Journal Entry: Bath Backpackers

The hostel is okay, cleaner than I remember it I think. Though the water pressure sucks, and the lights timed out and went off before I was finished showering. I had to get dressed in the dark, and then when I stepped out the sensor finally realized I was there and they came back on. Other than that, it’s okay.

I had “authentic Italian gelato” which was nothing like the gelato in Italy. It looked like it in the case, but didn’t taste as good. It was good, just not Italian good.

I also took a tour of the Tower at Bath Abbey for £5. It was really cool. They just started offering them last August. There was only one other girl in the tour which was kinda cool. 220 steps in all.

Tower Tour - Bath Abbey

Then I had some Bulmer’s Pear Cider, which was quite tasty, along with some chips at The Huntsman Inn. I then went on the Bizarre Bath tour. I remember being in a bad mood when I went on it in 2002 and not liking it. I decided to give it another try and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So apparently I like to say “I” a lot as there are now a bunch in a row. Silly me.

Bizarre Bath Tour

I’m going to eat breakfast at Sally Lunn’s in the morning. A couple of girls here keep coughing. Sucking a zinc lozenge. I ain’t getting sick now!

Journal Entry: The Philosophy of Time

Still on the train. I was thinking about a story that Taine told me the second day I was with her. She drove me down a country road, not far from her house. She told me to look to my right as she pulled off the road. There was a decaying wrought iron fence and bushes. Some trees too. She said it was there that a man named Matthew Hopkins was buried. It used to be a church, but the church was long since gone, the graves lost in the brambles, the stones ground to nothing by vines. 

Matthew Hopkins was the ‘Witch Finder General.’ He hunted innocent people and sent them to their deaths, for nothing, for false charges. She supposed it was fitting that he was now in an unmarked grave despite all the power he had had over people [in life].

I thought that she brought up an interesting point, whether she intended to or not, and that is, eventually most [all] tyrants wind up in an unmarked grave. Time destroys all things.

Journal Entry: Departing for More Adventures

Woke up this morning and got Skype to work for Taine so she could call her daughters. Packed everything up because I’m going to Bath. I’m on the 12:18 train to London Liverpool St. right now. 

We packed up all the stuff I bought for everyone, with the exception of a few things and shipped it airmail so I wouldn’t have so much to carry. It was £18 and Taine contributed some to it. She’s very sweet and is ever so nice. I enjoyed my time thoroughly there and feel refreshed and ready to travel some more.

Journal Entry: Roaming Off the Beaten Path & High Tea

I’m up way too late again. Made the mistake of trying to get some photos on Facebook. We got up and went to Long Melford today. There was a kitchen store there and we bought egg coddlers and Taine got Jan a milk frother for Christmas. It’s big enough so everyone can have milk at once. I think she’ll love it.

Then we went to the church. They had lovely stained glass dating to the medieval period. 

Graveyard of the Church in Long Melford

Crooked House in Lavenham

Then we went to Lavenham. There’s a guildhall there that was named Corpus Christi and I thought that was funny since that’s where I live. Then we had lunch at “The Swan.” It was good. I had a burger with french fries and a diet coke.

Then we headed home so I could have time to hang my laundry out to dry before tea. We had been invited to tea at a neighbor’s house. (at 4pm) She is an interior designer and I forget what her husband does. They were an older couple, very nice. We had frosted lemon cake, finger sandwiches with cucumbers and mayonnaise on them, and weak Chinese tea. It was supposed to be weak, and it was quite good. We had a fun time, and talked until nearly 6pm.

Then we came back home and putzed around. We watched a special on Stone Henge. I also called Andy and Jan. I miss Andy a lot! Only five more days. I’ll be sad that the trip is over, but happy to be home with Andy.

Good Pub Food

Journal Entry: Traveling IT Support

It’s past midnight. I was up late trying to help Taine to get Skype working. And helping her get her computer sorted out. It was a bit of a mess. Her desktop was messed up. So, today after we had breakfast we went to the Anglican church in the village. Everyone was really nice. [redacted] The British though are quite unlike most Americans when it comes to religion, they’re pretty laid back.

Of course the priest had a British accent, and it was difficult to keep a straight face at times as it seemed very much like a Monty Python skit.

After church, I helped Taine serve tea and coffee. I helped her clean up too. I didn’t mind. It was a good way to meet people.

Then we went home and had lunch. We watched Father Ted on the tele, and had some good laughs.

Then we went to a plant nursery and Taine bought a plant, rhubarb maybe? I forget. They had some really cool clay things with stars, but I’d have never been able to get them home. Jan would have probably liked them. They were hollow so you could put those lights in them to light your garden paths.

Then we went to Flatford. I found some playing cards for Ben (my boss) and some fridge magnets that had the names [redacted] and [redacted] on them. I think Jan and Robert will like that. It has the coat of arms on it.

Then we took a boat ride down the Stour. It was quite pleasant. £4 for thirty minutes and Taine paid for both of us. It was quite nice of her.

Then we headed home and had scones and clotted cream again in the garden. It was a gorgeous day. I kept joking that I brought the nice weather with me from the south of France.

Then I took some pictures of Taine’s garden for her, and I helped her get them uploaded to her computer, which led me to helping her get her computer in a more efficient working order. 

It’s late now. Time for bed