Stonehenge and Bath

I will start off by saying that I did not go to Greenwich and I apologize if this has inconvenienced anyone who was under the impression that I'd be there Saturday.

Yesterday was the day trip excursion to Bath and Stonehenge. The buses left at 7:30 AM so I was up by 6:30. Oddly enough, I wasn't that tired given it was the earliest I've woken up in recent memory. The bus ride to Stonehenge was about 2 and a half hours, and I spent most of it listening to music/resting my eyes. I say "resting my eyes" because I am not sure if I ever truly fell asleep. Either way, we eventually reached Stonehenge which was, quite frankly, not what I expected. It stood on a plot of land sandwiched between two highways. I thought that was a little tacky, but I guess development can't be helped. So, we pulled into the lot on the side of the highway and got out and made our way to the monument. They gave us these walkie-talkie type things that provided a self-guided tour. They really weren't necessary. As I got closer and closer to the stones, I couldn't help but feel underwhelmed. I blame all the readings I've done in school for over-hyping and raising my expectations to unreasonable heights. I mean, the stones are big, but they're not THAT big. I'm sure the elements and vandals have chipped away at the stones and they are smaller than they once were, but even then, I wasn't that impressed. Don't get me wrong, I am really glad that I went, and it IS something worth seeing, but don't go in expecting anything more than stones. I thought I would feel some sort of magical awe, but unfortunately, no such feeling was evoked. Nonetheless, it was fun to take pictures of the henge, and the sheep that were grazing in the neighboring fields. After walking the perimeter of the site, we got back on the bus and were in Bath in about an hour. Once here, we went directly to the Roman Baths, which were disappointing to say the least. There was so much reconstruction that it was hard to tell what was part of the original baths, and what was just put in to make it aesthetically pleasing. Not to mention, it was just a pool of water. Sure, it was built on hot springs so the water bubbled, but I was bored nonetheless. After fulfilling my sense of obligation to see the baths, we went to grab some lunch. Then we strolled around and took pictures of the abbey. I'm not sure if it is a particularly stand out abbey (something tells me it isn't), but it was something to use my camera on. After killing time by eating a second lunch, walking some more, and looking at an open air photo exhibit on planet earth (vague I know), we headed back to the bus with a half hour to spare. The bus ride back took longer than the itinerary said it would, but we were home by 8 which is not too bad. Despite the apparent "letdown" tone of this post, it was a fun day if for no other reason than seeing something new and taking a break from Brighton.

One mo'

This just in, I am going to Greenwich on Saturday. That is all.

Late to the Game

Despite being in Brighton, England since January 8th, I have just set up a blog to chronicle my time studying abroad. Fortunately (or unfortunately), I have yet to travel anywhere besides London, so there haven't been any extraordinary adventures that may have lost their freshness in my mind. On February 21st I will be making a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath. February 26th marks my first excursion to mainland Europe in the form of Caen, France. March 5th I am flying to Munich, Germany and spending the weekend. The following weekend of the 12th, I will be in Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. It's hard to believe, but the next weekend will be the start of my Easter Break. I have scheduled flights to Barcelona, Spain, Marrakesh, Morocco, and Paris, France. After the break on April 29th, I will be flying to Amsterdam, Holland for Queen's Day that Friday. There is still much work to be done in booking more flights and hostels and trains, but everything seems to be falling into place. Needless to say, I will be updating as my plans come into clearer focus, and of course will be adding many photos when the time comes.