--- title: Nokia World 2011 – Pre Event date: 2011-11-01 08:04:15 permalink: https://lesterchan.net/blog/2011/11/01/nokia-world-2011-pre-event/ author: Lester Chan categories: - Event - Gadget tags: - "2011" - Nokia - Nokia World - pre --- I was one of the very lucky bloggers whom got invited to fly to London to attend Nokia World 2011, **thanks to [Nokia Connects](http://nokiaconnects.com/) & [Nokia](http://nokia.com/)**! There will be 4 blog posts spread throughout this week dedicated to Nokia World 2011, the pre event, day 01, day 02 and post event. I flew by [British Airways](http://www.britishairways.com) (BA012). It is the longest flight I ever taken (13 hours) and I will get to experience jet lag due to the 7 hours time difference in London. My flight departs Singapore at 10.50pm and I arrived at London at 5.05am. I was lucky that the flight I am on was pretty empty so I manage to occupy 4 seats, lifted the armrest and sleep horizontally! It took me about 90 minutes to get to my hotel, [Premier Inn at London Docklands (Excel)](http://www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/LONDOC/london-docklands-excel), from [Heathrow Airport](http://www.heathrowairport.com/) despite it being 5am in the morning as there are already some traffic! Upon entering my room after checking-in, there are 4 little surprises already in my room! That was very thoughtful! ![Tibits Basket](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6231/6297079584_d31481b933_z.jpg) ![Blue Rubber Duckie](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6296545675_4541138f59_z.jpg) ![Sketch Of Me](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6034/6296546531_03e9e53a81_z.jpg) ![Nokia Bag](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6031/6296552955_4f5dc6ab53_z.jpg) The pre-event dinner will start at 5pm and I got almost 8 hours to explore the shopping/sightseeing area in London. Without wasting any time, I took a shower and left immediately. I did not have the hotel’s breakfast because I figured I am going to have the same breakfast for the next 3 days. My hotel is about 5 mins walk away from the [Prince Regent DLR station](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Regent_DLR_station). The first time I saw the tube map of London, I was like WTF! Which station I am in now. I was so overwhelmed by it, but eventually I managed to digest the information. ![London's Tube Map](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6296607583_a3e9754c54_z.jpg) I headed for [Oxford Circus station](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Circus_tube_station) as I heard it is like the Orchard Road in Singapore. Surprising at almost 9am, most of the shops are already open for business. Saw many adverts of the new breakfast ([Breakfast Wrap](http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/food/breakfast/breakfast-wrap.mcdj)) from [McDonald’s](http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/) all over London and decided to give it a try. It tastes pretty good and it looks exactly the same as advertised! ![McDonald's Breakfast Wrap](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6230/6296691627_6ccf61899e_z.jpg) After breakfast, I walked around the area, I love the buildings in London, they just look gorgeous and most of them are preserved and transformed into shops. The weather is also fantastic, at 10°C – 12°C, it is perfect weather to do shopping! I came across a public toilet and it seems interesting so I went in and it cost me S$1, it’s got to be the most expensive toilet I have ever been to! And it is totally not worth it! The toilet bowl is choked and the water tap is spoiled! I was like WTF! ![Public Toilet](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6297316634_a63e1ca66f_z.jpg) I walked all the way to London Eye from Oxford Circus, passing by some very nice buildings/shops. ![Nike Town](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6231/6297288706_27ed4ea32d_z.jpg) ![Apple Store At Regent Street](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6116/6297355762_b76f8298b3_z.jpg) ![M&M's World](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6297425514_d444a6e9dd_z.jpg) ![The National Gallery](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6297462768_2164e61b8b_z.jpg) ![Crumpler EU](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6214/6297489360_2f5ce7cac1_z.jpg) After about an hour walk or so, I finally reached the London Eye! There are quite a few people busking on the walkway leading to the London Eye. The London Eye looks smaller than what it looks on the pictures and the queue is insanely long! ![Queue At London Eye](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6233/6297544006_3856ddd3df_z.jpg) It also seems that the Aquarium located just beside the London Eye is insanely popular as well judging from the queue. ![Aquarium](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6297025437_172a2ec89a_z.jpg) Close by to the London Eye was the iconic [Palace of Westminster](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Westminster) and beside it was the [Clock Tower](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben) which the world knows it by it’s bell name, Big Ben. ![Palace of Westminster](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6096/6297598530_1c3ac6130d_z.jpg) ![Big Ben](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6211/6297605676_c286dde13d_z.jpg) My leg is aching from all those walk, and I decided to head back to hotel for a rest before dinner with the rest of bloggers and Nokia Connect people at [Waterloo Bar & Grill](http://www.waterloobarandgrill.com/). Food there was awesome! ![Starter: Hot Smoked Salmon with Pea Puree & Potato Bread](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6103/6297619796_6526c6d2c4_z.jpg) ![Main: 6oz Bavette Steak with Rosti Potato & Creamed Spinach](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6096/6297621098_0dd7c5dd00_z.jpg) ![Dessert: Apple Crumple with Vanilla Ice Cream](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6297622848_66ce7e21a8_z.jpg) After a sumptuous dinner, we went to watch Transformers 3: Revenge of the Fallen in 3D at [IMAX](http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_imax)! This is the first true IMAX cinema that I have been too and it was huge, freaking huge. Transformers 3 is no longer showing, but since Nokia booked the whole cinema, I guess they can choose what film to screen. I also think the reason they chose Transformers 3 is because of the [Nokia X7](http://www.nokia.com.sg/find-products/products/nokia-x7) being used in the movie! ![BFI IMAX](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6297626408_8cae770a82_z.jpg) [![A](https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6297049478_56451978ae_c.jpg "A Flickr gallery by Lester Chan (@lesterchan)")](https://www.flickr.com/photos/lesterchan/albums/72157627890856041 "A Flickr gallery by Lester Chan (@lesterchan)") Stay tuned for the next blog post for Nokia World 2011 – Day 01!