International Road Trip! England and Wales

caerphilly castle

So many ducks.

Welcome, Voyagers!

On this trip, we are trying something new on the blog: live (or, pretty close to live) updates. Check back over the next 2 weeks to see the latest locations on this road trip along the western coast of the UK…on the way to Cambridge graduation!

First stop: Cornwall. After an overnight in the beachy-casual Newquay (pronounced Newkey), we hit the road for a few Cornwall stops. This is Padstow, a lovely village along the river. If you can snag a reservation, eat at The Seafood Restaurant. Hint: if you go there for breakfast, order some scrambled eggs. They’re not on the menu, but they’ll make them for you. Might be the best eggs I’ve ever had.

About an hour away from Padstow is St. Ives. Not very many places turn out to be just as pretty and fun as promised. Cornish ice cream and ancient pubs abound along this harbor city.

The drives in all of the UK are absolutely interminable. I don’t use this word lightly. First, you gotta figure out how to drive on the left. Then you gotta get your head around the fact that it will take you 13 minutes to go 3.2 miles. This, in part, is because of “roads” like this:

Welcome to Wales! We first stayed in Cardiff, which is the capital of the country. One of the best things about Wales is hearing people speak Welsh. It’s almost impossible to grasp what the street signs are saying, though! Cardiff (“the city of arcades”) is a good jumping off point for some day trips to local castles & abbeys and ancient Norman and Roman ruins.

Off to the coast! And more towns with names I wish I could pronounce. But there were more castles and lovely promenades like these in Llandudno. Also, be sure to remember that you’ll likely hear “Hiya!” or Y’alright? as greetings around these parts. The greeter is not asking if you are, indeed, okay. This is simply their way of saying, “How are you?” and not expecting an answer!

There is an ancient mine in this town, and I mean ANCIENT. Apparently, it is the oldest copper mine in the entire world, only discovered in 1987 because they wanted to build a parking lot (“car park”) there. Tour the Orme mines if you ever find yourself in this area.

Castles, castles everywhere! This one is Caernarfon Castle.

…where the Prince of Wales’s investiture occurs. Which is really important, apparently.

Back to England! Manchester is a, you know, city. The weekend in the city was packed, as there was a Man-U soccer match AND a music festival.

We stayed at a hotel on the river

A few things about England & Wales: When you’re greeted, you will be asked, “Y’alright?” This is not an actual wondering if you are in fact okay. It is their way of greeting with, “How are you?” Also, be sure and book a reservation for dinner. Because at restaurants and even pubs, “Y’alright” will be followed by “do you have a booking?” Even if the place is empty. Manchester does have a soccer museum, where I saw this trophy:

and an Imperial War museum, where I saw and this gem of a warning from WWI:

i bought this sign.

it’s going to be framed in my home.

York, our last stop before Cambridge, is so quaint & charming…signs like this abound in their pubs:

i did not buy this sign.

Up next: Cambridge and the long-awaited graduation weekend!