Contiki

Okay. So Contiki is an insane pace. Which I did already expect from Lukes experience ' but seriously ' there is no time for this!!!

 

So

 

I have been to Paris, and had a pretty good time, but not enough time. Lyon - and it was beautiful. Then to Barcelona and then the French Riviera, there we hit up Nice and Monaco.

 

Everything is gorgeous and I have seen so many amazing things!!

 

The people are interesting and mostly very cool. Altho . again as warned, there are people i cannot stand!

 

haha

 

I am currently in Venice and we are only on day 9. SOOOO much more to see,. I do plan to take more time for a comprehensive description.

 

For now . I am having fun. Meeting people. and it is good!

 

I have to run!

 

SOOOOOON!

IRELAND!

Hello friends!!

So I got to Ireland on Friday evening. Got to my hostel & was with a group of 9 American lacrosse students over here for schooling. Yikes! They were party party party, but they were actually pretty nice girls & invited me out to O'Shea's where we watched a live band, had a pint of Guiness & some pretty good conversation. At around 2 am a couple of them came back to the room HAMMERED & giggly tho. Oh the hostel fun. ;)
Keith was due to get in early Saturday morning. That did not happen, he wasn't able to make his flight & so didn't get in until Sunday morning. So Saturday - Michelle wandered around Dublin on her own AGAIN! I am getting a little tired of wandering around cities alone! :) But it was fine, uneventful. I went back to my room, took some goofy pics, read a little, wrote in my journal, and then went out again. When I came back around 6:30 - I met some more Americans ( I had moved rooms b/c I had only planned to be there for the one night), so these nice Americans - who had just spent some time in Greece!, invited me out to go on a hunt for the pub in PS I Love You. Naturally - people & a movie that I loved, I was in! So we went for a walk. Found the pub, but it was blasting out hard rock, not nice Irish folk music. So we went elsewhere for dinner. And then ended up back at O'Shea's. The same band was there & the Irish folk songs were a'blarin! :)
Early Sunday Keith showed up. We hit the road right away! Belfast, we went thru it. Stopped at The Crown Saloon for lunch. Survived all the bombs at The Europa (most bombed hotel in Ireland), just across the street, and The Crown was very ornate!! Took some pics. Then we went thru the Hill of Tara - a pagan burial site that was pretty neat. And then Carrickfergus. It is pretty much the beginning of the  Causeway Coast route, saw the castle from the outside & did a walk along the pier. Then we went on to Larne. Stayed in a B&B called Inverbann. It was nice, had an Irish brekky in the morning.
Monday we did the Causeway Coast drive. We started in Carrick-a-rede, a suspension bridge between the big island & a little tiny one. It was a short bridge compared to Capilano, but the scenery was excellent! After that we stopped at the side of the road to take pics of a sandy beach, and then moved on to Bushmills. To the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery - the oldest whiskey distillery still in operation in..Europe!? Definitley Ireland! Did the tour, took some pics & drank some whiskey :) After that tour we headed to the Giants Causeway. Several natural geological formations on the coast of Northern Ireland. BEAUTIFUL! Definitely one of the most beautiful things we saw...then a short trip to Dunseverick Castle ( one wall in ruin-a waste of time) and then Dunluce - a pretty cool seaside castle ruin. Lots of it still remains. Lastly we went to Limavady. Got a little turned around & lost track of time so no FOOD was open. We stopped in at a Tesco's & had a sandwich. And then met an amazing woman who drove us from place to place until we found an open B&B! Amazing. The B&B was Foyle View - pretty nice place.
Tuesday - We went to Enniskillen (last stop in Northern Ireland) and we went to the Marble Arch Caves b/c I had been told that the caving in Ireland in pretty awesome. It was my first caving experience & I did enjoy it!! :) After that we went thru Tuam & then on the way to the Cliffs of Moher we stopped outside of Burren at the Poulnabrone Dolmen Portal Tomb, a tomb from the Stone or Bronze Age. VERY OLD! VERY COOL! Pics will be posted eventually !! After that we headed for the Cliffs of Moher. Did the cliffs at sunset, wandered into the ' do not go here' area, got some great pics. Had fun! Then stopped at the Moher View B&B. :)
Wednesday - Thru Limerick, checked out the King John castle from the outside & then  a tourist info place. Off to Lough Gur - the biggest stone circle in Ireland. It was INCREDIBLE! I could have spent all day there just breathing. Lots of cool pics, there was an altar where people put money & jewel things. Very moving for me. I loved it. After that we had lunch in Killarny at a pub. Then did the drive around the Ring of Kerry. I think I would miss that. Some coastal views are great, but mostly you're just driving & a fair amount of the scenery is very BC. So meh. We both wouldn't do it again. Then we went out to Blarney. Checked out the town, got a B&B, Tourist Joy, GREAT, and then back into town for a pint or two in the pub.
Thursday(yesterday) morning - went to Blarney Castle, checked it all out, kissed the stone, now I'm so chatty ;) hahahaha Then we went to the Blarney Woolen Mills where I was disapointed with the woollen options & PRICES! Next stop Waterford, home of the Waterford Crystal. We saw the home of - but they stopped manufacturing in January, so no tour. Then we went out Kells, a couple of monastic site from way back  Kell's Priory, Kilree Tower. Very cool, we could wander them at will. Then to Wicklow. beautiful mountains, tons of coniferous trees - definitely felt like BC - saw a bunch of old religious buildings. St. Kevin's Church, Tower of Glendalough, etc etc. It was really cool. Then off to find a B&B, Silver Sands in Wicklow. It was great.
Today we came into Dublin. We wandered around Trinity College, had an excellent tour guide & saw the Book of Kells & companions, very amazing. The Long Room tour thru their library...OMIGOD. I just wanted to grab one of these 1,000 year old books & lie on the floor smelling it's pages. I learned a lot & was wowed by the beauty & quantity of books in that library. *le sigh* After that we headed to the Guiness Brewery. For a totally different experience!! Very modern, lots of technologically advanced stuff thru the tour, very cool, had quite a bit of Guiness. 3.5 pints. mmm. Loving it! It was great! Now I stopped in here to say hello, before we head off to another pub, and tomorrow I'm back in London for a couple days!!
LOVE YOU!

AAAAHHHHH!!!!

Well here we go!!!

 

I'm heading out this evening on a Ryan Air flight to Dublin. I'm bussing it to my hostel & meeting Keith in the morning when he gets off his plane in Dublin. Im very excited to be seeing another country & to be able to tour around with a friend who is seeing it all for the first time too!

 

I booked my Contiki Tour today! So on June 30th I leave from London on a 46 day camping tour of Europe. We will see parts of: France, Spain, Monaco, Italy, the Vatican City, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Montenagro, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerlan, Netherlands & Belgium. **whew** and I'll be with a tour group of people & will have lots of people to talk to & take pics with ;) So I will be safe. My credit card feels a little warm now tho ;) hahaha

 

So today I'm cleaning up my room here at the Lewis's. Saying my goodbye's - altho I will be back after the Contiki Tour. I am weighing my bag again to check & make sure that I am within the requirements :) And then I'm off. So my internet usage will not be quite so prolific - but I will still try to get on once a week or so to update everyone on where I have been & what I have seen.  It will be strange, I've gotten quite used to the little routine we have going here :) Mary & Tony feel like family! I just keep adopting people wherever I go LOL

 

Bye for now!

 

Love Shelle

An English summer...

Hiya!

Still in England. Still having a good time. Lovely hosts...amazing people.

 

Been a slow week touristy-wise. But lots of visitors, people over for dinner, learning about England & everywhere else anyone has been to. I've met lots of people that have travelled around quite a bit & had many a conversation about places to go & it certainly fuels my gusto for wanting to get out & about. Altho some of these people went travelling 15-20 years ago!! Back when they were able to just hitch hike & meet random people without so much worry about the crazies ;)

 

It was an  up & down week weather-wise. Sunny mornings, torrential downpours in the afternoon, flooding in some towns, and then nice days later. Not super hot - but alright. It was supposed to be a rainy yuck weekend - but today was lovely! The weather guys here NEVER get it right - they make our weather people look like genius's!

 

Today I went out for a ride for the first time since my fall. It was good. I fell off of Grace about 3 weeks ago now? Yowza! The weekend after I fell, Tony fell off of Spitfire, but he was fine. We all joked that they are keeping a tally inside their stables of how many people they have eached knocked off - since a week or two before I came to England a friend of Mary's had fallen off of Grace (only in that instance Grace was just standing there & the friend lost her stirrup & balance). Today - I was ok! :) It was fairly seamless for me except that Grace is a piggy & can't help but try to eat EVERYTHING she walks by - worse than  Finn! But Mary fell off Spitfire today because he nearly stepped on a rabbit & when it ran it spooked him. She's OK too, apparently I'm the only one not smart enough to tuck & roll ;) So now they are even in dumps - maybe it will be smooth sailing from here on out! hahaha

 

I'm heading to Ireland on Friday! Exciting!! Can't wait to meet up with Keith & head out to see what there is to see on the island! It will be so awesome to tour around with another tourist :) After that??? To London for a few days & then we will see. Nothing booked yet! But will keep you updated!!

My life this past week or so...

What has been going on lately??

 

An old friend of mine, Luke was in Europe for the last 40 days or so. He was on a Contiki tour & ended up in London. We got in touch, but weren't able to meet up.  That was a little disapointing, would have been cool to do some sightseeing in London with a friend - especially one who is pretty knowledgable in politics & history! He's home now - so I guess we will catch up when I get home.

 

I booked my Ireland tickets! I head over to Dublin Friday June 19th & come back to England on the 27th. Keith is meeting me there on the 20th, I'm excited to be able to tour around Ireland with a friend!!!

 

I'm planning to do a Contiki June 30th - but haven't booked it just yet. Will keep you all updated!!

 

I started working on my knitting a bit. Trying to do socks on a set of 4 needles. Very fine yarn, but I think the needles are too long! LOL It is definitely a bit complicated to work with 4 needles, especially with it's all flimsy! Oh well - I will keep at it & one day I will be able to do it blindfolded

 

My mom, & my dad have both had birthdays & celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary in the last couple weeks! What a busy month I missed out on - bad daughter!!! I'll make it up to them when I get home - promise!

 

On Saturday I spent the day wandering around Nottingham. That's right - Robin Hood, Maid Marian, all of that stuff! It's alive & real there! I went to the castle, lots of plaques & info about things to do with Robin Hood etc. There were dancers too. The castle wasn't too big - but the grounds were GORGEOUS! And within the castle it was a museum! Art, textiles, the history of Nottingham, everytime I turned a corner there was more to look at it was crazy!!! And it was a gorgeous day too. Spent lots of time just soaking up the sun & enjoying the vitamin D!!!  I still have to check out Sherwood forest, as the two aren't really withing walking distance .

 

Went to a BBQ on Sunday. A friend of Tony's & Martyn's. Great place, great food, lovely people. 4 big newfoundlander doggies that were great! And a giant land tortoise names Tiger. Ace!!!! Got pretty sunburned that day though. Yikes! I didn't think I would need sunscreen in England!! I did get some now! And some aloe. So I'm taking care! I wasn't WANTING to get sunburned. But I'm still happy for all of the sun. It was 4 days straight - but now it's getting a bit less summerlike. But It was phenomenal while it lasted. The green looked even more green in the sunlight!

 

Monday night a friend of Tony's came over after work. Had a BBQ, some wine & listened to some AC/DC in the setting sun. It was a pretty super night too!!

 

I think that pretty much updates anyone who cares on what has been going on!

 

Love you all!!

Dangermouse

Saturday was a GLORIOUS day! All sunshine & warmth. Hardly any breeze at all. I headed out to one of the fields after breakfast & wrote in my journal. Then I read some of it & by the time I came back to the house it was nearly 3pm! Crazy! And...wait for it...I GOT A SUNBURN! On my forarms & my shins! Can you believe it?! I got sunburnt in England! That's ACE! Then we had lunch & hummed & hawed about going riding or walking. We eventually decided on a ride. So Mary & I saddled up the horses & headed out. Gracie was plodding along as usual, falling behind & I would prod her on. We got just over 1/3 of the way & started to trot. Then they started to canter, but my footing wasn't feeling right so I pulled back on the reins. But Gracie was in a mood. She didn't listen, she sped up to pass Spitfire, which was so strange!! She always stays behind him & I usually have to encourage her to go faster. I was still pulling on the reins, but neglected to yell 'woah'.  Spitfire spooked as Grace came up alongside & then Grace spooked bigtime & leaped to the right. I bailed to the left. Landed on the small of my back & slid about a foot.

 

I'm fine. I just feel about 100 years old. LOL Last night I was a bit swollen, but today that seems to be gone. Just feel like old bones, bending & leaning & sitting is rough. haha So there's another experience - I hope never to repeat!!! So that ended our lovely day, we didn't end up going for a walk after that. I did ride back though. Thought it would be quicker than leading her back. And now Mary is calling Grace 'Dangermouse'.

 

Today we went out to the Lancaster Air Museum. Saw a Lancaster called 'Just Jane' fired up & taxi down the runway, saw a Spitfire on the ground & flying about. Also a Dakota on the ground. Wandered through some of the buildings & saw lots of info about the different planes & pieces of the planes. There was a swing dance demonstration. The weather was definitely not as nice today, but it was a very informative day! They even had a raffle to let people ride in the Lancaster for the taxi.

 

And that was the rest of my weekend!

Ah me....

What an incredible weeked - and it's only Saturday!

 

Last night Tony & I headed out to Warwick, to visit some friends. We went out for dinner at an Indian restaurant & had some great food & very wonderful company. A lot of laughs were had.

 

And today...Tony went out to do his thing with friend, Andy. And I went to Stratford-Upon-Avon. That's right, William Shakespeare's birthplace & where he spent most of his days. Had breakfast at a little cafe. And then I went into a few tourist shops & then caught a bus tour. It was a double decker, open top bus. Went to 3 Shakespeare houses. There are 5 in total, but I was worried about time. So I went to Ann Hathaway's Cottage (William's wife), and it was a lovely thatched roof cottage. Beautiful gardens, I wasn't able to take pictures inside, but learned a lot! I saw everything there was to see there. Then hopped onto the bus & went to Mary Arden's House & Countryside Museum (William's mother's family home). This was quite the thing. It is a functioning Tudor farm! So everyone there was in old style dress. There were farm animals, cooking over open fire hearths, etc etc. So cool. And there were falconry displays, archery displays, maypole dancing. A lot to take in! The third place was Shakepeare's Birthplace & the home he spent his early years in. I learned so much about his life & his family. I wasn't able to take pictures inside of this one either. But learned that his father was a glove maker & saw the shop. Saw all of the things donated in his memory from other famous individuals. As well as signatures & remembrances written by some of those same people. The room he was born in... I did miss out on the house he finished life in, as well as his burial plot etc. But maybe I will get back there. The town was great & the day was sunny & warm. I was definitely feeling the romance of the place.

 

I hopped a bus back to Warwick & then after taking a look downtown - and finding a quite nice woolshop!!! I went to Warwick Castle. HOLY MOLY! It was really big, a lot bigger than Lincoln. And now that the season has started it has A LOT going on!! I got to check out the gaol, there was a walk through the castle called the Kingmaker - which is basically all the steps involved in getting ready for battle. Pretty incredible set up they have. I only had 2 hours at the castle so I didn' get to see everything. But there used to be a moat. There is a water mill generating power. There was a wall walk that was way more intense than Lincoln - 533 steps up to the top. WHEW! There were archers, sword play, jousting, a trebuchet that they shot a fire ball across the yard with!!! There was a guy on stilts, a Ballista to check out, a rose garden, a play area for children, a Peacock garden - SO MANY THINGS! And I did not get to see them all, but it was awesome!! I LOVE castles

 

AND --- it was SO warm I was wishing I was wearing shorts!! Isn't that a CRAZY thing! LOL

 

So, beauty, romance, adventure, history, sunshine - the only thing that made it a little bittersweet, I had no one to share it with. I love Him, but it's just not the same, you know

 

It's only Saturday evening & there is still Sunday & Monday because it's another Bank Holiday weekend! What more could there be!!!???

Out & About

Today was a bizarro day weatherwise. It couldn't decide between being sunny & gorgeous or rainy & cold! I was dropped off in Chesterfield & spent the day wandering around the Market & all the shops. Checking out the Crooked Spire Church that they are famous for. It was built in the late 13 Century and finished around 1360. It is the largest church in Derbyshire. The Spire was 'twisted' when unseasoned wood was used during its construction. Then 32 tons of lead tiles were placed on top and as the timber dried out the weight of the lead twisted the spire. I found a place that did a Chai Latte. I guess in the last few years lattes & mochas have become popular here, but funky teas have still not caught on. I am ashamed to say that I am missing Starbucks & Starbucks inspired fun & funky tea options!!

 

I also finally found a shop that had a bit of wool in it. So I found needles that I will be able to start my project with! I still need to find a better wool shop that has more options! :) But I can get started now LOL

 

Tonight we watched Eurovision 2009! It's like European Idol. Quite the thing, so much going on! And Norway won, they were the ones I like the best! "I'm in love with a Fairytale.."

 

More to come...

Another weekend in the country

So it's been awhile because it's been pretty quiet - a lot of horse stuff. Helping out with the horse chores & Mary & I went riding Saturday, Sunday & Monday. Each ride about 2 hours. Also on Sunday we went to a horse show & then to the Newark County Fair, where there was horse jumping, side saddle events, a western event, jousting, etc etc. It was all fun, didn't do too much else. On Monday we went to Gainsborough. Mary had her hair done & I wandered about. Looking for English looking items for gifts, neat architecture & WOOL! And could I find a yarn shop?!?! NO!! I'm in bloody freezing wet England & haven't been able to find a wool shop to get some yarn for a new project. Yowza! So that is at the top of my list for the next time I'm in Lincoln or any other large centre!

 

I am thisclose to getting wheels. I have a car I can drive, I'm just trying to get the insurance figured out for it. So cross your fingers, as having wheels will let me see so much more of the countryside on my own without having to ask favours of my hosts!

 

Plans are underway with Keith to travel to Ireland, all that is left is to make the exact date plans. So once that is figured I will pass on that info. Very excited for Ireland!

 

So - much horse time. My bum was sore on Sunday - but by Monday I was OK. Guess Erik is right, you just get used to it. But very excited to get home & ride his horses & see how that feels in comparison! I got to canter for the first time. That was scary & exciting, and once I got the saddle on straight it was pretty exhilarating! Man, horses are powerful creatures.

 

I got fudge at the fair. Yes, the new chocolate that I have been finding here is a bit of a downfall of mine. However, no - I am not 300 lbs & am not planning on becoming any such thing. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon. (I pray! or the willpower will have to kick in!)

 

My big plans:

-get car insured & start driving!

-get yarn & needles so that I can start a new project. Maybe socks! yikes!

-IRELAND!

-more postcards to more people ;)

 

So stay tuned. Sorry if I don't write often enough, or enough info for 'some' people (ehem, mother. Jenny.) But sometimes I feel like not a whole ton goes on in a week & I don't want to bore everyone with my thoughts & ideas instead of cold hard factiods! :)

 

 

 

A Bank Holiday Weekend

Hiya!! Jenny - simmer, it's only May 4th!

So this last week I ate Haggis - and liked it! Had a chat with my ma on the phone. Got my mobile sorted, I now have a number & am able to send & receive international texts - thanks to Alisha for that bit of expertise!!! The week went well, there were a mixture of days, some sunny, some rainy. But it does always seem to be pretty breezy in this Lincolnshire area. I haven't done anymore driving as yet. But have been to the surrounding villages for food runs with Mary. Saxilby & Gainsborough...

This weekend was a long weekend. A Bank Holiday weekend. Friday we went to a Farm Auction in Market Rasen - lots of old stuff. Lots of rusty stuff :) Pretty neat, I know my dad would have gone home with loads of stuff haha After that I went for a walk with Benji while Mary rode Grace alongside me.

Saturday I got up & helped Mary a bit by cleaning up the horse poop from the fields, and then we picked Ragwort from the fields so that the horses don't get sick. After that we all went to a Game/Country Fair in Market Rasen (happenin' place!). It was fun! Lots of stalls selling all manner of things. Food, candy, military/hunting stuff, toys, ferrets, dog stuff, etc etc. There were helcopter rides & in the middle of the area there were falconry shows & a jousting tourney. All for fun & entertainment of course, but it was fun. Too bad it was a cold & overcast day haha, but I'm learning to expect it! Definitely MUST spend some time in Greece, Spain, Croatia!!! To get some sun before I head home :D

Sunday - Did some washing, hung it on the line - then a bird pooped on it!! hahaha FUN Tonight we saw a deer in the field behind the house. Which is the first time in the year that they have been here. Went out for a ride today on Grace, while Mary walked alongside. Which made for a very slow lazy horse. But the English saddle wasn't as weird as I thought it would be! It was odd to wear a helmet! Felt like I was riding a bike or something! hahaha

Still haven't found time to get Tony to show me how to ride a bike - but hopefully soon :) Wishing desperately that I had a bike licence & could rip around the countryside on a motorbike!!!

One more day of weekend! And so far it's a pretty cold, dreary, rainy one. But I think that's about all I've been up to this week -

Oh - Ben & Jerry's Phish Food - if you can find it - EAT IT! Yum!!!!!