HELLO AGAIN WORLD!!!
Many of you may be wondering why I have yet to post about my exciting adventures. Well, my computer of one year has decided to not boot its operating system properly. I know, I know, not the best place to be stuck in, but I am going to make it work by ordering a Macbook online to have shipped to my house ready for school in the fall. That is my biggest concern. School in the fall and having the memory from this old computer extracted. I love Macs and have always wanted one. We will see where this “mini” side adventure takes me. Have no fear. I am converting my well-used naptime during my break at work into use the computer that the kids play violent games on time.
BATH: BATH is thus my favorite so far!!! It is a nice little town that has a very distinct identity. You may remember something about the Roman Hot Springs – yes, they were located in Bath England!! This is a place where very important, rich people went to relax. Modern spa’s have learned a lot from this place. We had a very good guided walking tour and saw some apartments that cost HUGE amounts of money to rent – let alone buy. This city definitely does a good job at keeping it updated, clean, and very modern but still historical. Our tour guide used to swim in the baths when she was younger – strange?? I got to drink water that has been treated from the hot baths. It tasted like there was definite iron deposits. Take warm water and down it…that equals bath water. We were limited in our time to explore bath because we took an ITT trip. The rolling hills of Bath blew my mind and I cannot imagine what Scotland and Wales will look like. OH…and IRELAND!!! Since we get to go . J I wish I could blog more about Bath, but I can’t remember everything. I got a lot of pictures. I need to make sure I blog right after visiting something so I can write a lot more! Stupido Computer!!! And yes, I was flatly denied and support for fixing my computer today by some random military guy. I don’t even thing he was apart of the military. Oh well. My life will go on with or without a computer.
NORWICH: This small town houses a nice mall area and interactive castle. We entered by train on a Sunday afternoon. A lot of the small shops were closed, but we could count on McDonald’s being open. We had gotten a coupon for some cheap big macs and sat and had lunch. It was fun to see pidgeons come so close while we were eating. After that we had gone to NEXT, a high-end (in my opinion) shopping experience. It wasn’t actually high end but everything was very expensive. I saw a few shirts that I liked, but let them keep their resting place on the hangers do to the massive whole they would have made in my wallet. I have asked some of the girls to give me a more “European” style by the end of our Camp Adventure experience. They all responded with excitement – we will see when it comes to the actual selection of clothes, mwwaaahhh. The castle was pretty sweet! We got a student discount which pretty much rocks my world. I will probably save a lot of money when all this if over after tallying my student discounts!! I almost did not bring my Student I.D. Norwich Castle had a pretty sweet well that was VERY deep. I sent 1 pence down that wishing well. We saw some armor, took funny pictures, and just walked around having a fun time! There was a lot of stuff to see – it was basically a museum!!! After this, we stopped at a very nice restaurant called “BELLA ITALIA”. I took pictures of what I ate as well as the sign. It was funny and I had a very interesting “English” cultural experience in Bella Italia. When concluding our meal, Krista, Erin, and Carrie decided to get a “take away” – English for carry out. Our waitress looked a little bit puzzled, but decided to go with us Americans and say she would wrap it up. Service is very slow in England and upon looking back we see our waitress yelling at the cook to take our left over’s back because she cannot give them to us in nice Tupperware containers. The cook clearly did not understand what she meant by take away. After a long time of waiting, we finally received our “take away”. Now get this, we have 3 or 4 squares of pizza in a HUGE pizza box strategically placed and noodles with chicken, oil, and tomatoes in aluminum foil!! I would have preferred the plastic, nice Tupperware. Oh well. I could not stop laughing after that incident and it may not sound funny when I remember it, but it was the best part of that day! After supper, we went to this beautiful garden plantation. This was very well done and I took some really good pictures here! I hope those are on my camera because if they are on my computer, they may be lost forever!!! FOREVA!!!!
CANTERBURY: Famous from the book “Canterbury Tales”, this town was very quiet. It houses a famous Cathedral where Sir Thomas Beckett was murdered by the King as well as the Black Knight. The Cathedral is HUGE in English history, but was quite the dud to me. It was sad that it was in need of so much money for revonvations. They had metal platforms up one side and down the other. I am also a little bitter about the price I paid to get in and see what I saw…I guess I was just expecting more from this particular cathedral.
After this, we decided to get lost on our way to “ THE CANTEBURY TALES” tourist attraction. Once finally making it there, I was very excited. We got our hearing devices all ready to go and began our adventure through a pre-scened story book. It was very entertaining and I am glad I did it. At the end, I was so intrigued by the Tales that I bought a book – translated of course – to read about the Cantebury Tales. I also needed a book for my train ride back.
We were originally going to go to the Cliffs of Dover, but that was postponed do to train track engineering. We are hoping to get there, but have yet to set the date.
I hate paying for Taxis.
THETFORD FOREST: Although we did not actually do much in Thetford forest, we did have an EXCELLENT time doing something called “GO APE”. Basically we got to act like monkeys high up in the tree tops!!! I have some great video and photos. I must say it was more challenging when it began to rain and I was on a beam of wet wood 50ft in the air with bushes below ready to poke my restless body as I would plummet to the floor. It was great fun with a harness. I have never done anything with a harness before. It was one very unique experience. The guy that worked for Go Ape decided to take advantage of my wandering mind. I had asked how to “use a camera” in reference to how you connect it to me harness and he proceeded to say, well, it is quite simple you just (this is when he puts his two hands up) hold it like this and press the button on top. It was very hysterical as I laughed out loud. Oh, the Brits and there jokes towards Americans – Gotta love it. Go Ape ended in a nasty taxi ride back with CDC and Day Camp both thinking the other group had been lost in the forest. I know, freaked me out just a little bit.
Well, I have so much to talk about with work and all but all I will say is that I have found the kid version of my friend Lauren. They are almost identical – not really – but she makes me think a lot of Lauren. Speaking of Lauren, I miss her and all my friends from ISU. I love ISU SOOO MUCH and have only spent 9 months of my life making memories. I cannot wait for this year as I grow closer to my life long friends.
P.S. – Lauren, you stink for calling purposes with your 8 hour time difference.
PICTURES WILL FOLLOW SOON ON FACEBOOK OR HERE!!!
Thanks for being patient!
-Jamison
