Two Ubers and One Messy Tube

Fascinating and frightening week in London, no two days are ever the same here. The best city in the world, and if you don’t believe me, well… by the end of this you definitely will agree.

Going to try and cut the crap and novel on this blog as there’s a lot to get through.

Before we do, I would like to send my deepest condolences to the victims of the London attack on Wednesday. The attack lasted 88 seconds and it is now more visible than ever, that these attacks around the world are aimed at no particular group. Just to instil terror and fear. No matter race, religion or creed, these attacks are inhumane and the world is starting to understand that. But we must not forget the brave actions of the emergency services reacting to such an event. The police officer was unfortunately killed by the attacker as well as the courageous men and women in all sectors of our emergency services that worked tirelessly to secure the area of Westminster. More on this in the Wednesday sub-part of this edition of the blog.

Monday:

I will not let this be one of those week where I forget the start of the week. But I’m struggling here again. Let me have a think…

I went to my tutorial meeting, then I waited for a little bit, well this is bloody pointless.

One last jiggle of the brain, hmmm…. well I wrote my essay that’s as interesting as Monday’s get for me.

Wait till next week… I know Monday 27th March will be much more entertaining, granted I remember it.

^well done Dan on cutting the crap. Love my mind sometimes… ugh

Tuesday/Wednesday morning:

You’ll like this day. Hold onto your hats kids, we’re in for a hell of a ride.

Didn’t have university today… shocker, eh?

Went to the old stomping ground of Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and saw that they had started to expand and improve their shops. Well the portable shops in the middle of the walkways in-between the shops. If you know, you know. They have managed to trick the Pretzel company and Krispy Kreme doughnuts to pitch up shop there. Nice additions Bexleyheath Broadway. Bravo bravo.

Enough with the day antics, after dinner I suited up, well I put on the same tux I wore for prom in June 2016 and Freshers’ Ball in September 2016 and got on the train to London. I was going to the ball. The Undergraduate Spring Ball, it sounded so extravagant, supposedly over 600 people going. All my friends and I together. What could go wrong? Well, if I’m saying that, I kill the suspense and you can imagine that the whole world collapsed on these plans.

We were at pre-drinks, having a great time. Dabbing away. Everyone (except me) was quite drunk. We didn’t know the extent to someone in particular drunkard state till we travelled. It was so tragic. Trying not to give too much away, we made our way to Mile End Station and we were headed for Embankment, in particularly Opal Bar.

Got onto the District line, a solid 8 or 9 stops between us and Embankment, all was going fine. Had a funny encounter with a French gent, who was caught in conversation with one my friend, they decided that they knew perfect French, the things you do when you’ve had a few drinks…

When the train arrived at Temple station, one of my friends (who doesn’t do geography hint hint, to all you trying to work out who it is, who wasn’t there), decided that they wanted to become a volcano. I don’t thinking throwing up can even class what was coming out of their mouth. It was very similar to what I had a couple of weeks ago. So the tube became a messy sludge of what only I can imagine was some sort of tomato-based dish. The whole carriage burst out laughing, I don’t blame them. I had to look away at first, already wasn’t feeling the greatest and I didn’t particularly want to join the chunder club.

Managed to get them off the train at Embankment and a kind person gave them a spare plastic bag for them to continue spewing into, while my French impersonator friend got them a bottle of water from the convenient shop window at Embankment station.

Got them outside near the Taxi rank and I managed to call an Uber to get us out of there while the rest of our friends went to the club. After washing them down and getting some mints and tissues, this Danish family rolled up. One of the family members asking me if my friend was okay, the Scandinavians are such a nice group of people. Must go one day.

Anyhow, as the Uber rocked up I gave my friend my coat and we put the rest of their clothes in the plastic bag. The journey would take 20 minutes and cost £18 but it was totally worth it. Although my friend still was erupting out the side of the window, the Uber driver was a delight. They had recently moved here from Italy, just before the Brexit vote. I love talking to the Uber drivers, there is always a story to tell. They were Romanian in terms of heritage, and we talked about Brexit, the hate against immigrants and the recent phone ban and the changes for Uber drivers in that regard. They had a great story about the fall of Italy post-Berlusconi and how the country was in decline. They said they loved London for the mixed of modernity and heritage, something unknown to them in their hometown of Rome. It was so coincidental that I would be going to Rome come July.

I appreciate the Uber’s driver so much and loved listening to his family, and felt bad that my friend had spewed over his white Prius that I gave him a fiver tip. Not much, but just a token of my gratitude.

When we got back to their accommodation on campus, they changed and got into bed and I decided I may as well carry on to the club. So I took the tube once again, although I took Central and Northern this time as the memories of the District line were still too fresh in my memory. I saw someone from my course on the tube too, London such an intimate place.

Eventually got to the club, it wasn’t the 600 that was promised. More like 100. I was so lost at first, all I saw was a wave of Asian people. Was strange. Thought I was in the wrong place. Then I saw one of my friends and I was pointed in the right direction. There were a few more dramas during the night and we ended up leaving early and sitting in Charing Cross McDonalds before getting in an Uber home.

The Uber home was another Romanian person, the driver was larger than life and he lived in Belvedere, on his way home. Perfect situation. They had been living here for 15 years and they told me about Romania under Communist rule. It was fascinating. These are the people that make me want to be a journalist, tell people’s stories that they want to share. There were many things we talked about but the Communist phenomena really struck me and I want to explore more now as a result.

Got to bed at about 3:30 am, and that was Tuesday into Wednesday morning done and dusted.

Rest of Wednesday:

I was supposed to attend the QMSU Student Media Awards in Whitechapel this evening, but given the attack in Westminster, I didn’t take any chances.

I didn’t win the award anyway, but I know that having experience, I definitely have a good chance next year. Thanks to everyone who voted for me and nominated me, really keeps me motivated when times get hard.

I’ve decided I don’t want to comment further on the attacks, I think it’s best we remember the lives lost and actions taken but not dwell too much on the event itself. We must be defiant to acts of terror and that’s exactly what I saw when I went to university on Thursday.

Thursday:

The aftermath… people seemed normal. The tourists didn’t scurry away back to their home countries. It was just another day in the city.

I met up with my friend after a month, was really good to see them after so long. University seems to take over lives, and I have fallen victim to that same problem. I’m hoping after next week, everything will fall back into equilibrium, and if not, well at least I was optimistic.

Friday:

Early start, but not for a lecture. One of my closest friends had fallen unwell and was in Whitechapel Hospital, so one of my friends and I went to go see them. Armed with chocolate fingers and orange juice from myself and cookies from my friend, we were determined to put a smile on their face.

It was a depressing place, with an agonisingly loud and screechy woman next to my friend, life wasn’t looking like it could get better. On the other hand, they had a great view of the Shard, so you know, silver lining.

After that, went to the lab, did a test then spent like maybe 7 hours in the library working my head round GIS, so I didn’t have to do it when I came back.

That’s the end of that really, my uncle has come from Pakistan so I managed to meet with them yesterday.

Well today was Mother’s Day actually in the UK and I went to the Sky Garden with my mum. We had a great time, the views were really great. I recommend everyone to go there, mainly because it is free.

As for next week…

I’m jetting off to the tropical Merseyside for the next four days

By jetting off, I mean train and by tropical I mean the North

So that should be interesting.

Until next week, hope you all stay safe, whatever country you are in and enjoy every day to the fullest.

Till then

I’m out

DN