts are crazyyyyy! (:
So, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!? Grab your cards and money!!!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

#Project21 -- VAT/Tax Free Shopping

If you shop in the UK, the VAT is 20%.
FYI: For eg: an item costs 120 pounds, the VAT is not 120 x 20% = 24 pounds.
For eg: an item costs 120 pounds because...20% VAT + RRP of the item = 120 pounds.
So, if you go to a shop to purchase things, sometimes they will only do Tax Free Shopping (TFS) for you if you spend 50 pounds or more.
I went to Bicester Village to shop, they do the TFS for you at the cashier. But for Primark, you have to pay for your purchases first, then head to the Tax Free Shopping counter where they will calculate for you the VAT. Every store that you go will deduct some processing fee from you. For Lacoste, the skirt I bought was 33 pounds. VAT refund entitled was 5 pounds. After they deducted the processing fee, I was left with 1.50 pound. For Prada, VAT refund entitled was 28 pounds for a 160 pounds item. But after processing fee deduction, I was left with 15 pounds. Ohhh man! I felt sooooo cheated! The stores charge high processing fee, but they don't complete the form for you. That's the irritating part.
When I got to LHR T1, you have to take out the VAT form from the envelope. That's not all. You have to fill in your address, date of arrival, date of departure, name, email address, credit card number if you want to claim through card. That's the part where they don't fill up for you.
So I highly recommend that since you know this precious info, do it at your hostel or hotel to save time.
The customs officer will stamp and take the paper back. They will suggest to you to take a photo of the receipt in case anything happens. My VAT refund came back 10 days later.
Happy Shopping! (:

Monday, October 7, 2013

#Project21 -- Experiences

I was quite creep-ed out when I touched down at Zurich.
From what I know, Zurich airport is one of the best.
When I touched down at Zurich airport, I was quite shocked to see chairs and some things placed randomly, and the toilet was quite old. Then I thought to myself, "Why is this place one of the best airport??"
Hmmmm...
So I continued to walk, hoping to find the answer to my question.
On the way to collect my baggage/head to transit E, you have to take the train to another part of the terminal.
So I waited for like maybe 1 min, then the train came.
Okay, this is the creepiest part.
Alone for the first time in another country, I didn't know what to expect. So I boarded the mini train (somewhat like Changi Airport Train), the door closed and the train start to move. Halfway through the ride, there were cows moo-ing in the background, women singing (think the Ricola Commercial but in a dark tunnel). I looked to my side, there was moving images of a person throwing the Swiss flag in the air. These were all meant as entertainment for the boring train ride. But it was really creepy. 6am.
Anyway, though I did a lot of research, I was rather disappointed to know that there was no Marche. And I was stuck at the airport for a few hours with nothing I like to eat and no where to go. Couldn't connect to internet as well. There was no msg sent to my SG number. (You have to register with the sms sent to your mobile).
So I ate bought a small packet of potato chips for S$3+, and bought a 500mls of Evian water for S$5+. It was freaking EXPENSIVE!!! @.@
Lesson learnt: I will always bring my own food when I go to Europe!!
Anyway, when I reached the 'main terminal', the toilets were much better, and it looks pretty nice and new.
After that, the plane came and I headed to London.
Here comes the London part.
Touched down at Heathrow T1 around 11am, the place was filled with people. I waited for approx 30 mins to be asked a lot of qns. Why you come to London? Your return itinerary pls? What are you doing in London? Where are you returning to? C'mon, the card wrote the things right? I'm not some criminal! The only place I got asked a lot of qns.
After the customs, it's baggage claim.
After you've claimed your baggage, head down the escalator, and there will be people wearing the purple Heathrow vest selling Heathrow Express tickets in front of you as you come down from the escalator.
It's 34 pounds for a return ticket. It comes in a receipt and you have to keep it with you throughout if you bought a return ticket.
After you have purchased the ticket, take the lift and head to platform 2.
15 mins later you will reach Paddington Station.
Ticket officers will check your ticket around 5 mins after the train start to move. If you buy your ticket on board, it will cost more. So, either buy your ticket online or at the airport itself.
To get your Oyster card (somewhat like Octopus HK, Easycard TW, Ezlink SG), head to the tube station.
The card costs 5 pounds, and I topped up 45 pounds for 8 days in London, traveling in Zone 1 only. Be prepared to walk from one line to another line. (Eg: Bakerloo to Circle Line).
Also, sometimes it's easier to walk then to take the Tube. (Eg: Oxford Street-Piccadilly Circus).
S$100 for 8 days travel in London. It's my 1 month travel cost in SG.
The card is refundable, but I think you have to write in and wait for them to refund you the money. I love London so I can see myself going back there. Haha. So I didn't return my card.
For SIM Card, there's Vodafone at Paddington Station. However, the microSIM was sold out. So I went to Orange at Paddington Station also. It was quite troublesome for me. I inserted the card, received a few msgs from them to say my card is activated and I can use it. I could call and msg. But the internet connection was so troublesome! I had to add some APN. I went to google it and followed the steps then after I've added the APN or VPN I could use the data. It was 10 pounds for one month of unlimited calls and msgs, with 1GB of data.
--> I will do a separate post of shopping in London, interesting things to do, and VAT (Tax Free Shopping).
So, after 8 days in London, it was time to go back to SG!
I was so pissed off! The staff at LHR T1 gave me an earlier flight because I checked in 2.30hrs before my initial flight. The info on the ticket was different from the one on the screen. Thinking I was late for my flight, I brisk walked for 10 mins with 5-10kg of baggage in both my arms and trying to protect my macarons before I reach my departure gate. So, can you imagine how far it was?!!? When I reached the boarding gate, the screen showed "Take a Seat."
Tsk. Perspiring from rushing and an empty stomach, just to see that sentence. So disappointed.
After 15 minutes, we boarded the flight.
Touched down at Zurich Airport, went through the same motion, with the only exception that there wasn't much tourists around. Ate a bowl of tomato spaghetti. S$25. I will go bankrupt if I was in Switzerland for 1 month. :X
Anyway, I will also do a separate post on Swiss Airline service.
Ciao! (:

Saturday, October 5, 2013

#Project21 -- Accomodation

Came back from London already! (:
IT WAS SOOOOOOO FUN!!! (:
Miss the weather and shopping there!
Tried to blend in with the locals.
Still remembered the way I look at everyone as though as they were pickpockets on the first day.
Haha.
Stayed in a 4 bed Deluxe Room with a mini kitchen (microwave oven, kettle, sink, no stove) and toilet with shower in Pride of Paddington. Free wifi too! (:
I like to stay in this hostel. Good experience for me as a first-timer staying in a hostel. The cons is that it's too near to the hospital and roads that I hear ambulance and cars going by. Not to mention construction work. But it was not much of an issue to me because I was so tired from walking that I just slept. Haha. The bed was comfortable. But the lockets were too small to fit my luggage so I had to put it beside my bed. It costs me S$530 for 7 nights.
20 pounds will be paid as a deposit for the 2 keys, and towels given to you. Once you have returned these items (toiletries do not have to be returned), the 20 pounds will be returned to you upon checkout (8am-12nn).
You have to inform them for early checkout so they can arrange to return you the 20 pounds deposit. If you want to ask them to help you store your luggage while you go shopping, it can be done for a small sum of 2 pounds.
Anyway, I met a few new friends from Brazil, Japan, Zurich, Australia & China, and almost everyday! (:
It was nice to mingle around with people around the world, and share with one another about our stories of why we came to London. (:
I think it's kinda true for this saying by Samuel Johnson: "Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he if tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
What do you think?
However, after all I've only been there for like 8 days, so I can't agree with him fully.
Anyway, stay tune for the next post about London and Zurich. Touching down/flying off.