Travel Talk

SHABL Turns 4 & Trip to England from Singapore

fields_england
Greetings,

Breaking news breaking down your door, the “House of SHABL” turns four… I could go on about this or that but who cares? It’s business as usual around these parts but thought I’d mention it. It was only fitting to celebrate four years on the road with a long trip from Singapore to London before making it to an undisclosed location on the coast near Brighton… I can’t help but smile at where my life has gone since I got the guts to trade everything I ever had for a chance at a little more…

england_commute

Singapore was a bit stressful, turns out everyone from Singapore with a few extra bucks and kids is sending them to London for school. Also, school is starting so the two British Airways flights direct from Singapore to London were basically full. I stood by a fire extinguisher in the terminal at 10:15 when the lady printed my ticket and gave me the “you’re a lucky guy” look. I was, I got the last seat and sat in the middle of a few interesting peeps for 13 hours or so until it was time for London…

church_brighton_england

Arrived in London feeling full of zeal aka with super human energy for someone who just spent 13 hours on a plane flying half-way across the world. I’ve been to the UK over a dozen times as a kid but never on this trip so England is a new spot in some regards. I met up with my friend “The Goat” at 6am and we yelled “puravida” to everyone and anyone we saw on the streets while doing one-handed cartwheels on the sidewalks and backflips off park benches; it was a manic morning that included an English breakfast.

lanes_brighton

Next on the agenda was to make my way to visit a friend who lives not far from Brighton. The train was expensive so I went to catch a coach and that wasn’t much cheaper. Not long after I was getting dropped off in Brighton which is a cool summer holiday spot along the coast. I strolled through the streets making small talk and smiling under a rare sunny sky before catching a train a few stops away further down the coast…

mural_brighton_england

Despite having just flown halfway across the world I scoffed at the cabbie and walked 3 miles to my friend’s house with great pep in my step. I got lost and met a lady who invited me into her house, loaded up google maps and offered me a cup of tea; true story. Afterward I reconnected with my friend I haven’t seen since 2010 and guess what? It’s like neither of us ever left Sri Lanka only we’re older and arguably wiser?! It was time to celebrate four years of travel so we went to a local pub…

brighton_train_station

The local pub was pretty depressing and it was just old pickled men besides a barmaid with black teeth. It was just a collection of rough looking characters who for whatever reason would rather be anywhere and do anything other than hang out at home; I kid you not. Now it’s a damp cold in these parts that chills my bones and makes my joints ache. Today I awoke at 6am with chilling memories of cold climates; went for a stroll and it was freezing but turned out to be the best part of the day…

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Right now the weather could best be described as grim, I’m glad I got a glimpse of the sun yesterday…

Thanks to everyone who reads and shares this blog regularly, it is appreciated.

Tips hat,

P.S: Click here to read this blogs first ever post…

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