今まで一番のひとり旅かもーLondon

はじまり

I started preparing for the trip back in February this year. Once I learnt the fact that my favorite UK rapper - Loyle Carner was gonna be a headliner for a music festival for the first time, I bought the tickets without even giving it second thoughts. You can probably call this adrenaline drive, I presume. Traveling abroad for a Chinese gets a bit more complicated than some other passport-holders. It was a bit bumpy along the road but I finally sealed my visa in June and got the plane tickets ready.
Honestly beforehand the only thing that motivated me to go to London was because of the music fes was going to take place in a park that happens to be located in London. I've personally been to UK once when I was tiny in size. The food was too traumatic for my little asian stomach so I never looked back.
Hence I wasn't typically looking forward to going to this city but this event. I did my bare min research about where I would like to visit. But nothing too serious. I have friends who plan everything out in a spreadsheet down to the minute. 
But anyways here I am setting out, or taking off should I say, to London for the second time in my life expecting nothing in particular on Aug. 12th. Btw I'm traveling alone, which I'm quite comfortable with. 

Finally arriving at Heathrow after long-ass flights! (including a transfer at Paris😅)

Gotta eat

i'd argue that's an appropriation

like the idea of a food tray
not constrained by the idea of bowl, plate, etc.

from my notes in my phone

Went to Tate Modern for my first touristy stop. There were so many shows so I just decided to grab something from the cafe downstairs. When I got my food it was prepared in a metal food tray. It's got this industrial feel to it. Wonder if that was also part of the curation of the museum given the fact that it was transformed from a power plant. 

food tray! (写真より実物の方がでがい💦!!!)

Anyways got quite fascinated by the idea of a food tray. It sort of just ignored all of the concepts of tableware. Like a rebel on the table, if you will. Or one could possibly interpret that its use has been appropriated. Like it was set out to hold plates, bowls, and cups. I would call that a means of transportation. However now the food has been placed right on top of the tray, maybe with a thin paper in between or not. But didn't that just make life easier than ever. Now you only got one tray to wash. And a cup perhaps. (Oh no, and the utensils…)
I'm that type of person who can eat from a pot. So do not judge. 

what does nostalgia taste like? tastes yogurt to me

THE yogurt that takes me back

London reminded me so much of the time spent in New York back then.
I think taste can be the best memory trigger second to smell. Especially these mass-produced products. Their taste don't change (easily).
I hate those watery and sweet yogurt with a passion. To put another way I love Greek yogurt. The only way to live is Greek yogurt. I have no idea why I haven't visited Greece yet.
This is my favorite Greek yogurt brand when I was back in the States. Love the 2% one. Still remember that tint of green on the packaging. However I don't get this brand in Japan. I buy other local yogurts which are tasty as well and gradually I let go of the memory of fage.
One spoon in though, it took me back to that apartment in Greene Fort, Brooklyn. I was sitting on my mattress that was just laid on the floor. I didn't have a bed frame. I was doing the exact same thing. Adding sugar onto the yogurt and just enjoy. It's amazing how a taste of yogurt made me feel young all of a sudden. Pure しあわせ.

Just walk a ton

zoning out might just be the best part out of it all

Always love a walkable city.
The cities that I've been blessed with are all walkable: Shanghai, New York City, Tokyo.
Realized that I spent a lot of time outdoor when I was there.
I mean the weather was nice!! Was quite cool, and definitely drier than Tokyo. Plus London offers you a park every couple of blocks. It's almost impossible to turn down the invitation of sitting down and do nothing in the nature.
I realized that was seriously what I enjoyed the most. I'm not saying that Tokyo got no parks. But man, the scale difference. Let's just say that most of the parks in Tokyo are still at their fetus phase. 
Almost all the parks I passed by got big lawns. And I almost forgot how dog-friendly the western world has been. I finally met a greyhound when I was strolling around bricklane neighborhood and got a chance to talk to the owner and showed my affection towards the doggie. 

He's a rescue. He's shy.

move your body

I thought Tokyo‘s got a pretty good rate of people working out on the street.
London blew me away.
Most of the people hanging around in the park are doing some sort of exercises. Walking their dog, walking their kid, yoga, jogging, taiji (?), etc. Good vibes only. It made me feel refreshed as well.

All Points East>>

do you smoke? no, thanks!

It became one of my pet peeve after moving to Japan. 歩きタバコ
I resent all the people who do that.
However in London it seems to be a norm where people just smokes whenever, wherever, and however they want.
During the festival I almost felt suffocated by all the smoke surrounding me, giving it cigarettes or joints. That might just be the only flaw of the festival experience. 

during ezra collective's set
i think i received power from that moment

Anything else?

schedule, but real rough

8.12 narita - CDG - heathrow
8.13 tate modern - serpentine
8.14 the british museum - sir john soane museum - arome bakery (covent garden) - watch house (somerset house) - soho
8.15 o2 (design district) - camden - baker street - harrods
08.16 barbican center - brick lane
08.17 broadway market - Victoria park
08.18(9) heathrow - CDG - narita