I’m in the UK! This is one of the places I always meant to visit, but just never made it over. Even crazier, I didn’t realize Wales is a separate country within then UK - I accidentally added one more country onto my trip, and loved every minute of it!
Catching up with a friend from high school, a friend from college, and friend from this trip has made for the most wonderful tour through this region!
Wednesday, March 20
Today I woke up in London, which is wild to think about.
One of my best friends, Abby, was in town on a spring break vacation and I went to meet her first thing in the morning. My skinny, stylish friend surprised me at the train station looking healthier than ever - I had missed most of her weight loss journey while I was away and couldn’t believe how fresh she looked!
Together we explored the city, eagerly making up for all of the coffee dates we had missed in the last ten months.
Abby was one of the few people who had texted me regularly throughout my trip - I hadn’t realized how much that would mean to me before departing, and our friendship had only grown when we were on opposite sides of the world.
After seeing major London landmarks, we parted ways and I went back to my hostel to meet my lovely Polish roommates.
Thursday, March 21
I met Abby in the morning again, and together we created our own coffee shop crawl through London. I just couldn’t get enough of this my ambitious, resilient friend - I was SO happy to be back together.
After visiting a favorite bookstore, taking adorable photos, and being more caffeinated than ever, we parted ways and I jumped on a bus to Oxford.
Friday, March 22
I arrived in Oxford late in the evening, but my friend Claire was on a school field trip and wouldn’t be home until almost midnight. I dumped my bag by the trash cans outside her house and went to the bar she had recommended.
This was an interesting experience because it was the first time my travel skills transferred to normal life.
I quickly made friends with a group of college students celebrating a birthday, and joined them in singing Karaoke. By the end of the night, my new friends invited me to a house party and I was reunited with my dear friend Claire.
Saturday, March 23
In the morning, Claire and I left to explore the city. We saw the bridge of sighs, iconic libraries, and old university buildings where Claire was attending classes. I met her roommates and cooked dinner, and we caught up in her cute garden.
Sunday, March 24
Today Claire and I took a walk in a park downtown, and caught up on all we had missed in each other’s lives over the past two years. She was attending school on the west coast, and it was fascinating to hear about cultural differences Claire had experienced even between the Midwest and pacific northwest.
She took me to her favorite bar that served fish and chips, which was at the top of my list of things to try in England. (They were fantastic)
It was so nice to reconnect with a high school friend, and tour a prestigious college town with a student.
To to top it off, we spent the sunny afternoon baking cupcakes just for the fun of it!
Monday, March 25
Today I hopped on a bus to Cardiff, where Carys was ready to meet me. She and I had met in Cambodia five months prior, and had taken similar routes north through Vietnam.
Over a “cuppa,” which is slang for a cup of tea, I learned that Wales is actually its own country, and that my last country on this trip was in fact Wales, not England. This would be the second time I accidentally went to a new country.
Carys took me downtown at sunset for a walk in the harbor, and we caught up on how the rest of our backpacking trips had treated us. Cardiff was far more beautiful than I expected, and I was so happy that I got to enjoy the city with a friend - catching up with Carys was the reason for coming to this part of the UK in the first place!
Tuesday, March 26
After a cup of tea, perfectly prepared by Carys, I met her cheerful mother who was an encyclopedia of Welsh knowledge. She told me all about the history of of Catholics & Protestants, which was of particular interest to me. I had started a book discussing the politics of Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I, but her mother had so much more information about this fascinating part of history, and how Wales tied into this story.
After stopping at the grocery store for a picnic lunch, Carys brought me to one of her favorite places in Cardiff. Together we hiked Mount Pen y Fan, discussing families, religion, and ambitions the entire way. The view was beautiful, and snacks at the top made it even better.
Next we drove to the Talybont reservoir and did a short hike to the waterfalls before deciding to visit her grandparents.
One of my favorite parts of travel is meeting grandparents. Carys and I are from different cultures, but because we are a similar age and both travelers, we have a lot in common. I have found that when I meet grandparents, the local culture is much more concentrated. I love it!
Nanny and Bampi lived very close to Carys, and we dropped by for tea and cookies. Nanny told us about her recent visit to a medium, her spiritual energy stones, and her experiences growing up in a massive family. The visit was absolutely delightful - as I left, Nanny gifted me a small turquoise stone that would protect me and keep away negative energy for the remainder of my trip.
For dinner, Carys, her mother, and I went to a restaurant that served Carvery, a traditional Welsh roast dinner. It was a lot like Thanksgiving with delicious meat and vegetables, but Yorkshire Pudding was something I had not seen before. FYI: it’s not pudding.
The thin bread cups were filled with gravy and absolutely delicious. Welsh food is a new favorite! We are until our stomachs couldn’t handle any more.
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