Caffeinated
I have been averaging 3-4 cups of tea a day and at least 1 coffee (more like 2). Just wanted to share. I had a ridiculously long train ride (it wasn't supposed to be...British transit grr) to visit the wonderful Eleanor in Linclonshire the other day, but had no muns on me. I ended up getting really frustrated in the train station bc all my trains were getting delayed or cancelled. I became so girlie and ridiculous that I even shed a few tears (hello overreacting Sarah). I was tired, hungry but also moody for some other reason. No, not that time of the month. Really.....jonesin for a coffee actually. I wonder if I am addcited to caffeine...?
Photos Part Two
See Previous blog for more photos...I will post soon with the Republic of Ireland Pics
Me in Nessie hat with Aussie friends at Loch Ness
Edinburgh City Center...Such an amazingly pretty city
Me at Giant's Causeway in N. Ireland
Castle in Northern Ireland
Murals in Belfast
Photos Part One
London: Parliament and the famous Big Ben
Newcastle: Quayside at night
Me at a castle in the highlands
Muddy bums after slidding down a hill in the highlands
Adorable Hairy Coo!
More Highlands
Feels like home
Ahh, the country. I love it. I am now settled in a wonderful area next to Huntington, in Cambridgeshire (near to Cambridge). I live with the senior partner of the horse vet clinic I am doing work experience in, Peter, and his wife, Sally. They are really incredible people, and I feel very welcome and at ease. It is nice to be here only on my third night and be able to feel like I can be myself. I am grateful for their warmth and hospitality. Sally has been feeding me really well and has been gracios in providing for my pseudo-vegetarian needs.
I have been learning a lot in the past two days. I shadow the vets and the nurses at the clinic and on the road. So far I have seen a few ultrasound scans on legs (to look for tendon and ligament damage) and got to play around with the ultrasound machine, saw a really sweet horse get castrated (poor lil guy, hehe...that means neutered by the way, just in case you weren't sure), saw a few xrays and stuff. It hasn't particularly been too exciting in terms of the procedures, but the things I have been learning about horses has been great, especially because I was previously so ignorant. As I was in the car on the way to check up on a horse suture, I realized that I was smiling away. I was getting excited about vet med again. I could picture myself doing it. I could think of all the possibilities in the field. I was asking billions of questions and facinated by the science of it all. I really really wanna get into the U of S this year. I really do want to do this. And part of me can see myself coming to the UK after, at least for some time. I love it here.
Anyways, what have I been doing before this? I had a fun time in Dublin. I am facinated by the history of both Scotland and Ireland. It really sucks to see what a crappy job the "church" has done in the past though. Not to say that this was the real "church" of spirit-filled believers, but the church as a political unit, actually. It's embarassing and sad though. And its left scars. God has a lot of healing to do all over the world, and I see more in more how all people of all countries need to hear the Gospel.
Dublin is a cool place, and it is incredible to think that such a fantastic city was in such a state of welfare and need just a couple decades ago, if that. The three days I spent on the bus with the Shamrocker tour was super awesome, though it had a bit different feel than the Scotland one. I met some really fun peeps again though. I have to say that the easiest people to get along with seem to be Aussie guys and Canadian girls. The majority of time I have been here has been spent with such company.
The two most magical moments I had were up at the Dingle Penninsula, on the west coast of Ireland. There I dipped my feet into the freezing Atlantic ocean on this incredible beach (what followed was a huge wave that soaked the jeans I had on), and climbed a cliff to the most western point of Europe and some of the most incredible scenery I have ever had the blessing of seeing. Unfortunately I didn't meet the hot Irish guy of my dreams, tear. It was still good times though. Once again, I exhausted myself by going out and staying up way too late when I needed to get up early. I broke all my own rules..."I'll be back at the hostel by 10:30" turned into 1:30am, "back by 12" was twice beat out by 2:30 and 1...I am seriously an old woman now and I can't do this anymore, hehe. The result is that I am a lil sick and have a cold, but a nice comfy bed, gallons of tea, actual meals and rest already have made me feel better. Oh to be 18 again. Actually, 18 wasn't that great. Never mind.
Not intending to be offensive, I admit that, well, I can't say that I miss home much...am I terrible for feeling that way? I do miss my family and friends (and pets), but not in a way that pulls me back, though you know I love you:) These are long posts, aren't they? More laters though, I still have more to blab about. Until then, I wish you good times. I will try to put up a pic now, but if it fails, I will post a few pics next time. XOX
Ireland
I am now in my last stop, the beautiful country of Ireland. I am in Dublin for three nights, on to a 3 day tour of the west of Ireland, then back to Dublin for one more night. Before this I was in Belfast. It was quite a chore to get there, as the ferry departure my bus was booked on didn't actually exist and we got shuttled to another one a few hours later. But I arrived and it worked out well. Especially the hostel. It was uber clean and in a good location. Cheap too. I felt relieved after two nights at Brodie's hostel in Edinburgh. Picture this: gross and dirty floor, 16 bed mixed dorm, with 4 showers for the whole floor, and two girls bathrooms. No hot water two days in a row. Hardcore party atmosphere (peeps comin in and out at 4am, turning lights on), heavy snoring, one guy who coughed and coughed all night, ugh.
Anyways, things seem to take much longer than I plan for, something I anticipate more in Asia than here. But yay, I am in Dublin and its not pooring rain. Belfast held up well, too. I saw the Giant's Causeway, which was absolutely amazing. Met a cool Aussie guy too, so it was nice not to be a loner and have some company. People waiting for internet, ugh. Okay, I will write more later. This Dublin hostel is amazing (though it should be, its expensive). It has gorgeous beds, free net, free full breakfast, is super clean, small. I love it. Off to buy groceries and take out some euros!
*****
Okay, I am back and taking more advantage of the free internet here. Especially because it is 7pm and I am not sure what else to do. I still am going to take some time to plan the next couple of days, but I am not sure what to do tonight. I stayed in the past couple, and I think I will just wander the streets and look around. I hope to meet some people tomorrow so I can hang out with someone. Travelling alone is really awesome in that I can do what I want and get up when I want and things take less time (well, ok things are just on my time). And during the day its good...doing a tour is usually awesome cuz you meet people...but arriving in a new city is lonely in the evenings.
One thing I am finding funny is connections to people I meet, or seeing someone I know from Canada in another part of the world. When I went to this Literary Pub tour in Edinnburgh, I was talking to someone about vet school in Saskachewan, and one person was from Saskatoon, one person's son went to UBC and two people were vets. It also turned out that this couple with the UBC son also have a son in Edinburgh...and I met his best friend in another city in the Highlands because we both did Haggis tours and our paths cross. So weird. Then, two Canadian grils on my Haggis tour were talking about this Canadian girl who annoyed their last tour driver becuase she kept talking and talking. It sounded like a girl I met in London in my hostel room...and it turns out it was! And the two Candian girls were staying next door to my room in London. Then I run into this same, um, try to be nice Sarah..."talkative" girl as I walked to my bus in Edinburgh on the way to Belfast. Sooooo crazy. And the Aussie guy I met on the Giants' causeway tour stayed at the same Brodie's hostel for a long time before and new a bunch of people there. He overheard me saying how dirty it was to someone else. It's weird how these degrees of separation work.
Scotland
My last night in Scotland. It's finally a quiet nite. Exhausted, a little on the poor side, having completely enough of pubs and not wanting to see another beer for a few days at least, I searched the streets of Edinburgh for some cafe open past 8pm. Sadly, I walked around for an hour before I found one. But...I found one and finally got some devo time in. I was so thirsty, physically as well as metaphorically. Anyways, I won't give all the details yet, but I had a completely awesome time the past few days on a Haggis Bus tour around the Isle of Skye. It was incredible....the Highlands are beautiful and it was so awesomely rich in history. I met awesome people too. Definitely a good time. But I'm wiped.
A bit of UK terminology that makes me smile cuz they laugh at me when I talk "American" (you may have heard it before):
To let=To rent
Give Way=Yield (thats whats written on yield signs)
Way Out=exit (there are no exit signs, just way out ones)
Loo or toilets=washroom
Cheers=thanks
Mobile=cell phone
Quid=equivalent of "bucks"
There's more but I forget.
Scottish Terminology that I can remember off hand:
Isle=island
loch=lake
glen=valley
coo=cow
ben=mountain
laird=kind of like lord (eg land lord)
Hmm, I forget the rest for now. Yeah, by the way, sure did go for a dip in Loch Ness at midnight on Thursday. Also ran full speed down a muddy hill and fell. I petted a hairy coo. And I dipped my face in a river that is upposed to give me eternal beauty. Off to Belfast in the am so bedtime. Nites
Loving the UK
I am in love...with England. Especially London. It was brilliant. I now have, finally, some quiet time away from the business of that city, and a computer I can write on for a while. I am currently in Newcastle, visiting by good friend Eleanor, who is at a baby Christening right now. I did so much this past week! Here it goes:
I arrived on Monday, after a pretty pleasant plane ride and a nice next door neighbour for the journey (always a bonus when traveling alone). I was definitely intimidated by the Underground system, but after meeting helpful people I made my way to the hostel. It was a busy four days in London, and I managed to do a ton. The first day I saw Tower Bridge, Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral (awesome), Tate Modern (I discovered I am definitely more of a classic art appreciator versus abstract/modern), and caught a show at Shakespeare Globe Theatre. I prayed really hard that God would provide someone to tour around with, and he did, a cool Aussie girl who I got completely lost from at the Tate. Wednesday started out rough, figuring out train/coach tickets up north was disappointing (I returned an hour after a train ticket quote to find out that cheap tickets were sold out). I got lost trying to find Temple Church and my feet killed. After being grumpy, I finally had an "I heart London," warm fuzzy moment when I went to the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square after lunch. After wandering around SOHO to Piccadilly Circus, I had a rest at the hostel and went out for the night with an American girl who was staying at the same place. Went Brazilian dancing, hehe, then to another place because we had free tickets. That was "interesting" and "eventful." But anyways...
Okay, so, Thursday then. This was a pretty cool day, starting out with the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (a spectacle to say the least). Oh my goodness, the band actually busted out in an ABBA tribute. Picture these proper guards marching to the tune of Dancing Queen. I had to pinch myself. After this was one of the highlights of my time so far: a tour of Westminster Abbey and an incredibly informative walk through of the Parliament. I ate fish and chips to finish off the day, and spent the evening chilling at the hostel, recovering from aching feet. The Friday coach ride up to Newcastle was frustrating. 7 hours turned into nine and a half. The only break came 6 and a half hours into the trip! I witnessed a great spectacle of nose-picking from the dude a seat up, and the bus smelt like a hospital cafeteria. I think that I would rather have been back on a bus in Asia, actually. Enough complaining (complaining puts you in the wilderness).
Newcastle is pretty and full of students. Staying with Eleanor and her housemates has been fantastic, firstly for the company, but with the bonus of proper dinners (not sandwiches at erratic times of day), a clean shower, and doing my laundry! Last night we saw the African Children's Choir perform (it was all I could do not to try and kidnap one of them, they were adorable) and today (Sunday) started out with Church service and barbecue (her Church is fantastic). I was really challenged by the message today and feel like I need a few days to process anything before sharing those thoughts. This post is already insanely long as it is, anyways.
One more thing though. Its pretty cliche, but honestly, I feel like this journey is not just one I am taking physically, but spiritually and emotionally. I am praying that, as I experience life in other parts of the world, God inspires me, and fires me up again. I am glad I am here. I am feeling more alive than I have been in the past little while, despite a couple foolish choices I have made here already. I am also glad to be alone for the travel part of it, as it forces more communication with God, as well as with strangers. I plan to post again in a few days about Edinburgh. Till then, cheers.
