To update or not to update that is the question...;)

I'm going to try this new thing. I'm going to let you know what song I'm listening to as I update this blog. This should give some people a laugh, and hopefully make a couple smile. :P You know who you are. ;)

I'm starting this blog off with "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service. So...yep. Let me take you back to Friday, the day we began our weekend long trek off into the beautiful West Country of England. (Oh so beautiful by the way!)

Friday - 10/22/10

I got up really early to go sit on a lovely coach bus for two hours. (As you'll see - I hate those things. Ugh) We made our way to Bath which is about two hours away from London. I went there with Mom and Dad, but it is such a gorgeous town. It is built in an Italian style of Architecture, and I enjoyed getting to spend some more time in the city. We went to see the actual Roman Baths again, which was alright since I didn't really enjoy it much the first time.

After that we went on a tour of the city and I loved getting to see everything. Our guide was pretty nice and she told us little facts and pointed out places where Jane Austen's characters where supposed to have walked. Yeah. No big deal, haha. Before all this, Kemper, Mandi, Hillary, and I went to this lovely little tea room for lunch. Kemper and I tried a new tea - Russian or something like that. We got a cute little tea pot and I spilled milk everywhere. Why can't they just make life simple and put honey in their tea? I suppose honey is sticky and milk is not. Oh well.

After that we found an old fashioned sweets shop and we all bought something. I got 'sweet tobacco' which was basically chocolate flavoured (I Miss You - Blink 182) coconut stuff. Kemper got a nice old fashioned rainbow swirled lollipop and Hillary got some jaw breakers. It was a neat shop After the tour I also got some post cards - so...yeah. :)

Then it was time for our whole group to find our bed and breakfast, which turned out to be a Holiday Inn Express. Haha. Funny. Kemper and I were roommates, but Hillary's room (which was a single) opened right into ours. SO the three of us were chilling when we decided that we needed dinner. I honestly think that's the worst part of traveling...the food part. We searched the city for at least thirty minutes before we could find anything open. What do English people do at night? No one goes out to eat, because nothing is ever open!

Sheesh. We finally ended up at "The Lettuce and Slug" and I got to try 'sausage and mash.' Luckily, Dad, they cooked the sausages all the way, thank goodness. The mashed potatoes were pretty delicious, but no where near as good as Gramner's or Jess's. Just saying. (Gotta keep you updated on the food, you know.) (Now it's She Came in Through the Bathroom Window - The Beatles)

After that we went back to the 'b &b' and we chilled with the door open and such. I was really tired though, so after a shower I passed out. And that brings us to:

Saturday - 10/23/10

On Saturday we got on the bus once again, after an interesting breakfast of powdered scrambled eggs. Ew. Anywho - we were on our way to Exeter for the day. We made a couple of stops along the way however.

After only being on the bus (Happy Together - The Turtles) for a little while, Dr. King gave us the option of walking a mile outside somewhere. I'm sorry, but I can't remember where we stopped exactly. We all stumbled out of the bus into the bipolar English weather. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Gramner and Mom for this wonderful rain coat that was left in my possession. If I had not worn this thing all weekend, I would have been soaked. The sun was out, but it would pour cats and dogs every other five minutes and I didn't bring my umbrella...

So. We walked. The trees were fall - as in they were gold, red, orange, and of course, green. Most of the trees were golden, but I have yet to see my favourite tree - the Gingko yet. :( Oh well. I bet the one in Conway, Little Rock, and Notre Dame have almost already shed all their leaves at once by now.

We saw the moor off in the distance and horses just roaming around and such. It was such a nature filled walk, and it was enjoyable - except for the sporadic rain. GAH! (Going Mobile - The Who).

After that we walked back and hopped back on the bus. It was at this point, I believe that I got really frustrated with the huge coach on the tiny, windy streets of Western England. The roundabouts were everywhere and I felt like most of the 'lanes' (not roads) were made for single file traffic. ALSO - the coach bus (which is huge) is a standard! So the driver, who wasn't all that bad, kept stopping rapidly and we would all fly forward. It probably didn't help that I was in the back of the bus...but at this point my sea-sickness began...

(The Only Exception - Paramore) Anywho - we got to stop in a little small town for lunch. I don't remember the town's name again, I just remember that I needed to use the restroom really badly. Kemper and Hillary and I and Mandi were rushing through the town trying to find somewhere where I could use the facilities. We, strangely enough, found an American Style diner where we alighted. We only had forty-five minutes for lunch and so we were incredibly rushed. This is the only place in England so far that I've gotten normal 'french-fries' that weren't all chunky like 'chips.'

I got a hazlenut milkshake to go, and we left. We were the last ones on the bus somehow. The server that we had at the diner ran after us because she thought we hadn't paid, even though we left the money on the table. Apparently, that's not exceptable some places? We were just in such a hurry.

After that we got back on the bus and headed to Dartmoor. The moor was absolutely gorgeous. We got there and I saw the brightest rainbow I think I've ever seen in my life. I took some pictures of it. There were sheep, horses, and cows everywhere. It was absolutely ridiculous (you could see their huge poos everywhere too!) Hillary and Kemper and I took some interesting 'jumping' photos. It was oh so windy - half the pictures I have from the moor have my hair eating my face in them.

(Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean) A group of us climbed two huge boulders on the moor. It put Pinnacle to shame because we were all up their with the beautiful background of the moor behind us, like someone had just painted it. I can't even describe it in words it was so amazing.

When we finally alighted from boulder number 2 - the moon was out. I took a really neat picture of it. Then we hopped on the bus and drove to our B & B in Exeter called the "Great Western Railway." The Great Western Railway was a bit sketchy - as in there was probably rusty mold-ish stuff in our bathroom and we only had 1/16 of a roll of toilet paper left. Ew.

However, HIllary, Kemper, and I managed to all be roommates. After we all washed our faces and settled in and such we walked into the city centre (a good fifteen minute walk) and then we searched for a place to eat. We spent about thirty minutes walking around (You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Stones) we found this weird west meets east restaurant. They had noodles and stir fry on one side of the menu and american grilled stuff on the other - ribs? I ordered the fajitas, which turned out to be quite nice actually. I also had a foster's for dinner. :) Woot.

After dinner (which was kind of weird, because we didn't have a reservation they stuck us upstairs, literally all by ourselves and kind of forgot about us) we went back to the B & B. The rest of group was in the pub which was attached to the B & B (which I thought was weird that their was a pub attached.) Anywho we joined in the crowd and eventually even joined in on this game. You had to put a card up to your forehead and all the other people read of the name of a famous person and then you had to guess who you were by asking yes or no questions. I got Sean Connery. Woot. Haha.

After that it was bed time and I showered and managed to pass out quite nicely. I tried calling home that night and got to talk to Gramner and Jess - apparently there was a dinner party I missed out on. :(

Which brings us onwards to :

Sunday 10/24/10

We went to the COAST! (Disclaimer - I still think that the Irish Coast is way more gorgeous than the English Coast for some reason! :P) Anywho we stopped at this little English village called Padstow (I kept trying to call it pasta, haha.) We walked down on the sand (mind you, in our raincoats and warm woolen socks) for about two - three hours. It was so gorgeous. The sun was out and it was so clear. We had a fun photo shoot of sorts with the sail boats in the background.

(Pyscho Killer - Talking Heads) Kemper even got in the water. Kind of like Jess would do, haha. It was so cold I don't know how she did that. Hillary and I just watched open mouthed. After that though, we decided it was time for lunch so we wandered around the very small town. We finally ended up at this Victorian Tea Room and we all got a light lunch. I feel like our two great aunts served us lunch. You wouldn't believe this tea room - it was pretty legit. Kemper and I got two pots of tea, mostly because I think the great aunt who took our order didn't quite understand us. Or perhaps you naturally get one complementary pot of tea and then we just happened to order another one...who knows?

Anywho - we enjoyed looking at all the ceramics and all the plates (all that blue stuff that Gramner collects) and such. There were tiny little flags from all over the world lining the top of the room on this shelf - however - I didn't see a US flag...hmmm...

After that we went to this old fashioned sweet shop (do you see a pattern here, haha?) and I got some Cornish Fudge. (We were in Cornwall) and also some other strawberry stuff. I shared too, you would be so proud. Hillary also got some fudge and Kemper got these chocolate mice. They are flavoured strawberry and vanilla and I happen to think that they are amazing. But then again, you know how I feel about chocolate.

(Turn! Turn! Turn! - Bryds) Anywho after that we got on the bus and went to Tintagle castle which is also in Cornwall. It is supposed to be the ruins of this castle where King Arthur was thought to be born. We went out into this little tiny Island cliff thing and we climbed about. I loved it so much. Unfortunately my camera died here - BUT - Kemper let me take pictures with her camera. We found a spot to sit on the cliffs in the whispering grass and we just layed there and watched the sun go down. (Well sort of go down - we wanted enough light to be able to get back down all those uneven stone steps.)

I sat there and wrote a poem. I have almost never seen anything so beautiful (except for the Irish Coast) and I just loved it so much. After that we battled the heights and stairs and made our way back to the bus. We finally got back to our B & B kind of late that night (the coast was about two hours away from the great western railway) and then we ended up going to Subway for dinner.

However, I got a stomach problem that night. I didn't even get to enjoy my fosters that I bought, because I got really horrible cramps in my tummy coupled with a horrible burning sensation. I took a shower and layed down and went to sleep hoping that it would be better in the morning.

SO -

Monday 10/25/10

I got on the bus at seven am, only to discover that I was sea sick and nauseous on that thing. All the roundabouts and spindly roads were making me horribly uncomfortable. (Hey Soul Sister - Train) We stopped at Bradbury on Avon, a nice little town at around ten thirty. We found a nice little coffee place (that looked older than history itself) and I got a hot chocolate thinking that would hellp...uh...

I luckily also bought a water and some gum. We got back on the bus and I thought I was going to die. Kemper looked at me a couple of times and mentioned later that I was really pale with clenched white knuckles and such. So...it was not ok until we finally got on a legit highway without those stupid roundabout things. We got into London around two-forty five.

I didn't write last night because we then had to turn around and go see Hamlet a three and a half hour long play at the National Theatre. I will say, however, that I thought it was absolutely phenomenal. I loved it so much. (And we got to sit, no standing! Yes!)

After that I passed out - so tired from sitting on a bus all day long.

Tuesday 10/26/10

Ah, today. We had British Life and Culture this morning and we got to do a backstage of the National Theatre which is a huge building and houses three theatres in London. (The Lime Tree - Trevor Hall). I really, really wanted to write a play this morning. I don't know what overtook me, but I totally felt like I could just write something, you know? Maybe not. But I totally felt capable and able. Who knows. Maybe in my spare time I'll write something down...:)

After that we came back from class and I went on an epic 6 mile run without stopping - in the rain. Don't get excited the rain over here is ridiculous. It wasn't raining hard at all, and it falls really slowly, kind of like snow in Little Rock. So, I didn't get all that wet and it felt good when I started getting hot. The only thing that was upsetting was the wind. Why is Chicago the Windy City? London should be so named...

Anywho - after that I took a shower, ate lunch and then went and got some more postcards. You guys should be expecting some...just saying. :) Then Kemper and I went to Candid to do some Riddly Walker reading. I'll let you know what I think of that book, so far it's intense. I agree with Kemper, I don't know why you have to invent a whole language to write your book in. If you're talented enough, can't you just get your point across in plain English? Is that so difficult? Anywho - I'm struggling through that as we speak.

(Learning to Fly - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) Wow. I'm tired now. You can't believe how much it took out of me to put all that in a post. I hope you enjoy the trip through my eyes as I much as I enjoyed it. I would have appreciated a lot less Coach time, however. Oh well, beggars can't be chosers.

Miss you guys. (How's this Johnny Gately for an update?)

<3

Cheers!