Texophilia

I know you hear me talk about England a lot, and you are probably thinking, “Hey, what are we? Chopped liver?”

Far from it! I thought I'd take a moment to sing the praises of my beloved homeland.

Texas is to me...

the smell of salt air and hot asphalt. The sound of seagulls. Sand between my toes, humid winds, pine forests, and the clink clink of rigging on shrimp boats tied at the docks.

I live to watch the sun rise over the Gulf and set over the Central Texas hills.

Texans are friendly people… we never meet strangers. We dance polkas and schottisches. We listen to the happy music of Mexico mixed with strains of Bob Wills and Janis Joplin.

The expanse of my state amazes me. We are larger than France, but smaller than Zambia. We have a large population of Hispanics, Germans, Czech’s, Polish, and other nationalities, and welcome each of them. Even Californians!

When I close my eyes and think of my life in Texas, I’m filled with a warm glow of love and the smell of fresh tamales on Christmas morning.

Texans respect the military and support our service men and women wherever they are. They are not “troops” or “casualties”… they are mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. We may not like War, but we love our military personnel for how much they put on the line for us.

Texans love football. We camp by our stadiums, picnic with other sports fanatics, and paint ourselves Orange. Or Maroon. I hear that in the far northern territories, some even paint themselves Red!

I don’t like football, but if I close my eyes, my mind fills with my youth spent on the marching field. The bright lights of halftime. The cheers of the fans in the stands. And music. The hot, humid air of a waning summertime.

The sun beats hot in Texas summers. It’s not for the faint of heart, but we deal with it happily and reserve our right to swim, drink margaritas, and bask in the air conditioning whenever we like.

Texas raised my friends and people I have loved for decades. We grasp the bayous, canyons, and mesquite with a hunger only those who have been Texas bred can truly understand.

An American's View of a British View of America

I've often felt the slings and arrows of the British viewpoint of America. Generally, I think they see us as bombastic, surly, aggressive, entitled, boisterous, and obnoxious. Not all of this vision of loveliness is entirely incorrect.

I wanted to hide under the seat of my guided tour (full of Americans) when a largish woman behind me began screaming, "A Bobby! A Bobby!" simply because she'd seen... you guessed it... a Bobby.

I cringed when my friend picked up a 200 year old vase off the shelf of an antique dealer. The dealer's mind clearly sending me messages, "Get your nasty Yankee hands off my 200 year old vase."

Everyone knows, you should look at it from a distance.

The British don't quite get Americans... but that's ok. We don't exactly get the Brits either. The British see us as upstarts, nouveau riche, pretenders to the throne of aristocracy with designs against the British Commonwealth. The British gave us Queen Elizabeth and Westminster Abbey. We gave them Michael Jackson and Disney World.

The British act from centuries deep culture, tradition, and bad weather. If they burn people in effigy, there is a reason. If a guy wants to blow a horn at the close of day in the square at Ripon(1), there's a reason. If a guy bangs a black stick on the doors of Parliament and the door is shut in his face(2), there's a reason.

We Americans generally have no reason for what we do. Have you ever asked yourself why someone buried a bunch of cadillacs in Amarillo(3)? Or how tailgating parties originated? What about pig calling contests or wienerdog races?

The British have a reason. All we have is a sense of humor. Perhaps that's the underlying difference.

But wait - there's also the food barrier!

In the 1980s, my British next door neighbors nearly had a heart attack when I served them tacos for dinner. Where were the knives and forks? Things have changed a bit since then, but I have seen (more than once) a hamburger eaten with knife and fork. It's only proper, you know!

The heathen Americans will eat just about anything with their hands... pizza, hamburgers, tacos, popcorn... Good Lord, how we are even allowed past British immigration still baffles me.

But then, I watch the British eat pork n' beans on toast FOR BREAKFAST, and have a similar reaction.

One of my American friends was told by a British child how wonderful the hamburgers were they had for dinner, and asking them what made them taste so good. It's called MEAT. No fillers. Grilled up and served fresh.

And yet, the British eyed us warily as we fired up our grill one snowy day in winter... go figure.

The British hate our politicians as much or more than they do their own. It is a British past time to hate politicians, and they revel in it. They will discuss politics at the drop of a hat with anyone, anywhere. If you don't believe me, just catch one of those black cabs and ask the driver what he thinks of Obama.

In return, we get a view of their Parliament in seeming chaos every time video is released of their sessions. Having the podium in Parliament doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be heard. Americans would call that rude.

When Representative Joe Wilson yelled at a legislative session that Obama was a liar, he was heavily criticized for his outburst. That wouldn't have even made news had it happened in Parliament.

Perhaps, the British think we don't care about politics because we're not raging at the top of our lungs. Well, some of us aren't, anyway.

In all, I think British and Americans are more than just two countries divided by a common language. We are like a dysfunctional family... the Americans left the nest and haven't really been forgiven. I heard a discussion in a pub by two elderly men who were still engaged in World War II:

"Came in too late to the war, they did."
"Yeah, we had won it by the time they got 'ere."
"Surprised they bothered."

I also got to witness first-hand the repercussions of NOT joining the British in the Faulklands War. Sit-ins, protests, a lot of under-the-breath clucking.

Americans give money, aid, and support so often to world disaster relief and aid in wars that buy no land or accolades for us. Perhaps that intimidates. But, like a child who is always seeking recognition from an aloof parent, the British just see us as bumbling through the world without the enlightenment of British wisdom.

Perhaps one day we will reconcile our love for each other's cultures and the bonds that link both the British and Americans. Until then, I choose to admire the Queen and Westminster Abbey over buried Cadillacs and Michael Jackson.

1. See Ripon's Hornblower (http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/content/articles/2008/07/10/ripon_hornblower_history_feature.shtml)
2. See Black Rod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Rod)
3. See Cadillac Ranch (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2220)

Travel Packing 101

Hello dear friends! It's been ages since I've written since there hasn't been any real travel going on in my life. So, to stir the pot a bit, yesterday I went to Travel Packing 101 by Sharon Williams, aka the Lady Nomad at REI. It was a fabulous evening of travel packing tips by a truly travel savvy lady from Austin.

I'm condensing the notes I took here for your convenience and edification. I'll also comment from time to time. (You KNOW you can't shut me up.) :)

First of all, if you want to view Sharon's website, see http://www.theladynomad.com/. If you write her and ask nicely, she might even email you a sample packing list!

We started off the evening by discussing the overall packing methodology. You must stop and ask yourself:

1. What is my travel style?
2. What kinds of activities am I planning?
3. What's the baggage allowance?

As for Sharon (and myself) we pack as lightly as possible. Sharon gets by with about three changes of clothes. When I go (which is typically for around 10-14 days), I pack about five days worth of clothing.

Sharon started off by discussing the actual luggage. We saw:

• a duffle bag
• a very handy roller bag
• a Rick Steve's carry bag with packing cubes
• a day pack
• a fanny pack

Someone mentioned the duffle bag might have been too large to fit as a carryon. To me, they seem a bit unwieldy and difficult to carry once fully loaded. However, if you prefer a duffle bag, you can get them with backpack straps. Get something with durable material and ensure that seams are multi-stitched. Sharon recommended a few brands like REI, Rick Steves, and Eagle Creek.

If you are a tall person using a roller bag, ensure that the handle is long enough for you. I'd never thought of that since I'm short, but that's a consideration for you jolly giants out there. :)

Someone asked about the difficulty finding your bags on the carousel when they were all the same color. I thought it was funny that Sharon and I both used the same tactic. Tying a purple ribbon/string to the handle of the luggage.

Sharon recommends the Rick Steves carry bag with packing cubes. See http://www.ricksteves.com/ to look up this type of luggage.

These packing cubes can compact clothes and make it easier to fit into the luggage:

The Rick Steves carryon bag can double as a backpack, but has luggage handles:

You don't have to wear it as a backpack if you don't want to.

Reviews of this packing method have been extremely good. One reviewer mentioned that even the TSA people double-checked because they didn't think he could get *that* much and still have it be a legal carryon (it was).

But, here's my contention with this packing mode:

I think for the most part, middle-aged to elderly female (and maybe some male) travelers don't like backpacks.

I packed it up (during a packing trial - which is why I recommend them), and it was huge on my back. Difficult to manipulate on and off - for a 52 year old woman who has never backpacked, and it didn't have the back support of regular backpacks. The LAST thing I want to do is throw my back out on vacation. Having said that, it might have really been of use on that climb up 70 steps to my B&B in Edinburgh. Again, as Sharon said, it depends on your travel style. Also, you don't *have* to use the backpack feature, but if you don't, you're left with (pretty much) a shapeless bag with handles. Which, to me, is as easy to carry as a duffle bag. Not my first choice.

If you want to see what I did take with me, you can view here: http://royalwench.blogspot.com/2009/09/ive-got-baggage.html

Clothing:

You want to pack as little as possible for the duration of your trip, so find things that don't wrinkle, that are multi-functional, that are light-weight, and that are easily washable. She showed us a really cool pair of zippered pants... you can either wear them as long pants or unzip them and make shorts out of them. That went on my "must buy" list. Someone in the class mentioned travelsmith.com for travel clothes.

Again, I agree with Sharon when she says to "layer" clothing. Bring short sleeve shirts and wear them under longer sleeved shirts for warmth. This also means you have the short-sleeved shirt if it gets warm outside. Wear a lightweight, waterproof, breathable jacket and carry a fleece underjacket if you are going to colder climates.

If you're going to a colder climate, you'll typically be packing thicker (and heavier clothing). It may take you some different trials at what works best. I actually pre-pack a time or two to ensure I have what I need and that it fits comfortably into my bag.

Sharon takes one pair of shoes and one pair of tevas (comfortable, expensive rubber sandals).

I've never taken these as I usually go to the UK or Europe where the ground tends to be muddy and it's cold outside. When I go, I'll pack a multi-purpose shoe - such as this very comfy Clark's mule:

It works for everyday walking as well as nighttime dinner and a show types of outings. If I'm not planning anything else, this one type of shoe has done well. However, I try to get in some short hikes when I can. So, I'll also bring either sneakers or hiking boots.

Note: Hiking boots are extremely heavy. Only bring them if you absolutely have to!

Sharon brings a makeup/travel bag.













I have this one from Eddie Bauer, but I do not take it on my overseas travels. it's a space issue for me. Why use an extra piece of luggage when a plastic bag will do? And you can easily see what you need in plastic bags. She did bring up a good point though that if you are staying in a hostel or low-budget hotel, it might be nice to have the mirror.

Sharon also packs a hard shell makeup kit (a small plastic storage box). I also don't use something like this. Sharon likes it because it holds everything she wants held and she can open it up and see everything she has. For me, I think you can accomplish the same thing with plastic bags, less weight, and taking up less space in your luggage.

Sharon mentioned that, especially if you are doing laundry in your sink, you may want to bring a large, flat stopper (obtainable at most hardware stores). Some sinks won't have a stopper when you need one most!

She also brings a very cool clothesline made by Rick Steves that can hang clothing without clothes pins!

Some other things she mentioned:

• Small firstaid kit and plenty of bandaids

• Power adapters and power converters if you are going into a country with a voltage different from the US. I have a small travel blow dryer that I got at an American store which works in both the UK and US and has a UK plug. I've taken it with me for probably the last 13 years when I travel there. Note: I *do* occasionally travel to Europe and that's a whole other ball of wax. I do believe that I required only adapters (no converter) for the hair dryer.

• Chargers and batteries (ensure batteries cannot touch each other and spark a fire). Note: I don't ever carry converters or adapters to England as I don't need chargers (no cell phone and no computer).

• Myself and another lady mentioned mole skin or blister patches... if you plan to hike, be sure to bring these to prevent blistering. You don't want your feet not working properly on your vacation! You can get blister pads from REI (http://www.rei.com/product/783068).

I used a brand called Compeed when I was in England, but they aren't available here. Apply it like a bandaid BEFORE you go on any kind of long walk, or take them with you just in case.

There are other hiking tricks - most blisters are caused by friction, so double-sock. Voila, no friction. They make double layer hiking socks and sell them at REI. And you can also buy sock liners to wick moisture away from your feet. For more information on protecting your feet, Google "blister protection."

• Washcloth - amen, Sharon. Most countries don't use them. If you want one, take one. However, if you're like me, I just use the edge of a towel when I need to.

• Night table bag - this was something that I had not thought of. Sharon packed a plastic bag with an alarm clock, and a small mag light that can also double as a night light.

• Umbrellas - I agree with Sharon that a poncho is much more useful and multi-purpose. Umbrellas can easily be blown inside out - as in my epic drenching in Dublin. A rain poncho will keep you dry, and can double as waterproofing for your backpack as well.

• Swimmer's towel or chamois - if you are staying in places that are not exactly the Ritz, you might want to get one of these towels. You can easily dry yourself with a small cloth, wring it, and it's ready for packing.

• Dr. Bonner's bar soap - multi-purpose bar soap that can clean you as well as your clothing. Obtainable at most grocery stores.

• Duct tape - small amount comes in handy for luggage repairs and other emergencies

• Travel guides

• Snacks - you never know when a restaurant WON'T be open

• Wipes and hand sanitizer

• Extra plastic bags. You can use plastic bags to compress clothing, store, protect against spillage, and a lot of other things. I wish I had invented plastic bags! It's kind of like duct tape in the multi-use category

• If you're going to a sunny area, pack a sun hat, sun screen, and sun glasses

• Medications - you must have your prescription for prescription drugs. If it's an over-the-counter medication, keep it in it's original packaging

• Ear plugs - Sharon said she didn't use these much, but I have

• Small disinfectant for the toilet if you like (I don't bother as I typically stay in decent hotels)

• A notebook for information and journaling - I also brought up that you should upload the information to the net for easy downloading if you end up losing your journal. Sharon recommended a thumb drive (which - I'm iffy about - they're so easily lost). But, I did take one on my last trip. At the very least, though, upload your critical information somewhere where you can retrieve it (such as http://docs.google.com/).

• Pre-printed postcard labels - this was a GREAT idea! I'm horrible at printing labels, but I might try it next time.

• Toilet paper - because you just never know...

• Extra passport photos just in case your passport is lost. Someone mentioned there's a microchip in the newer passports. People have been known to scan your information and steal your identity that way. My friend mentioned getting a shielded case. Here is a link to one: http://www.amazon.com/Travelon-Blocking-Passport-Black-Size/dp/B001CZMUM8/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3JX2VAEJZ8G2D&colid=1CULTI808A41D

They also make billfolds, so people can't read your chip-equipped credit cards.

• Credit cards - this microchip also exists on some credit cards. In America, we have not yet begun using these types of credit cards as much as in Europe, but it's coming. This is also a good time to let you know that if you *can* get such a card, get one. The English were a bit miffed that they couldn't just swipe my cards with their readers. I think American Express may be the only carrier that uses them.

• Keep copies of all your critical documentation in hardcopy form

If you carry a satellite (day) pack, Sharon recommends the following items go in it:

• Poncho
• valuables
• camera
• electronics

Safety:

• Keep your money separate. Do not put all your money, credit cards, and passport in one place. All it would take is one pickpocket to totally ruin your holiday. Put some in your pocket, and some in your (locked and safely stored) luggage. Sharon uses a thin money belt, but I find that an added hassle for the type of travel I do (I do see where you might want something like that in less-desireable environments). Sharon mentioned that she also uses a fanny pack. (Note to my English friends - this is NOT what you think!) It's similar to one that I use as well.

This doubles as my purse. I carry it close to me, always ensure that you are aware of your surroundings at all times.

• Bellehop alarm $8 at the Container Store - this is a door alarm that might save you if you plan to stay in some not-so-safe hotels or destinations

• Sharon discussed zippers a bit. Ensure they zip with ease, and that they are "locking"... they kind of zippers with a hole in them.

Get TSA combination locks for your luggage that you can lock and that TSA can open with a key. That's most likely the type of lock pictured here.



• Someone asked about getting luggage in fashionable colors. The response was that you want to attract as little attention to yourself as possible. You don't want to stand out as an American tourist/pickpocket target. Wear neutral clothing and carry neutral luggage.

Things Sharon didn't discuss that are worth considering:

• Laundramats - I do not ever feel like I've wasted my vacation if I go to a laundramat. You don't have to wash in the sink or depend on undependable cleaners in foreign countries to clean your clothing. It depends on the country you go to, but since I typically travel to Europe, I've never had an issue in laundramats. Going to a laundramat means that you don't have to carry clothes soap or clotheslines. Just much less messy and your clothes *really* get clean.

They're also great places to meet the locals.

• Money - what works best for overseas? Traveler's checks, credit cards? Debit cards? Cash? What do you need to be aware of - such as the microchipped card that can be swiped. How much should you carry? How should you plan for the amount of cash you'll need?

• Travel documents - what should you remember? E-tickets, train passes, rental car agreements, insurance... Sharon did mention possibly getting an international drivers license, but in a lot of countries they are not needed. Check with the country before going over.

• More on whether to take a laptop or netbook or IPad or something. Personally, I don't take any of that. No cell phone, no computer of any type (I'm on vacation). But, then I know there are usually tons of internet cafes in the UK.

9/16 to 9/20 - English Lake District and Home

9/16

The train to Penrith cuts a swath across the southern boundaries of Scotland and then forges downward to the lakes. We passed through Lockerbie, by the way. Very sad, the thought of what happened there.

At the station, I was met by Sandra and Neil again who had offered to chaperone me for most of the time I was in the Lake District. We drove back to the B&B (which was my favorite Goodwin House in the town of Keswick).



Keswick

We quickly made our way to the laundramat as it would be the only chance I’d have to do laundry that week. It took a relatively short time before we were done and on our way to Aira Force.


Neil and Sarn

Greg had taken me to this lovely waterfall many years before, and I was happy to be back trudging through the forests and uphill to catch the breathtaking view. I say uphill, but after Edinburgh, this was nothing! LOL


Aira Force

On the way up, we saw this very cool tree… isn’t it cool?


Cool Tree

Anyway, after the trip, we drove back to Keswick to rest up and agreed to meet later for pub and food.

The pub we went to had really great food, too! If you want a decent meal – for the most part pubs will give you more and better for your money. Whoohoo! We thought we might go pub crawling, but the entertainment at the second pub was so bad we decided to just call it a night.

9/17

The next day was our travel day. There were so many things I wanted to do, and we did them all. Our first stop was to the Wisconsin of England – which is Wensleydale. There, we visited the Wensleydale Creamery and Visitor’s Centre at Hawes.

If you go here, you can see part of the same video we watched at the Visitor’s Centre:

Wensleydale Creamery

After our tour, we bought fresh cheese at the gift shop (let me just say YUM, by the way).

We stopped by the Ropemaker’s (also in Hawes) to get Eric some rope samples (he makes rope). Then, we packed it in and drove to Thirsk. Along the way, I saw signs that said “Ripon 6”… which is where I used to live, but we didn’t have time to stop.

At Thirsk, we were looking for the James Herriot Museum, and it wasn’t long before it found us!





James Herriot Museum

The museum was very well done and even showed the stage set for the television series (which I thought was pretty neat).

By the end of our tour, we were getting hungry… should we eat in Thirsk or at our next stop, Kilburn. Hmmmm. We decided to shoot for Kilburn and off we went.

Kilburn is a tiny town in Yorkshire, but has several interesting sights. The first is the Sutton Bank Visitor’s Centre at the Great North Yorkshire Moors National Park (which we didn’t have time to visit).

The second is the White Horse Cliff:


White Horse Cliff

Neil, Sandra, and I hiked up to the top and had a breathtaking view of the surrounding areas:





Views from the White Horse Cliff

We even got to watch as a glider was hoisted into the air from the nearby airport. It was rather surreal in this remote part of Yorkshire.

Anyway, we made our way back down the hill and into the town of Kilburn. We were famished by then, but were unpleasantly surprised to find the local pub closed! Luckily, there was a little café open and we were able to get some sandwiches there. Across the street was our final destination…

The Mouseman. Robert Thompson was a phenomenal woodworker who hand crafted furniture (mainly for churches) in the early 1900s. His work goes on today and you’ll find nothing but the highest quality wood furniture with his signature “mouse” carved into it. I purchased a small pin dish and was delighted.

I think we’d all just about toured ourselves out, so it was back to Keswick and another night of great pub food. The pub we stopped at was a favorite of Neil and Sarn's, and we were HUNGRY. So, Neil ordered something called a "Cow Pie"...which, obviously, was made out of an entire cow!


Cow Pie

It was enough to make the quasi vegetarian in me quake in fear.

9/18

On Friday, we’d decided that I’d go off and do my own thing and we’d meet up for lunch at our favorite pub. So, off I went. I had some shopping to do, and was happy to find the Fellswalker lotion at The Soap Co. in Keswick (great for soothing tired tootsies). I also just walked around and peeked into shops as I found them interesting. At one point, I located a large Oxfam store (their version of Goodwill), and found some interesting souvenirs that didn’t cost very much.

I also wanted to go to the local liquor store and buy a gift for Neil and Sarn (which turned out to be an expensive bottle of Single Barrel Jack Daniels. After all that shopping, it was time for lunch! I had a lovely roast beef with peas and Yorkshire pudding (yum).

Neil and Sarn had some things they wanted to do on their way back to Manchester, and I was just enjoying the leisurely pace of the day, so we parted ways (sadly). It had been a great visit and thanks from the bottom of my heart, you two, for all you did for me!

In the afternoon, I was just sort of milling about and trying to figure out a plan of action. I decided at the last minute to purchase a ticket for the local lake tour. This is a boat that travels (almost like a ferry) from point to point along the lake line. I think many of the lakes in the region do something similar. Anyway, if you like, you can get off at one point and hike to the next. It’s a great way to get some walking in and still be able to catch a ride home.

Here’s a video of part of my walk down to the lake:



Heading back, I took some pictures at the local park (Hope Park).





Hope Park

Sadly, I headed back to my B&B to pack for the final leg of my journey to London.

9/19

Got a taxi very early in the morning as I had to be at the station in Penrith by 8 to catch my train. Marion, the owner of the B&B, graciously fixed me a large lunch and had it waiting on the front desk when I left.

I was lucky enough to find a seat next to two elderly Glasgowian ladies on their way to Blackpool. They were such a hoot! (When I could understand them.)

I got into London around noon, caught my train to Penge and realized that staying in Penge that last day was a mistake. There were no trains out of Penge the following morning until 8 am… much too late for me to catch my flight. Frances, the owner of Melrose House, kindly assisted me by ordering a taxi for the following morning to West Croydon which would then take me on to Gatwick.

I was too tired to do much that afternoon, so I hung around Penge and did a final walk around the area. The local church was having a barbecue, and the smells wafted throughout the street. It was perfect weather, and I just enjoyed the leisurely time soaking in the houses and gardens… and everything that IS England to me.

How can I describe what it feels like to feel a country in every pore of your body? From the shops in the villages to the footpaths, lakes, and mountains… from the kindness of strangers to the peaceful solitude of sitting on a park bench and just “being.”

I was so blessed to have this trip, and so lucky to have my good friends along the way to escort me through parts of it. And to have met new friends who I’ll cherish even if we never meet again.

9/20

It was an early day to the airport, but I got there in good time. Made my final purchase in duty free (my favorite Estee Lauder perfume, “Beautiful” and headed for the boarding area. I regretted having bought a round trip ticket.

I landed in Charlotte and easily caught my connection to Austin. Arrived on time and without incident. Tom was there to pick me up (THANKS TOM!). I do appreciate your making that effort.

I was whisked back to my house and my dogs and my daily grind. I’m glad for the moments of magic I had and the memories. I wondered if there would ever be a way for me, again, to live in England so that I could rectify all the times when I didn’t appreciate it so much when I lived there before. Ah well, only time will tell.

9/14 to 9/15 – Edinburgh

9/14

I love traveling by train. It’s a great way to enjoy the company of new people (some even interesting), see the countryside, and have someone else do the driving.

People in the states should really catch on to the idea of mass rail transit. It’s the way to go!

At any rate, I got into Edinburgh early, and my baggage and I went looking for the exit to the rail station.

Here’s what we found:



Waverly Station - Edinburgh

I was daunted, but determined to get out of there, so I hauled my bags up each and every step.

Then, it was across the main street (Princes) and down about half a mile to the B&B. I’d been warned that the B&B was up several flights of stairs, but just let me say…SEVENTY steps? OMG, I was horrified… but determined…

So, up I went. Only to find out that my room wasn’t yet ready! Oh well, time to sightsee a bit. That meant storing my bags at the B&B, going back down (SEVENTY) steps, and back the way I came. WHEW.

Princes Street hosts about a bazillion shops, so I had no problem locating many gifts for my friends back home. The bad part of all of this is that Edinburgh is undergoing some kind of mass transit renovation, and they’re laying tram tracks right down the center of Princes Street. Views were blocked in almost every direction. However, I was only shopping, so no biggie.

Went back to the B&B and up (SEVENTY) steps to my room.

The room was smallish (most UK “singles” are a twin bed in a small space). I had none of the wonderful views that the brochure had shown (wah!). But it was clean and comfortable – and the manager (Honor) and her husband were very gracious.

I was laying there napping and guilting myself because this was the only day I was going to have to tour Edinburgh. Tomorrow was my all-day tour of the Highlands and Distilleries! So, I got up, and hauled myself back down (SEVENTY) steps to Princes Street. From there, you have to cross over to another part of town passing by museum alley (or whatever it was). Then UP about 50 steps. This was the sight I saw:



Edinburgh Castle

Wow. It was so imposing and beautiful. But, to get there – I had to find the Royal Mile, which turned out to be… you guessed it…

Up Hill!

I will say this – I gained some muscle those two days in Edinburgh!
The Royal Mile is a lovely area of shops (both touristy and not), old buildings, churches, and history. For the timetable I was on, the history was going to have to slide a little. I walked (uphill) toward the castle. They had just had the Tattoo, so there was scaffolding everywhere being taken down. Not the most scenic time to visit the town!

But, I got my ticket and was then faced with… tadaaa….

MORE STEPS



Castle Steps

At least I didn’t have any baggage with me. Up the steps I went – and into the castle courtyards. Oh my how beautiful they were!

You could see for miles.



Castle Yards

I toured around a bit taking pictures and buying souvenirs before heading back to the Royal Mile and down to Holyrood Palace. Along the way, I found Royal Mile Whiskeys and was able to get three bottles of highly-recommended scotch shipped to my house. I alsolocated the tour company’s store front for my tour the following day, and made note. By the time I got to the end of the Royal Mile (which really is a mile), I was pretty tired. It was also late, so I didn’t go into Holyrood (I’d seen it before), and I caught a bus over to Princes Street (I couldn’t face all those steps again!). TGIFridays was right next to my B&B, so that’s where I had dinner. In fact, many of my meals, unfortunately, were handled by American restaurants.

Then, it was up (SEVENTY) steps to my room. Which was upstairs, by the way.

9/15

The breakfast served at the B&B was wonderful and I met an American couple there who were visiting from North Carolina. Marilyn and Jim. They were really sweet, and were finishing up a trip that had taken them to various parts of the UK. I believe Edinburgh was their last stop before going home. We discussed life and the existence of so many steps in one city, then it was time for me to go to my tour. I had 45 minutes… so as I crossed Princes Street and went up the wall of steps there, I decided to get a coke. Afterwards, looked at my watch, and I only had 15 minutes to get there! I fairly ran down the Royal Mile – huffing and puffing – and finally got to the tour company. In front of it was parked a bus with a lady driver… so I asked if this was the Rabbies tour. She said, “no, I think they meet at ___” and gave me an address several blocks UP the Royal Mile. I started off in a run, but by that time, running uphill was just beyond me and I was going to miss the tour. So, I caught a taxi for the few blocks to the area she had indicated. Got out and…

No tours!

I was desperate by then, so I phoned the tour company. Turns out, the tour had been back downhill where I was originally. Luckily, the tour left late that morning. We were off by around 10:30.

I don’t recall our tour guide’s name, but he was genial enough.
Our first stop was at the Forth Bridge – breathtaking views of the waterways that go through Edinburgh.


Forth Bridge

From there, we went to the small town of Dunkeld. I found out later that when the Norse marauders had demolished Catholic strongholds in outlying Scottish islands, the center of Catholicism had moved to Dunkeld. But we really had no historical briefing before landing in the town. I just enjoyed the small shops, and getting a hot tea!

Then, we were off again. This time to the Hermitage. It was a beautiful day, and the Hermitage is a lovely forest walk to a series of waterfalls that just took your breath away.



Falls at the Hermitage

I ran into a Canadian couple on the trip who were quite nice, but we were operating at different paces (she had severe fibromyalgia), so we just hung out as we could and did our own thing for the rest.

Our next stop was Pitlochry which was very near the highly-recommended whiskey distillery of Blair Athol. I didn’t get a chance to tour Blair Athol, but I did enjoy Pitlochry for its quaint shops. I got a small sandwich at a butcher’s shop before continuing back to the bus.

The weather had held up well the entire trip thus far, so I was excited to see the last half of our journey. Next on the stop was Queen’s View:




Queen’s View

The vistas were amazing and the air so clean and clear… I fell in love with Scotland in spite of all the steps.

Then, we were off again! This time to Aberfeldy and the Dewars Distillery tour. I’m not a huge Dewars fan, and the actual distillery was not in operation at the time. So, we were only able to do the museum tour – which was mildly interesting. I did find out what a Qaich was! I had seen these small bowls everywhere.



Qaich

This is pronounced “cake”, by the way. It’s used in welcoming and parting to share a wee dram of alcohol with your friends. Sort of like breaking bread. Of course, I got one.

I taste tested some of the Dewars, but stuck to my general opinion that it wasn’t my favorite. And, onward went the bus!

Our last stop of the day was in Killin. I could have stayed there a night or two, the town was just lovely with a river running through the middle of it!

There was an ill-fated clan called McNabb, many of whom emigrated to North America. (See http://www.perthshire-scotland.co.uk/clans-macnab.htm).



McNab Burial Grounds

Sadly, we had to leave Killin and make our way back to Edinburgh. The driver dropped me off at Princes Street – so half the uphill journey was avoided.

I stopped for a quick bite at a McDonalds (in Scotland – whee!), and made my way back up (SEVENTY) steps to my B&B.

I loved my trip to Edinburgh and the highlands. I’m hoping to go back someday (and build up more muscle mass). LOL

The next morning, it was up bright and early to catch my train to Penrith and the English Lake District!

9/12 to 9/14 - Reepham/Norfolk

9/12

Woke up to a wonderful breakfast by the talent that is Chef Greg. He’s vegetarian, but man can the guy cook!

Around 10 am, we took off for a leisurely drive to Norfolk. It was absolutely lovely. I had no idea that Norfolk had Dutch-like windmills. Evidently, they had similar issues to Holland with the land being mostly swamp, so they hired the Dutch to help them pump out all the extra water.



After a brief interval searching for a loo at a Dinosaur park, we arrived at Reepham (which is the town outside of Norfolk where Kim lives).



Kim and Greg had graciously booked me a room above the local pub, so I checked in and we had a small lunch. Reepham is a lovely little town complete with some very interesting shops.

We drove to one place - Kim, what was the name of it? It was a huge store full of all kinds of gifty things. I picked up a glass cat for my friend Petra, then went across the street to the cafe for tea and scones. It was a beautiful day out, the weather was perfect. :)

We went back into town and looked briefly at a few stores in the main marketplace area before retiring for a nap. The nap was required as we were going on our 1940s murder mystery steam train evening that night!



Us

Thanks very much to Kim who went to all the trouble of locating a costume for me! She's a keeper, Greg!

I did learn that Kim could very easily have taken up a career in housecleaning...



The following is one of two (or was it three) dead bodies along the train trip:



Dead Body


We went home that night, and I prepared to sleep... in this ancient room above the ancient pub where I'm sure at least one ghost was living. So, I kept the light on all night long and didn't sleep at all. Scary!

9/13

Ahhh Sunday Sunday... and didn't have to meet Greg and Kim til 9:30 which left me with tons of time to ramble around the marketplace alone. I went to the local off-license and bought a few souvenirs and such.

Took a picture of the local thatched house.



And generally hung out.

Kim and Greg showed up, and we headed out for Cromer on the coast by the North Sea.

It was quite cold and windy on the beach...



but amazingly fun. We went to the RNLI museum which is a fund raising museum for Britain's "coast guard" which is a volunteer-run organization! I found lots of goodies in Cromer for my friends and family. Then, we headed into Norwich.

Had lunch at a cafe - food was great and company even better. There's a shopping arcade which we hit with a vengeance and a castle that looks a bit like a large crate. (We didn't have time to go through it.)



Norwich Castle

Drove back to Reepham to get ready for the grand finale that night which was... tadaa... the Tim Minchinconcert! Tim stumbled a little in the beginning - but he's known for ticking off just about anyone at any given time and making fun of things like racism, prejudice, religion, and politics.

I loved it. :)

"Oh, I can have a dark side... if you want me to"... he sang, but couldn't quite get through it without a "Yippee" and a tour down jitterbug lane.

His encore is what really sold me. He did a rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Halleluja"... the best version of that song I think I've ever heard. It brought the audience to it's feet (me included) cheering spastically.

What fun!

Unfortunately it all came crashing down...

9/14

Sad sad... I have to leave Kim and Greg today. God bless Kim - she's mailing me a ton of stuff so I don't have to carry it around with me. AND, they got up in the wee hours just to drive me a few hours west to Peterborough to catch my train to Edinburgh. We actually made it an hour ahead of schedule, and I was able to take an earlier train.

Yippee! (As Tim Minchin would say.)

Bye dear friends... and thank you for everything!

UK Trip 9/8 through 9/11

9/8 to 9/9

I couldn’t sleep the night before the trip. It wasn’t so much excitement as it was… insomnia. So, by the time Eric picked me up at 7 am, and by the time I got to the airport at 7:30…

I was wiped out. Also, I’d gotten a kink in my lower back. I was hoping it would go away as I had these two bags to lug with me all the way to England (I didn’t check anything in). I noticed a chair massage station at the airport, I had 3 hours to kill… it was a no brainer. So, I got in the chair, and this woman (Genie) was a brilliant massage therapist. She worked and worked the area until I was a completely new person (after half an hour). Thank you Genie!!!

I had a light breakfast (breakfast taco) and sat around waiting for the plane.

The type of plane I boarded was one of those smaller commuter jets. You think they’re just too small to be owned by a major airline (well, airline partner, really). But there I was in seat 8G BY the window. My theory is – sit by the window if it’s a domestic flight. By the aisle if it’s not. Now, I may change that theory at any given moment. Because – while it’s nice to have the leg room and the exitability of an aisle seat on the international flights – you also give up the nice wall to rest your head next to. That will be one of those million dollar debates, I suppose. But, we made it into Charlotte on time, and I was there for a four-hour wait.

Now, Charlotte airport is not big enough to wait four hours in. Even with a book and money to burn. I ended up in a little bar with comfy chairs writing in my travel journal. After my tenth glass of water, I figured I had bugged the waitress enough, so I trudged over to my waiting area with two hours still to go. That’s when I met my first trip best friend, Mia.

Mia is a beautiful lady with dark hair, British accent, and dark tan. She’s also irreverent and humorous and I liked her instantly. Mia was on the way to her mother’s 80th birthday and her sister’s? neice’s? wedding. Mia worked as a baggage handler for Jet Blue I think it was. She was able to get discount tickets overseas (lucky girl) but time off was another thing altogether, so she only had five days to do all she needed to do. Well, we sat there and talked like we’d known each other forever. Swapped information before we boarded, and have since sent emails back and forth.

We boarded the plane and I had carefully chosen my seat (aisle, of course) and not in the middle section of the plane. Even so, it was not a comfortable flight. The crew didn’t seem all that concerned with our comfort. I know it’s a long flight, and it must be an awful job to have to serve 200+ people for 6 hours or so… but they kept waking us up. I was nearly asleep when one of the stewards came by for Duty Free. I raised my hand because I wanted to get a bottle of Jack Daniels for my friends Sandra and Neil. “We don’t have any more,” he told me. Then turned my reading light on, nearly blinding me. I’m not sure why he did that as I wasn’t going to order any duty free if they didn’t have the Jack Daniels. Now, I couldn’t get back to sleep.

My seat partner, Joe, was originally from the West Indies and was working on emigrating from the UK to the US. His wife was currently living in Charlotte. Joe was a great guy and talked about growing up in Montserrat http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Monestir_de_Montserrat_vista_Roca_de_St._Jaume.jpg. Joe slept most of the trip and I didn’t. I did dutifully take my no jet lag pills, though, and drank enough water to drown an elephant. No caffeine. I’m not sure what did it, but I had pretty much zero jet lag when I got to England. We arrived early in London – by about 45 minutes (about 7 am their time).

I was in the front of the plane (and I can be a pushy broad when I want to be), and I wanted to beat the 200+ passengers at immigration and customs. I needn’t have worried. We must have been the first plane to land, and there were NO lines and no people! The immigration hall which normally contains hundreds and hundreds of folks coming in from other countries was EMPTY! I zipped through! And with no baggage to claim and nothing to declare, I was through!

My good friend Mia got through customs about the same time I did, so we made our way to the trains. She helped me decipher the code that is the ticketing machine… but finally, I got tickets to get me to Croyden. My last view of dear Mia was seeing her on the opposite platform waiting for her train to Brighton.

Well, I was on my own again, it seemed on the train to Croyden. Closing my eyes, smelling the damp earth – uh… damp? The sun… oh my god, I’d landed in the wrong city! Sure enough, sunshine and warmth were to follow me my whole journey this visit. I got to Melrose House B&B around 8 am. Poor Frances (the owner) wasn’t quite ready for me, but very courteously asked if I’d like to have some breakfast with the others in the house. I sat for some tea and met the most delightful new friends, Roy and Yvonne. Both had a lovely Irish brogue that I could have listened to for days. They were just wonderful people – from Canada – and in the UK to visit their son who was going to dance school.



Melrose House B&B

Finally, I took my leave as Frances had my room ready. It was my favorite room! Number 2. The one with the huge bathroom across the hall. I immediately dropped my bags and made my way to the shower. You don’t know how ungodly you felt until you have one of those soul-cleansing showers. And, though I was not really jet lagging, I was tired. Too tired to catch the train into London today. So, I thought I’d experience what Penge (the little town I was in) had to offer.

Let’s see if I can describe… Penge is typical of any suburbs very close to a large city. There were some rough spots, but it wasn’t nearly as chaotic as staying in town. It has the air of the city about it, but still keeps the tree-lined streets, the well-kept gardens, the gothic churches with bells chiming. You can stand on the street in front of my B&B and breathe, in other words. Melrose House is a lovely place with several floors. In the few times I’ve stayed with Frances, I always end up in Room #2 (which is just fine with me). Room #2 overlooks Frances’ gorgeous back garden.



View of Back Garden from Room #2

Inside, she has a large breakfast area (around which I met Roy and Yvonne) and a lovely sun room. Her home always leaves me feeling like I’m *at* home! But, leaving Frances’ B&B and walking toward the High Street became my first adventure. It’s quite a walk to the High Street. Perhaps a mile each way. But the weather was absolutely lovely. Upon turning right on the High Street, I was almost immediately met with a nice little café. So, I took myself in and ordered a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Then, sat out under an umbrella and watched the passersby.

Quite a mixture. I would say that Penge seems a bit like… hmmm… well, if you’re from the Houston area, Penge would have been like Pasadena. I finished up my sandwich and walked around a bit to find post cards. Ah! A post office loomed on my horizon, so I toodled off to see if they had any post cards.

Note: Many of the post offices in English towns are still located within convenience stores. Makes it kind of nice, really. I bought my cards and my stamps all in one fell swoop.

Then, I walked back along the street to Sainsburys (a chain grocery store) to see if I could pick up some Jack Daniels for Neil. Which I did. Two bottles’ worth! Of course, the English bottles were about half the size of the American ones. Took myself back to the B&B and rested while writing home of my adventures thus far (which had barely begun!). At any rate, I finished about half the post cards and decided to take a nap. Ah… glorious, glorious. To be able to leave the window open, feel the cool breeze, and have NO bugs bother me! It was heaven. Upon awaking, I noted the time and decided to hike back into the town. I dropped off half the post cards that I’d written into a post box (one of those big red ones with the ER on it for Elizabeth Rex). Then, went back to the Post Office to get a phone card.

Having done that, I cast my eyes about for a place to get something smallish for dinner. Sandy had talked to me of these things called Cornish pasties, and I saw one in a local bakery. So! Without further adieu, it became MY Cornish pasty and came home with me. The walk back was nice, and I went up to my room to eat and finish up the post cards. My Cornish pasty, by the way, was nothing to write home about. Basically, it was pureed meat, carrots, onions, and spices inside a pastry shell. Cornish miners used to take them into the mines for their lunches because they were so portable.



Cornish Pasty

I finished writing my post cards, and relaxed in front of the TV still smiling as the lovely cool breeze wafted across the bedroom. That was pretty much all there was to the first day. I had originally planned to go into London, but if I had, I would probably have ruined the lovely non-jet-lag I experienced on my trip.

9/10

I got up rather early, showered, and made my way to breakfast. There, I saw my good friends Roy and Yvonne and just spent a leisurely hour or so chatting with them (rather than rushing into town). They were wonderful people! I enjoyed talking with them very much. Anyway, I had to run and they did as well, so we parted ways.

I got from Penge to Victoria Station which was right across the street from the show I wanted to go see. So, I made my way there and got tickets to Billy Elliot from the box office. I had decided to go to the Winston Churchill museum and war rooms. Something about Churchill had recently grabbed my imagination, so off I went!

The museum, like so many tourist landmarks was within spitting distance of the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and other notable edifices. It was also there that I met my newest hero… Boudica. For her story, read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudica. Her statue lies across the street from the Houses of Parliament and quite close to the London Eye (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_eye). Here’s her statue:



Boudicca

But, I hadn’t come to see any of these tourist attractions – I was off to find Winston Churchill! So, using my considerable cartographic skills, I ended up at Churchill’s statue. The War Rooms eluded me, however. So I continued across the street and over to some official looking building that ended up being their High Court. I should’ve guessed by the men with the ear pieces. So, this ditzy tourist walks in and says, “Where are the War Rooms?” Luckily one ear-piece borg guy knew – and I was on my way.

The Churchill Museum and War Rooms were quasi-interesting. I’m afraid that most museums tend to bore me. Does that seem weird for someone so into history? To me history isn’t an old typewriter with a plaque on it. It’s the mystery and adventure of the time, event, or person. It’s the little-known battles of the mind and heart. Let me touch something real – like the ruins of Middleham Castle or the floors of York Minster. Let me go to the Shambles and *see* what history is about. Don’t box it up and label it. I might as well read a book.

Having said that, the War Rooms were mildly interesting. You got to see where Churchill and his advisors planned their defensive and offensive moves during WWII. You got to see the bunkers where people lived and slept (hard to imagine), and to which place people retired during bombing attacks. It was amazing really. Then there were the exhibits (especially the huge touch screen in the middle of the floor that didn’t appear to work).

And, does *anyone* like those darn recording devices you have to carry around and listen to? I don’t. Bah. So, off I went in search of other adventures.

Across the street from the War Rooms is the most gorgeous city park (St. James). A little squirrel came right up to you and begged for food. Flowers were in bloom everywhere… pictures were just not enough. If I had more time, I’d take a picnic to St. James and enjoy a day of leisure.



St. James Park

Down the walk from St. James, I saw the London Horseguards (which I could’ve toured but didn’t). I decided to tube it over to Trafalgar Square and see if Lord Nelson was still around.

As it turns out, he was! But, when my camera ran out of battery power, I was forced to dive into a souvenir shop for replacements. Who should I find there but Roy and Yvonne! My dear friends. It’s a good thing too, because I got their email address. I left too early the next morning to have gotten it then. We laughed and talked… I took my pictures then headed for Picadilly Circus.

Got pictures there (all this was for you, dear reader). By this time, I was hungry and need to get going so I tubed it to Victoria Station again and headed to Garfunkels for lunch. Garfunkels is kinda like the English version of Dennys, I’ve determined. Not great, but not bad either. Then, I went to see my show across the street. That’s when I met my third best friend, Jeanie.

Jeanie sat next to me at the musical (how serendipitous). She was a lively lady from Johannesburg, South Africa. She was so much fun! She kept plying me with these red licorice type sweets and told me of her life in Jburg, and the son she had come to visit. Billy Elliott was a blast, and we both enjoyed the show. Afterward, I had no plans – so we decided to go to Victoria Station to look for a Buddhist shop she’d been told about.

That’s when we met George.

In the middle of the street is a pedestrian island. Around it is all the traffic for Victoria Palace and Victoria Station (lots of traffic). In the middle of the island, shuffling at the great rate of about 1 cm a minute and looking very confused was this little old man. I asked him if he needed help across the street and he offered that he did and that his name was George. George was going to the grocery store. As slowly as he walked, he’d never get across the street, so with Jeanie taking one arm and I the other, we said, “RUN!” hehehe… and fairly lifted George across the street. With a thanks and a fond adieu, we left him to shuffle to Sainsburys.

We then crossed the busy street again, spent 15 minutes looking for the non-existent Buddhist shop, and came back to the traffic island. From there, we could see that George had only progressed about 20 feet! We had no idea what to do or who to turn to. There were no cops about. So, we had to hope that George found his way home somehow.

Jeanie and I went into the little pub and had a few drinks while catching up on each others’ lives. What a cool person! I felt sad that I had to say goodbye, but I had to get home before dark. So, farewell it was and an amazing adventure for my second day in the UK.

9/11

A date that will live in infamy. But it was a glorious day in 2009 when I picked up the 6:40 train to Victoria Station. I was on my way to see Sarn for a day of shopping in Stoke-on-Trent!

Lugging baggage, I wondered if I'd make it to Euston Station (my departure point) on time, but somehow I found the connecting underground and was there in good order. The train ride to Stoke-on-Trent was gorgeous. I love the trains in Europe... it's the only way to travel (when there's no strike). I watched as towns and countryside whisked past, and ended up in SoT early! So, I hung around for a bit til Sarn showed up and we were OFF! (Mentally as well.) hehe.

Sarn is a lovely person with a heart as big as Texas. She drove me first to the Wedgewood museum. It was a very well done museum, but - again - boredom set in. You can only view so many plates! I did learn that there was a familial connection between the Wedgewoods and Charles Darwin. That was interesting.

We got a bite to eat at the Wedgewood cafe (I had a lovely fish and chips there), then we decided to go off and do the fun stuff (which was shopping at the china outlets). Whoohoo! We stopped first at the Portmeirion outlet, but didn't find anything. Then it was on to Wedgewood/Royal Doulton. There, I purchased my two lovely ladies! Here's are pictures:





We wondered how we'd spend the rest of our day, so we asked the lady at the Wedgewood shop who said we should see Trentham Estate. Never heard of it, but we went anyway and were pleasantly surprised!

Trentham Estate (http://www.trenthamleisure.co.uk)encompasses a lovely garden (which we didn't get to see) and a shopping village. The shopping village was a lovely boardwalk containing all sorts of little shops. The day was perfect, so Sarn and I popped into almost every shop.



With that, our day was at an end. Sarn dropped me off at the train station and I was on my way to Leicester to meet up with Kim and Greg. They picked me up in Leicester, drove me home, cooked me a meal that couldn’t be beat, and gave me the only bed in the house to sleep on (bless ya, dearies!). It had been a wonderful day.