Journey2019

Conwy is fast becoming my favorite city in the north of Great Britain! The castle is amazing, the views are spectacular, the accommodations at the Erskin Arms delightful, and the tidy little city, a joy to  explore! I am including a few photos that you might enjoy.

on Monday, we traveled to Chester. It is a lovely little city with a strong Roman influence. It also has a lovely Cathedral

and another older church, the original cathedral, that contains large mosaic murals. I am including photos of these in this post.

Greetings all

It has been a while since I posted any photos.

After Cambridge, we traveled to one of our favorite cities, York.  We decided to stay at the York University which is only a short bus ride from the city center.
The modern facilities at York University were welcomed, and provided an opportunity to do our laundry…for about 20.00 pounds. We used Washeeze sheets that contain laundry soap. We have found that this product packs and works very well while on the road.
On Sunday, we made our way to the city center and enjoyed a tours of the Jorvik viking museum…very informative, and a tour through the Yorkshire Museum on the grounds of the ruins of St. Mary’s Abby. I have included photos of the city and York Minster below. See if you can find the “heart of York” in the photo.

Yesterday we had a wonderful time creating brass rubbings( also did them while at university in 1978)at St. Martin’s in the Fields. It is a Christopher Wren designed church at Trafalgar Square. We also enjoyed a marvelous lunch in the crypt (not as creepy as it sounds) and a breath taking vocal concert in the sanctuary following. 

We then went to the British Library (more exciting than it sounds) and saw written works ranging from ancient texts to the Beatles.  We even saw original scores of Mozart and Bach!!!!

As a HUGE fan of BBC Sherlock, we had to stop by Speedy’s and “221B Baker Street” I’m afraid it all looks a bit smaller and shabby…but I was thrilled to be there.

GOODBYE LONDON…HELLO CAMBRIDGE-Friday

After a harrowing, but successful tube ride to Kings Cross train station, we boarded a high speed train to Cambridge. We walked a good mile or so to Christ’s College, where we settled into a lovely modern and very nice room for the night.

After dropping of luggage, we went out for a meal and sightseeing…lots more walking!. At 5:00, we took a punting tour on the River Cam…it was absolutely beautiful, but I couldn’t take photos with my tablet…low battery 😦 I will post some shots from our walk.

Cambridge is delightful…seems a bit more laid back than Oxford…not sure if they have a “town and gown issue” as well.  We have a walking tour scheduled before our departure for York…so we’ll see…

London revisited
Greetings!
All went well on our flight. I had expected a lot of turbulence due to the remnants of Dorian… but we had no real issues. Also, after watching Flight Mentor videos on how planes can handle turbulence and what causes it,  I had no worries 🙂

Our plans in London however have once again been altered by my health issues. We missed a night tour of London last night because I was not feeling well, and missed the Tower of London tour because of stomach issues related to my meds.  However, a wonderful pharmacist (chemist here) recommended two meds that calmed everything down! After a long nap, we were able to walk a few blocks to the Albert and Victoria museum and then   stop by Pret(like Panara) for soup. It was amazing, and I still feel just fine.

I’m not sure what the plans are tomorrow, but we hope to get out and explore more of London.

I am including photos from our walk from Paddington through Hyde Park.

London revisited
Greetings!
All went well on our flight. I had expected a lot of turbulence due to the remnants of Dorian… but we had no real issues. Also, after watching Flight Mentor videos on how planes can handle turbulence and what causes it,  I had no worries 🙂

Our plans in London however have once again been altered by my health issues. We missed a night tour of London last night because I was not feeling well, and missed the Tower of London tour because of stomach issues related to my meds.  However, a wonderful pharmacist (chemist here) recommended two meds that calmed everything down! After a long nap, we were able to walk a few blocks to the Albert and Victoria museum and then   stop by Pret(like Panara) for soup. It was amazing, and I still feel just fine.

I’m not sure what the plans are tomorrow, but we hope to get out and explore more of London.

I am including photos from our walk from Paddington through Hyde Park.

Greetings all,
After months of planning, and weeks of packing, we started out this afternoon for Chicago. On the way, I double checked to make sure that our debit card would work by making a small purchase at cvs…had visited the local credit union earlier to assure the validity of my card. I learned at the checkout that it was not working…I was horrified:-O

Dan quickly came up with a plan B with a card from a different bank…think we will be in good shape now.

Good travel rule…no matter how well you plan and prepare, there WILL be glitches that arise. I just was not expecting one this soon!!!! Fortunately I am traveling with my beloved who can sort through difficulties and is great at financial problem solving.

Having left a wake up call for 5:00 a.m. and made 5:40 a.m. reservations on the airport shuttle, we are going to try for a good night sleep before the
next leg of the journey 🙂

We have learned so much each time we travel abroad! Below are some of my favorites!!!!

* Jet lag can be dangerous! The first day of our last journey abroad included a trip to a London emergency room. When we returned to the states a month later, I learned that I had a major break to my elbow…sliced off the capitulum portion of the joint…ouch!!!!!!! This time, we are taking a morning flight from Chicago, landing in London at about10:30…just in time for bedtime. Being rested the next day, we will  be ready to safely explore London.
* Pack less. This is the cardinal rule found on nearly every travel site. However, our last journey lasted a month, and we needed a lot of “stuff”. I was glad however, that I packed an ice bag…defiantly helped my broken elbow and my first aid kit…when Dan fell down the escalator in Paris!

*Pack energy bars. These are great with a cup of coffee or tea for lunch on the train. This is especially true after a large B&B breakfast. These are also great for the hangrey feelings you might get while on the plane.

*Share meals. While on the road, it’s good to eat light. Fortunately, portions are smaller in Europe, but we still often  shat hare meals to avoid stuffing ourselves and ending up with doggie bags that can’t be refrigerated or reheated.

*Check out the local food market.  For some meals, we visit the local grocery store for cheese, crackers, vegetables, and fruit. Buy small quantities that can be eaten at one meal.  Hint…the chocolate in amazing over there!!!!!!

*Buy dry laundry sheets that are infused with soap and softener. These are great for the local laundromat, or to cut into smaller pieces for quick sink washings. These pack easily and don’t upset TSA.

*Stay in university dorm rooms. These great little gems are well located, clean, cheap, and often come with a private bath and a hearty free breakfast. Another plus…there is usually access to a cheap laundromat on site…helps you pack less!

*Buy train passes. If you buy your rail and tube passes before you leave, it saves a lot of time and trouble.

* Get currency and debit card before you  leave. By getting the local currency before you leave, you won’t have to pay higher airport rates of exchange. It also helps to get a debt card that has a daily limit of withdrawal. ATM machines are easily found abroad, but we don’t want the possibility of someone “cleaning” out our account. To address this threat, a trusted family member is given access to our account back in the states. They can monitor the account, and transfer funds as needed.

* Contact your credit card company. Let your credit card company know your itinerary before you leave. They don’t want fraudulent charges placed on your card either.

*Use space compression bags that don’t require a vacuum. This will save you lots of space in your luggage.

* Check everywhere for bugs ick!!!! We have never found any…but I check EVERY soft and hard surface area for bed bugs. When you  get back, vacuum the luggage, wrap in a black garbage bag and place in the sun to “bake” anything left behind. You can also put your luggage in a walk in freezer for a couple of days.  

*Don’t order any liquid on an plane that does not come from a can or bottle…we have a water bottle that is made from silicone and compresses to about an inch high and can be filled from a water fountain after getting through TSA.  While you are at it…wipe down every surface on and near your seat with a antibacterial wipe.  Even if you are not a fan of sanitizers…now is the time to use them liberally.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Thanks for joining me!