由於我真的不想回家獨自一個人，所以前幾天開始透過沙發網找倫敦沙發主。因為時間太緊迫，我沒有續一給我有意的沙發主發訊息，反而把自己放到緊急沙發請求的群組，簡單寫下自己的情況，希望有沙發主願意給我留宿。倫敦其實很大，感覺要找到沙發主其實很容易，但同時每一天都有很多旅客到訪，所以都有一定難度。很幸運我很快就收到第一個回覆，說有需要可以安排我到他家住兩三天。
Since I was really fed up with staying home alone, I started looking for CS hosts a few days ago. Due to the last minute request, I didn't write the host individual request, but posting my situation on the emergency couch request group and let the host to contact me. London is a big metropolis and it seems easy to find a host. Instead it is hard as lots of travellers visited here and load of them are coming everyday. Fortunately I had my first response in a short time and I can stay at his place for a couple of days.
我跟沙發主Ernest約好了下午在他家附近車站見面，然後他會接我回家。他是一位黑人，其實我的確有猶豫應否接受，我知道這個想法真的對他很不公平，但一個女生在外當然要有所警惕。沙發網另一項好處就是每一個會員都需要填寫個人簡介和會員互相評級及寫下對自己的印象，從他的評級和留言我看到他是一個很熱心和友善的沙發主，所有留言都是正面的，所以我決定到他家留宿。在此我對之前對他的先入為主的想法致歉。
I scheduled to meet my host Ernest in the afternoon near the Tube station of his place and he will bring me home. He is a black. I admitted that I was hesitating to accept his offer and I totally know it is really awful to think like that and unfair to him. But I have to be alert as a girl travelling alone. Another advantages to use CS is that all members are requested to fill in the profile and members could leave references to member they met. According to the Ernest's references, I know that he is a passionate and nice host, all his guests have a nice stay, that's why I decided to stay with him. I also aplogized for my bias.
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| Ernest 家是街上唯一油上白色的房子 Ernest's apartment is the only one with white wall |
真正跟他見面時，我真的感到很羞愧。我第一時間感受到他的熱情和開朗，在他臉上總是掛著燦爛的笑容，為人隨和充滿幽默感。他說決定給我留宿是因為我寫到「不想自己一個回家對著四面牆，希望有人可以在晚上分享我整天發生的事」，他說他願意聆聽，加上他女朋友出差，所以他可以接待沙發客留宿。他女朋友不喜歡陌生人在家，所以Ernest已經很久沒有接待沙發客。由於他是突地從工作中抽時間來接我，所以他把我安頓好便要趕回公司，我跟他約好晚上再見並會準備晚餐。他臨行前告訴我屋裡食吃喝的玩的都可以隨便使用，更特別提醒我如果外出，要把門把手完全拉直才把門鎖上，還示範了一次。
When I met him finally, I felt ashamed on myself. He is like what the other guests describe, very passionate and cheerful. The cheerful smile is always on his face, and he is easy-going with strong sense of humor. He told me because I wrote " I don't wanna stay home alone and facing the wall. Hoping there is someone home for me to share what had happened the day." and he would love to listen to me. Besides, his girlfriend was on business trip and he can host. His girlfriend does not like stranger at home, it was a while since the last time he hosted. As he sneaked out from work to pick me up, he has to go back to the office as soon as possible after settled me down. We will meet in the evening and having dinner together. He friendly asked me to use whatever I found in the house and remind me to turn the handle stright before locking the door. He also showed me how to do it.
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| 簡約以黑白為主的客廳 A decent living room with black-white tone |
我在家中休息了一會就到外面走走，看買點什麼準備晚飯。我住在倫敦的西面White City，附近最有名的就是BBC電視台及全歐洲最大的Westfield Mall，我當然會去到此一遊，感覺就像回到了香港一樣，四周都是熟悉的名店品牌，這裡是繼唐人街後第二個令我有家的感覺的地方。
I rested at home for a bit and walked around the compound for grabbing something for dinner preparation. I was staying in West London, White City, where the BBC Television Broadcast and the biggest shopping mall in Europe , Westfield located. I felt like Im back in Hong Kong when I was walking around. The famous brand and chain stores are around me. Here is the second place, other than China Town, gives me the feeling of home.
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| BBC 正門 Main Entrance |
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| Side door 側門 |
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| 全歐洲最大商場Westfield The largest department store in Europe, Westfield |
多走幾步就可以到達牧羊人叢林市場(Shepherd's Bush Market)，這兒售賣琳琅滿目的貨品，主要為日用品、糧油雜貨、蔬菜魚類為本地人的市場。這個社區主要是印度、非洲或歐亞地區的移民區所，因此市場也因而售賣各種香料或引入當地食材方便移民生活。感覺上這個社區的人都比較草根或以勞力賺取金錢維持一家幾口生活，要知道通常印度非洲等家庭通常都兒女成群，所以要在生活指數高的倫敦生活的確不容易。在街上就最常看到二手店、洗衣店或超市，這些都是飄流異鄉的中國人在唐人街做的小生意，因為不用太高技能或知識都能應付。
Just a few steps ahead is the Shepherd's Bush Market with various goods and stuff. You could find daily goods, grocery and food, vegetables and fish here. It is a local market. Since here is also the community for different ethinicities like Indian, African or Eurasian, the market is full of spices and related local food and ingredient to faciliate the immigrants' life. I can feel that people in the community are grassroots or rely on labor work to maintain their family of four or more. It is common that the Indian or African family always have many kids, to survive and feed all of them in a high price level city like London is really not easy. Most of the shops here are second-hand goods stores, laundry or supermarkets, these are the usual business the expat Chinese will do in China town, because they don't require high ability and knowledge.
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| 牧羊人叢林市場 Shepherds Bush Market |
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| 街上有售賣浮誇芭比蛋糕的都是中東人 Cake shops with barbie like cake are operated by middle-east |
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| 洗衣店很常見 Laundry is commonly found |
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| 工人直接把屠宰的動物搬到店舖 Labor send the whole animals to the shop |
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| 新鮮運送 Freshly delivered |
我就在超市買了一盒兩顆大磨菇，售價只是£0.97，不到£1相常便宜，準備做芝士焗磨菇做晚餐。
I bought a pack of two large mushrooms at £0.97 for dinner. It is really cheap as less than a pound.
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| 巨型磨菇做晚餐 Large Mushroom for dinner |
站在家門前，把鎖匙插入，但怎麼轉動門鎖也不能把門打開，我差點把鎖匙也扭曲。突然想起Ernest說過一定要把門把完全拉直才鎖門，立即看看門把，真的沒有拉直！無論我怎努力嘗試也不能成功，唯有通知Ernest，看有否需要找鎖匠開鎖。我幻想如果真的要請人開鎖，或者破門，一定要花很多錢而且帶給Ernest許多麻煩，我立刻感到不好意思。在門外等了一個小時，Ernest終於回來了，我已有心理準備他會大發雷霆，立刻解釋跟他道歉。但他說不打緊，看一看門把說不是大問題，兩三下手勢當然使用了暴力便把門打開，我看得傻眼。真的這麼簡單？沒有破壞門或門鎖，之後幾天都沒有問題。
I decided to bake it with cheese. I was standing in front of the door and wanted to open the door. However, no matter how hard I turn the handle I cannot open it up. I almost bended the key. I, all of a sudden, remember Ernest reminder "lock the door after the handler is turned straight." I looked at the handle and it is not in the right position. I failed to open it even I tried really hard, so I informed Ernest the bad news and see if we needed to call the locksmith. I was imagining it would bring Ernest lots of trouble if the locksmilth came. He may need to break the door as well. It would appearantly cost lots of money, I then started feeling guilty. I was waiting at the door for an hour, then Ernest came home. I will not be surprised if he is mad and angry at me, I explained to him and aplogize for the mess. He said "No worries." and looked at the handle said "Not a big problem.". He simply used some tricks and some violence to open the door in a few seconds. Is that true and that's easy? The door is not broken at all and it is still funtioning well the next few days.
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| 門鎖被我弄壞 The handle is messed up by me |
立刻準備晚餐，其實我在香港都不多下廚，但在倫敦就必定要自已煮食省錢，盡量選擇簡單的菜色，只要味道不差能入口就可以了。但簡單的芝士焗磨菇我也弄不好，我錯手加了大量鹽令到磨菇過鹹，我說不要吃啦，但Ernest還把磨菇吃清光，我真的很感動。
I prepared dinner immediately. Although I didn't cook much in Hong Kong, I have to do it in London to safe money. I tended to choose some simple handy dishes, if the taste is not bad and I can put it into the mouth is already good to me. However, I messed up the baked mushrooms with cheese which is already a simple dish. All because of the too much salt I mistakely added and the mushrooms is very salty. I asked Ernest not to eat it, but he just finished everything made me feel so happy.
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| 芝士焗磨菇 Baked Mushrooms with Cheese |
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| 經常掛著笑容的Ernest The always cheerful Ernest |
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