Dorset: Touristy Travelling

As I mentioned yesterday, Dorset is stunning. It is right next door to Devon, so they are quite similar. There are so many touristy things to do! Here are a few of the things I saw and did:

West Bay

This was about 15 min from where I was staying. It is a little coastal village along the English Channel and is home to the Jurassic Coast. As England`s first world heritage site, I would say that it`s a "can't miss." Of course, my love for rocks and the sea do make me a tad bit biased ;)

I went here with the Helen and Lucy on my first night in Dorset. It was a little overcast, but the waves were powerful and the wind was strong. I really enjoyed it! We walked up and down the boardwalk. In the summer there is a little ice cream stand along the dock, I'm told it's been there for ages. Stop and have an ice cream while visiting. Ice cream makes everything even more enjoyable.


Beaminster and Bridport

I visited both of these towns on different days. Beaminster is smaller, but the town square boasts a couple cute little shops. I especially love the Cilla and Camilla store- be sure to stop in. We were there because H and L had hair appointments, so I had some time to kill. I headed to a local coffee shop for a cuppa (cup of tea). It was so nice and made me feel like a natural woman local.

We then headed down the road to a little craft centre outside of town. Mom, you would have LOVED this place. There are about 5 or 6 shops, but some are bigger than others. The first one we went into was full of glass beads and glass goodies. I was terrified to break everything. The next place had a lot of nic-nacs that you could personalize. This shop would be great for birthdays, but alas, it is in Dorset. There was also an art gallery and a stone/feng shui/karma type shop.

Finally, we hit the motherload. I don't know what its called, but it is the original shop that started the centre. And it is fabulous. Scarves and teapots and gardening stuff and home decor and stationary and fascinators. OH the fascinators. I wanted to buy all of them, but settled with a peach one. Just wait until you see it- it is brilliant.

Now, Bridport. We went in for an eye appointment and to run some errands (to get things for L's prom! eek!). They have a local museum though, so we stopped in for a gander.

It is down a little side street and is free to the public. Be sure to stop. There is a vast array of information on Bridport. You see, Bridport used to be a huge rope-making town. They have crazy wide roads because they would stretch the rope across the streets to dry. But back to the museum- there is this video that you can watch that explains so much about the 'old way of life' and about the rope making. It is narrated by locals that were part of it. I was interested the entire time. I learned so much. You see, there used to be hooks outside of everyone's front door to make fish nets. The moms would weave the nets as the children would make sure that needles stayed threaded. They were paid about a penny for every 20 needles- a fortune back then. It really was a family affair.


Weymouth
I went to Weymouth with Josie, the lovely Dorset County organizer. She picked me up at the Wallbridge's to move house on the Friday I was there. On our way in to Dorchester, where she works, we stopped at Weymouth.

You may have heard the name before because it's where Aaron lives the Olympic sailing will be taking place! They had just opened a viewing tower when I was there:

The town was so nice! We drove along a main drag that was right on the beach. There were army guys on the beach doing training exercises and the water was so blue! I wish I could have gone for a swim.

We then made our way past the people and full marinas to Portland. We saw Chesil Beach which was quite neat!


Dorchester

Dorchester was a stop-over of sorts. I was on my way to Stalbridge to stay with my second host family and I got the chance to explore the city a bit.

I mostly did some window shopping down a street that is closed to traffic. Sadly, I don't know the name BUT I do know that shopping in Dorchester is very nice! I went to Thorntons Chocolate and purchased the most delicious chocolate I have ever had. Ever. I went back and bought three more to take home ;)

You see friends, I wish I could go into detail about all the fabulous shops, but let's be honest here. I'm more of a window shopper :) I did, however, make my way into this one shop, Medusa Apothecary. It was all SO expensive. Nice, but Expensive. I left empty handed.

But I did find a little gem- The Dorchester Wildlife Garden:

And while it was overcast and wet, the garden was lovely. I was the only person there- my own secret garden!

Now, there is TONS to do in Dorchester, but I only had about an hour or so to explore. If you go, make your way to the nearest visitor information centre and get some pamphlets. There is so much to do- including a King Tut museum!

Some other things that you should do in Dorset(and surrounding areas):

Stonehenge: I cannot even tell you how much I loved seeing Stonehenge. I didn't think I was going to see it. The first night that I was at Tom and Louise's, they asked if I wanted to see it. It was only 45mins away. It was the day after the Solstice so there was tons of security and it was locked up. BUT it was sunset, and I LOVED it.

Cerne Abbas Giant:

Yup, it's quite...large. The chalk drawing is 180 ft tall. It's supposed to help fertility. Read more.

Gold Hill: It's the site of the famous Hovis Bread Commercial. The hill is in Shaftsbury and is SO STEEP.

I also visited Sherbourne Abbey (SO PRETTY) and King Alfred's tower, just to name a few. The thing about England is that every little town has something to see and to do. You need to make friends with a local and just explore. You will not be disappointed by what you find :)

Dorset

Dorset is along the West border of Devon. Known for their apple cakes, Dorset is a smaller county with mega charm and beauty.

It is similar in landscape to Devon- hedges and fields. But according to Jonathan, the hills are higher and the valleys are deeper. Let's just take a moment to appreciate it:

Yeah, it's beautiful- I know ;)

While in Dorset, I stayed with two of the nicest families I have ever met. For my first bit, I stayed with the Wallbridge family:

Kevin, Helen, Lucy and I (James, Lucy's brother is missing from the photo)

They live in Hooke on a dairy/beef farm with a few chickens and five sheep. Oh, and a dog and three cats. They were amazing. The entire family was so kind and hospitable. Lucy is just 16 and my first day in Dorset was her first day of summer. She was so sweet and we hit it off right away- I miss her already and I really hope that she comes to visit me in Canada. She is a very wise gal and will do some great things in life (perhaps it will include her own flock: Lucy's Lambs).

The farm is Holstein/Fresian crosses with some beef blood thrown in there for luck. They milk about 100 head and have about 300 acres.

Oh, and Helen? Yeah, she is a FABULOUS cook. I'm pretty sure that every pound I lost in London was found in Hooke ;)

And then I stayed two nights with Tom and Louise:

These two were a hoot! Honestly, I will be staying in touch. I can see us remaining good friends. If they lived in Canada, or I in Dorset, we would have some ridiculously funny stories and good times.

Tom is the county chairmen and Louise, his girlfriend, is a former Young Farmer. They were fantastic. Tom basically runs his own company fitting milking parlors and Louise works for a cheese company, Wyke Farms. They live in Stalbridge.

I really lucked out with my Dorset families. Both were fabulous. I could have spent the entire five weeks with either of them and I would have had just as much fun!

I cannot wait to tell you about my Dorset adventures- check back often to hear about all my fun stories :)

Goodbye to Devon

Dear Devon,

I am oh-so-sad to say goodbye. It's too bad we couldn't have spent more time together.

You are beautiful. SO beautiful. You introduced me to:

Hedges

Sheep and beef farming

driving the quad bike

Elderflower cordial (a special thanks for this one!)

Shandi

Ashton's luxury hot chocolate

Gemma and Jonathan

Cider

Landrovers

Cream tea

And so much more

Trust me, I will be back. And when I return, I will spend every waking moment in the fields, loving the views, hugging the hedges, drinking cordial, and just reminding myself why I love it in Devon.

Goodbye dear Devon, see you soon :)

Happy 80th!

To Devon Young Farmers!

80 years is a big achievement. Especially for a rural-based youth organization that is trying to make it in a world where agriculture is on the decline.

Devon, however, has made it! As one of the largest counties, they have a good reputation and I am beyond happy that I was able to celebrate with them.

The weather was dreary, but spirits were high as the celebrations commenced. There was an afternoon high tea with some entertainment followed by a hog roast and disco (dance).

I soon discovered how different the music is. Can you even believe that they don't know You Shook Me All Night Long?! Tragedy.

Some new friends:

Devon Eggs

I met a remarkable gal today. At just 21, she already has her own (extremely successful) business, Devon Eggs. Essentially, she provides farm fresh eggs to businesses. She has between 75- 100 customers. WOW.

This gal is called Lucy and she is so very sweet. I was able to spend an entire day with her whilst in Devon. We started the day bright and early- first thing on the list:

Ducks!

We had to put her ducks out of their hut and collect the eggs. Lucy collected while my clumsy self supervised ;)

Afterwards, it was time to prepare the orders. We headed into her Dad's shed, which he will point out that she has taken over little by little, where there is an egg sorting machine:

This machine sizes all of Lucy's eggs (it is required, by law, that the eggs are sorted like this in the UK). There is a conveyor belt which feeds the eggs on to little holsters. These holsters are weight sensitive. This machine will drop the egg into certain ares based on its weight. Hence, XL, L, M, SM eggs.

The eggs are then packaged by six and labelled. This was my job. While I was nervous to break every single egg I laid my hands on, I ended up doing quite well. I am proud to boast that I didn't break a single egg! I know that all of you that have witnessed my clumsiness are amazed as well :)

So, as I packaged and labelled the eggs, Lucy sorted. I also put them into boxes for ease of delivery.

Today's deliveries were in the Dartmoor area. For any of you who saw the recent film, "War Horse," you would recognize Dartmoor as it is where the movie was filmed!

The moors were s.t.u.n.n.i.n.g. Overcast, yes, but oh so pretty. Where most of Devon would feature hedges, Dartmoor boasts stone walls. And sheep. And ponies. The sheep and ponies of the moor wander aimlessly. You see, there are not held in by fencing but are rather able to graze at their own leisure.

This brings me to my next point: watch out for them when you are driving along the road because they will often wander onto it. :)

Once all of the deliveries were done, Lucy and I picked up some more eggs from her neighbor/supplier and watched some telly with her Mom, Veronica, and her sister, Zoe.

Lucy is fabulous. I really enjoyed my day with her. She is so successful and makes me feel like perhaps I could start my own business? Hmmm, time will tell.

I have a new found love for Come Dine with Me. Perhaps we should do our own version, friends?

Farm Life: Swannaton

Jonathan’s family farm is called ‘Swannaton.’ Loosely translated, it means pig herd. The house was built hundreds upon hundreds of years ago. He says it was built around the 900s and his mum says it was in the 15th Century. Either way, it was like taking a step back in time. The farm is even listed in the Doomsday book!

Just wait until I post the photos of the inside on facebook!

They consider themselves grassland farmers, and they have a herd of 800 ewes (with over 1500 lambs!) and about 400 beef cattle. They farm about 400 acres. Their animals are grown off the grass. They do feed some barley, etc. But the primary source of food is the grass.

When I was there, I had the chance to help out with some of the chores:

Feed and Check on the cattle/sheep: Let`s be honest, J fed the animals, I took photos. Although I did help with a few bags- I promise ;)


Foot Bath: Essentially, we had to clean something like 1200 sheep’s feet (actually, probably more). Some of them had bad feet and the water that they walked through had special medicine in it to heal them. We did this on both days that I was at the farm- the first time we had to build a pen and all the fixings, but the second time everything was already set up for us.
After the pen and trough were in place, we had to herd the sheep. Yup, I’m basically a Sheppard.

This was our `built-from-scratch`contraption. Note: J is working hard as I take photos, typical haha


Deadstock: J would say: “The thing about farming is that where there is livestock, there is also deadstock.” Sad, but true.


Cider Run: We went to pick up some cider when we were foot bathing in Winkleigh from Sam’s Cider. Folks, this isn’t like our Canadian apple cider that is mulled in crock pots across the Great White North in the winter. You see, this cider is alcoholic. And quite good! You can also get a stronger cider called Scrumpy.

Sam’s was a family business that was sold to a large company and then run to the ground. It was reopened a few years later and has been providing Devonians with strong apple goodness ever since! The woman that worked there was so sweet. She gave us samples and was so happy to just sit and chat- a true resident of Devon :)


Quad: Yup, I got to DRIVE the quad bike. The first day, J drove. The second day- he let me!! I was even complimented on my gear shifting skills! He probably had second thoughts when I almost tipped the bike though ;)

ALSO- I have a funny story for you. It is a pure Victoria moment. So here we are, J and I, herding some sheep to drench them. The dog, Jack, was slacking and some of the sheep were getting away. J was driving and I was sitting on the back of the quad bike holding on to the rack. As he put the ‘pedal to the medal’ to go up a steep hill, I was thrown off balance and my feet went over my head and I almost fell off!

I think I was too amused at myself to even be scared. It was like something out of a movie. I paid more attention and held on for dear life afterwards :)


Drenching: Just like we need flinstone vitamins, so do sheep. Lambs get ‘drenched’ every six weeks to ensure that they are getting all the necessary vitamins. It requires the Sheppard (J in this case) to get suited up in a ghost busters-esque outfit. The liquid is held in a backpack and they stick a large application tube/gun thing in the lamb’s mouth and shoot the liquid in!
We did two batches. About 1200 sheep. Me= Sheppard.

All in all, I love Swannaton. They run a smooth operation and they really are great farmers. I really enjoyed being part of their operation and seeing how they operate. Even just being able to chat with J and his parents about farming, foot and mouth, the EU`s CAP, and so much else was rewarding and informative. J taught me that a farmer`s best friend is some twine and a knife.

They really included me in the chores and made me feel like part of the family! I would love to return someday because I am sure that the operation will only grow and improve over time.

Swannaton, thank you for making me realize how much I really do love agriculture and country life

Visiting Devon

The first thing that I must reiterate about Devon is that it is beautiful. It rained or was overcast almost all week, but I still fell in love with it. The hedges, hills, farms, and people were brilliant.

Exeter

I spent a day in Exeter and I would recommend a stop in. Be sure to check out the shopping centres- they have a Primark! Also, start at the RAMM and take an hour or so to explore the museum. They recently renovated and there are some fabulous displays.


Just down the road from the RAMM is Northenhay Gardens. You cannot miss them! They are stunning and the Roman Wall runs along the right hand side. Gemma and I walked through and enjoyed the views. We also lucked out because our day in Exeter was one of the rare sunny days that we had when I was in Devon.

This is me attempting to jump in front of the Roman Wall

If you are in Exeter for lunch, be sure to stop by the Tesco to grab a sandwich and make your way over to the Cathedral. Pop a squat on the lawn and enjoy the view. It’s a great spot to people watch and unwind.

The Cathedral is quite beautiful

Be sure to wander through town and stop in at the shops- especially the Cath Kidson shop. It has some great items, although most were out of my student budget. Also, get lost in the side streets. There are so many little pubs and shops that you will just stumble across. You cannot go wrong!


Dartmoor

As the setting for the recent film, War Horse, I would say that Dartmoor is a must-see area. Much more rocky than the rest of the county, you will see vast fields with stone walls in lieu of hedges. Fences are frowned upon and sheep and ponies are able to roam at their leisure.



If you are driving, take care of the animals as they tend to lay on the road. Make sure to stop often and take loads of photos.

I went on a rather rainy day, but I still enjoyed it. They tell me that it is not
unusual for the fog to roll in to Dartmoor so thick, that you cannot see your own hand in front of your face. I secretly wanted it to happen ;)

Exmouth

When in Devon, be sure to head to the coast to dip your toes into the English Channel. No need to bring a swimming suit, just dip your toes in ;)


Exmouth is a little tourist town. We walked the beach and G & J pointed out the beach huts along the road. You will find them in all British seaside towns. They are colorful and people own or rent them to keep their beach toys in. Some people will set up chairs and sit in the doorway.

If you look down the beach in Exmouth, you will see a massive building. Don’t be deceived, it is not a restaurant or a holiday let, but rather a lifeboat house! You can walk right up to it and check out the lifeboat. It’s pretty neat. They even do drills occasionally, so be sure to see if you can catch one. I imagine it would be quite interesting.

We finished off our Exmouth trip with Cream tea- my very first! We went to the Model Train Cafe, which I would recommend. G&J said it was a good price. You will get your tea, 2 scones, clotted cream, and jam. Slather on the clotted cream and THEN the jam- you will not be disappointed.



High Streets

Each little town will have a High Street- it’s the equivalent to our Main Street in Canada. Be sure to wander up and down them because they are loaded with little one-of-a-kind shops.

High St in Crediton

Pubs

There is a pub culture in Britain. It isn’t like the pubs at home though- no loud music, just the sound of the locals having a time.

Go to a pub- any pub- and order a lager shandi. I don’t drink beer, but this drink is a must have for anyone who wants the full pub experience! It is beer and lemonade (mostly lemonade) and is quite tasty! You can also get bitter shandis, but I prefer the lager. It is more similar to what we would call beer in Canada. Bitter is flater. I tried a bitter, too, but preferred the lager (if you are drinking more than one ;) ).

Also- most pubs are family friendly, so feel free to take children along!

Those are just some of the tourist-y things that I did in Devon. I must admit, though, that you need to just explore the countryside to get the full Devon experience. Country lanes and hedges, cows and sheep- they have it all!

Delightful Devon

Friends, if you have been keeping up with me, then you know that I have been posting daily recaps. I will be changing it up a little now that I am in the countryside. You see, I spend some days on tourist-friendly adventures, and other days on farms. I’m going to try to do posts that group similar things.

Today, I would like to tell you a bit about Devon, where I was from June 11th-17th.
Devon is in South West England and is one of the biggest counties. It is the only county with two coastlines. It is also stunning.

There is an expression here in Devon: “Devon is heaven.” It is so very true (DISCLAIMER: I have described many things on this trip as ‘heavenly.’ While P. Lee, my journalism professor, would be less than impressed with my overuse of ‘heaven’ and lack of real description, I would like to defend myself by saying that this entire country really is heavenly ;) ).

Devon has rolling hills with high peaks and low valleys. It is green and lush. The country lanes are small, and the hedges are large. I could see myself living here happily.

Whilst in Devon, I stayed with Gemma and Jonathan in Crediton. They have a flat called “Kingsbury” which is cozy and well- decorated(shout out to Gemma, the decorator!).

Gemma is the Sports and Social Rep for Devon and did not grow up on a farm, although she does have a love for animals. She has one brother and works for a farming company.

Jonathan is a beef and sheep farmer. His farm is AMAZING. It’s actually listed in the Doomsday book. That folks, is one historical farm. He has two brothers and the most lovely parents, Jim and Karen.

They took me on some wonderful Devon adventures. I look forward to sharing them with you!

Transition to Travel

This morning was a sad morning- it was my last in London.

It was also an exciting morning- the first morning on the Garfield Weston Exchange!

My hour long train to Coventry was quick and painless. The countryside that I passed through was beautiful, of course. Arriving in Coventry, I jumped into a black cab and headed to my hotel, the Quality Inn

The hotel was nice; not a five star joint by any means, but it had everything I needed and the staff was friendly and helpful.



My room was cozy, but it had everything I needed

I met Emily from Young Farmers at about 2pm. She organized this entire exchange for myself and the other exchangees. She’s pretty fantastic. We had tea- the first of my most British adventures. Shortly after, Margaret (another YFC staff member), David (YFC again) and the two other Canadians arrived.

The other girls are Jennifer and Meredith. Jennifer is the youngest and is from Manitoba. She comes from a bee-keeping background and works with horses. Meredith is the same age as me and is from a beef farm in Quebec. She is friends with the dear Gillian, a 4-H YAC friend.

L to R: Jennifer, Meredith and I

We had sandwiches whilst being prepped for the coming weeks. The challenge: 4 weeks in rural Britain.

After a few hours of relaxation (aka Youtube) it was dinner time. I cannot explain to you how delicious the food was. I wish I had photos.

First of all, we had the entire dining room to ourselves. Private dinner party? Sure, why not!

Also, we were having a hard time deciding so the waitress had the chef come out to chat with us. Um, star treatment much?
We shared some potato skins as a starter, followed by our mains. I had the most delicious spinach and ricotta pasta.

Dessert, or ‘pudding’ as the Brits call it, was a rhubarb tart. It was scrumptious.
We went for a walk into Coventry to work off our dinner ;) and then headed off to bed as we had an early morning.

You see, I woke up at 6am. That folks, is not natural. But alas, I had a train to catch and there were adventures waiting for me.

Before I go, I should let you all know that here in Coventry , they have ‘Ladies Parking.’ Yes, ladies, we get our own- how charming!

Farewell to London

Today was my final day in London. I can honestly say that I look forward to returning. Perhaps for a year or so in the future? It could be a fun adventure!

I thought that it would only be fitting to end London with a little list. A list of some things that I learned during my city-living.

-Lucky Buggers- There are no mosquitoes or June bugs in England

-Dapper Lads- The men are always in suits. I need to move here asap.

-Underdressed- I am constantly underdressed. The women are fashionable and dressed to the nines all day every day.

-Driving is an art- not a controlled and deliberate art like Davinci, though; it’s more of an uncontrolled Van Gogh. For them, lines are suggestions- I’ll be surprised if I make it home in one piece ;)

-Crossing the road is the equivalent to a death wish. You have been warned.

-Bartering is essential- Master it and you will save ridiculous amounts of money

-Shop around- when in areas like Camden, don’t just buy the first thing you see. Most of the shops have the same items and chances are that you will find what you want cheaper down the way. Prime example: I bought underwear for 2.99 whereas the first guy wanted 6.99!!

-Clubbing- go big or go home. I went home ;)

-Toilets- expect a pay-per-pee fee in many toilets

These were just a few things I learned in London, but there are many more!

I will leave you with this :)

London, Day 6

Another (well needed) lazy morning. After the relaxation, Melissa and I headed into Camden to do some shopping.

Camden is a really hip area of London. Fun fact: Amy Winehouse lived there before she passed away. The shopping was awesome! It really reminded me of Canal Street in NYC. So much hustle and bustle with bartering (my fave).

I ended up getting a little gift for all the famjam, but finding clothing for me was really hard. Everything is one size! (One size that I am not haha). I did find a Union Jack tee though!

In addition to the NYC-esque tourist shops, there were quite a few one-of-a-kind shops. The clothing was stunning! People over here are all about lace and crochet right now- I need to live here.

We also hit up the Camden Market. I could’ve spent the entire day here. It’s a maze of crafts, clothing, shops, etc. Our final stop in Camden was Cyber Dog. It was a store dedicated to the clubbing scene in London. Full of neon, futuristic, platforms, and even S&M costumes- let’s just say that Nanny (or even Mom haha) would not have been impressed!). M and I, however, had a good laugh over all of it. It was an experience of a lifetime :)

Before bed we watched the Graham Norton show- he was super funny and I will be looking for him online!

London, Day 5

Today was nice and relaxing- a change of pace my new lively London life ;) We slept in and Melissa made yummy American pancakes. 2 things about English pancakes:

-They are imposters; English pancakes are a crepe, NOT a pancake
- You can’t really buy boxed mixes; it’s all from scratch

We, in the Shaw household, stood strong against the British Pancake atrocities and made big fluffy American/Canadian pancakes. From scratch. We even had genuine maple syrup (all the way from Elgin, NB- Thanks to Uncle Wayne and Aunt Tanya) and fresh fruit- amazeballs.

After puttering around for most of the day, Melissa and Sam treated me to a night out! We headed to Hampstead- which is a rather posh area of London- for dinner and a night out.

Friends, we must take a moment and appreciate that my NB life has not given me must chance to expand into many foreign cuisines. I stick to basics. Imagine my skepticism when M and S told me that we were going to have mixed Asian food for supper- dim sum to be exact. However, being the versatile gal that I am, I decided to embrace it!
We ate at Dim T and just ordered for the whole table. It was a mixture of: Spicy Edamine, prawn chips, ginger and beef stir fry, chicken pad thai, salad and 3 kinds of dim sum (dim YUM). It was delicious. I tried everything (even the wasabi!) and I fell in love. A great love for Asian cuisine, particularly with dim sum and pad thai. Oh yes, and I ate the entire meal with chopsticks. Applause will be accepted ;) I am becoming oh-so-cultured.


After dinner, we headed to the Hampstead Theatre to watch ‘The Complaint’.

The set

It was good! Short and sweet. I didn’t quite ‘get it’ at first, but it was essentially (or at least, according to Sam’s interpretation) a commentary about how regimes (like Syria or Egypt) thrive off of issues and of getting people caught up in the bureaucracy/ the system. If they have no complaints to tend to, nor any people to oppress, then there is no regime. The very people that opposing the regime are the ones that are building it up. It definitely made you think!

The show was followed by bed. My bed, by the way, is fabulous. It is a futon, but it is like super futon. The mattress? Heaven. The pillows? Heaven. The duvet? Heaven. Let’s just say that I sleep like a baby!

London, Day 4

Today was another jammed packed day! I decided to head in early to catch a walking tour to the changing of the guard. It was so cool!

I had to be in to the main tour office by 10:30 am. So. Early. Ok, I’m being dramatic. Although, That meant that I had to be on the UG by 9:40am. That IS getting pretty early ;) Early morning aside, we headed out to watch the changing of the guard.

Now friends, I have a sad story for you. Buckingham Palace is closed. You see, with the Jubilee concert just a couple days ago, there was still a huge stage left in front of the Palace. It took them 3 weeks to build it and they are attempting to take it down in 3 days. I think they are being ambitious, but then again, the Brits seem to be rather efficient. But I digress- point of all of this: I couldn’t get close to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard.

But there is a bright side to the story! You may remember St. James’ Palace. Well, that was our first stop. We listened to a band play as the guards were inspected. We then followed them down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace (BP), but made our way back up to St. James’ rather quickly.








You see, they don’t JUST change the guard at BP. When the Queen is in residence (which she was today!!), there are also guards at Clarence house annnnd- St. James’ Palace! We went up and took the obligatory photos with the guards:




We were there for quite a while, but then it happened: the changing of the guard! It was neat, but not exactly as I pictured. The new guards marched in, shuffled up beside the ‘old’ guard, and then a man read them something (I suspect it was ‘Guarding the Royal Family 101’) and then the ‘old’ guards marched away.

My plan was then to head to Covent Garden to pick some goodies up at Lush, but I was distracted by pure beauty. No, not by Prince Harry, but by the National Gallery-I am in love.

I wish I had more time there, but I had places to be. The nice thing about galleries here is that they are all free! I took a very quick stroll through and treated myself to some Van Gogh, Vouillard, Degas, and Monet.

The Monet is one of my favorite paintings ever. I have a print in my room, but seeing it in person is a whole new ball game. If you love art, you know how amazing it is to see it in person- the strokes seem more deliberate, you can see every color vividly, you can see every stroke of the brush. It is a whole new experience. I highly suggest you folks check out a gallery and fall in love with art.



After I tore myself away from the Gallery, I headed down to Westminster Abbey (in the pouring rain). Obviously I got distracted again (oh look, something shiny) at the Horse Guards. I walked into the grounds where the ‘Trooping of the Color’ takes place(Queenie’s birthday bash). It will also be the site of the Olympic beach volleyball!

I tried (again) to get to the Abbey. I failed. I walked by the Supreme Court and they were having an open house so I stopped in. I like courts (so long as I’m not being tried). The security guards were hilarious but this post is getting terribly long so I’ll save the story for another day :)

FINALLY I made it to the Abbey! One word can describe this building- WOW. Honestly, it is stunning. I almost started crying when I was in there. All I could think about when I was in there was how much Dad would have loved it. It was huge and adorned, but the atmosphere really did make you feel like you were worshiping God.
Once an hour, they stop everything in the Abbey for a minute of silence/prayer. It was brilliant. Everyone, regardless of faith or lack thereof, stopped for that minute. It was amazing.


PS: Evan and Sarah- I saw the door that you folks snapped a picture of (the oldest door in England). I wanted to snap one, but I was too scared. You guys are such rebels.

After the Abbey, I met Melissa, Jaquetta, and Jane on Oxford St. We had hot drinks at Mamas and Papas before Jane (J’s cousin’s girlfriend) and I made our way to Primark. Primark = love. I found a cute jean jacket and some goodies for other people as well!
After a quick Pinkberry (yummy)- we headed home to watch the procession and relax.

London, Day 3

Oh my- what a day!

I headed out at about 9:30 this morning- I was basically a zombie ;) Sam had just returned home and he and Melissa had an appointment so I was going to hit the town on my own- EXCITING! I decided that it would be the perfect day to do a hop-on-hop-off tour.

Today was the day that I became a Londoner- I made my way to the underground station easily. I hopped on and was on my way- until about 5 stops in. My line was closed due to train problems on the track- eek! My stop, where I was to switch lines, was one of the ones that was ‘out of service’- my ‘easy’ ride was foiled. I got off the train and had to rearrange my journey. I found where I wanted to be on my handy-dandy UG map and found an alternative route. I felt so ‘London’ when I was able to do this so easily!

I made my way to get my ticket for the Hop on/off. I went with ‘The Original Tour Company’ because...well, it’s original...Also, I didn’t know where to buy tickets for the other ones haha I had to wait about 30 mins for a bus, but it was well worth it! They take you around all of the major tourist spots in London and, as the name suggests, you can hop on or off the bus at any point. It was handy. They have tour guides there to tell you about the history of everything and to point different landmarks out. I ended up doing almost the entire tour before hopping off just after Downing St(!!!!!)

For those who don’t know British politics, 10 Downing is where the Prime Minister, David Cameron, lives. It is famous for its big black door. While you can’t actually see the door (the street is gated off and it’s guarded by men with guns), I got a photo with the sign- it was really neat.


Enjoying the big black gate instead of the big black door ;)

I walked around for hours- I saw the horse guards, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Supreme Court and a gazillion red phone booths. I then opted to take a boat ride down the Thames River (who am I right now?!)

The Cruise was lovely and I made some friends! I met a guy from Spain who is living in London and was showing his mom around. They were super nice. He was super handsome- little bit of a beard going on, Spanish flare, I didn’t hate it ;) She didn’t speak a lick of English, so he spent most of the time translating haha She taught me that ‘Bonita’ means ‘nice’ in Spanish. They were bonita!


One of my new Spanish friends and I by Tower Bridge

The cruise ended at the Tower of London. You can go in and see the Crown Jewels on display. But with a 4 hour queue (line), I decided against it. I tried to hop on a bus. Key word: tried. I couldn’t find a stop anywhere! I ended up walking across Tower Bridge and on the other side of the river. I found a stop, but a sign said that it was out of service. Of course. I pulled out my map and it led me to believe that St. Paul’s Cathedral (where Charles and Diana were married) was nearby. Of course, I thought it best to check with a local. St. Paul’s was eons away. Damn maps, they’re always wrong. Although, during all of this I saw a bus go by! I caught the next one and was on my way.

It started to rain. I was cold and wet, but I was cold and wet in London! It was worth it. I decided to head to Oxford Street to do some shopping I headed to Primark aka heaven. It is a ‘cheap and cheerful’ store, as Melissa would say. Literally, you can get shirts for 2 or 3 quid (that means pounds and it would be like 4 or 5$ here). I LOVED it, but had to contain myself. You have no idea how hard that was!

I almost got lost on the way back home, but I just choose a street and went for it- good thing I have such killer instincts because I made it home in great time ;)

Melissa had made tikka masala. DELICIOUS. I will definitely be making it next year!
All in all, it was a full day. I got wind burn on my face, but riding on top of the double decker bus was 100% worth it. The weather was nice for the most part and I really started to feel like a true Brit! I am getting the hang of the UG and I’m finding it easier and easier to get my bearings. Being here makes me really want to move over. I could definitely see myself living in London for a while. Shhh, don’t tell Mom! ;)


*A little update for my Mom's peace of mind- I am in Devon right now with my first host family. They are nice and don't seem like serial killers :) I'm working on getting skype set up for you so we can chat- love you and miss you!

London, Day 2

Today = Queen’s Procession!

Melissa and I headed into Central London about 2 hours before the Procession to get a spot along the Mall. Yeah, that wasn’t happening. When we got there, the route was closed because there were so many people- and more kept coming!


We quickly realized that we weren’t going to see anything so we headed South to Melissa’s friend, Jaquetta’s, house.


We had to go via Victoria Station on the Victoria Line..I obviously needed a photo!

She was having a BBQ. There were a ton of people there. I tried to remember everyone’s names, but that wasn’t happening haha They were all nice though. I especially like chatting with Melissa’s friend, Rachel. She has 2 boys- Zayer and Bodi (definitely spelled wrong)-and is married to Zarni. She’s from Birmingham (where I’m headed this weekend!).

I got to cuddle Jaquetta’s new baby boy- Billy. SO PRECIOUS! He is only 5 weeks old and ridiculously adorable.

The food was amazing! My favourites were the vegetarian sausages and the cheese. Oh, the cheese. Halloumi is the name. You bbq it. I. Am. In. Love. When I get back, I will make it for everyone and we will be addicted together. I promise.

We headed home afterwards to watch some tv and hang out. We watched a show called “Four Rooms.” It reminded me a bit of Storage Wars and that type of thing.
So far, I’ve been enjoying British living. Even the rain!

London, Day 1

After Melissa and I had lunch, we headed into Central London- about a 33 min underground ride. We tried to make our way towards Buckingham Palace through Green Park, but it was closed so we headed down Picadilly instead.

We turned onto St, James Street and passed a ton of beautiful buildings. Words cannot describe it- the architecture and the regal feeling of the city.


At the end of St. James Street is St. James Palace!


I was guarding it ;)

All I can say is wow. It was built many years ago- I’m pretty sure that Queen Victoria was the first Royal to live there. It is the senior-most palace and Prince Charles and Diana, along with Harry and Will, lived there for a while. Now it is home to Princess Anne.

We finally ended up on the Mall. I thought it was a legit mall- like Champlain Place or something haha nope, it’s not! It’s actually a long street- at one end is the Admiral’s Arch and at the other end is Buckingham Palace. They had flags all along the street, between the trees, for the Jubilee. It was so pretty! The street was closed off to traffic so we got to walk along it. People were crowded there- some to catch the concert and some to snag the best spots for the Procession the next day. Some of them even had tents! It was crazy!

This photo gives you a bit of an idea of how crazy the Mall was. In the far end is Buckingham Palace and the road had been closed off.

Me in the Mall!

Admiral's Arch

We walked up to Trafalgar Square, passed the National Gallery and headed towards Covent Garden- ps, it’s not a literal garden, it’s a Market type of thing ;)- it was really neat. There are stores, stands, pubs, and buskers! We got this chocolate chip cookie there at a place called ‘Ben’s Cookies’- it was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten. It was fresh, warm and fluffy.


I <3 Britain

Melissa <3s Britain too!

Afterwards, we made our way back to Melissa’s. The underground was packed! Also, one of the stations had 193 stairs to get to our platform. We took the elevator ;) We also adventured out and took a Red Bus. AH-mazing!

We finished the afternoon by watching the Flotilla- during which time I fell asleep and Melissa also had a nap. 2 hours later, we were both refreshed 
Day 1 was great- I loved walking around and seeing some of the hotspots in London. I didn’t (and still don’t) feel like I am actually in London. Everyone looks the same as they do back home, they just talk different. The city is beautiful though, and the architecture and the history of the city are spectacular!

Have any of you been to London before? What were your favorite parts?

A Danger to UK Security?

Morning everyone! It's 8:45am here in London, which would make it 4:45am for all of my NB friends. I'm up to head into town to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace- I am beyond excited!

It has been crazy busy here so far- I've been doing all of the touristy things, so I haven't been able to do a daily update. No worries though, I'll fill you in as quick as possible- today will be a recap of day 1 :)

My flight to Halifax had to be the tiniest plane I have ever seen! It had 2 rows of seating and fit maybe 16 people. The flight was nice though- quick and not too much turbulence. Not to mention the 2 pilots weren't too shabby ;)

My 5.5 hour layover in Halifax went by super fast. Before I knew it I was on my flight to Heathrow. The plane was HUGE this time- there were 7 seats across and even a real first class!! It was crazy. They even gave us pillows and blankets, which I both loved and appreciated :)



I was supposed to have a window seat (exciting), but a man snagged it before I got on the plane. I didn't have the heart to ask him to move and sat in an aisle seat instead. He seemed to enjoy the window, so it was definitely worth it.

Going through customs was horrible! I didn't think they were going to let me in! I was there for like 10-20 mins and the guy was grilling me. He couldn't understand why I was visiting my 2nd cousin who has lived here for 10 years who I haven't visited before. He even made me sit down at one point before letting me continue. I was terrified! I made it through in the end, but I would like to reiterate how terrifying it was!

I jumped in the cab and headed to Melissa's once I made it out of the line of fire.


This was my cab driver- he had a sign with my name. Let's just say that I was beyond excited!
More about London after I get back from the Changing of the Guard!
<3

'Twas the night before travel...

And all through the house, the Ginger was stirring- she was finishing packing!

Tomorrow is the big day- the day that I head to England! I am proud to say that I am (almost) packed! I have a hard time doing things a head of time, it's a procrastination thing ;) but oddly enough, I packed the day before yesterday (Thursday). Crazy, eh?!

I haven't done much prep today- just picking up some last minute items and doing some visiting (Holla to Tam, Cara and Court!). Tomorrow I don't leave until 5:45pm, so I basically have all day to run around and do the very last minute errands (but don't tell my Mom- she thinks I'm done haha). I leave from Moncton with a lay-over (5.5 hours...) in Halifax. My flight to London leaves Halifax at 11:45pm- let's hope I sleep a ton!

I am super excited to get over to England. There will be something new each day. I'm ready to see what the UK has to offer- who knows, I may decide to return soon :) I love travel, and I'm happy that this will be my first international trip. Not only because it will be to England (during the Jubilee!!), but because I legitimacy LOVE the Brits and I'm looking forward to learning more about them and the area.

For anyone wondering, as of right now, I have 2 of my 4 host families confirmed:

June 3- 9: Visiting with Melissa in London!
June 11-18: Warwickshire
June 18-25: Dorset
June 25- July 2: Gwent
July 2- 9: Leicestershire

July 9: I'm coming home!

As for my little blog, I will be updating as often as I can. I want to keep all of my dear friends up to date on my Euro-shenanigans ;)

Pack Rat

Hello Friends, it's not very long before I head out to the UK! To say that I am getting excited is an understatement. I spent Yesterday, Last Thursday and Friday at my summer job for our annual training and everyone kept asking about my trip. It made me want to leave sooner. I need to be there. I will accept the frizzy rain hair, damp feet, and fatigue. Take me to the UK!

While my packing list has been in my head since I found out about my trip forever , this week I have been starting to write it all down. I want to make sure that I take everything I need and that I don't forget anything. Now, my biggest fear is that I won't pack enough. <--This, my friends, sums up my life (hahah). I tend to over-pack on EVERY trip just because of that little 'fear.' I will be gone for a full month! I will need a good amount of clothing, but I think it's important to remember that I cannot pack 30 outfits. I need to pack light and mix and match. My reference material (so far) has been: "One Twenty Five": She is a fellow Canadian currently living in Australia. Read this blog. I promise that it will not disappoint. She focuses on weight loss (hence the title "One Twenty Five") but has some great stories about Aussie life. She is an inspiration!

"Answering Oliver": Devon is from Seattle. She is on a Round-the-World trip (I'm so jealous!!) and has a pretty good list. Also- some great travel stories. I'd recommend it- she gives you some great tips and trips for different countries.

"One Pack": I haven't explored this site as much as I would have liked to, but it has proven to have some great tips so far!

That is where I'm at. I've just been looking at lists and trying to come up with my own. It's coming along!

What are some travel essentials that you cannot live without? Any tips for a UK trip?

Tea and Crumpets

If you were to ask me what I wanted to do for the rest of my life I would act awkward and unsure. The reality? If I could just spend the rest of my life travelling the world, I would, and it would be my dream come true. Some girls dream of princes and castles, but me? I dream of museums, historic landmarks, and new experiences (Welll, maybe Prince William too ;) ).

All of this to say, I love to travel. So far, I have traveled in Canada to:
New Brunswick (Born and raised)
Nova Scotia (All over!)
PEI (All over!)
Quebec (Quebec City)
Ontario (Toronto, Ottawa, London)
Manitoba (Rorketon, Winnipeg)
Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)

And in the USA:
Maine (Calais, Houlton, Bangor, Presque Isle...all the typical Maritimer shopping spots ;) )
New York City Boston

Looking over that list I realize that I have actually been to a long list of places, but, I have not yet been abroad. I have not yet left North America to adventure out into the world. I want to see Buckingham Palace, Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower, walk through the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, or stand where the former Berlin Wall separated West and East Berlin. I have yet to experience the world. I haven't been able to see and do everything on my list.

This June, that is all about to change! In June, I will be leaving for the UK. Travelling through a 4-H exchange (Garfield Weston Exchange), I will be travelling around the UK and seeing a new way of life. My 'twin' for the exchange is from Derbyshire, UK. I am still waiting to get some details, but I cannot wait to board my plane to the UK. Even more exciting? Tea and Crumpets. Cannot. Wait. <3