Southampton

Lots of maritime history – I never knew that the Titanic sailed from Southampton, as did the Mayflower. There are some well preserved city walls and gates still standing that make for a nice stroll. And it’s less than 1/2 hour on the fast passenger ferry to Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

I was born in Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton. My family used to own the Eaton Court Hotel on Hill Lane, and I lived there until I was about two. Then we moved into a house in Lordswood. I went to Oakwood Infant and Junior Schools. I used to like going to the shops at Ocean Village – there is a plaque there where the Titanic left from. I left Southampton in 1995 when I was ten – we moved to New Zealand. I’ve been back once – in 1998. I would love to go back soon to visit my large extended family and experience the city as an adult. I bet a lot has changed.

This summer 2006, I went to spend a month in Southampton. One night, from my flat in a students’ residence, we heard a big BANG!
As naive as i am, i thought this noise was made by some factory, and didn’t pay attention, until my flatmate came into the kitchen and said “did you see that? a bus crashed on the bridge, i was just next to it”.
Yes, the bus actually crashed on the bridge out of the residence. No, not ON the bridge, but UNDER the bridge. It was a 2-floored bus, and the bridge was too low.
When i got on the street, there was a lot of people, firemen and the police, and the idiot driving the bus (taking the wrong route) was still in it. I could tell he was embarassed and i sure know why. The upper floor of the bus was on the road below the bridge, as the lower floor was a bit further after the bridge. It litterally took off without its head. But i heard nobody was hurt.
The funny fact about this story is that when you came up to the bus, you could read an ad on it, which said : “Today is Friday 13th”. I think this is what you call irony.

My sister just moved here and I am sooo curious to see how she is managing the whole settlement and change of environment.

Some fact that i noticed: southampton is a town where lots of people drive bikes. The bars close very early, it seems it’s like that in england in general. It’s near stonehendge!