What I Miss About London

I've been over here in Singapore for about 6 weeks now and I'm missing London. In no particular order, but then again, there must be an order according to my thought process??

1. Going out for a few drinks after work (and then sometimes getting rat-arsed!). People drink out here but not as much as the Brit. Just shows how much of a piss head I have become, especially if this is the top of the list!!

2. My super-mad super-busy job. Nowadays I occasionally, almost everyday actually, feel the need to prop my eyelids with matchsticks. Not just after lunch as it happens to most people, but in the middle of working on a 'riveting' spreadsheet. I also recently found out that the coffee at work I've been drinking is decaf. Go figure!

3. Going out on site. I work in the project site office. But I've not had the opportunity to go out to site as people here (especially the surveyors) try to stay indoors as much as possible. It's a wonder how they know what they're paying for!!

4. Nipping out to the shops. Not that I used to do it much in London, but it was comforting to know that if I ever needed anything, I can just nip out to the shops. Over here, I can't even get decent coffee let along nip out to the shops! Which brings me to....

5. My morning Venti Latte. Gawd I miss proper coffee! From leaving my flat to getting off the MRT station for work, I get nowhere near any coffee shops save for the canteen at work. I noticed a sign saying 'New drinks - Latte...' and all sorts of other 'western' drinks but I was told latte was 'sold out'. How is it sold out when they still sell coffees in other forms?

6. Eastenders. Gawd I miss the miserable life in Albert Square. But, thank god for cable TV, I get to watch loads of Hong Kong soap operas and practise my Cantonese at the same time.

7. My washer-dryer. Odd thing to miss but the rain hadn't really stopped the last few days and laundry takes forever to dry. You'd think that in a hot country it takes no time at all. Well, it's hot and humid, therefore nowhere for the moisture to go. It can take up to 3 days for my clothes to dry and it stinks of dampness and I have to wash it again and it's a never ending cycle. *sigh*

8. My old boss. My new boss can talk for England and repeats details about 20 times over. It's hard to just say 'Ok, I got the point the first time, let me go and just get on with the work' Although I sometimes hint in the dry English humour kinda way. Thank god he's English and understands the joke. I still maintain that my old boss is the best boss in the world, but I've still got my probation period to get through first.

9. The rights of the consumer. The number of times I've been pissed off in the shops for the ill-treatment and it just gets shrugged off. I wonder if it's just the hot weather or the inefficiencies here which pisses me off so much.

10. Civilisation at the tube station. At rush hour, people over here don't let you off the train before getting on. The push you as you're trying to get off. Which is a bit pointless cos if you don't let people off, how the hell will you get the space to get on the train???

I guess 10 is enough for now. But I keep reminding myself this - this ain't too bad, just treat it like a holiday, and a very well-paid one too. Just think of the light at the end of the tunnel, the end of the project, the opening ceremony, the champagne....