Greetings from San Pedro, Cote d'Ivoire! I am very excited to finally be here in West Africa and even though it has been kind of a busy week adjusting to a new routine, it is wonderful to finally be settled in with my new "family". But before I tell you all about how wonderful it is here, I want to finish up on my adventures in England...
So after that first day in London, Dabney and I spent the next couple of days visiting Natural History Museum, attending services at Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, touring the National Portrait Museum, standing in line for theatre tickets (to no avail:), drinking in all to be had at the British Library, and walking many miles each day! I don't think I can remeber everything we did now, but I think one of our favorites was the British Library, which was a beautiful new building, stuffed with hundreds of thousands works of literature. It had a lovely illuminated manuscript museum where ancient texts were on display- most of them handwritten. That was really amazing to see the artistry of those works.
Another favorite was riding the London Eye. Created, I believe, for the celebration of the new millenium, the Eye is a great big ferris wheel that circles high above the city very slowly giving a magnificent view of London. That was a fabulous ending to a very, very rainy afternoon (thank goodness for that raincoat I packed at the last minute!)
Monday morning we headed for Kew Gardens. Located just on the edge of London, these beautiful gardens spread out for acres. There are 2 huge greenhouses from the 1800's, an alpine garden, Japanese garden, and a giant treetop walkway. It was a gorgeous day to wander the immaculate terrain, and a peaceful beginning to a busy afternoon. We raced back the the hostel after we were done, picked up my bags, and lugged them to the Tube where we rode to Victoria Station. And then proceeded to drag them to the bus station. I swore after "backpacking" around Europe several years ago that I would never travel again like that with a rolling suitcase. Dabney was a sanity saver for me as she stuck with me even as I was fuming when the bags tipped over in the middle of that busy London road. I don't want to belabor the whole travel situation here, let's just suffice it to say that my idea of taking the buses while in England to avoid driving on the left side as well as learning a stick and saving on money, left me wishing I had faced my fears and rented a car. I never missed a bus, which was a miracle however (well other than the one that just never came).
I was in the bus station wishing I had been able to go with Dabney to Oxford on my way to Cheltenham, deep in mire of self-pity and really wondering what I had gotten myself into, when this really sweet girl sitting next to me began talking to me. In that moment she was more than I could have ever asked for. She was every bit the encouragement I desperately needed. She was traveling to Cheltenham where she lives, but she is from Zimbabwe and went to university in South Africa. She helped me get a taxi when I got into town, and I am forever thankful for her kind heart.
The next day, (pouring rain of course), I was excited to find all my old haunts where I used to go to school. I walked to my old campus, High Street, Bath Road, the campus in the center of town, everywhere- never thought I would really be back again.
I can't wait to write about where I am now, but it's kind of fun reliving my England memories. :)
I thnk this is enough for one evening though. :)
So after that first day in London, Dabney and I spent the next couple of days visiting Natural History Museum, attending services at Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, touring the National Portrait Museum, standing in line for theatre tickets (to no avail:), drinking in all to be had at the British Library, and walking many miles each day! I don't think I can remeber everything we did now, but I think one of our favorites was the British Library, which was a beautiful new building, stuffed with hundreds of thousands works of literature. It had a lovely illuminated manuscript museum where ancient texts were on display- most of them handwritten. That was really amazing to see the artistry of those works.
Another favorite was riding the London Eye. Created, I believe, for the celebration of the new millenium, the Eye is a great big ferris wheel that circles high above the city very slowly giving a magnificent view of London. That was a fabulous ending to a very, very rainy afternoon (thank goodness for that raincoat I packed at the last minute!)
Monday morning we headed for Kew Gardens. Located just on the edge of London, these beautiful gardens spread out for acres. There are 2 huge greenhouses from the 1800's, an alpine garden, Japanese garden, and a giant treetop walkway. It was a gorgeous day to wander the immaculate terrain, and a peaceful beginning to a busy afternoon. We raced back the the hostel after we were done, picked up my bags, and lugged them to the Tube where we rode to Victoria Station. And then proceeded to drag them to the bus station. I swore after "backpacking" around Europe several years ago that I would never travel again like that with a rolling suitcase. Dabney was a sanity saver for me as she stuck with me even as I was fuming when the bags tipped over in the middle of that busy London road. I don't want to belabor the whole travel situation here, let's just suffice it to say that my idea of taking the buses while in England to avoid driving on the left side as well as learning a stick and saving on money, left me wishing I had faced my fears and rented a car. I never missed a bus, which was a miracle however (well other than the one that just never came).
I was in the bus station wishing I had been able to go with Dabney to Oxford on my way to Cheltenham, deep in mire of self-pity and really wondering what I had gotten myself into, when this really sweet girl sitting next to me began talking to me. In that moment she was more than I could have ever asked for. She was every bit the encouragement I desperately needed. She was traveling to Cheltenham where she lives, but she is from Zimbabwe and went to university in South Africa. She helped me get a taxi when I got into town, and I am forever thankful for her kind heart.
The next day, (pouring rain of course), I was excited to find all my old haunts where I used to go to school. I walked to my old campus, High Street, Bath Road, the campus in the center of town, everywhere- never thought I would really be back again.
I can't wait to write about where I am now, but it's kind of fun reliving my England memories. :)
I thnk this is enough for one evening though. :)
(Picture of Francis Close Hall in Cheltenham, England- part of the University of Gloucestershire)
1 comment:
Hi Melissa!
I love reading your blogs! And I don't mind a bit that they are long - all the details make me feel like I'm there with you - you know, like Liz Curtis Higgs in My Heart's in the Lowlands! ;)
Well, maybe someday I'll find myself back in those places I never thought I'd see again too.
You're an inspiration!
Love you! Glo
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