Friday, July 2- Sunday July 4th

So I was still determined to go to Oxford even if I would be able to meet up with friends for only a short while! Spent a veryyy long time at work finding a very cheap and round bout method to Oxford! Anyway, I managed to find THE CHEAPEST MOST INCONVENIENT ROUTE. EVER.

Here is my itinerary!

4:15am. Catch bus to Leicester. (above is a picture of the sunrise on my walk to the bus..taken just outside my dorm!!)
5:40am. Catch train to Oxford.

OK, not too bad, but quite early I'd say :) Anyway, got to Oxford quite early (8am), and met up with some friends at around 10. I walked around for 2 hours by myself and had some entertaining experiences to say the least! I first went to Christ's Church and noted the "DO NOT CROSS" rope, but crossed it anyway..just had to get the perfect picture! The sweet little old man guarding the rope was like 'young lady...'. I convinced him to let me take some pictures only because it was such a pretty day out and that a pretty day like that comes once in a blue moon and it would really be a waste when no one was allowed to take such beautiful pictures. I mean, how could he reason himself out of that one! At the church courtyard I also met a really lovely lady called Mandy, who was getting her PhD at Oxford. The little old man guarding the rope was called Bill and for like 20 minutes completely entertained us with the history of the Church as well as Oxford..dating all the way back to well...when the world started I suppose :) Good start to a good day! The sun was actually a bit bright, but here they are!


After that I walked through the garden behind Christ's Church and somehow managed to find myself within the athletics facility at Oxford..telling someone I was supposed to be meeting someone for a tour of the building...maybe?? Anyway, check this out!


Also after this fun little bit, I decided I would try to gain some info on the city by joining random tour groups for bits and parts. Well, there were like 4 huge tour groups all gathered in the center of this one street, and as luck would have it (or just me being oblivious), I followed the tour group that was entirely ASIAN. I slyly ducked away when I realized they were all looking at me haha. Oh dear!

I decided then that I would not join any more tour groups. done with that! So, instead, I followed these two old women decked in trainers, map in hand, and really nice cameras. I figured they of all people knew what they were doing. I should have realized though, that when they entered a college through a small archway that had a rope slung across it saying "college closed to visitors for private party", that I should probably just turn back. Anyway, I proceeded, thinking if anything happened I was with the other two women who had clearly initiated any and all decisions regarding the trespassing. WELL! I definitely should have realized I was in the wrong place when I followed them into a church... a nicely dressed man came up to the women (and..er..me) and asked one of the women if she was "Claire's mother". Who Claire was, I didn't know. Who Claire was, I didn't care. However, beside me was Claire's mother...and I don't think I would have gotten by saying I was Claire's sister... Turns out that they were there for some bell ringing ceremony. I heard this as I pretended to take a phone call..which required me to leave the building..and the courtyard..and exit the college. PHEW. No matter what I do, I always find myself in these odd situations! haha. Maybe I should carry my own map? Personal GPS!?

Anyway, here are some more beautiful shots of Oxford!!



At about 10 I met up with some friends from school and hung out with them for a couple of hours before they headed to Wimbledon!! After that I met up with my other friend Alex from work who lives in Oxford! It was nice to actually have someone tell me that all the random pictures I took earlier in the day were not so random after- all! I definitely had my fair share of good food, and now looking back, wish I had taken a picture of this pork meat croissant thing..sounds gross but it was SO good...and then the TRIPLE chocolate chocolate chip cookie. Mmm. Caught the second half of the football match, and unfortunately, German fans were had squeezed in the pub that we were in, and it was not too exciting to hear their Ooo and ahhs after Germany completely demolished Argentina!! gahh.

Here is a picture of one of the coolest buildings in all of Oxford according to some, and also a gourmet cake shop...thought this cake was funny! Also below is a slate from when Einstein used to lecture back in the day at Oxford. Can you decipher it?? When I was in the museum the 1st time (went there twice ha) I was staring at it so intently that I guess it looked like I knew what it meant. The woman working there asked if I knew..and I made up some answer really having no idea what it meant and having only read the sign. Apparently she thought I was something special (a young Einstein!).. :) Later she kindly let me use the staff only toilet with her special swipe card (which I was thankful for!) and then I saw her getting "a stern talking to" from her supervisor. Sorry for getting you in trouble!! Anyway, went back with Alex and took a picture of the slate and the description. Quite interesting!!



Before the train, made a quick stop by the river! There was a pasture near the river behind Christ's Church that had HUGE cows. There was a debate if they were cows or bulls...but whatever they were..scary animals!


All in all, Oxford was a great great time, and definitely worth the hassle of traveling. The thing I liked the best though, is that there is every type of person living there, from super posh, to well, the complete opposite end of the spectrum. And, there is SO much history, yet , kind of along the lines of Rome, people just treat all this amazing architecture dating wayyy back as normal, and barely even notice it! You can go 2 minutes of the main road and end up in a beautiful park, or by the river with enormous cows inhaling grass...it has something for everyone, and I definitely want to go back soon!!

BUT. the journey is NOT over yet. Getting back was supposed to be hassle free. Right? WRONG!

Here is my intended journey:
Train from Oxford to Darby, Train from Darby to Beeston, bus connection as arranged by the train station from Beeston to Loughborough.

Well, here was my actual journey as a result of my train being delayed and me missing that crucial last connecting bus...at 12:30 am (MIddle of the night!!)

1. Train from Oxford to Darby (7-9:30)
2. Waiting in Darby, train to Beeston at 11:15 (supposed to be 11pm!!)
3. Arrived in Beeston...in the middle of nowhere..and with a two platform with the "station" being all locked up...well..yea..
4. Walked to city centre...took a bus to Nottingham (next biggest city rather than a small nothing town)
5. Pondered with what to do with myself and my remaining 12 pounds over a platter of 70p fries from the joint opposite the train station in Nottingham.
6. Waited to get on a SkyLink bus to take to the East Midlands airport (nearest airport like 15-20 minutes away)..that way I could take another Skylink bus from East Midlands to Loughborough (they run throughout the night)
7. However, the kebab place was closing at 1am, and I didn't want to wait all by myself for the next 40 minutes at a sketchy bus stop across the train station...
8. So I copied down the Skylink route and got on the next city bus that came and got off at the first stop (that matched one on the SkyLink route I had copied down) that was in a more suitable area...AKA a massive grouping of nightclubs that were filled with police and bouncers :)
9. Waited for a bit, then took the bus to the airport then the bus to Loughborough and then finallllyyyy made it home at like 2:30am. YUCK!

Least to say, I was pretty proud with the fact that I still had 2 pounds left from my 12 pounds after all that PLUS the fries, and that I didn't have to enlist anyone's help to do this!! I'm getting better at traveling! (in countries where they speak English...)

All in all..a VERY eventful weekend!!!!