Europe Trip 2013

I thought it's time to write about my AWESOME Europe trip, having been back for 5 days already.  I'll talk about the trip from start til finish (if I can remember!) and post some pictures on the way.. mind you, it was a total GASTRONOMIC trip that all the pictures I've taken is of food.. 

So let's start with checking in at the airport... it all went by uneventfully.. checked in a the Business Class counter because I was flying Biz class to KL, then changing to cattle class to London... whereas my traveling buddies were all on Biz class all the way.. Jealous?  No.. I was flying Biz class myself back from Paris :)

It feels like just yesterday when we're waiting in the Golden Lounge waiting to board the plane.. I was giddy with excitement when we finally boarded.. here comes EUROPE BABY!!!  We arrived in Kuala Lumpur about 9.45pm (our flight to London was at midnight) and John took us to the Platinum Lounge straight away (that's right.. Not gold.. but Platinum!) where we were served champagne and sampled the food in the lounge.. not bad at all.. 

We parted ways at the departure gates.. they had no queue going into Biz class whereas us cattle class minions had a huge queue to go through (mind you, we were sitting the A380!).  I got a window seat (thank goodness) and surprisingly, there was no one seated in between me and the guy on the aisle!  (And it was a full flight!)  I always find it surprising how it can be a full flight and there's always an empty seat next to me!!!  The guy was pretty nice, he helped me with my luggage.  Flight was pretty uneventful.. not at all turbulent-y and I managed to get a good few hours of sleep!  Naturally, I woke up for every meal :D The guy next to me was even nice enough to take a snack box for me when I was sleeping!  And he was nice enough not to bother me with chit chat too.. just the obligatory "where are you from" etc.. 

Now here's where it got interesting.. I was on the way to the toilet when I got stopped by a Steward, and he asked me where I'm from, and I said Kuching.. and he said I looked familiar (pick up line?) but I said I never met him before.. so I walked to the toilet.. and on my way back, he stopped me again, asking if I was "pure Chinese".. weird right?  He thought I had mixed blood in me.. and then he asked for my number and my Facebook Account.  He said he'll probably make a visit to Kuching too.. EKK Freaky!  But you know me.. I never know how to say no, so I gave him my name card and Facebook Email address.. but he's a nice guy.. friendly fellow.. 

In what felt like no time at all.. we landed in LONDON!!!!!!!!  Woo hooo.. and here comes the start of  a great holiday!  I was a little worried about immigration (I always am) but we got through with no issues (my sister even took a fast pass ticket for me!) and next thing I know.. we're on a taxi on the way to Julie's house.  Now Julie is my sister's friend whom she met while Julie was staying in Kuching.  Since then.. Julie has moved to London and Paris (yes, she stays in both cities now) and she's hosting us in her house for the entire trip in London AND in Paris!  Well, in Paris, we stayed at another apartment, but nearby to her place!

It was a LONG ride to her house, but we got there at about 7.30am.. and walked out to find food.. only to find that most places were either still closed.. or closed for that day.. so we ended up in a corner deli.. where I had ham and cheese croissant.. which was heavenly.

When time came... we met up with PrincessBling and hubby (who were staying at Cumberland Hotel) at Selfridges and here comes the on slot of SHOPPING!!!!!!! I got a couple of dresses from Karen Millen and FCUK.. then we walked to Chanel where sis proceeded to buy a gorgeous red caviar patterned bag.. I couldn't find anything I wanted.. so decided not to buy anything.. after all, there was more shopping in Chanel in Paris!  Lunch was held in an Oyster and Champagne bar in Selfridges, where we indulged in champagne, oysters, asparagus (me) and other tid-bits.  Then it was on to more walking!

We ended the night having dinner at Goodman Steak House.. where we had a 5kg lobster.. thus starting my love for the crustacean (never really liked it before) and we had gorgeous steaks there too.. we finished a magnum bottle and a smaller bottle of red wine and never felt better!  After dinner, we met Julie at Princess Victoria (a bistro next to her apartment) for drinks.. and I tried to be polite, but I was crashing.. I literally hit a brick wall.. so I excused myself and went to bed.  PrincessBling and hubby who arrived the night before and therefore had a good night's rest.. stayed on and came back to Julie's place and continued drinking until 2am!  Kudos for lasting so long.. but me and sis were in snoozeland by 9pm.

Ahhh.. day 1.. and I'm loving London already!