Saturday, June 16, 2012

what's there not to like about england?

well, not a lot.


1) a direct flight takes about TWELVE hours!


2) if your joints ache when it's cold, they still will even in summer - the weather is just too unpredictable!


3) in winter, the sun rises at 8.30am & sets 3.30pm, and the days seem to pass really fast!


4) the ringgit doesn't take you very far - a big Mac alone costs rm20;


5) after 5 days of bacon & sausages/sandwiches/fish & chips/meat pies, you'll crave for nasi lemak or char kway teow & you won't find a warung/food court up your street selling that!


6) if you drive, petrol is rm6.60 a lit!


and finally, if you're a victim of a poor education system and SPEAK NO INGRISH, you'd better off staying home.


5 comments:

SY said...

I would love to know how u budgeted for this 12 days trip. Did u stay in a friend's hse?

doc said...

SY,

i brought cash (changed last year at 4.80-4.90) & a credit card.

before leaving for UK, i booked the london hotel, bus tickets & car online. stayed 2 nites in london, took a bus to brandon where my wife's cousin lives. stayed with her & her british hubs for 2 nites & booked online the 4 hotels for the road trip. collected the car at the rental, drove around 5 days then came back to the cousin's place. still managed to make a day trip to london - parked the car at a train station & took train into london. drove back to brandon the same day. next day, returned the car & took bus back to london & then to heathrow.

we budgeted 150GBP a day in addition to the london hotel & car rental. hardly used the credit card because of its unfavourable exchange rate. the hotels on the road trip took the credit card details for confirmation but i paid cash on checking out.

we still had some change left in the end, despite the extra 22kg in luggage weight (mostly food & clothes) on the return trip.

hope that helps.

The thumb in every pie said...

You ate McDonalds in London?? Omai! Personally, I find McD taste simply awful and terribly expensive in London. You are better off getting a burger, a pork pie or fish and chips at the farmers' market. The thing I really missed about UK - sandwiches. They make the best sandwiches there. Freshly made with crisp veg and tender juicy chunks of real meat (not those questionable minced this and that with fillers).

Nonetheless I must say that the fact that you and family can go to UK and come back with marginally heavier baggage and on/below budget is HIGHLY commendable.

doc said...

Andrea,

nah, we only passed by McD's to compare prices. we had freshly-made ones at subway & some packed ones on-the-go from tesco/sainsbury.

going with 28kg & returning with 50kg is marginally heavier? that's already extra 22kg in clothes, biscuits & chocolates!!

The thumb in every pie said...

Omai! my bad. I misread. I thought it was 20kg=>22kg. Totally missed the word "extra" in front of the words "22kg". Must be my senior moment. LOL.

I miss the sandwiches from Pret A Manger... 'nuf said.