Day trips have been a lovely way of seeing the country while paying a refreshingly low price. I've taken two trips so far so let's break this post into two parts. Oxford -- January 20, 2019 I literally thought that I was inside Mary Poppins the entire day. The old buildings, the stone everything, the smoking chimneys. It was all very picturesque. There were even some birds flying around the towers. We started the day watching the sunrise on the train, and seeing all the fog, hillsides, sheep, and homes. We got to Oxford at 8am on a Sunday, so it was both quiet and freezing, and we walked through the empty campus and town streets. We went to an Anglican mass in a beautiful cathedral, and then headed to lunch at The Eagle and Child, where C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their friends used to meet for lunch while they were students at Oxford. Every article I read when I googled "C.S. Lewis Oxford" had this door as a real-world version of the entrance to Narnia, with its decoration, fauns, and a lion. There's even a lamppost mere feet away. Rachael and I ended up taking a tour of Christ Church while we were there, and saw a bunch of Harry Potter filming locations, as well as a crazy beautiful campus. I still can't believe that people go to school somewhere that looks like that, it's insane! We ended the night at a pub (I got a smoothie from another place lol) before walking back to our train and riding back through the countryside to get to London. It was magical! Stratford-Upon-Avon -- January 25, 2019 I was not sure what to expect from Stratford honestly. I was like, 'ok sounds fun' but it blew my expectations out of the water. After missing a change and spending an extra 15 pounds and 60 minutes on another train, we finally made it. The only way I can think to describe it was the perfect mix between city and country, because the town streets had countless shops (we had THE BEST coffee I've ever had no joke) and then after we crossed the river, there was a large park with lots of dogs and lots of families. We found an old bookstore (with a 1966 copy of Anne of Green Gables!) and a market with a vegan bakery (I got a savory nut role and it was ridiculously good). It was just such a cute town and so relaxing and peaceful to walk around in!
More adventures to come! xx, Chloe
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It is 9:51pm here in London as I write this. I'm laying bed having eaten 7 Jiffy Cakes while watching the series finale of Once Upon a Time. Today was the end of my first week at King's, as well as my first week at my internship. Life is going pretty well. London has been a whirlwind of many new things happening all at once. I arrived to an empty apartment bedroom, and had to buy everything from bed sheets to toilet paper. I've been adjusting to living in a major city, and I'm going to be paying close attention to how I function here because I've wanted to live in a city for years, so it will be interesting to see how this works out! I've learned my way around public transportation and grocery stores and campus, but my favorite thing has definitely been all of the exploring. From Notting Hill to the plethora of free (!) museums and galleries, every day is a new adventure! I can already tell that the best way to see London is on foot, and I keep finding small markets and shopping centers full of beautiful lights and old architecture. I walked 6 miles today thrift store hopping, and I will probably do some more tomorrow! I am in search of a thick, classic, English sweater to go with the penny loafers I just ordered (Nancy Drew, who?).
One of the best parts of this whole experience has been getting to know everyone who came to England from UNC -- there's at least 21 of us! I only knew one person before flying out, so this has been a great way to form new friendships. Especially since (almost) all of us will still be on the same campus next year! There are also some adventures coming up! Tomorrow I am exploring the British Library, and Sunday, a bunch of us are headed up to Oxford for the day -- which I am SO EXCITED FOR! Go make someone smile xx, Chloe |
AuthorI am a September baby, which may be the root of my love for fall. I love dark chocolate, popcorn, and I do actually like brussel sprouts. I'm the kind of person that listens to a Christmas song in September. (But only one. I don't want to ruin the ~magic~). Archives
May 2019
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