Hello all, as you may or may not know…I’m back abroad, for round two. In short, I arrived in Europe on Tuesday evening (supposed to be morning, but that’s another story) and I’m here until November 9th. My time is going to be split between travelling on my own for 3 1/2 months and studying, 1 month in Spain, 1 1/2 months in Germany.
So far, I’ve managed to fly from Detroit to Dallas (my flight was cancelled because of a rain shower, and they sent me there instead of home or somewhere else that would get me to Londong or Dublin faster) to Chicago and finally to London. Missed my flight to Dublin, but got a voucher from the airline…so I’ll go later. Dallas sucked, I don’t even like Texas, but I did get a free meal from the airline ’cause I complained about not getting to eat and a free drink because there was a very drunk businessman in the hotel restaurant/bar who was feeling generous enough to buy a drink for me and one of the other people I was stranded with.
Spent half of my first day in London, the other half in transit and in Sheffield. There wasn’t really enough time to do much in London, ended up spending most of the day in the tubes on a train or waiting for one. I met my friend Keith, went dancing and caught a ride to his apartment in Manchester. Everyone was very nice, the drive home was very windey and exciting in the dark at top speed. Bummed around Manchester on Thursday, went to a museum that’s opening up a Detroit exhibit the day that I leave the UK and had pizza with Keith and Adele.
Arrived yesterday in Keswick (say: KEH-zik) after sleeping late and checking out the town market. Had leftover pizza for breakfast, and barely made it to the train station in time for my train. Keswick is gorgeous, it reminds me alot of the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound, kinda like Mackinack too…but there are cars. It’s decidedly more Brittish than either. Very nice. Lots of sheep, which are very cute. The bleating sound they make is adorable, until you’ve heard it for several hours straight…whereupon it becomes slightly annoying. Took a walk down to the lake (this is the LAKE DISTRICT), took a few pictures and went back to the hostel. Chatted with the staff-in-residence, Richard, about politics, England, the US, whatever. He’s very nice. Met my roommates, the women from Australia. Couldn’t sleep very well as one of them snored so loudly she puts my dog to shame. I read for an hour before I remembered that I had earplugs. Yeah, I forget things sometimes.
Spent Saturday “hiking.” Well, actually, it was quite strenuous…but only because I got confused and took the wrong path, it was supposed to be a nice leisurely stroll around the large hills/mountains in the area. It was really lovely scenery, and I figured that at least if I fell to my death/had a heart attack I’d have something pretty to look at on my way out. Made it to the top alive, got good directions down from other hikers. Saw lots of rabbit poo on the trails (pastures filled with….SHEEP, and COWS- shh! don’t tell customs) but no rabbits. This is Beatrix Potter country, so I imagine them all to be stuck in the lovely stone fences trying desparately to sneak cabbages and carrots through. Yeah, overactive imagination today.
Long story short, I’m in Edinburgh. Haven’t done much yet. Just got checked in, and about to head out for something to nosh on. It’s 77 stairs to the hostel, which is on the top floor…a nice addition to my 4 hour hike today. Whee!!! My legs are on fire!!!
If you want a postcard, send me a snail mail address. Otherwise, you don’t get anything. Also, feel free to forward this to (or send me the email of) someone you think I might have forgotten- or really just don’t have an email address for.
Love, Vanessa