Getting up bright and early is something I haven't had to do much of in the last two weeks. I decided to avoid rush hour tube traveling to the airport and be four hours early for my flight instead of being frazzled dealing with the crowd. Once I got checked in and such, I was only 2 and a half hours early.
Airport security is a LOT less stressful in Heathrow than in the states. However when we reached DC, we had to go through TSA between flights. I nearly gave myself a coronary running through the airport to make it. Of course my flight would be the furthest gate away. Oh well, I made it. That's all that matters.
In looking back on my stay in Europe, there are so many wonderful memories. I'm thankful I have visited other big cities to remove the intimidation factor of coming into a big airport, riding on a subway, and interacting with the gobs and gobs of people. I know there are a ton of things I missed seeing in Europe, but what I did see was beautiful. And those left unexperienced are reasons to return one day.
The time spent with Tony was great. There is always an adventure where he's involved. We fortunately skipped any big issues like flat tires or car accidents, but our roundabout circling and "hopelessly lost" memories will bring a smile for quite some time. It's amazing that I was lucky enough to find my soul mate at such a young age. We constantly challenge the box that each other lives in knowing when to stop once an edge is reached.
I have also appreciated the countless emails, texts, and FB messages of support in my journeying. I have enjoyed sharing it with you, and it's been great having your words of encouragement. I know a few of you will be glad I'm home to get back to my massage duties!
I left London at 12 p.m. and got back home at 9 p.m. After getting up at 6, 14 hours of traveling, and a five hour time difference, exhausted doesn't cover it. I have tomorrow to recuperate and plan to do just that. It will be a busy three days at work I'm sure, and then Sunday I plan to vegetate yet again. If I don't blog for a bit, you'll understand why.
P.S. I started smelling home when I got off the plane in Charlotte. I made a beeline and when I opened the door, it smelled like Heaven. It just might take a miracle to ever get me to leave again!!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
London day five - Winding down
The excitement that I had when I first landed in London has mostly diminished. Today it was a struggle to get up and go out sight seeing. There is so much more to see and do in the city, but my energy level is shot. The crazy week of work and training I had before I even came, on top of two weeks of nonstop going, has finally caught up with me.
I slept in today but did manage to get out to see the two places I was interested in. But when I got there, I discovered they were closed. They are only open Wednesday through Sunday. As I was making my way back to the tube, I heard horse clops on pavement. It was the people involved in the changing of the guard from Buckingham. It rained today so they didn't actually do the ceremony. You just never know what you'll see at any given moment in London.
I came back to the hotel to try and have lunch with Tony, but that didn't work out due to his work schedule. So, I thought it would be a perfect day for a massage. I lucked out and found a place within half a block of our hotel. It felt great and was just what I needed to rejuvenate me for my trip home tomorrow. A cat nap before he got in from work was icing on the cake!
I think all the sight seeing has gotten to Tony, too. Last night I woke up to what I thought was him talking on the phone. It turns out he was reporting that he had a fireplace that was partially caved in and he had no idea what to do to fix it. It let me know that instead of just looking at the castles and the beauty of them, he was thinking about how to reconstruct them. Only a man!
I asked if he remembered it this morning and he said yes. And that he's been having the same dream now for three nights. The strange thing is he doesn't dream nor does he ever remember if he does. Maybe he can get all these ruined castles fixed while he's over here.
This evening was bittersweet. We went to dinner with two guys from Tony's work so I could meet them. Afterwards we walked around a bit. The weather was very mild today and carried over into the night. While I'm ready to go home, I sure wish he was going with me. I don't look forward to managing the five hour time difference and the technology challenges of staying in touch. It's just so much better having him in person.
I've had a wondrous time these last two weeks exploring Europe. We have seen and done so much. We've made so many amazing memories. I will cherish them forever. I've taken nearly 2500 pictures as proof.
I slept in today but did manage to get out to see the two places I was interested in. But when I got there, I discovered they were closed. They are only open Wednesday through Sunday. As I was making my way back to the tube, I heard horse clops on pavement. It was the people involved in the changing of the guard from Buckingham. It rained today so they didn't actually do the ceremony. You just never know what you'll see at any given moment in London.
I came back to the hotel to try and have lunch with Tony, but that didn't work out due to his work schedule. So, I thought it would be a perfect day for a massage. I lucked out and found a place within half a block of our hotel. It felt great and was just what I needed to rejuvenate me for my trip home tomorrow. A cat nap before he got in from work was icing on the cake!
I think all the sight seeing has gotten to Tony, too. Last night I woke up to what I thought was him talking on the phone. It turns out he was reporting that he had a fireplace that was partially caved in and he had no idea what to do to fix it. It let me know that instead of just looking at the castles and the beauty of them, he was thinking about how to reconstruct them. Only a man!
I asked if he remembered it this morning and he said yes. And that he's been having the same dream now for three nights. The strange thing is he doesn't dream nor does he ever remember if he does. Maybe he can get all these ruined castles fixed while he's over here.
This evening was bittersweet. We went to dinner with two guys from Tony's work so I could meet them. Afterwards we walked around a bit. The weather was very mild today and carried over into the night. While I'm ready to go home, I sure wish he was going with me. I don't look forward to managing the five hour time difference and the technology challenges of staying in touch. It's just so much better having him in person.
I've had a wondrous time these last two weeks exploring Europe. We have seen and done so much. We've made so many amazing memories. I will cherish them forever. I've taken nearly 2500 pictures as proof.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
London day four - Back to the beginning
We made it back to London safely. We decided to drop off our luggage at the hotel before we dropped off the car. We just thought it would be easier than fighting through the tube with it. Boy, was that a mistake. We spent 45 minutes fighting traffic to get here, and then another 45 minutes back out to the airport.
We put just over 1200 miles on our car in 5 days. It was a really fun experience, but I was glad to let public transportation take over navigational duties. We never would have seen the beautiful countryside we did if we weren't as brave (or stupid) as we are. They are memories that we'll never forget.
On our way out to the airport, we saw a cool restaurant - Sherlock Holmes. We decided to stop back there to eat for the night. We got off the tube and made our way in that direction. We wound through the streets and happened upon this area where a guy came and stopped us. He said they were filming. We asked what it was. He said he couldn't say. I asked if it was British or American. He said we'd recognize some of the actors. So we decided to stay and watch.
There were cool cars, people dressed in overcoats and hats, and women dressed in the dresses and veils of India. We couldn't really make heads or tails of what was happening. Finally, we saw an actor come across the street. It was Billy Bob Thorton. They told him to hurry across the road. He flipped them the bird! Everyone laughed. We had no idea who the rest of the actors were. But when I googled it, the movie is London Fields. We'll have to see that one for sure!!
We finally found the restaurant and it was really good. We made our way across the river and to The London Eye. It's a giant Ferris wheel sort of thing that has pods that you can stand up in. It fits probably about 20 or so people in each. It spins all the way around staying level the whole time as the wheel rotates. It is a beautiful view of the city as it's 443 feet high.
Tony is back to work tomorrow, and I'm back to exploring. There are a couple of places I can see from the English Heritage passes we bought. I may as well get my money's worth! Now if my feet will hold up.
We put just over 1200 miles on our car in 5 days. It was a really fun experience, but I was glad to let public transportation take over navigational duties. We never would have seen the beautiful countryside we did if we weren't as brave (or stupid) as we are. They are memories that we'll never forget.
On our way out to the airport, we saw a cool restaurant - Sherlock Holmes. We decided to stop back there to eat for the night. We got off the tube and made our way in that direction. We wound through the streets and happened upon this area where a guy came and stopped us. He said they were filming. We asked what it was. He said he couldn't say. I asked if it was British or American. He said we'd recognize some of the actors. So we decided to stay and watch.
There were cool cars, people dressed in overcoats and hats, and women dressed in the dresses and veils of India. We couldn't really make heads or tails of what was happening. Finally, we saw an actor come across the street. It was Billy Bob Thorton. They told him to hurry across the road. He flipped them the bird! Everyone laughed. We had no idea who the rest of the actors were. But when I googled it, the movie is London Fields. We'll have to see that one for sure!!
We finally found the restaurant and it was really good. We made our way across the river and to The London Eye. It's a giant Ferris wheel sort of thing that has pods that you can stand up in. It fits probably about 20 or so people in each. It spins all the way around staying level the whole time as the wheel rotates. It is a beautiful view of the city as it's 443 feet high.
Tony is back to work tomorrow, and I'm back to exploring. There are a couple of places I can see from the English Heritage passes we bought. I may as well get my money's worth! Now if my feet will hold up.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Scotland day three - Long roads
At our breakfast this morning the owner was very inquisitive about us and America. He wanted to know what Virginia is famous for. We told him many of our early presidents were from there. And then we told him it was the capital of the confederacy. He knew all about that. And said we're known for being losers. Oh joy!
He kept wanting to talk to us and finally happened upon the topic of motorcycles. He and his mate do a lot of traveling and riding in other countries. He was telling us about their various adventures along the way. From the sounds of it, he and Tony are brothers separated by the Atlantic Ocean!
He was telling us how the GPS had settings for things that you could avoid. One he set was for traffic. He thought that meant traffic jams. Turns out it meant the most scenic route even if it took you around your nose to get to your big toe. He said he took a lot of u-turns until he figured it out. His mate said that if they don't do at least three u-turns a day, she felt incomplete. I was crying laughing by the time we left. It let me know that I don't have the only man in the world that seeks adventure on the crookedy path versus the straight and narrow.
We took the slow route to Glasgow. The countryside looks a lot like the Shenandoah valley back home. There are fields and fields of sheep separated by low rock walls. We hit a mountainous area that had beautiful streams flowing down the crevices where they met. Simply gorgeous.
Glasgow wasn't much fun. We would have skipped it other than the fact we needed to get some souvenirs. We parked in a garage and set out on foot. We got lucky and were close to the tourist area. We got our gifts and headed on our way. I found yet another back road and we were off.
To give you an idea of the extra amount of time it took us on the lolly gagging route, what should have taken 4 hours took 12. We've spent the last 90 minutes looking for a hotel. My golden rule was that we had to be checked in each day before dark. That didn't happen tonight for sure! We are currently sitting in the middle of the road because there is some sort of accident or something. Our hotel is right beside us. But we cannot figure out where to park. My patience barometer is running on fumes. That and I need to pee! UGH!!!
I've already told Tony tomorrow we are finding the most direct route from here to London. I don't think he will argue. Now if we can just get into our hotel.
He kept wanting to talk to us and finally happened upon the topic of motorcycles. He and his mate do a lot of traveling and riding in other countries. He was telling us about their various adventures along the way. From the sounds of it, he and Tony are brothers separated by the Atlantic Ocean!
He was telling us how the GPS had settings for things that you could avoid. One he set was for traffic. He thought that meant traffic jams. Turns out it meant the most scenic route even if it took you around your nose to get to your big toe. He said he took a lot of u-turns until he figured it out. His mate said that if they don't do at least three u-turns a day, she felt incomplete. I was crying laughing by the time we left. It let me know that I don't have the only man in the world that seeks adventure on the crookedy path versus the straight and narrow.
We took the slow route to Glasgow. The countryside looks a lot like the Shenandoah valley back home. There are fields and fields of sheep separated by low rock walls. We hit a mountainous area that had beautiful streams flowing down the crevices where they met. Simply gorgeous.
Glasgow wasn't much fun. We would have skipped it other than the fact we needed to get some souvenirs. We parked in a garage and set out on foot. We got lucky and were close to the tourist area. We got our gifts and headed on our way. I found yet another back road and we were off.
To give you an idea of the extra amount of time it took us on the lolly gagging route, what should have taken 4 hours took 12. We've spent the last 90 minutes looking for a hotel. My golden rule was that we had to be checked in each day before dark. That didn't happen tonight for sure! We are currently sitting in the middle of the road because there is some sort of accident or something. Our hotel is right beside us. But we cannot figure out where to park. My patience barometer is running on fumes. That and I need to pee! UGH!!!
I've already told Tony tomorrow we are finding the most direct route from here to London. I don't think he will argue. Now if we can just get into our hotel.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Scotland countryside day one - Scrambled
Today we saw Edinburgh Castle. It is more of a fortress built on top of craggy rocks. An amazing place for sure. As we were making our way further North, we went to Linlilthgow Castle, too. It is where Mary Queen of Scots was born. It's just sheer coincidence that we happened upon it. But it's neat that we did those two particular castles tied to her.
We've seen so many castles that they are all running together. Tonight we tried to pick our favorite. We've listened to audio guides at each. There is so much information about each. I'm glad there isn't a quiz at the end because we'd surely get the questions and answers mixed up. We couldn't really decide which was our favorite either because when we'd remember something about one, we figured out it was really another. It's been a wonderful trip.
We are staying in yet another place called Callander. Tony is bound to start an argument tomorrow with wanting to go three hours North of here which means the trip back to London will have to be done all night tomorrow night and into Sunday. And just when we've been doing so well in getting along. Oh well. It's not been a complete trip without a knock down drag out between us!
I think I'm officially fried. It's 8:53 and it feels as if it's at least 2 a.m. I'm about to turn the light out and be done for the night. I'm not sure what the itinerary will hold tomorrow, but I'm sure it will be just as exciting as all the rest of the journey has been.
We've seen so many castles that they are all running together. Tonight we tried to pick our favorite. We've listened to audio guides at each. There is so much information about each. I'm glad there isn't a quiz at the end because we'd surely get the questions and answers mixed up. We couldn't really decide which was our favorite either because when we'd remember something about one, we figured out it was really another. It's been a wonderful trip.
We are staying in yet another place called Callander. Tony is bound to start an argument tomorrow with wanting to go three hours North of here which means the trip back to London will have to be done all night tomorrow night and into Sunday. And just when we've been doing so well in getting along. Oh well. It's not been a complete trip without a knock down drag out between us!
I think I'm officially fried. It's 8:53 and it feels as if it's at least 2 a.m. I'm about to turn the light out and be done for the night. I'm not sure what the itinerary will hold tomorrow, but I'm sure it will be just as exciting as all the rest of the journey has been.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
England countryside day three - Roadtrip
Today we got up and saw Bolsover Castle that was only about 10 minutes from where we spent the night. It is a really neat place. It was like so many places in that there was one structure that then kept getting added on to. One piece of it is referred to as the Little Castle. It's not little by any means. It is the only structure that still has floors and walls left in it that we've seen. It even had some paintings on the walls and ceilings remaining. And I told Tony it was just his kind of place because the horse barn was bigger than the main house.
We left there and got directionally challenged yet again. We did get the phone set up with Internet again so the GPS would work. At first it wouldn't work and there was a lot of swearing going on in the car when we couldn't manage to find the way by ourselves. But it finally synced up and all was well.
We found Brodworth Hall and Gardens in Duncaster. The house was built about the time we were at civil war in the US. It is a beautifully decorated home with lots of paintings and marble sculptures. The last woman that lived in it died in 1988. From the descriptions they gave us about her, she was feisty! She was nearly 90 and refused to leave the house. She died there in her own bed. Her daughter gave the house to the Heritage but sold it's contents to them. I think they said they paid $3.2 million pounds. CRAZY!!
After we toured the house, we walked through the gardens. It is amazing how extensive they are. I can not imagine the restoration work they had to do to get them back in shape when they bought it. It doesn't take a garden long to get overgrown. They've done a wonderful job because the property is gorgeous. I don't know if they rent it for weddings, but it would be a gorgeous setting do that!
We decided to head North to Scotland tonight. Tomorrow we will see Edinburgh Castle. We thought we might head further North, but we're running out of time. I guess that gives us a reason to come back. We'll head back to London Saturday afternoon. We might actually stay in one place for two nights in a row. That will be a miracle!
Despite the crazy driving adventures, we're really having a great time. The schedules we've set are all very soft and if we blow them, oh well. We haven't had to be anywhere. It's just a matter of how much we want to see. We've taken the slow roads and tried to soak in the beauty of this place. Now to rest up for more exploring!
We left there and got directionally challenged yet again. We did get the phone set up with Internet again so the GPS would work. At first it wouldn't work and there was a lot of swearing going on in the car when we couldn't manage to find the way by ourselves. But it finally synced up and all was well.
We found Brodworth Hall and Gardens in Duncaster. The house was built about the time we were at civil war in the US. It is a beautifully decorated home with lots of paintings and marble sculptures. The last woman that lived in it died in 1988. From the descriptions they gave us about her, she was feisty! She was nearly 90 and refused to leave the house. She died there in her own bed. Her daughter gave the house to the Heritage but sold it's contents to them. I think they said they paid $3.2 million pounds. CRAZY!!
After we toured the house, we walked through the gardens. It is amazing how extensive they are. I can not imagine the restoration work they had to do to get them back in shape when they bought it. It doesn't take a garden long to get overgrown. They've done a wonderful job because the property is gorgeous. I don't know if they rent it for weddings, but it would be a gorgeous setting do that!
We decided to head North to Scotland tonight. Tomorrow we will see Edinburgh Castle. We thought we might head further North, but we're running out of time. I guess that gives us a reason to come back. We'll head back to London Saturday afternoon. We might actually stay in one place for two nights in a row. That will be a miracle!
Despite the crazy driving adventures, we're really having a great time. The schedules we've set are all very soft and if we blow them, oh well. We haven't had to be anywhere. It's just a matter of how much we want to see. We've taken the slow roads and tried to soak in the beauty of this place. Now to rest up for more exploring!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
English countryside day two - Schedules
Up to today, we've been blessed with beautiful weather, for England that is. I only had one rainy day while I was in London. We woke up to rain and it never let up the whole morning. It didn't really put too much of a damper on things though. And before the day was over, the sun was shining.
Tony had bought a track phone of sorts for work on his first trip over. After playing with it I figured out it had a GPS. It made my day! But I still did screen shots of the directions for today's travel. I tried to use those to begin with hoping to save the phone battery for an emergency if we happened off the beaten path.
Well, it didn't take long to have to pull it out. Street signs are at a minimum here and I missed a street where we needed to turn early on. We went 30 minutes out of the way before I gave in. We got an hour and a half later start than we wanted to, so we were two hours behind schedule.
Schedule, you ask? Yes, schedule. At our first stop yesterday, the lovely lady at the ticket desk told us about an English Heritage pass you can buy to see over 100 castles throughout England. She gave us a wonderful book of information about each and a map! That would be one of the three I've been using in my navigational duties. My anal retentive type A did a back flip once we had our "guide" for the rest of our trip.
Anyway, last night before we hit the sack, we plotted our course for the day. We figured hitting two a day made sense. Those we picked are about two hours away from each other and the first one is two hours from our stay last night. If we allocate two hours at each, it would make a total of eight hours for a full day of sight seeing.
Those plans are perfect in theory. Reality always seems to dictate a little different outcome. By the time we got to the first castle we were two hours behind. The phone Tony has was about to die and he doesn't have a car charger. We had to make a pit stop to find one.
We saw Kenilworth Castle today which was HEAVEN for me. I love Elizabeth I. This is the castle she gave to Robert Dudley which was her suitor for many years that she never married. To know that she had walked through these building and grounds was a cool feeling. They had a demonstration of the process women of her time went through in getting dressed. It was a lengthy process said to have taken upwards of five hours. But the lady said she can do it in 20 minutes so someone is off somewhere. Nonetheless, it was cool to learn about.
We spent over three hours wandering through the grounds. We gave up on trying to get to the next castle by closing time. When we got back in the car, we found the GPS had stopped working. It only had 2 pounds left on it. We're going to have to figure out how to add more money so it will work again. Or maybe I should just take this as the sign that we're supposed to stay lost on this trip. Jennifer says being lost equals exploring. I need to remember my pursuit of type A-.
We did a few circles and spent the mandatory 15 minutes or so looking for the route we needed. I found a motorway (read highway) that pointed in the direction we needed. So far we've been taking small back road kinds of routes. At home, I'm usually passed out in the car because Tony's driving only makes me scream. Being the navigator and the token person to ask for directions even though I don't have a freaking clue hasn't allowed me to catch any shut eye. But with a straight road ahead of us, I immediately fell asleep.
He woke me up just as we were passing the exit we needed for the next castle town. Fortunately the next exit also worked. We wound around the roads until we drove into the little town of Balsover. The castle sits on top of a hill overlooking the valley. It appears like this one is fully intact. I look forward to exploring it tomorrow.
We had to come to the next town over to find a hotel. It's a chain versus the wonderful cottage we stayed in last night. But we're so tired we don't care one way or another. We just need a place to lay horizontal for a few hours and take a shower in the morning.
I'm about to map out our course for tomorrow. This trip has been a lot like our visit to Disney World a few years back. We wake up at dawn and go until we can't move anymore. There is so much to see and do. The driving is a lot like being on a roller coaster from the perspective of being lost and stressed out to knowing our way and being calm.
Four more days of exploration, and then it's back to London. Tony will head back to work, and I'll do more London exploring. I can only imagine how long it will take me to get back to "normal" when I get back home. It will be nice to plant my feet and spend more than one night in a place. But I'm getting pretty used to the hectic schedule. Tony says I should just stay. I'm wondering what my girls and clients would think about that?!
Tony had bought a track phone of sorts for work on his first trip over. After playing with it I figured out it had a GPS. It made my day! But I still did screen shots of the directions for today's travel. I tried to use those to begin with hoping to save the phone battery for an emergency if we happened off the beaten path.
Well, it didn't take long to have to pull it out. Street signs are at a minimum here and I missed a street where we needed to turn early on. We went 30 minutes out of the way before I gave in. We got an hour and a half later start than we wanted to, so we were two hours behind schedule.
Schedule, you ask? Yes, schedule. At our first stop yesterday, the lovely lady at the ticket desk told us about an English Heritage pass you can buy to see over 100 castles throughout England. She gave us a wonderful book of information about each and a map! That would be one of the three I've been using in my navigational duties. My anal retentive type A did a back flip once we had our "guide" for the rest of our trip.
Anyway, last night before we hit the sack, we plotted our course for the day. We figured hitting two a day made sense. Those we picked are about two hours away from each other and the first one is two hours from our stay last night. If we allocate two hours at each, it would make a total of eight hours for a full day of sight seeing.
Those plans are perfect in theory. Reality always seems to dictate a little different outcome. By the time we got to the first castle we were two hours behind. The phone Tony has was about to die and he doesn't have a car charger. We had to make a pit stop to find one.
We saw Kenilworth Castle today which was HEAVEN for me. I love Elizabeth I. This is the castle she gave to Robert Dudley which was her suitor for many years that she never married. To know that she had walked through these building and grounds was a cool feeling. They had a demonstration of the process women of her time went through in getting dressed. It was a lengthy process said to have taken upwards of five hours. But the lady said she can do it in 20 minutes so someone is off somewhere. Nonetheless, it was cool to learn about.
We spent over three hours wandering through the grounds. We gave up on trying to get to the next castle by closing time. When we got back in the car, we found the GPS had stopped working. It only had 2 pounds left on it. We're going to have to figure out how to add more money so it will work again. Or maybe I should just take this as the sign that we're supposed to stay lost on this trip. Jennifer says being lost equals exploring. I need to remember my pursuit of type A-.
We did a few circles and spent the mandatory 15 minutes or so looking for the route we needed. I found a motorway (read highway) that pointed in the direction we needed. So far we've been taking small back road kinds of routes. At home, I'm usually passed out in the car because Tony's driving only makes me scream. Being the navigator and the token person to ask for directions even though I don't have a freaking clue hasn't allowed me to catch any shut eye. But with a straight road ahead of us, I immediately fell asleep.
He woke me up just as we were passing the exit we needed for the next castle town. Fortunately the next exit also worked. We wound around the roads until we drove into the little town of Balsover. The castle sits on top of a hill overlooking the valley. It appears like this one is fully intact. I look forward to exploring it tomorrow.
We had to come to the next town over to find a hotel. It's a chain versus the wonderful cottage we stayed in last night. But we're so tired we don't care one way or another. We just need a place to lay horizontal for a few hours and take a shower in the morning.
I'm about to map out our course for tomorrow. This trip has been a lot like our visit to Disney World a few years back. We wake up at dawn and go until we can't move anymore. There is so much to see and do. The driving is a lot like being on a roller coaster from the perspective of being lost and stressed out to knowing our way and being calm.
Four more days of exploration, and then it's back to London. Tony will head back to work, and I'll do more London exploring. I can only imagine how long it will take me to get back to "normal" when I get back home. It will be nice to plant my feet and spend more than one night in a place. But I'm getting pretty used to the hectic schedule. Tony says I should just stay. I'm wondering what my girls and clients would think about that?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
