I fly in a couple of hours. Again. Flights are alright… it’s the mere thought of having to go through the lines at Heathrow that makes me tired.

This feels so odd. The guys have all left for HK. It’s only girls left in the house now - four of us. Squealing and screaming, fending off girlish antics. It’s almost like being back in an all-girls dormitory! A rare occurrence, given that Imperial has the highest male:female ratio in any British university.

‘QuGee’ as a moniker for our original household came about in an unoriginal fashion. We were living on Queen’s Gate… shorten that to QG, and read it out aloud. There. It was one of those things which you’d thought would be a temporary solution, but somehow, it stuck. We started using the term in conversations, in emails, and all matter of correspondence. And our friends also came to refer to us, the house, and themselves, the extended family, as QuGee. We acquired a domain. We have our own forums, our own Facebook group, Wiki and UnWiki. We have our own logo, and desktop wallpapers to match. QuGee has its own group on our MSN lists and mobile phonebooks. We had our own enterprise - when people attributed the success of ICMUN or LIMUN to Imperial, they could well have said QuGee. We were an epitome of efficiency, an ideal model of cohesiveness. Be it a project, an event or a game, we would ’stick together team!’

Throughout life, we meet with signposts along the way which forces us to part ways once more with the company we are with, and head along our own little paths. I may still be living with QuGee in London, but not three others - three friends I have grown to know and appreciate, and three whom I know I’ll dearly miss when they are not around. Vincent left last night, Terry this evening, and soon, in a few months, it’ll be Xiao’s turn.

This week would probably be the toughest week for many in QuGee. It marks the time when the first of us would leave this close-knit little family of friends. At least, when Kamil left last year, we knew that it would only be for a while, and that he’d be back. But not this time. It’s all sort of FRIENDSish. Guys and girls, under one roof, sharing rooms and such, finding jobs, dating even, then parting. Vincent asked me during our last night in Queen’s Gate if it looked like the last episode of FRIENDS. I must say it did… the emptiness that’s left in the flat, the feeling of the unknown beyond the last episode, what we could see. Well, we might not be physically living together anymore, but we’re still bonded by what we call QuGee. It doesn’t matter where we live; we’re QuGee by and by. QuGee’s not the household, it’s us - the individuals that make up this circle, the relationships we each have with other individuals and with the groups of individuals as a collective whole. It’s odd, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this strongly about any group of friends before. Maybe it’s just ‘cos it’s happening all right now. Or maybe it’s ‘cos it’s QuGee…

It’s tough to say which has been toughest. The goodbyes that came in primary or secondary school, the farewells I had to say when I left Sydney, the many last dinners or last reunions or last this and that with those who are close to me, the “take care”s I have said to my grandparents and relatives in my Hong Kong visits. The countless times I hugged my parents and my sis, when they send me off at the airport, or the conclusion to each round of housemateness. People (parents?) say that I’m unfeeling, that I’m stoic and all. I might appear to be so, for I can be rather reserved when it comes to outwardly signs of expression. But from time to time I do get this weird, apprehensive, unsettling feeling, and it’s during this when I’m actually at my weakest. I know it’s one of those times… when I can get into my bed and do nothing but stare up into the ceiling and think through things, just like I did when I was at Silwood last year. I just need some time… and after a while, it’ll be ok.

Mom said it well:

弃我去者，昨日之日不可留；
乱我心者，今日之日多烦忧

From Prince’s Gardens to Emperor’s Gate, to Queen’s Gate, and soon… Lancaster Gate. Gosh, too many gates. No more royalty though. Hmm, should’ve looked for a Princess’ Villa when we went househunting.

At least now we’ve got a flat. ‘Twas too close a shave. Yesterday was horrible. Felt backstabbed; the holding deposit was for nought! We were really close to splitting off and living out on our own… …

But all’s well now. Kinda. Just gotta live through the chaos of the next few days. Went to the bank first thing in the morn and trotted down to the agent’s faraway office to do the never-ending stream of paperwork. Now packing up our flat and all that. We’ve shuffled the room beds and furniture and stuff quite a bit and the landlord wants to see them back in their original positions by tomorrow afternoon. Can’t remember what their original positions are. I don’t know what to do with all my stuff.

We move this Sat. The guys are moving and flying off. The chaos!

This househunting race is such a dirty game.

Scouting centenary celebrations don’t come any cooler than in the form of a street party / adventure activity day hosted by the Prime Minister. I went with my Group’s Beavers (the really young ones) to Downing Street for some good fun. While I was preoccupied with making sure that the kids didn’t spray paint into their eyes, a few of them suddenly dashed past me shouting “Tony Blair!” and sure enough, it was the PM standing behind me. I didn’t really expect him to turn up, but turn up he did. I shook hands with him, and when he asked, explained I was a leader with the Cubs, and then he went on and smiled at the cameras and everyone else and continued shaking more hands. He’s just like the Tony Blair that you see in the media… there was nothing different about him in real life as one might expect when meeting these big personalities. The Chief Scout was present too. So for the better part of the day we were camped outside door No. 10, and the rest of the afternoon was spent indoors in the Pillared Room for lunch. That was one unique experience, and the Scouts might just have to wait another 100 years till they get to set up a climbing wall or get pedal carts onto Downing Street again.

The young people stole the limelight, but if you look hard enough you might be able to see me in the background in this video! Chile-man (the other leader in my pack, a Chilean scout) was happy that his picture was published on CBBC’s website.

I’ve recently developed the first roll of film I took with my Nikon FM. That mechanical camera’s a little beastie… I’m loving it. Metering’s totally spot-on and the quality is not bad at all, despite the amount of dust and specks it’s got in it. Hurray for film!

One of the portrait artists along Shaftesbury Ave near Chinatown

A toddler looking up at the tub of ice cream on my table. She just wouldn’t stop harassing me with her big cherry eyes! I asked her mom if I could take her picture and she obliged.