Vacation Report

[Baluug]

Now that I've been home for a while and all settled in, I can give you guys my report on my vacation.

 

This was my first ever overseas trip anywhere, in fact it's only the 2nd time I had ever left Canada, the other time being a day trip to see some very distant relatives in upstate New York when I was 12 years old, so suffice it to say that I was pretty excited.

 

The plane ride sucked, but I wasn't expecting anything luxurious about that, and at least they gave me the "Muslim meal" I asked for, but that was no good either. On the plane, they handed out little landing cards that we had to fill out to give to customs. There was a space where we had to write down the address where I was going to be staying, only problem was that I didn't know where I was going to be staying! Mr. Northerner, who was picking me up at the airport, didn't tell me that. Then my passport got confiscated at the customs desk while the guy called Norf, cleared everything up and gave me my stamp and set me on my merry way so I could have a cigarette for the first time in 10 hours.

 

Other than that, the trip was great. I fell in love with East London with it's United Nations feel, as if it didn't belong to any particular group or ethnicity, but to each and every one. One thing I definitely noticed was the lack of fast food places like McDonald's, I only saw 2 McDonald's the whole time I was there, in their place were all the little halal takeaway places. I also noticed a close comparison in the cost of living between Calgary and London(that is, when converted to $CDN), the only major difference being the gas prices, which are way more expensive in London, and the rent, which is slightly higher in London.

 

Before I came to London, I had never taken a subway in my entire life. By the end of the trip, I was taking the tube by myself, going wherever I wanted. At times, it was nice, but other times such as rush hour, it was like an experiment in how many sardines could be crammed into one tin, with me backed against the wall like I was being held up at gunpoint.

 

I obviously didn't have much time to see tourist attractions as I was only there for 10 days, but I wasn't really interested in seeing all of them anyways. But I did see the O2, London Eye, London Tower, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, National Maritime Museum, Trafalgar Square, and more that I can't remember right now. Not to mention that I went to the Blue Ocean restaurant twice. Also I went to Leicester to see my mom's birthplace, that was more what I was expecting England to look like, rather than London, but that's what I get for being forced to watch Coronation Street growing up.

 

And of course, I met lots of great friends. One of my main reasons for going to London was to meet as many friends as I could and each and every one of them is a great person. I already thanked all of you on Facebook, so I guess there's no need to repeat it here, but I do have to say thanks to Ngonge, who doesn't have Facebook. Ngonge is not the condescending old codger you know on SOL, in fact he's a really great guy, and funny as well, with a lot of stories to tell. If you ever meet him, ask him about the "Cadde Madowbe" story

 

So there you have it, my trip to London was absolutely excellent and it was one of the best things I've ever done. I will definitely insha Allah be coming back next year.

[Castro]

Did you get to chew any Mira? Visit a mafrish? If not, that was a bloody wasted trip dude.

 

You haven't been to London till you've chewed a bag (3-4 marduufs) of Mira and got so paranoid you thought everyone walking behind you on the High Road in Wembley was following you.

 

Just how did you fit in those airline seats at 314 lbs?

[Fabregas]

^^Did they take you to Southall?

 

 

wale maryahad turI ghadey!

[N.O.R.F]

I got up late after a late night. Rushed out and drove across London to pick a brother up. It had been an hour already and as I was running to the greeting/welcome area, I checked my phone and found two missed 'private calls'. I managed to answer the third time and the conversation went like this:

 

Immigration Officer: Hello is that hebel hebel

Aniga: Speaking

IO: This is the immigration dept at Heathrow Airport. Are you expecting anyone today?

A: Yes. I'm expeting a gentleman by the name of Cadaan.

IO: Ok. How long will he be here for and where wll he be staying?

A: Waan usheegay (gave my old address)

IO: and what do you do?

A: I'm actually on holiday myself.

IO: Where from?

A: Dubai, UAE

IO: What do you do.

A: I'm a QS blah blah

IO: OK, any jos for planners over there. I did town and country planning.

A: Not sure but maybe i you look around.

IO: OK. We will allow him out now.

 

Cadaan comes out

 

Cadaan: Aslaama alaykum

Aniga: Wa alaykum asalaam

C: Where is the smoking area?

[Kool_Kat]

LOOOOL@Castro...Wax waalan...

 

Cadaan, that's it? I need a full report...Report on how weird them Londoners are and are different from Canadians? How small and dirty their roads are? How the hot or cold water just shuts off in the middle of a shower and etc?

 

Come out with the good, the bad and the ugly of your trip...Me wait...

[Baluug]

^ OK I'll dish out the goods later when I have time insha Allah, but I'll say for now that England is definitely nothing like Canada.

 

IO: What do you do.

A: I'm a QS blah blah

IO: OK, any jos for planners over there. I did town and country planning.

A: Not sure but maybe i you look around.

IO: OK. We will allow him out now.

Then the immigration officer came back and told me, "so, your friend is a quantity surveyor" and I thought he said "your friend is under constant surveillance" :eek: I just said "yeah, OK" without showing any fear and then he let me go

 

P.S. Castro, I got lucky because I was sitting beside some 8 or 9 year old girl, so I just kept the armrest up for more space. Then on the flight back I was sitting by myself in comfort. Actually the seats on the plane were nowhere near as bad as the seats on the tube!!

[poolwizard]

Caadan, yes, did u get to chew some Khat...if you have not, it will have been an experience...What did u think of the food at Blue Ocean...When I was there, I thought the food was average but the service was excellent...........

[Ibtisam]

Ngonge is not the condescending old codger you know on SOL, in fact he's a really great guy, and funny as well, with a lot of stories to tell. If you ever meet him, ask him about the "Cadde Madowbe" story

ARe you sure?? The dude is even worse in real life I think. Maybe because he was showing his best side for few hrs. Don't be fooled!

 

Looooooooool @ Castro! haha

[N.O.R.F]

Stratford Station whilst showing Cadaan how to get to Greenwich, queuing up for a ticket etc I parked on double yellows (as you do). When I came out a coach was stuck due to my parking which was at an angle (so did 3 other vehicles but had all disappeared by then) and London’s finest was busy writing me a ticket. I ran toward and was quickly told in no uncertain terms to move the car and step back out for a ‘chat’. I obliged. He gave me the old garbage which I really wasn’t in the mood for but nevertheless I did not want a ticket so tried to put on the usual charms. It didn’t work LoL.

 

After checking my name against the data base (he didn’t get anything apart from previous driving offences LoL) he started to question me about the car, where it was hired from etc etc and decided to call the hire company. At this point I told him the car was due back the previous day. I didn’t call to extend by a day and was intending to take it back that same night. Anyway, hire companies just take an extra day off your credit card or so I thought. Once he spoke to the hire company and found out it was a day late he put the phone down, told me to turn around and put my hands behind my back, the handcuffs came out and he read me my rights! I was under arrest and I couldn’t quite believe it. I was raging at this point and started calling him an unreasonable copper. This got to him for some reason and started talking about how difficult I have been and all that. Any after I suggested to speak to the hire company, whose employees I knew personally, he obliged and called them back. They said it was OK and would take it out of my credit card and that I should return the car before 5pm to their Euston office. I was de-arrested and went on my merry to the casumaad I was invited to at 2pm.

 

The things I do for my friends!

[Ibtisam]

^^^Looool^^ Lucky he did not take you down to the station and charge you for assaulting an officer and resisting arrest.

[N.O.R.F]

Taking a motor vehicle without the owners consent is what he arrested me for.

[NGONGE]

Heh. Two holiday reports in one.

 

Castro,

The place where Cadaan was staying has a mafrash facing it and another three doors away (there is also a third in the street behind). But I have a feeling he didn't visit any of them. Oh! This reminds me that his 'host' has been inviting me for a super session for two years now and never did it. I'm going for a visit.

[LayZie G.]

Ngonge is not the condescending old codger you know on SOL, in fact he's a really great guy, and funny as well, with a lot of stories to tell. If you ever meet him, ask him about the "Cadde Madowbe" story

ah-huh, waa double agent.

 

I am glad you had a good time Cadaan.

 

 

PS: I am surprised you didn't hook up with anyone, especially that serena.

[Baluug]

^LOL You mean hook up as in marry? Nah, that was only a vacation, besides immigration is too much of a hassle, and any woman in her right mind wouldn't leave London to move to redneckville Calgary. Besides, that's why I'm visiting Toronto in the next couple of months insha Allah be prepared. Although I have to admit I have lots of beautiful friends, each and every one of them......

 

I met quite a few current and ex-members of SOL, all of them great people with their own unique personalities, but I won't qarxis them here. And Brits are really not much different from us, at least from what I could tell. They were all friendly, or at least civil, except for the one Indian shop owner who was a real prick, and then there were the people who instantly thought I was American because of my accent. Other than that, and their different slang, which I already know anyways, they're not much different from Canadians. We're all subjects of the Queen anyways. And yes Kool Kat you're right, I didn't know when I was getting hot water, and the one day I had to take a cold bath *brrrrrr*

 

The roads are absolutely tiny, and I wasn't even going to think about trying to drive on the left side of the road, it's just way too confusing. Not to mention that whenever I crossed the street, I was still in the habit of looking left first because that's the way I would look first in Canada, because we drive normally , that is on the right side of the road. I almost walked into oncoming traffic but Toure stopped me at the last second before I got hit :eek:

 

Yes, poor Northerner got arrested because of me(sorry about that ) He was helping me buy an Oyster card inside the Stratford Station, later when I got back to the hotel, he told me all about it. And we were waiting for that bloody parking spot for like 10 minutes, waiting for the people that were there already to finally move!! But apparently that wasn't an actual parking spot.

[Ms DD]

Cadaan

It is a common mistake by the world to look on the wrong side when crossing the road. MY uncle says "when everyone body is going one direction, the brits always choose the opposite".

 

Roads are tiny but it is said if you can drive in the UK, you can drive anywhere.