Recounting 1 Night in London

The first time I was in London was in 2003. Aside it being a long time, I was quite young. I hadn't started partying more seriously. I am beginning to not party more seriously though, the clubbing thing is a phase that is passing. But on February 22nd, I was excited to be in Jand! Long don! Babylon system! Home of serious African partying! 

Hello #London! Here for tonight. What's happening here? Rocking a @GhanaThink lacoste. Holla if you see me lol. Cc @GhLondoners
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

I picked what to wear very carefully. I was keen to meet as many people I knew or didn't know in the few hours I'd be in London.

Enjoying free wi-fi at #London Heathrow. This is awesome. Folks have to give wi-vi everywhere and monetize it more easily.
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

Given that I wasn't roaming on any telecommunication network - would you try it if you used Airtel - wi-fi was my way to get the internet and communicate. Thank heavens for airports like London Heathrow that offer free wi-fi.

Manchester United is playing Crystal Palace soon. I can get a ticket & go watch right? What's the degree of difficulty? #London #mufc #epl
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

I checked the Premier League fixtures before I left Belfast for London. My favorite club +Manchester United would be playing +Crystal Palace FC in London at the time I was around. Because I am crazy like that, I was going to find a ticket to go watch this game of football live! It couldn't be that difficult, could it?

Okay so #Belfast & #London are in the same country. They use the same freakin Pounds sterling. I'm a tad bit disappointed lol.
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

This is when I finally realised that I was in the same country as I was in 2003. A different part, but the same country - United Kingdom. I thought that maybe, just maybe, the Pounds Sterling in Northern Ireland would be different from that of England.

#Belfast & #London r in the same country. No need to go thru immigration into England arriving from Northern Ireland. That's awesome.
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

The way I walked freely into England struck me. But that's the thing? It's the same country. I can't stress this enough.

Many thanks. Y'all are the gurus here. Hoping to attend a cool event here tonight. RT "@GhLondoners: welcome to #London! @Ghanathink"
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

The Ghanaian Londoners welcome me. I was beside myself with joy. I've been following their work for ages. +Adwoa Agyemang and co. +hephzia tagoe too has been doing her thing.

2:33pm+ in #London, #England. Borrowed a stranger's Mac to post this #Ghana tweet. Carrying you everywhere I go. #233moments cc @GhanaThink
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

Made a new friend at Heathrow. She allowed me to use her Mac to post my #233moments post and tweet.

Finally at my cousin's place in Surrey. Eating jollof rice with shito & beef. Ghanaian food in #London. Ebe so. #nududu #edziban
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

London is home to many Ghanaians. For many Ghanaians, London is a home away from home. You can find many things that make you feel at home there. A real melting pot. My cousin gave me jollof rice with shito and beef. Edizban a! Dzidzi!

Watching the Manchester United - Crystal Palace game on Sky Sports. In #London, not in #Accra. Hope we win this one o! #mufc #manutd
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

It'd been a really tough for all Manchester United fans. I can't even bring myself to write about David Moyes. I hope I don't have to. Well, we won this one. I wasn't at the stadium but I was much much closer than I normally am.

@afua_en: What's up @TigoGhana with @WhatsApp??"--> Lol... it's not Tigo o. I can't use it.here in London on wi-fi.
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

This was the weekend after Facebook had bought Whatsapp. And then Whatsapp went down for a few hours and the world went ballistic. Especially people on Facebook? Oh, was that the idea?

In front of a starbucks coffee at Canary wharf in #London. Free O2 wi-fi. Some black guy helped me verify the connection with his phone #.
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

I looked for wi-fi everywhere I went. On my way to meet +Yaw Mante, I stopped by a Starbucks Coffee spot in Canary Wharf to see if I'd get free-wifi. This is after I'd seen a bunch of people carrying beer and alcoholic drinks on a train. It'd been a while since I saw that. Anyway, O2 was offering free wi-fi here. I had to verify my connection with a phone number, a local one that is. I asked a black bystander to help me. He obliged. So I tweeted the above :-)

Rydi.. I no have enuff battery power and I'm communicating with the world based on wifi. Thank you #London.
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 22, 2014

I didn't have enough battery power and I was communicating with the world based on free wi-fi. Thank you London. This is worth repeating.

Having a great time in #London, pre party with wine, #Kizomba videos and good people in Canary Wharf. #partycrewgh
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 23, 2014

Turns out Yaw and his South African friend love Kizomba too. They love a lot of wine too. Had a good little house party before we hit up ShoreDitch. I didn't get free wi-fi there and before I could search for it more seriously, my phone died. People dey booze for London papa! I saw a fight between one black guy and two white guys, full assault. It was crazy! Multiple police cars arrived at the scene to pata the fight.

Osee free wifi at Heathrow airport! Headed back to GH. Had a fairly good time in #London. I'd be back.
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) February 23, 2014

I'd be back for a longer time and would club more seriously. Oh wait, I said something different in the first paragraph eh? I'd party a bit, just a lil bit :-)