From Ireland...

Unfortunately, there is no B & B owner with an i-phone in Ireland, so I didn't take that picture. But I swear to you, my pictures look almost exactly like that. Truth is, I will probably be posting my (not so perfect) pictures for the next 3 years to spice up my WR life. ha.

When I left you last I was with the girls in England. From there, we spent some lovely (and slightly nerve wracking) days in Wales, with a vehicle weaving our way through the countryside. I have one really great story of human goodness and a tire blowing. But I'd like to tell you that one in person. With considerable sadness, I left the girls in Wales. We really had some lovely adventures.

I went to meet Matt in London, and it was such a surreal moment to see him standing in the Heathrow before me. Even now, its hard to believe some days we are having this adventure.

Some highlights so far:

London...
We saw "Waiting for Godot" with Ian & Patrick and it was pretty unreal. We were in the very back row, I mean the last possible row in the theatre, but the magic made it to there. I suppose its not a shock to say it - but those guys can really carry a scene. We also met my family friends "The Suvans" for dinner in their London flat. It was so nice to be in a home, and enjoy home-cooked food and vist with friends. On our last day, we had high tea at Fortum & Masons. It was really the height of the tea experience. They did everything right.

Ireland...
I wanted to write about each city, but I can see that the hotel owner is looking at me strangely for hogging the computer so long. So I will just say this, the coastlines in this country are magnificent. See the picture (that I did not take...haha) above. I have really been over-taken with awe. Sometimes, when you travel this really horrible thing happens to you where every cathedral looks like the one before, and it all blurs into one. But then, you see beauty like we did in this country, and you literally can't help you shriek when you come around the corner because it's so beautiful. I love that feeling.

I should go, his looks are getting more persitent now. I love travelling, but think of you all often. Send me lines & let me know you are. They mean a lot "out here". ha.

From the UK....

Well hello everyone. As the title suggests, this post comes to you from the UK. I am sitting in Bath - en route to Wales with the Laura and Rita Van Dyke. Its not the most expressive picture, but our B & B owner snapped it on the ol' iphone and sent it this morning, so I figured I might as well post it. We are in Wells there, the smallest town in the city in the UK (most well known for the filming of British Movie 'Hot Fuzz' which I love).

London
This country does indeed hold part of my heart. We started in the bustling London, where we stayed at a very Hogwarts-esque hostel with wooden beds and massive staircases. We were sort of theatre gluttons, we watched The Phantom of the Opera and Romeo & Juliet in one day. It was preeetty great. We also went around the city, wandered in Hyde Park, went to the Poet's Corner to converse with our dead kindred spirits. It was quite lovely. We some transportation nightmares because the tube went out of service. We had to find our way back to the Swiss Cottage on random buses. We also went to Dover (to see the White Cliffs) and Cantebury for the home of the Chaucer's tales. Dover was a bit of a dissapointment, because the beautiful white cliffs were blocked by a massive port, but we read our poetry anyway. Cantebury was quick but lovely, and I had my first real English Roast while here, and it was perfect.

Oxford
Next, we headed to Oxford to visit the graves of some great authors (Tolkien & Lewis) and visit their pubs, and Colleges. It was quite a crazy town, with students in robes everywhere. We saw also saw Harry's banqueting hall, and of course LVD & I were in raptures.

Glastonbury
From Oxford, we headed to Glastonbury (no, not for the festival). Laura insisted that we go on this pilgrimage to see the 'beginning of Christianity in England' and where the Arthur legend begin. I was skeptical, but it was quite a interesting town, full of hippies, mystics and those interested in other worlds. It was pretty great being in small-town England again, and made me think so much of Capernwray.

Now, we are in Bath, here for a few short hours, en-route to Wales. We have been judged considerably, for our decision to go to Wales, but we are quite excited. Tomorrow, we go to Tintern Abbey and read Wordsworth's famous lines. I cannot wait. It has been a joy to travel with English Majors, who have a poem or some lines for every occasion, and are ready to read them with me. And yet, I also think of so many of you, the ones I lived with here, the ones I travelled with here, and I remember all the great times travelling brought us.

Please send me some thoughts of home. They will be much appreciated on this side of the ocean. You are missed & loved.