Have you ever said to yourself, "Self, I REALLY want to go on vacation right now"? And have you ever just let yourself be taken in by the power of the internets, and given your bank account a guilty look, and just pressed "Purchase ticket," because you'll never go if you think too hard about it?
Not that I would ever do anything like that. NEVER.
Except that...I'm going to England! I leave in less than three weeks! I'll be gone for eight days! Surprise!
See, it's hard to travel when you have plenty of vacation time but limited funds and tons of friends who don't want to leave their husbands behind. So when a friend--we'll call her Christine, because that's her name--decides to visit London on her way to Berlin, and invites you to share her hotel room, you take her up on the deal. If you're me, you might go home, check the internet until you find a decent ticket price, call your mother for a reality check that's really a pep talk, close your eyes, and click. Then you might spend some time freaking out. But then you calm down and feel pretty good, because you're going to England!
The plan is to meet Christine in London on the 24th, hang out with her there until the 27th, and then take off to parts unknown-to-me--I'm currently thinking the Lake District, or maybe the Peak District? Somewhere wild and moory but accessible by public transit, because cars are expensive and trains are far more romantic, anyway. I'll spend a few days in the country and then cruise back to London for a night and fly home Sunday, July 1.
Mostly, I just can't believe I did it. But I'm getting used to the idea pretty quickly.
8 comments:
Yay! That's sounds fun, and only slightly crazy, which is a good thing. I'm slightly jealous. Have some tasty English food or something for me, okay?
'Have you ever said to yourself, "Self, I REALLY want to go on vacation right now"? And have you ever just let yourself be taken in by the power of the internets, and given your bank account a guilty look, and just pressed "Purchase ticket," because you'll never go if you think too hard about it?'
Umm... yes! :-) Have a wonderful time! What a great idea! I think you should go to the Lakes *and* Derbyshire. B/c what are young men compared to rocks and trees and mountains?!
Teri,
"Tasty English food"? Really?
Actually, I hear things have improved immensely. I'll be eating on the cheap, but I do love fish, chips, mash(ed potatoes), and the prospect of having a pint even though I don't really like beer very much. Also, curry. Yum!
Heather,
You are a wise, wise woman. And now that I've seen how far the Lakes are from London, I'm planning one night in Derbyshire (The Peaks! Where, apparently, there are no actual mountains, but whatever).
Sadly, a lot of the literary (read: Austen/Bronte) stuff is further south, where I don't have time to go, but it's okay. I'll make do with Wordsworth and Potter (Beatrix, though perhaps some Harry instead) instead.
First off, AWESOME!!!! Have a great time in England!!!
Second, have a pint of cider instead of beer, there is a very good kind called Scrumpy Jack.
Third, I think you should go to York, so you can see them make peppermint patties.
Also, they have Curry Pringles in England, and they are amazing!
I'd just like to add that there is lots of tasty food in England, London especially. It's one of the most ethnically diverse cities around, you know!
Yeah, see, tasty English food. I wasn't just making that up. (Okay, maybe I was.) York peppermint patties are delicious. Potatoes are delicious.
As a genuine English person (really! lol), I can say we have tasty food. You NEED a proper, all-the-trimmings Sunday Roast meal, then you'll see *nod*.
If you want wild and rugged, I'd suggest Dartmoor. Think "Hound Of The Baskervilles", and Dartmoor ponies :D
Besides, the lure of Devon means a) Dartmoor - wild, ruggged, beautiful, National Park, b) Exeter - a very pretty city with lots of cultural things, close to me and you saw some photos of it in my 12 of 12, c) you can get to the beaches too! and d) you can get Megatrain (www.megatrain.co.uk) or Megabus (www.megabus.co.uk) from London to Exeter for as little as £1 (plus 50 pence booking fee), if you book in advance. That's like $3! To go cross country! I hear Megabus has been introduced to America too now.
Am I selling Devon well yet? ;-)
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