Chan Weng Kit's Blogspot: DAY 1439-1440

Aug 10 & 11

1) Today has been an incredibly tiring day, with me having to walk (and in some parts, run like my life depended on it) for over 8 miles (that's almost 13km)! The plan was to accomplish two things - get my COVID-19 PCR testing done (a negative test result was required for entry into Dubai International Airport), and to attend a special afternoon tea session with my friends.

2) I decided that I would walk to the clinic (Private Harley Street Clinic) to get my testing. So I began my journey at around 9.45am, slowly making my way past St. James Park, then Green Park, and then to Marylebone (where the clinic is located). At some point, I was ushered into a cosmetics store where a saleswoman tried to get me to buy some cosmetics. Many apologies madam, I wanted to but I genuinely had an appointment in 10 minutes.

3) When I reached said clinic (10A Upper Whimpole Street), it was with utter shock and disbelief that I found out the doctors had moved locations without informing me. As my appointment was from 11.00-11.30am, I was really worried about missing the time. So I literally ran the entire distance (thankfully it was only about a mile away), arriving there bathed in sweat and gasping for air. I'm pretty sure the nurses were worried I might be symptomatic when I arrived.

4) That was not the only problem I encountered. After getting the swabs done, I asked the nurse when the results would be emailed. They told me around midnight the next day. I didn't have that amount of time to waste, as I had to print the documents out as well. So they suggested that I manually take the samples over to the lab (another mile away, conveniently) so that the results would be reached faster. And that's exactly what I did. Afterwards, I remembered that I had not told the clinic that I wanted a doctor's certificate, so - you guessed it - I walked another mile back to the clinic...

5) After this fiasco, I decided against having a meal first, as it was fast approaching my afternoon tea session. I instead walked to a bank to withdraw some money, before walking all the way back to Mayfair for my appointment. My friends and I had agreed to meet in front of the building at 1.15pm. Thankfully, everyone made it in time, including Meghna, who unfortunately went to another Chesterfield first.

6) Afternoon tea was a delightful experience. The food and tea was excellent, but the company even better. We enjoyed an assortment of sandwiches, scones, and sweet treats, all accompanied by a diverse selection of teas. The good news was refills were complimentary, including the food. It is interesting that some of my (perhaps more health-conscious) friends found the treats to be sugary and too sweet. I was certainly quite happy to be chomping down on whatever was on those trays because they tasted delicious (other than the egg and watercress sandwich). Description of each food is in the pictures below so do scroll down if you're keen.

7) After our meal, we were given a bag of sweet treats which we could choose from a candy cart. It was the perfect way to end a rather long and tiring morning. We said goodbye to each other in the evening, and I walked all the way home from there. Tomorrow is my last day here in the UK, so I have to pack up and get ready to move by then. Thanks for visiting my blog, and have a nice day. Cheers!

Afternoon tea at The Chesterfield, Mayfair

(l-r: Sai, Karen, Meghna, Myself)

Drinking fountain at St. James' Park

If memory serves me right, that should be Buckingham Palace in the distance

The famous London Eye just peeping out of the trees, in the far distance

St. James' Park entrance - I'm a huge fan of the wrought-iron gates :)

Instead of walking to Burlington Arcade (where I intended to take pics of Jimmy Choo's flagship store), I ended up going to the Royal Arcade instead XD

The Royal Arcade, in the upscale shopping district that is Mayfair, London, is an historic Victorian era shopping arcade that runs from 12 Albermarle Street to 28 Old Bond Street

The Royal Arcade - just as the sign says

"Horse and Rider" is a 1974 bronze equestrian sculpture by Elisabeth Frink. It was described by Frink as an "ageless symbol of man and horse".

Thank you banners to the NHS

Allied Sculpture - a bronze sculpture representing the friendship of Franklin D. Roosevelt (the 32nd US President) and Winston Churchill (former British Prime Minister), located on Bond Street

The Royal Society of Medicine is one of the major providers of accredited postgraduate medical education in the United Kingdom.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (which I thoroughly enjoyed), used to live here!

I'm sure the residents have received so many buzzes that they actually decided to put this notice up XD

Basically I thought this was where I needed to go - the clinic at 10A Upper Whimpole Street

Everything seemed to be in order - there was definitely a clinic here... but sadly not the one that I had booked an appointment with

Form to fill in while waiting for the PCR swab test

Had to deliver the test tube myself (!) as that would mean faster results the next day

Private Harley Street Clinic - moved to the Ground Floor inside a church, without informing their patients...

St. Mary's Church, London

This is the location where I dropped off my test tube (containing my mouth and nasal swab)

This is how I felt after being through so many challenges to get my testing (and results) done in time

Back to the Marble Arch

Animals in War Memorial located outside Hyde Park near Brook Gate. It commemorates animals that died in wars and conflicts; these ranged from mules which were silenced in the Burmese jungle in WWII by having their vocal cords cut, to glow worms, used by soldiers as a source of light to read maps in WWI.

Finally, I reached The Chesterfield, Mayfair

Menu for afternoon tea at The Original Sweetshop, Chesterfield, Mayfair

(promotion meant that it cost 30 GBP per person, rather than the usual 40 GBP)

Taking pictures for friends, as they will soon be doing for me :)

And that's how you pose for a photo XD

Our aperitif was a pink lemonade with lollipop combo, served with liquid nitrogen for added theatrics

And of course an individual photo for the profile pic

I ordered Chesterfield Chocolate Tea - an Indian black assam tea with a distinctive malty flavour.

Everyone looked the part except me - I'd fit the role of schoolteacher

(and thanks random kid in the background for smiling)

And the food has arrived! :)

+10 to Britishness, for not raising my pinky - a sign of elitism :)

Meghna trying to move out of the picture but forgetting that the trays are not opaque

Bottom tray are the four different types of sandwiches (roast ham, roast chicken, smoked salmon, egg and watercress, and cucumber and cream cheese)

Middle tray consisted of regular and chocolate scones, served with clotted cream and strawberry jam

Top tray was a revision of childhood treats - including Coca-Cola slice, apple drop, chocolate fudge eclair, cherry bonbon cupcake, rhubarb and custard macaron, etc