England was a great place to begin my journey. For starters, they speak English, and pretty well, too :) I had been there twice before so I wasn’t anxious about arriving in a totally new place. I think England is the perfect “starter country” for Americans traveling to Europe: it’s different than home and has so much to see, but it’s similar enough that you avoid overwhelming culture shock as you adjust to the new time zone. My time in England was split between three days on the southern coast and four days in London.
After landing at Heathrow, I took the bus to Poole, three hours south of London. I was greeted by Graham and his Jack Russell Terrier, Tommy Rogers.
Can you tell how out of it I am?
Graham is a family friend who we got to know after my sister and his son met in Denmark on an exchange program. We spent time enjoying the beautiful and diverse seaside, as well as lounging at home and watching quality British television. Graham lives just a few minutes from Poole Harbour, where we walked along the water and the old town. It's kind of beach town, complete with waterfront mansions and lots of outdoor enthusiasts, especially kite-surfers in the summer. I saw beaches I never expected to see in England...
California? No, Dorset!
Also nearby is the Jurassic Coast. Yeah, I'd never heard of it either. It runs for miles and miles along England’s southern coast and is one of the few places in the world to see unique landforms and fossils that might be millions of years old. At first I was skeptical, but Graham drove me to Kimmeridge Bay, where you can break open a seemingly normal piece of rock and find yourself a fossil. We walked along a beach of large, flat rocks next to cliffs of layered shale. When we found a few rocks that suited us we set up camp and basked in the sun for the afternoon. It was remote and peaceful and one of the most beautiful days I had during my travels. There’s so much more to see along the Jurassic Coast so I hope to make it back someday.
The view from my rock
My time with Graham and Tommy Rogers was full of new experiences yet unhurried. They were perfect hosts, showing me all around Dorset but also giving me time to rest. We had several tasty meals and I had a dog to play with... I didn’t want much else!
Roast chicken and potatoes, and plenty of gravy, yum!
The best way to rest when jet lag takes over
I purposely planned my trip so I could relax for the first few days and I'm glad I did. Feeling rejuvenated and ready for lots of sight-seeing, the next stop was London…
Trying to smuggle my new friend on the bus
No comments:
Post a Comment