City Getaway

04/01/05

decided to scrap our original plan of going to Oban and stay in glasgow instead. Andy, ken and i went shopping at sauchiehall street and buchanan galleries in the afternoon. Busy Sauchiehall St is home to the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Art Nouveau masterpieces of the Glasgow School of Art and the still-operational Willow Tearoom (where we had our afternoon tea). Andy's really good and familiar with all the places to shops for all kinds of stuff. got a couple of tops and a pair of earrings. (sales!!) visited the wesley owen christian bookstore where they have a whole selection of christian music, books and nitty gritties. headed home after that.

05/01/05

woke up at 0800hrs to catch the train to lancaster at 1005hrs. chris and caroline came along wth ken and i. the rest had something light to eat at burger king before ken and i departed for a 2 1/2hour long train ride to lancaster from the Glasgow central station.

we were greeted by rain when we arrived in Lancaster (Camp on the Lune). took a cab to my uni from the station costing me 6pounds (not bad at all). it was a short ride, 15minutes thereabouts. lancaster is a semi rural area, unlike the bustling city of glasgow. this was really what i wanted - to be surrounded nature (minimally tainted by human civilisation) and to be away from the city for once. it was really why i chose lancaster in the 1st place. The Lake district forms an impressive backdrop looking north over lancaster, Lune Valley (river lune) and the seaside resort Morecambe Bay are just around the corner. The university (main campus at Bailrigg) is beautiful, convenient and extremely accessible. Buses leave the uni for town every 10mins from the underpass below Alexandra Square (named after the University's Chancellor, HRH Princess Alexandra), the centre of the campus. Alexandra Square is surrounded by many shops, convenience stores, 2 major uk banks (National Westminister and Barclays bank), a hairdresser, a big launderette, a Huge bookstore (Waterstones), the Ruskin Library, bars, travel agencies and various eateries. ken commented that the campus resembled a HDB estate in singapore (like a central sort of) though the highest building is only 14storeys high (Bowland Tower, my accomodation) because of the layout and the level of convenience.

i checked in at my college (furness college) at the porter's lodge and headed to my room. i did some major cleaning up with the provided vacuum cleaner, unpacked and did some grocery shopping after that. there was a exchange/international student welcome tea at 5pm, which i attended. that settled my dinner. took a shower and went to bed at about 2200hrs.