Today it's raining. Quite heavily. Which rules out the quiet day out in the field that I was going to have, but sitting on the couch on my laptop is almost just as good. The girls are still asleep, and Aunty Kok Lee is trying to plan the day around errands. I've told her that I'm happy to tag along with whatever she does today.
It's raining heavily, but the rain is pretty fine, and so it doesn't make much noise hitting the roof/pavement. Hmmm let's use this quiet moment to reflect on things so far:
Public transport. Is expensive. I'm finding the bus most expensive, considering it's 5 pounds for a return ticket for the same distance as my house to Mount Waverley. I pay full fare here (no discounts for students over 19), whereas I pay a concession fare at home, which I guess is part of the reason I'm finding it expensive, but still. Can't really avoid it, because to get anywhere I basically have to go to Poole to catch the train, but it is certainly expensive.
Distances. Are quite far. Perhaps I'm just a spoilt city kid, where everything is close, I can go wherever, whenever. Here, except for expensive buses, the only other option is walk (or bother my aunty for a lift, but that's not an option). I love walking, especially on shaded country paths, and it's just as well that I do, and that I'm used to walking, and that I'm on holidays and have the time to walk. I'm not complaining about having to walk, just noting that it's something I pretty much have to do. Also there's not really a lot of places to walk to. There's Wimborne up the road. Or I could just walk back and forth from the bus stop.
Walking. Is quite difficult. For the most part, there are no footpaths. So you just walk by the side of the road. I always making sure I'm walking against traffic, cos you know, I'd like to see if I'm about to get run over. They're pretty quiet roads, so if a car comes it generally just swings to the other side of the road just to steer well clear. Walking here actually requires you to pay attention to cross the road when the footpath suddenly ends and starts on the other side of the road, and to dodge muddy puddles, cars and the odd branch sticking out. However, walking here is also quite fun, cos it's cool and shady, and you can pick blackberries from the side of the road and just eat them while walking
Trees. Are everywhere. They just kinda create this canopy of shade. Like a rainforest :)
People. Some are grumpy and some are friendly. Random people do start talking to you. Like the taxi driver that just stopped and asked me if I was going to Bournemouth while I was walking home from the bus stop (I'm guessing he wanted to make some money out of me). And the old lady that stared at me on the bus and kept telling me that I was beautiful (what are you supposed to say to that...?). Then there are people that just don't want to be there. Like the guy at the Three shop that sold me my sim card. And the woman at the tourist information centre at Salisbury. I guess that happens everywhere, maybe I just don't have to talk to so many people and ask so many questions back home.
My family. Are very homey people. They just stay home, and read, and play guitar and Mah Jong. They don't go out very much, and very often when they do, it's to walk 20 metres down the road to a friend's house. My uncle and aunty run errands a lot. They're currently on holidays, so the whole family just gets up when they get up, get out the door when they get out the door. They're very content people.
England. Is very pretty. I could probably live here. Maybe. If I could drive.
Dude it just got dark. I just had to get up to switch on the light.
It's raining heavily, but the rain is pretty fine, and so it doesn't make much noise hitting the roof/pavement. Hmmm let's use this quiet moment to reflect on things so far:
Public transport. Is expensive. I'm finding the bus most expensive, considering it's 5 pounds for a return ticket for the same distance as my house to Mount Waverley. I pay full fare here (no discounts for students over 19), whereas I pay a concession fare at home, which I guess is part of the reason I'm finding it expensive, but still. Can't really avoid it, because to get anywhere I basically have to go to Poole to catch the train, but it is certainly expensive.
Distances. Are quite far. Perhaps I'm just a spoilt city kid, where everything is close, I can go wherever, whenever. Here, except for expensive buses, the only other option is walk (or bother my aunty for a lift, but that's not an option). I love walking, especially on shaded country paths, and it's just as well that I do, and that I'm used to walking, and that I'm on holidays and have the time to walk. I'm not complaining about having to walk, just noting that it's something I pretty much have to do. Also there's not really a lot of places to walk to. There's Wimborne up the road. Or I could just walk back and forth from the bus stop.
Walking. Is quite difficult. For the most part, there are no footpaths. So you just walk by the side of the road. I always making sure I'm walking against traffic, cos you know, I'd like to see if I'm about to get run over. They're pretty quiet roads, so if a car comes it generally just swings to the other side of the road just to steer well clear. Walking here actually requires you to pay attention to cross the road when the footpath suddenly ends and starts on the other side of the road, and to dodge muddy puddles, cars and the odd branch sticking out. However, walking here is also quite fun, cos it's cool and shady, and you can pick blackberries from the side of the road and just eat them while walking
Trees. Are everywhere. They just kinda create this canopy of shade. Like a rainforest :)
People. Some are grumpy and some are friendly. Random people do start talking to you. Like the taxi driver that just stopped and asked me if I was going to Bournemouth while I was walking home from the bus stop (I'm guessing he wanted to make some money out of me). And the old lady that stared at me on the bus and kept telling me that I was beautiful (what are you supposed to say to that...?). Then there are people that just don't want to be there. Like the guy at the Three shop that sold me my sim card. And the woman at the tourist information centre at Salisbury. I guess that happens everywhere, maybe I just don't have to talk to so many people and ask so many questions back home.
My family. Are very homey people. They just stay home, and read, and play guitar and Mah Jong. They don't go out very much, and very often when they do, it's to walk 20 metres down the road to a friend's house. My uncle and aunty run errands a lot. They're currently on holidays, so the whole family just gets up when they get up, get out the door when they get out the door. They're very content people.
England. Is very pretty. I could probably live here. Maybe. If I could drive.
Dude it just got dark. I just had to get up to switch on the light.
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