London Transport Season Travelcard benefits - why you should get one in your Oyster card

I don't know what took me so long to get a London Transport travelcard. Maybe it's the lack of information but I would attribute it to the sheer lazyness on my part really. I did some calculation some time back and was surprised at how much I have been losing out. Here's the breakdown.


An adult Oyster card loaded with an Annual Travelcard

Cost of one trip between Zone 1 and 2 on London Underground = £2.20

Cost of one trip within Zone 1 on London Underground = £1.60

Assuming two trips daily on a 5 day work week in a four week month, cost of travel to work alone per month = 4 weeks x 5 work days x 2 trips x £2.20 per trip
= £88 per month

Assuming two trips within Zone 1 every Sat and Sun, cost of weekend travels = 4 weeks x 2 weekend days x 2 trips x £1.60
= £25.60 per month

Cost of a Annual Travalcard (Zone 1-2) = £1032 per year or £86.60 per month

Savings per month = £27

Savings per year = a whopping £324

Granted that I need not travel to work during vacations and some of the trips may be done on buses (£1 per trip - free for Annual Travelcard), I could still save at least between £50 - £100 per year. If you are holding onto an Adult Oyster Card, the Annual Travelcard can be added onto the same card and remaining credit on the Oyster Card will only be deducted when you are travelling out of the zones covered by your Travelcard.

Not only that, you will be issued a 'Gold Card' upon the purchase of a Annual Travelcard and that allows a 34% discount off rail tickets if you are travelling within Network Area. This offer, which is extended to other adults and children travelling together with the Travelcard holder, is the deal clincher for those who travel extensively in Southeast England. For more information on the discounts, refer to the official website.

Oh, some companies actually offer interest free loan for season traval passes. Essentially, your HR will write you a cheque and the monthly repayments will be taken off your salary. No harm in that, is there? Also, there are talks that the Mayor is looking at increasing Tube fares in the near future. Why not lock in the fares right now?

Now, the only thing you'll have to worry about is how to spend the savings.

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British Museum presents Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler - the Spanish perspective on the civilization that they have destroyed

When the Spaniard Hernan Cortes arrived in the capital of Aztecs, Tenochtitlan in 1519, little did the Aztecs know that it would beckoned the demise of their 200 year old kingdom that spanned across the current day Mexico.

Ultimately, it was a combination of factors that brought the once proud people to their knees. Awed by the Spanish expedition's strange physical appearance, the Aztec king, Moctezuma II showered the Spaniards with lavish gifts and even offered them residence in his palaces.

British Museum brings to London Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler. The exhibition presented to us not only the artifacts of the Aztec people but also what eventually led to their capitulation to the Spaniards in a mere 2 years.

What's interesting here is that most, if not all, of this exhibition is presented in the Spanish perspective. According to the Spanish records, Moctezuma II died of injuries after he went out onto the palace (where he was held captive by the Spaniards) balcony to chastise his subjects but was subsequently branded as a traitor and stoned by the angry crowd. No one really know what really led to his death till this day.



Though most records of the Aztec civilization were eradicated by the Spaniards when 'New Spain' was established on the foundation of the Aztec capital, the stone monuments and artifacts of that era presented in the Mocteczuma: Aztec Ruler exhibition did offer a rare glimpse of the mystical Aztec religious order that pretty much dictate Moctezuma's world.

Look out for the stone eagle with a cavity on its back where the hearts of human sacrificial victims were offered to the gods. You could almost hear feel the terror of the victims just by looking at the eagle's eyes. Also, towards the end of the exhibition, there is a series of drawings that provide a handful summary of events.

I thought that the price of £12 adult entry ticket (£3 additional for audio guide) was a bit steep. However, British Museum did manage to present an interesting take of what might have happened immediately before and after the Spaniards set foot on Tenochtitla. Also, there is a series of activities provided for children to keep them occupied. Allow 1.5 - 2hr for this.  If you're a British Museum member, you get to go in free. Find out more details on official website.

Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler

British Museum (24th Sept 2009 - 24th Jan 2010)

Great Russell Street

London WC18 3DG

Tel: 020 7323 8195

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Commemorate Remembrance Day, wear a poppy

The DLR was down again the other day. You could almost hear the collective groan of the hundreds of commuters at Bank when they trooped into the train towards London Bridge station and switch the the Jubilee Line going towards Canary Wharf.

All that while the mob was building up at London Bridge. But the Wharf people are a hardy bunch. Afterall, with DLR and Jubilee, two of the most unrealiable London Transport lines, serving Canary Wharf, you have to get used to it somehow. It was three trains later before I reached the front of the queue and when the fourth one eventually came, I was crammed in like a slab of Spam.

Ten minutes later the train finally pulled into Canary Wharf Tube station and we stumbled out of the cabins. Giving a nonchalent brush to our coats, we headed for the gantries. Then something struck me.

Standing just outside the gantry was a white hair gentleman huddled in a great thick coat. Although he was stooping with age, it was quite clear from his frame that in his youth, he was easily a six footer with broad shoulders. He was carrying a bucket with one hand and looking anxiously yet with a tinge of expectation at the people hurried past him. A strape went round the back of his neck and held a small carton filled with paper poppies to the front of his chest.

A lady stopped and walked towards him, opened up her purse and dropped some coins into his bucket. The elderly man's face crinkled as he smiled and passed her a poppy, which she promptly attached onto her coat's lapel.

Poppies, which bloomed over Flanders - a devastated First World War battlefield, was chosen as the Commonwealth symbol in memory of war dead. Regardless of their causes, all wars, when stripped of their rhetoric, are in fact mindless slaughter. However, on Remembrance Day that falls on 11th of November, let's put aside our cynism or the need for justification - wear a poppy to commemorate the ones who paid the ultimate price.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

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Wagamama Chicken Katsu Curry Rice - Wagamama's most popular dish!

I generally try to stay away from restaurants with long communal tables. By long communal tables, I am referring to the furniture, which are really elongated tables and benches with no demarcation whatsoever. Other than the sole purpose of removing the last shred of privacy in the hope to reduce turnaround time.

If you have not guessed already, I am talking about Wagamama (yes, the one I recommended in One Day in London). The widely popular London food chain serves a smattering of Asian cuisine that includes a variety of soup noodles and fried noodles (thick egg noodles tossed in soy sauce). But nothing is as popular as its Chicken Curry Katsu Rice (just under £9).



Wagamama's most popular dish - "number 76" of the menu (image source)

This dish is so popular that people will go queue up during lunch time and order the same dish by the table. In fact, after awhile, some didn't even bother looking at Wagamama's menu and ordered "number 76" (Curry Katsu's item number on the menu) right at the onset.

Before you rush off to get number 76 on Wagamama's menu, I'll like to set the record straight. Wagamama's Chicken Katsu Curry Rice tastes far from the original and it can't even compare with those sold in Tokyo's subway that go for 600 yen (£4) each. Its curry gravy is too powdery, the fried chicken slices too thin and often fried to a crisp, and the accompanying rice is often too soggy.

What is keeping Londoners returning for more again and again then? Perhaps its Londoners' penchant for thick curry sauce and for those who can't handle spicy will find Japanese curry a good compromise. Is it mere convenience due to locations of Wagamama's branches? Or is it because you can't really find a decent Japanese curry katsu rice in London other than the mix mesh served at Japanese Canteen (a smaller chain outfit in central London)?

Regardless of the reason, be sure to ask for your free cup of green tea (refillable) on your next visit. Few people realise that as the offer is printed in really tiny words right at the bottom of the menu.

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British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair - how they compare

Did a bit of travelling last week (that explains the lack of posts) and like most flying out of the UK, I opted for EasyJet rather than British Airways. A colleague of mine lamented that British Airways used to be an institution to be reckoned with and it was certainly the airline to travel in. Well, I supposed that was before British Airways was hit by escalating costs and union strikes.


EasyJet - no frills airline with friendly service but not without its flaws

After an earlier experience with British Airways Executive Class, which essentially is economy class with access to the British Airways Executive Lounge at Heathrow airport. The lounge does have lovely sandwiches (ham, shrimps, cheese, the whole works) served with gallons of tea, coffee and alcohol, and nice armchairs to boot.

From that point on, the word Executive becomes meaningless. I couldn't help but noticed that the seats used in the Executive Economy is identical as that of the Economy. In fact, the back of the seat in front of me had came off and the underlying sponge was hanging out rather conspicuously. Did I mention about the croissant that was served? It was one of those blackened crescents that threatened to break a tooth for those who bothered taking a bite into it. It's small wonder why travellers are switching to EasyJet for jetting between European cities.

Granted, EasyJet is a budget airline - no seat allocation, payment required for check-in luggage, you got to pay for in-flight food, boarding gates are located further away from customs, no in-flight entertainment. Then again, what you see is what you get and there are no hidden charges. Other than regular 30min delays, the occasional strolls across tarmac, disconcerting glimpses of tired pilots staring into empty space, EasyJet triumphs on no-frills flying.

Someone booked me on a Ryanair flight to Dublin and emailed me thereafter. The same day return flight costs a princely sum of 20p. Truth to be told, I'm a bit apprehensive after hearing and reading about experiences on Ryanair (read 20 reasons not to fly Ryanair). But then again, I should at least give it a try, shouldn’t I? Will post about my Ryanair experience if I managed to get on to the flight.

Meanwhile, I would love to hear your experiences on British Airway, EasyJet and Ryanair!

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