Well for a self proclaimed 'organized person' I started my
trip off scurrying around like a chicken with my head cut off and packing
the morning of my departure as I had stayed up all night tidying up all those
lose ends that you end up with when you take off for an extended trip. All
things that should have and easily could have been done the week before. This
left me with the sad realization that as usual, I had packed too much. You would
think that I have done this enough and have it down to an art by now, but there
is no denying it, not only am I a procrastinator, but I am a packrat. I
love useless stuff and love taking it with me. So the result of this was my mom
and myself, shoving, and I mean literally jamming stuff into my pack as my
friend Heather arrived to take me to the airport. So that was how it began.
Since my self-induced rushed departure, my first two weeks in the UK have been
rather smooth sailing...other than the first fun filled 24 hours where I was
reminded that when travelling not everything is going to go the way you want or
expect it to. But that's part of the adventure! There were no major disasters,
just those minor irritations that end up costing you a little extra time,
money, etc. It’s been super since I got back into the backpacking groove. I
should also mention that I have been really lucky with the weather so far. The
first week was basically sunny skies. Then I went and boasted about it on
facebook and week two was a bit cloudier and chillier, that will show me ha,
but still hardly any rain so no complaints! The biggest obstacle so far has
been the transportation...as it is winter and off-season weather has a factor
in the reliability of buses and trains, and because of the reduced crowds there
is also reduced busses and trains making it a bit more challenging to get from
places to place. This is something you find out after waiting for nearly two
hours outside on numerous occasions for a bus that just isn't going to come
haha ya...again thankful for the good weather!
I started off in London staying on a friend’s couch a few nights which was
great...other than the bug bites that I received, one of those minor
irritations I was talking about earlier, not impressed! I have been to London a
few times now so have seen most of the sites and did not stay long, just long
enough to visit with friends. From London I headed to Weymouth for the weekend
to stay with a friend that I had met in Australia. My friend Joan lives in a
shared house with an ocean view. It was fantastic to wake up and look out the
window and see the ocean! Joan and her housemates took me for the grand tiki
tour of Weymouth and it is a great little town with beautiful surrounding
country side.
Next I headed to Dartmoor National Park. This was an, ummm, interesting
experience haha. I stayed in the little village called Princetown in a
bunkhouse above a pub...let’s just say it’s what I would imagine it to be like
to stay at the Strat Hotel in Edmonton...ya. Couldn't really get around without
a car but managed to wait long enough for some buses to take me to a few walks
around the park and enjoy the abnormally sunny weather for this time of year.
It was fun walking in the farmland along the roads among the sheep and ponies...they
seemed to just roam freely not fenced in at all. They stayed off the road for
the most part but occasionally a car would have to slow down to allow them to
cross. Oh and the drivers in the country are insane! Don't get me wrong they
are good drivers but the speed they fly down those narrow, twisted country
roads at is ludicrous speeds, even the buses. At some points the roads are so
narrow a car has to back up until the road is a bit wider so a bus can get by,
and they just go barrelling into those corners, no fear! Once you've wee’d yourself a little
from sheer fear and get over the initial shock and realize the drivers
are actually in control and you won't go fly off the road and/or crash into an
oncoming vehicle, it can actually be kind of fun!
So from Dartmoore I landed myself in Cornwall. I stayed with and visited some
more friends that I met in Australia. Izzy and Luke live in a little cottage
with spectacular ocean view over rolling farmland. They were fantastic hosts
showing me the true cornishway and touring me around St.Ives, a near by town
with beautiful beaches and your typical English pubs; dark, dreary and carpeted.
Thankfully for us most of the beach side pubs have patios so we could enjoy the
sun! They drove me up a bit farther north to Newquay which was my next stop.
Newquay is surrounded by stunning beaches, cliffs, and coves scattered with
surfers and people walking their dogs, I could hardly believe that I was in
England! I would love to rent a van and drive all along the Cornwall coast,
maybe I will come back in April! Oh and I can't forget to mention
Cornwall’s pride and joys...Pasties and Cream Teas! Pasties are like pizza pops
but so much better. They are larger with a flaky pastry outside and meat and
veg mix inside served up fresh and steaming hot. Cream Teas are scones with a
jam and cream (literally straight cream) filling eaten with a cup of tea...delicious
little treat but basically heart attacks waiting to happen!
From Newquay I headed up to Bath. Not what I expecting but still a charming
little city. I think I was just disappointed that you can't actually go into
the roman baths. You can pay for a tour but when you have already been to
Greece, Italy and such, the idea of paying to see roman architecture doesn't
seem so glorious. You can go to the thermal spas but they are not cheap. After
Bath it was to Cardiff, Wales. This was just a stopover on the way to the ferry
to Ireland but I would love to go back, maybe rent a car, so much beautiful
coast line to explore in Wales!!
I now find myself in Cork, Ireland after 11 hours on
a bus (bus went right on the ferry, saved me a lot of hassle!). From here I
will head to the little town of dingle on the south(ish) west coast of Ireland.
From the town I will explore the dingle Peninsula for a few days before heading
up farther north on the west coast to Co Clare to visit some more friends from Australia.
Guess that is all from me for now. Its sunny out so I'm out of here, time to go
explore Cork!
