OK, so it has almost been a month since my last blog, but I was leaving for our two week spring break where I did not have computer access, and if I did, I probably would not have wanted to spend time on a computer. Spring break was so great. I recorded as many details as possible in my travel journal. Unfortunately, it would take hours to transfer it all here so I will give highlights....
The first week was spent in London. The hotel we stayed in was glorious and fancy. I loved it and Julia was my roommate which was perfect, we caused all sorts of mischief! While in England, we went to Westminister Abbey, the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace, Oxford/Cambridge boat races, Oxford, Canterbury, Salisbury, Bath, Hyde Park, Trafalgar's Square, the British Museum, Chinatown, watched the show Les Miserables, Covent Gardens, and Camden Market. The week entailed almost-mooning pranks, toilet papering rooms, ripping pants on lions, dancing on rooftops, God debates, Obama debates, Carribbean rum fudge, corsettes and petticoats, "Berlin," "Argentina," and "Mexico" keycards, Mr. Bottle-opener guy, underwear worn over clothes, Tower of London, cider, trains, cameras, mummies, the Rosetta Stone, and finally sleeping in Stansted airport to begin the second leg of the adventure.
Leaving London Stansted airport was lonely. Eric and Cynthia had the flight out to Rome, Italy (that's right, I went to ROME) right before mine. Our flights were early in the morning so to be there in time to check-in required sleeping there because the metro, trains, and buses would not be in operation early enough to make our flight. Arriving in Rome, I met up with the rest of the gang, Eric, Cynthia, Marshall, Grace, and Sarah in the airport. We all reluctantly got in a black Mercedes-Benz van without any markings of shuttle with a well-dressed Italian whom I think was part of the mafia. He dropped us off at the florist in hope of getting us close to our hostel, BellaRoma. We eventually found it, and it wasn't much, but it had a small balcony with a view (the flats across the street). We then did all of Rome!... including the St. Peter's Basillica, the Vatican Museum, Trevi fountain, the Panteon, Colosseum, Ara Pacis, Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, Piazza del Popolo, the Sistine Chapel, the Forum, and more stuff that I have circled on the map and not written down in front of me. Rome was great, but really dirty and by now I'm starting to smell. I haven't done laundry in a week, which doesn't sound too terrible, but I only have a backpack with me with a limited supply of clothes. I bathe but rewearing smelly clothes just doesn't help the smell factor. In Rome, we hung out with Adam R., a Baylorite, and Brett M., a St. Andrewiam. I experienced gelato, Canadian Rob naked, Roman fountains, and an Irish pub in Italy... forshadowing maybe?!?!
The last leg of the adventure was to County Clare, Ireland with Marshall. We are on different flights again... (PS. I hate Ryanair... there are stories, PPS. Poor Cynthia and Eric), but only unti London where we have a connection to get to Shannon Airport in Ireland. I don't see Marshall when boarding plane for Ireland and I panic. The plane leaves without Marshall, then I really do panic. I arrive in Ireland alone and take a cab to the hostel I have booked for the night in Sixmilebridge (it really is one word) alone and worried. Then Marshall finally calls and says that he missed the first flight because he was delayed in Rome and had to get the next flight out of London. Marshall finally arrives later that night but after I have made friends with a great Australian couple, Dave and Emma, who are roommates at our hostel in Ireland called the Jamaica Inn. Marshall and I get trapped in Sixmilebridge by the lack of buses so we explore the town (takes 2 hours or less) and then rest and chill. We made lots of friends at the hostel though and all go out to a pub in town later that night... where Ray calls and shows up! What a surprise. So the three of us leave the next morning for Ennis and then to Kilfenora. At Kilfenora we got free pints of Guinness, free entry to The Barn to watch Irish set dancing, and were chased by bulls (almost). The next morning we began to hike 8km to Lisdoosvarna, but Ray almost got hit by a car, so the driver gave us a ride into town. From there were caught a bus to the Cliffs of Moher (so awesome and we almost didn't go). Then we taxied back to Ennis where we stayed at a B&B during our last night in Ireland. There are many stories that go into the Ireland trip, but they are best told orally.
I finally arrived at St. Andrews Saturday night at 10 PM.... phew!
Check out pictures on Facebook. Visuals make stories better.
The first week was spent in London. The hotel we stayed in was glorious and fancy. I loved it and Julia was my roommate which was perfect, we caused all sorts of mischief! While in England, we went to Westminister Abbey, the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace, Oxford/Cambridge boat races, Oxford, Canterbury, Salisbury, Bath, Hyde Park, Trafalgar's Square, the British Museum, Chinatown, watched the show Les Miserables, Covent Gardens, and Camden Market. The week entailed almost-mooning pranks, toilet papering rooms, ripping pants on lions, dancing on rooftops, God debates, Obama debates, Carribbean rum fudge, corsettes and petticoats, "Berlin," "Argentina," and "Mexico" keycards, Mr. Bottle-opener guy, underwear worn over clothes, Tower of London, cider, trains, cameras, mummies, the Rosetta Stone, and finally sleeping in Stansted airport to begin the second leg of the adventure.
Leaving London Stansted airport was lonely. Eric and Cynthia had the flight out to Rome, Italy (that's right, I went to ROME) right before mine. Our flights were early in the morning so to be there in time to check-in required sleeping there because the metro, trains, and buses would not be in operation early enough to make our flight. Arriving in Rome, I met up with the rest of the gang, Eric, Cynthia, Marshall, Grace, and Sarah in the airport. We all reluctantly got in a black Mercedes-Benz van without any markings of shuttle with a well-dressed Italian whom I think was part of the mafia. He dropped us off at the florist in hope of getting us close to our hostel, BellaRoma. We eventually found it, and it wasn't much, but it had a small balcony with a view (the flats across the street). We then did all of Rome!... including the St. Peter's Basillica, the Vatican Museum, Trevi fountain, the Panteon, Colosseum, Ara Pacis, Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori, Piazza del Popolo, the Sistine Chapel, the Forum, and more stuff that I have circled on the map and not written down in front of me. Rome was great, but really dirty and by now I'm starting to smell. I haven't done laundry in a week, which doesn't sound too terrible, but I only have a backpack with me with a limited supply of clothes. I bathe but rewearing smelly clothes just doesn't help the smell factor. In Rome, we hung out with Adam R., a Baylorite, and Brett M., a St. Andrewiam. I experienced gelato, Canadian Rob naked, Roman fountains, and an Irish pub in Italy... forshadowing maybe?!?!
The last leg of the adventure was to County Clare, Ireland with Marshall. We are on different flights again... (PS. I hate Ryanair... there are stories, PPS. Poor Cynthia and Eric), but only unti London where we have a connection to get to Shannon Airport in Ireland. I don't see Marshall when boarding plane for Ireland and I panic. The plane leaves without Marshall, then I really do panic. I arrive in Ireland alone and take a cab to the hostel I have booked for the night in Sixmilebridge (it really is one word) alone and worried. Then Marshall finally calls and says that he missed the first flight because he was delayed in Rome and had to get the next flight out of London. Marshall finally arrives later that night but after I have made friends with a great Australian couple, Dave and Emma, who are roommates at our hostel in Ireland called the Jamaica Inn. Marshall and I get trapped in Sixmilebridge by the lack of buses so we explore the town (takes 2 hours or less) and then rest and chill. We made lots of friends at the hostel though and all go out to a pub in town later that night... where Ray calls and shows up! What a surprise. So the three of us leave the next morning for Ennis and then to Kilfenora. At Kilfenora we got free pints of Guinness, free entry to The Barn to watch Irish set dancing, and were chased by bulls (almost). The next morning we began to hike 8km to Lisdoosvarna, but Ray almost got hit by a car, so the driver gave us a ride into town. From there were caught a bus to the Cliffs of Moher (so awesome and we almost didn't go). Then we taxied back to Ennis where we stayed at a B&B during our last night in Ireland. There are many stories that go into the Ireland trip, but they are best told orally.
I finally arrived at St. Andrews Saturday night at 10 PM.... phew!
Check out pictures on Facebook. Visuals make stories better.
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