My Holiday
On a lighter note, my holiday in the UK was absolutely wonderful. A few of you have seen the photos now - sadly I have no digital camera from which to post photos on here so you'll just have to make do with the hard copies.
My sister Meg and I visited England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France in the space of 17 days. We were in a different city almost every night. Had a fabulous sisterly time, talking about everything. We have very similar tastes. I don't think there's anyone else whose idea of how to go about a tour of the UK would be so similar to my own as Meg's. We're both nuts about just seeing everything, especially countryside - as much of it as possible - and old buildings. Hence lots and lots of train rides spent gazing out the windows and pointing and getting excited, and many cathedrals and museums and castles visited. Hurrah.
Here's a brief and rather prosaic account of what we did:
England: Day 1: Meg met me at the airport, took train to her school in Worcester. Got very excited about all the old houses and cool Englishness out the windows of the train. Day 2: went to Meg's church, which was really cool - you know, the real thing. Recovered from jet lag. Day 3: picked up rental car and set out for Hay-on-Wye. Driving was fun. It was really cool figuring out the highway system together, all the different roadsigns and road layouts (they have heaps of roundabouts, sometimes with traffic lights part way round them - it's crazy), trying to figure out when to turn off. Lots of fun. Went to Hay-on-Wye (known as the world capital of second hand bookshops), drove through south east Wales, went to Bath (which is really beautiful), back to the school to sleep. Day 4: down to Dorchester on the south coast, visited Thomas Hardy's cottage there, went to Salisbury (the cathedral is just...beyond description - go there if you can ever find an excuse), passed Stonehenge on the way home. Day 5: too exhausted to go anywhere far, explored Worcester. Dropped off the car :( We had clocked up 500 miles on it :)
Wales & the Republic of Ireland: Day 6: took several trains right across Wales to Holyhead, caught the ferry to Dublin. Found our hostel, had Guinness at the nearest pub. Day 7: went to pick up the rental car we had booked, only to be told on getting there that we couldn't have one, as they couldn't insure me if I was under 25 (which I am). Very disappointing. Spent morning trying to figure out what to do next. Eventually got a train to Wexford, and a bus to New Ross. Attempted to walk to our hostel, which was on a farm 4Km out of the town, but couldn't make sense of our map. Eventually phoned the hostel owners, told them of our sad carless state, and they kindly came and picked us up. Hostel proved to be utterly enchanting - quite rustic, very simple, but cosy, with chickes out in the yard and a rooster to wake us in the morning, and kindly Irish people with wonderful accents over the way. Day 8: decided we couldn't bring ourselves to take on the public transport system again the very next day, so stayed put for an extra night rather than going on to Cork. So spent the day wandering down country lanes, clambering around an abandoned ivy-smothered stone house by the wayside, pottering about in New Ross, sitting cosily in front of the fire. Day 9: back to Dublin, but decided to go way out of our way by going via Killarney (south west corner) so as to see more countryside. Spent the night in Dublin (which is kinda average - didn't find it very inspiring at all).
Northern Ireland and Scotland: Day 10: flew to Londonderry in Northern Ireland in the morning. The idea was to go and see the Giant's Causeway (a very cool rock formation thing on the North Coast). Set out by train, but due to its being Easter Monday and the trains less frequent than usual, got all the way to Portrush and then found we couldn't get to the Causeway. Much sadness. However, the train ride was incredible - the views were stunning. Some of the best scenery I saw. Day 11: flew to Glasgow then took a train to Edinburgh. Loved it from the first glimpse we had of it. It's a very beautiful city, and kinda has a life about it somehow... hard to describe. Took a tour of the Castle, which is incredibly cool. Had a fantastic meal in a pub, and wandered about the streets having deep sisterly talks the rest of the evening.
England again: Day 12: took trains all the way down to Stamford, where our Aunt lives. Got there at 5pm. Aunty Kaye and her partner took us to Kettlethorpe (on an impulse - Aunty Kaye is spontaneous and cool) which is where Katherine Swynford, after whom I am sort of named, lived in the 14th century. Saw the remains of the house she lived in. Stayed at Kaye's. Day 13: day trip to Lincoln, to see the cathedral, which, as well as being spectacular in its own right, is also where Katherine Swynford is buried. Turned out to be a ridiculously hurried trip, on account of having to get back to the train station on time, but awesome to see the place. Would have liked to spend more time there - the city is very picturesque. Stayed at Kaye's again.
London and Paris: Day 14: train to London. Visited the Dickens Museum, which is an old house of his that's been fitted out with all sorts of memorabilia - his old furniture, the quill pen he used to write such-and-such a book, paintings of all his family, lots of cool stuff. Went through Westminster Abbey, which was kinda creepy but cool - saw the tombs of Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots and such eminent personages. Saw the parliament buildings. Stayed with an elderly relative on the outskirts of the city - she's lovely. Day 15: went to the British Museum, saw vast amounts of really old stuff. Very cool. Then flew to Paris in the afternoon. Found our way to our hostel, which seemed to be in a bit of a dodgey area so we didn't stray far in the evening. Day 16: Notre Dame Cathedral in the morning, which is beautiful, then wandered down the River Seine. Went through the Louvre. Wow. Mind-bogglingly incredible - seeing all these works of art I've read about and seen copies of. And the sheer scale of the place. The building is cool enough in itself, even without being full of so much beauty and incredibleness on the inside too. Meandered down the Champs-Elysees, through the Place de la Concorde, to the Arc de Triomphe. Stopped in a chocolaterie on the way :) Did not visit the Eiffel Tower (that would just have been so typical!) but saw it from where we were anyhow. Did not buy any souvenirs with representations of the Eiffel Tower on them - and it should be noted that this is quite an accomplishment, as it's difficult to buy anything in Paris that doesn't have a Eiffel Tower on it. There was a lightening storm at 5:00, just as we got to the Arc de Triomphe, so we went promptly home. Day 17: had croissantes and coffee in a cafe for breakfast. Pottered about the streets till it was time to head to the airport in the afternoon. Flew back to London. I flew home.
Closing Thoughts: The world is big. And yet very small. I love flying. Love love love. I want to do it again soon. Stopping in Dubai was as cool as I anticipated, as was seeing the desert from the air. My appetite is thoroughly whetted for seeing more of the Middle East (just in case it weren't whetted anyway). It's wonderful to have a sister who knows you through and through, and with whom you are thoroughly comfortable and can be yourself. Christchurch is also nice. I'm glad it's my home. Could quite happily live in Edinburgh though. Paris, though very cliche, really is incomparable in terms of elegance and sheer attractiveness (thus far in my experience). Coming home is nice.
My sister Meg and I visited England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France in the space of 17 days. We were in a different city almost every night. Had a fabulous sisterly time, talking about everything. We have very similar tastes. I don't think there's anyone else whose idea of how to go about a tour of the UK would be so similar to my own as Meg's. We're both nuts about just seeing everything, especially countryside - as much of it as possible - and old buildings. Hence lots and lots of train rides spent gazing out the windows and pointing and getting excited, and many cathedrals and museums and castles visited. Hurrah.
Here's a brief and rather prosaic account of what we did:
England: Day 1: Meg met me at the airport, took train to her school in Worcester. Got very excited about all the old houses and cool Englishness out the windows of the train. Day 2: went to Meg's church, which was really cool - you know, the real thing. Recovered from jet lag. Day 3: picked up rental car and set out for Hay-on-Wye. Driving was fun. It was really cool figuring out the highway system together, all the different roadsigns and road layouts (they have heaps of roundabouts, sometimes with traffic lights part way round them - it's crazy), trying to figure out when to turn off. Lots of fun. Went to Hay-on-Wye (known as the world capital of second hand bookshops), drove through south east Wales, went to Bath (which is really beautiful), back to the school to sleep. Day 4: down to Dorchester on the south coast, visited Thomas Hardy's cottage there, went to Salisbury (the cathedral is just...beyond description - go there if you can ever find an excuse), passed Stonehenge on the way home. Day 5: too exhausted to go anywhere far, explored Worcester. Dropped off the car :( We had clocked up 500 miles on it :)
Wales & the Republic of Ireland: Day 6: took several trains right across Wales to Holyhead, caught the ferry to Dublin. Found our hostel, had Guinness at the nearest pub. Day 7: went to pick up the rental car we had booked, only to be told on getting there that we couldn't have one, as they couldn't insure me if I was under 25 (which I am). Very disappointing. Spent morning trying to figure out what to do next. Eventually got a train to Wexford, and a bus to New Ross. Attempted to walk to our hostel, which was on a farm 4Km out of the town, but couldn't make sense of our map. Eventually phoned the hostel owners, told them of our sad carless state, and they kindly came and picked us up. Hostel proved to be utterly enchanting - quite rustic, very simple, but cosy, with chickes out in the yard and a rooster to wake us in the morning, and kindly Irish people with wonderful accents over the way. Day 8: decided we couldn't bring ourselves to take on the public transport system again the very next day, so stayed put for an extra night rather than going on to Cork. So spent the day wandering down country lanes, clambering around an abandoned ivy-smothered stone house by the wayside, pottering about in New Ross, sitting cosily in front of the fire. Day 9: back to Dublin, but decided to go way out of our way by going via Killarney (south west corner) so as to see more countryside. Spent the night in Dublin (which is kinda average - didn't find it very inspiring at all).
Northern Ireland and Scotland: Day 10: flew to Londonderry in Northern Ireland in the morning. The idea was to go and see the Giant's Causeway (a very cool rock formation thing on the North Coast). Set out by train, but due to its being Easter Monday and the trains less frequent than usual, got all the way to Portrush and then found we couldn't get to the Causeway. Much sadness. However, the train ride was incredible - the views were stunning. Some of the best scenery I saw. Day 11: flew to Glasgow then took a train to Edinburgh. Loved it from the first glimpse we had of it. It's a very beautiful city, and kinda has a life about it somehow... hard to describe. Took a tour of the Castle, which is incredibly cool. Had a fantastic meal in a pub, and wandered about the streets having deep sisterly talks the rest of the evening.
England again: Day 12: took trains all the way down to Stamford, where our Aunt lives. Got there at 5pm. Aunty Kaye and her partner took us to Kettlethorpe (on an impulse - Aunty Kaye is spontaneous and cool) which is where Katherine Swynford, after whom I am sort of named, lived in the 14th century. Saw the remains of the house she lived in. Stayed at Kaye's. Day 13: day trip to Lincoln, to see the cathedral, which, as well as being spectacular in its own right, is also where Katherine Swynford is buried. Turned out to be a ridiculously hurried trip, on account of having to get back to the train station on time, but awesome to see the place. Would have liked to spend more time there - the city is very picturesque. Stayed at Kaye's again.
London and Paris: Day 14: train to London. Visited the Dickens Museum, which is an old house of his that's been fitted out with all sorts of memorabilia - his old furniture, the quill pen he used to write such-and-such a book, paintings of all his family, lots of cool stuff. Went through Westminster Abbey, which was kinda creepy but cool - saw the tombs of Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots and such eminent personages. Saw the parliament buildings. Stayed with an elderly relative on the outskirts of the city - she's lovely. Day 15: went to the British Museum, saw vast amounts of really old stuff. Very cool. Then flew to Paris in the afternoon. Found our way to our hostel, which seemed to be in a bit of a dodgey area so we didn't stray far in the evening. Day 16: Notre Dame Cathedral in the morning, which is beautiful, then wandered down the River Seine. Went through the Louvre. Wow. Mind-bogglingly incredible - seeing all these works of art I've read about and seen copies of. And the sheer scale of the place. The building is cool enough in itself, even without being full of so much beauty and incredibleness on the inside too. Meandered down the Champs-Elysees, through the Place de la Concorde, to the Arc de Triomphe. Stopped in a chocolaterie on the way :) Did not visit the Eiffel Tower (that would just have been so typical!) but saw it from where we were anyhow. Did not buy any souvenirs with representations of the Eiffel Tower on them - and it should be noted that this is quite an accomplishment, as it's difficult to buy anything in Paris that doesn't have a Eiffel Tower on it. There was a lightening storm at 5:00, just as we got to the Arc de Triomphe, so we went promptly home. Day 17: had croissantes and coffee in a cafe for breakfast. Pottered about the streets till it was time to head to the airport in the afternoon. Flew back to London. I flew home.
Closing Thoughts: The world is big. And yet very small. I love flying. Love love love. I want to do it again soon. Stopping in Dubai was as cool as I anticipated, as was seeing the desert from the air. My appetite is thoroughly whetted for seeing more of the Middle East (just in case it weren't whetted anyway). It's wonderful to have a sister who knows you through and through, and with whom you are thoroughly comfortable and can be yourself. Christchurch is also nice. I'm glad it's my home. Could quite happily live in Edinburgh though. Paris, though very cliche, really is incomparable in terms of elegance and sheer attractiveness (thus far in my experience). Coming home is nice.
posted by Kat | 5/02/2006 08:57:00 pm
2 Comments:
It certainly sounds like a lot of fun. Have to have a look at the photos some time.
Aw man... now I wanna go there and meet all my various relations more than ever. Sounds awesome
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