Harrow on the Hill station now has a lift - at last!

Harrow on the Hill station, London, England.

Photo from Wikipedia 

We have waited so long. This is a great new development. Perfect for people visiting Harrow for shopping. Nice for those en route to and from Northwick Park hospital. For tourists hoping to visit Harrow on the Hill school, outside, or inside on a tour.

The bus station beside the train station has numerous bus routes, including South Harrow station, Hatch End station, Northwick Park Hospital and many more.

In addition to helping those who want to avoid stairs, or carry suitcases, sometimes the lifts up and down can speed you so that you catch a train which would otherwise depart whilst you negotiate the stairs.

Lift on the platform, before you reach the stairs at Harrow on the Hill railway station. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Lift on the other platform at Harrow on the Hill train station. Photo by Angela Lansbury

You will also find lifts at Pinner.

What I realized today about the lifts and their cost, is that you cannot just install one lift. You need two, maybe three, depending on the number of platforms.

Useful Websites

https://www.harrow.gov.uk/news/article/11070/a-step-in-the-right-direction-harrow-on-the-hill-station-goes-step-free#:~:text=Harrow%2Don%2Dthe%2DHill%20Tube%20station%20is%20now%20step,line%20trains%2C%20and%20signage%20enhanced.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/HOH.aspx

HOH stands for Harrow on the Hill

https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube

Learn 4 Chinese Symbols At The Bus Station in Singapore

Singapore flag.

Singapore is a great place for learning Chinese (Mandarin). As I walked from the Yio Chu Kang bus station towards the Grassroots Community Club Building, I passed a sign which said in English, For Alighting Only. So you could get off the bus, but not onto it.

I passed a second sign which said the same thing. This time I felt compelled to stop. Only four symbols in Chinese. One was a sign I often saw.  It looked like the number four. I had been recognizing the sign for weeks, wondering what it means.

I saw the four Chinese symbols underneath and wondered what they were. How did they tie in with the English words?

I stopped a passer-by, a young man, and asked him if he spoke Mandarin and understood the symbols.

"Which one is which?" I asked.



The last of the four signs looks like a letter 4 with other lines around it. It means car or carriage, in this context bus.

To the left was a sign like half a T with two tiny downstrokes like drops of rain dropping off an umbrella. That means down, descend, get off (a bus).

The other two words mean 'only' (first on the left) and second from the left is 'allowed' or 'permitted'.

I felt very satisfied. I was pleased with myself for translating four signs.

Afterwards I went back and checked another sign which looks like the number 4.

On the MRT map you will see
Legend
East West Line (green)
North South Line  (red)
North East (purple)

The Chinese sign East-West is in the same order.

However, two other signs are in a different order. East North. South North.

Let us go back to East West. The sign for East has only one horizontal line above the four. The downward line of the four curves like a J. Two samll lines diagonally and separate at lower sides of the J point in different directions like a boat rowing to the East thought the many islands of Indonesia and to the island of Singapore.

The one which looks like it incorporates the number 4 means East.
What's the difference between the two signs continaing what looks like 4?.

The 4 above meaning car or carriage has two parallel lines the same as the bar on the four, one above and one below. Like the roof and floor of the railway carriage or car or bus.

The sign for East



Useful Websites

You can learn Chinese (Mandarin) on Duolingo.
Duolingo
duolingo.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Easy Malay and Indonesian Words

English - Malay / Indonesian
bank - bank
bus station - stesen bas
clinic - klinik
customs - kastam
immigration - imigresen
market - pasar
notice(s) - notis
restaurant - restoran
road - jalan
station - stesen
taxi - teksi

Malay / Indonesian - English
bank - bank
imigresen - immigration
klinik - clinic
jalan - road
notis - notice (s)
restoran - restaurant
pasar - market
stesen - station
stesen bas - bus station
teksi - taxi

Embarrassing Moments in Malaysia

Problem
How do you get directions in Malaysia if you don't speak Malay.

Answer
Get directions from your hotel or the internet in advance.

Stories
My most embarrassing moments in Malaysia:
My first trip - in the streets most people walking past or standing around are men. But when I go up to somebody with a map to ask for help they all run away.

Why? Is it because they don't speak English? Are my sleeves are too short? Do I smell funny? Are they totally prejudiced against people not wearing Muslim outfits?

I spent a depressing day. I could not get directions. Made no friends. Didn't speak to anybody all day. Felt alone, and unpopular.

Back in the hotel, my family, on business, explain: Men don't speak to strange women in Malaysia. In some states of Malaysia they could get arrested for fraternising with women who are not relations. They don't think you are a prostitute touting for business. They know you are a tourist. They just don't want to be seen talking to you.

Problem
So how do I get directions?

I discovered the solution, what works, by trail and error.
1 Ask the server at a restaurant or bus station ticket office (who is safely protected from you behind glass and his work is dealing with strangers of both sexes). Get them to write directions on the map and circle your destination.
2 When standing at a bus stop or taxi queue, speak to the woman of an adjacent couple, asking for help. Both she and her escort, whether her husband or brother or colleague, will speak to you and help you.

Author
Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. See my books on Lulu.com and Amazon. Read my posts, share and follow. Terimah Kasih. (Malay for thank you.