Day 6

My trip to Leeds was going to be a light one. I had felt the pain from the previous days hike, but still had some energy to enjoy the day. Leeds is a large city with a very modern atmosphere. You could see history still being preserved but not letting it hold the city back from modern influences. Leeds isuch more sprawling than other cities I have been to in Europe but has a very nice bus system. It was easy to purchase a pass with an app. Most cities should adopt this style of ride purchase. My Leeds tour started at Kirkstall Abbey. This extremely old abbey lies in ruins behind a pay wall but can be seen from the outside. If I had more energy, I likely would have paid for the guided tour.

After meandering around the abbey I took the bus into the city to find some food. Today, I skipped breakfast and opted for Pakistani food. A chicken biryani was calling my name with a somosa starter and mango lassi to drink. Biryani is like fried rice, but even more flavorful. I could eat asian food most days. They vary so much. After chatting with the chef he said I should also go to Bradford. He said there is a larger Pakistani population there.

I walked through the city quite a bit and noticed that Leeds has many arcades. Arcades in this part of the world are shopping centers. I also made my way through a few more museums and also hit some historic buildings. I don't remember all the ones I hit so I will just put a few pictures here for you to see.

I wrapped up the day by seeing Romesh Ranganathan. If you have seen British tv in the last few years, Ramesh is everywhere. He was absolutely hilarious and even had a DJ with him for a before the show, and during interval entertainment. I enjoyed this day quite a bit.

Day 5

(missed a day because of lack of sufficient internet) Today's plan was to get into some of the UK nature I have heard so much about. It was way easier than I thought and have been encountering it far more often than other places. Before I go off on a tangent, let me just tell you how today went. I left Sheffield rather early knowing I had to drive through part of the city, (went way further in than I had intended) and then through the hills of the Peak District with potential for bad weather. Everything went swimmingly and I stopped for breakfast in a small town called Glossop. I went and had another fry up, because I knew I would be walking it off later. 

After a few cups of coffee I went to the next town over called New Mills. These were both unplanned stops. The breakfast place was highly rated and I was also needing to find something to do until my campsite accepted check-ins at 1pm. New Mills was that place. They had a beautiful nature path along the river that bares the purpose for the name of the place. The river supplied the power for the various mills they had there. The bones of the old mills are still in place as well as very recent additions to keep the place nice.  

After about 2 hrs of exploring this area I went over to the campsite. I checked in and the timing was perfect to get in a daytime 2hr hike and a light pub dinner before relaxing at the campsite. Well… sometimes you should do a little more research. I think I took the hard route. About 2.5 hrs into the hike I reached a landmark I hadn't planned on hiking because of the distance. Over 4 hrs later I was making my way back into the campsite ready to go grab food. However, the hike and the views were amazing.

Needless to say, my light dinner plans needed to change so I could consume some protein to heal up from this longer and harder than expected journey. I went to the nearest pub. Closed on Monday. I went to the next one. Kitchen closed due to staffing issues. The next one was open but I think I walked another half hour to get there. A steak with all the trimmings a two pints of ale later I felt pretty sore, but good.

Day 5 was all about nature, and England delivered splendidly. I think stone mountain would be the closest place I could go from my home to get a similar hiking experience, without the sheep though, and that is about a 6 he drive from home. You can make it across the entire country here in 6 hrs.

Day 4

Today's itenerary was to head up to Sheffield, and see what it was like and hopefully see another show. But before I took off from Nottingham, I decided to eat breakfast at the same place I had lunch the day before. One thing that is different, not good or bad…just different, is customer service. In the US, as your meal and drink reduce in size, it is very common for the service staff to ask you how things are going. Sometimes to the point of annoyance because your conversation keeps getting interrupted. Here, you typically get checked on once about halfway through your meal. This is acceptable as is flagging someone down or getting up and getting someone's attention. I had another English breakfast, not much different than the last, although the last was a bit better.

Something I really like about the UK is how a half hour down the road really changes the whole atmosphere of where you are. It's not just landscapes that are varying wildly. It's more like each section has its own culture and identity that are unique. To me, Leicester felt tired and run down. Nottingham was lively and rebellious like it had been told to be that way. Sheffield feels blue collar and proper with a university vibe. The land itself is hilly which makes the light tram very welcome. I started by parking in a park open to the public 24/7. I wish we had even a sample of the greenspace this was.

Then, I took the tram down to the city center. I started with the Sheffield Cathedral, otherwise known as the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul, Sheffield. It was beautiful inside and out. And it being Sunday, the doors were open and a massive organ was being played very well. I loved working in church buildings and this would have been a treat. They had a section dedicated to the soldiers from Sheffield who died.in combat from all wars. On the wall even hung the battle standards throughout time, most tattered and torn from use.

I then walked towards the Millennium gallery and Winter Garden. I reached the indoor garden first. I can see how this would be appealing in the grueling Sheffield winter slipping and sliding outside to come to a warm botanical retreat. It makes much more sense here than in places that it is swampy feeling inside and out. The Millennium Gallery was smaller than I thought it would be, but it was still cool. I saw some really good ideas that I would like to mimic if I was artistic.

I then ate a late lunch/early dinner at a Malaysian restaurant. I didn't know much about Malaysia before I started looking at acquiring a second passport. But since I found out some things I have been interested in the mix of cultures that is Malaysia. It's proximity in the East allows it to freely mix cultures from India to China. I had a traditional Malaysian dish know as Nasi lemak. The picture doesn't do the food justice. The sauce was beyond flavorful and they added a small pile of chili oil to increase the heat if you like. I loved how it was light, but still filling. And instead of giving you a peanut sauce, they just gave you a pile of peanuts to add to each bite, if you like. I also had a Malaysian milk tea and it tastes just like the Chinese milk tea in Birmingham.

There are many more things to see and do in Sheffield, but because it is Sunday, things were closed. When I come back, there is a butterfly sanctuary I want to visit, as well as the Moor market. I had about 2 hrs to kill before I saw the show scheduled for today, so I went to a local movie theater and watched the new Jurassic World movie. The chairs in the Light Cinema were super comfortable and I think I might have missed at least 5 minutes somewhere towards the middle of the movie. After that was done I marched down to the City Hall to see Jack Dee. Jack Dee has been doing standup for a long time but is now best known for his wittiness on panel shows like Have I Got News for You. It was an enjoyable show at an incredible venue.

Sorry for the poor quality image. I didn't want to bother anyone by holding the phone up to get proper lighting. If you want to see him that bad, look him up. Anyways, tomorrow is a day in nature. I am taking my allergy pill now and headed off to bed. Cheers.

Day 3

Today was a relaxing day of touring two towns. I hot Leicester first and then around lunchtime headed over to Nottingham. Both of these names are pronounced a bit different than a typical American would think they are pronounced. Leicester (Lesta) had some deep history but most of that history was being renovated so some of the things I was excited to see were closed off. One of those locations was the Jewry Wall, Roman bath foundations, and attached museum. You could only see a small portion of the wall through a fence behind the St. Nicolas church, some of which is dated to 880 AD. The wall itself dates back to around 125 AD. Besides the Roman baths down in Bath, this is likely the oldest structures I will see in my trip. If you look closely you can see some of the same stones in the church that is in the wall. They likely used parts of the wall to build the church.

The Leicester cathedral was also shit down for renovations, and that is where King Richard III tomb is kept after they re-buried the remains in 2015. This cathedral is also known as Cathedral Church of St. Martin and is one of the 6 churches listed in the Domesday Book. More on that when we get to my history.

Leicester Castle is now part of the business college so it is not open for visitors except on specific Sundays. However, just outside this area is another church and Prince Rupert's gateway arch. The Turret Gateway, as it is also known is massive and sits above a cobblestone road that gives you that old world feel. Just to one side of that arch is St. Mary de Castro Church. This church is dated to 1107. It is beautiful and contains many all heads sculpted along the rim of the church. On the other side of the archway is a small museum that houses some of Leicester's unique history and contributions to the British war effort throughout history. I took a picture of a recreation of a shop street from the 1950s, although it seemed mich older.

I then made my way over to Nottingham where I stopped on for a restaurant known for its carvery, but I ordered off the menu as there were so many options and this one stuck out to me. I had the Lamb Rogan Josh. England is particularly known for doing pretty well with their Indian food. And I know this wasn't authentic Indian, but they do it very well.

I then headed into Nottingham (Nottingum) via their tram and this is such a cool way to get into town. Places that have done this seem to be cleaner and livlier than those that rely on older forms of transportation. When you hear Nottingham you are likely to immediately think about Robin Hood. This town definitely celebrates that story and the rebellious nature behind it. I saw the Robinhood statue that date all the way back to… 1949. It was intended to celebrate Princess Elizabeth's visit to Nottingham, but was officially unveiled in 1952. The castle seemed nice, but since I got into town so late I didn't feel like spending 17 quid for a short visit. There are pictures available online.

The city center area was very well laid out and there is loads of clean places to shop and enjoy life. The people of Nottingham seemed to be happier than in Leicester earlier that same day. There is a massive square that holds a building that resembles similar architecture of that used in most of the DC government buildings. Supposedly there is shopping inside and outside in the square often, but it was just an open space outside and I didn't even try going inside.

Overall, Nottingham was a joy and I would put it high on my list of UK places. Leicester while having such great sites is really run down. It feels a bit like New Orleans. A place you want to go for the sites, but you know you are going to leave a little dirtier. No shows tonight, and tomorrow's is debatable as well as the app/site is still not allowing me to purchase tickets. We will see if the box office can help tomorrow. Cheers.

Day 2

Wow, what a day. Even though I woke up around 10 am (0300 CST) and was slow to get on the road, I had a very productive day. I drove from Hawkesbury Junction to Hampton in Arden. I was headed to Birmingham for the day, but knew better than to try and drive into the city. There is absolutely no need for a vehicle in a city like Birmingham when you are just staying for the day. Plus, the UK has a wonderful train system compared to the US even on a bad day of delays and cancellations. Only had one delay today and an unexpected transfer. All easy to figure out.

I got into Birmingham a little after noon and immediately found the Bullring. The Bullring is a historic indoor and outdoor shopping area that is massive. It has a high end indoor mall, the swanky open air walkplatz style mall, indoor and outdoor flea market style shopping, as well as farmers markets. Every type of shopping is done here.

I then found myself in Chinese quarter. Birmingham is incredibly diverse and the Chinese Quarter is just a small sample of what the city has to offer. I stopped at an authentic Chinese roast restaurant. I had roast duck and mixed veggies with a cold milk tea. It was incredible. The service was great as well. Cool thing about most of these restaurants is that your dinner is greeting you at the window when you walk in.

After I ate, I walked towards the canal central area of the city. There are a few narrowboat hire companies here, but I found the best group online and headed straight for their mooring to catch a ride and a story. For 6 quid, you get about a 45 minute journey around the canals of Birmingham from three mates with a Brummie accent and look like extras from Peaky Blinders. Actually they don't look too different from me except their outfits. Do not pass the opportunity to ride with Brindly Cruises if you are anywhere near here and want a good time and know more about the canals. Oh, and there is a bar on board if that is your thing.

Once the boat tour was over I had some time to kill before the show so I went back towards the Bullring to get some pictures of some of the more historic buildings of Birmingham.

Lastly, I had a show to attend. If you don't know the comedy stylings of Al Murray, and you don't mind a bloke telling you like it is, then he probably isn't your guy. I will be seeing a few different comedians while I am here, but enjoyed the beer stained show greatly. I have been on here for about an hour with the slower than expected internet in my camping spot, so I will leave you with just one more picture.

The rest of the pictures will be available once I have better connectivity. As well as adding captions to these pictures.

Day 1

Today was more like two days where I didn't do much but travel and get accustomed to the UK. My dad dropped me off at the airport around 1030 Central Time. I landed at Heathrow the next morning at 0700. If you subtract the six hours that the UK is ahead of CST, that means I landed at 0100 CST. I barely slept on the flights as they were in my normal waking hours and my neck and back can get pretty messed up sleeping in a chair. So by the time I sat down for my first English breakfast after two hours of hopping around on trains, I was about ready to pass out.

Shortly after breakfast, the guy I hired my campervan through showed up to get me into the van. I was re-energized as I was figuring out how to drive a right handed stick on the left side of the road. I got to my first stop just outside of Coventry, at Hawkesbury Junction. The canal calls to me. I saw a few boats pass shortly after I arrived and they were much quieter than I expected from the hours of narrowboat YouTube videos I have seen.

I did some walking down the tow path and setup the bed in the camper. Then I took a two hour nap before another walk the other way down the tow path and then settled into the local pub for fish and chips and a pint.

I then walked down a third tow path, as this is a junction where two canals meet, before making my way back to the campervan. I didn't take many pictures and split the between my phone and my good camera. I will upload the good camera photos later. For now, enjoy.

Part 3 - The Plan

I am a little over 24 hours away from flying to the UK. I am so excited, I hardly slept last night and got up early this morning to take care of the last few things before I leave tomorrow. With that being said, I wanted to sort of lay out my path but not get into many details about why I am going where. If you happen to be somewhat close to the path, and have time to spare, I would love to meet up for tea. This list isn’t all inclusive, and I may not hit some things. I just know that I am on vacation, and that is enough.

8 Jun - Depart Florida.

9 Jun - Arrive in London, jump on public transit towards Wellingborough to pick up campervan, and head to Coventry for first overnight stop.

10 Jun - Birmingham day trip - Walking the Bull Ring, Birmingham Museum, Canal Tour, Al Murray @ The Alexandra.

11 Jun - Leicester day trip - Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester Castle, Leicester Cathedral Exterior (closed), Guildhall Museum, Clock Tower, King Richard III Visitor Center, and run up to Nottingham to stay overnight.

12 Jun - Nottingham and Sheffield - Nottingham Castle, Robin Hood Statue, Old Market Square, Then to Sheffield for Millinium Gallery, Cathedral, City Hall, and hopefully Jack Dee (can’t get tickets online with a US Post Code).

13 Jun - Peak Forest - Hiking in Peak Forest, likely to hit multiple spots. Kind of a day to relax in nature as well.

14 Jun - Leeds day trip - Leeds City Museum, Maths City, Town Hall, Cathedral, and Romesh Ranganathan @ The Grand Theater & Opera House.

15 Jun - Manchester day trip and some ancestry stuff - Radcliffe Tower, Not sure what else yet, maybe Science and Industry Museum, Maybe drive to Liverpool for Beatles stuff, but ultimately, Rhod Gilbert @ The Lowry.

16 Jun - Bristol and Bath - Longest road trip of the trip. St. Peter’s Church, Blaise Castle, possible rugby experience, The Roman Baths, Jane Austen Centre. Basically, whatever I can squeeze in.

17 Jun - Cotswolds & Oxford - Tetbury and Winchcombe walking tours, Oxford campus tour, Oxford canal towpath walk.

18 Jun - Canal Museum & Milton Keynes - Museums and Canal walks.

19 Jun - Return Campervan in Wellingborough & Train to Hastings? - I know when the Campervan needs to go back, and I know I don’t want spend too much time in London, so I am looking at possibly going to Hastings/Battle to see the sites of the 1066 invasion of the Normans. By this time I may also be ready to wrap things up by exploring London, but not sure yet.

20 Jun - Alan Carr has a show in Southampton. Not sure if that would be too much of a stretch.

21 Jun - Doing the touristy stuff in London on my last full day. If I have extra time, look up more ancestry stuff in the London Library.

22 Jun - Fly home.

Part 2 - Transportation and Accommodations

This is where the bulk of your traveling money goes, so it is important to feel like you spent your money wisely. It almost always works out when you plan because you can convince yourself you found the best deals at that time. Most of the time, your trip plans dictate your lodging and transportation requirements.

                For instance, when I did my trip around the US, my transportation plan was obvious. The trickiest part of that trip was figuring out where I was going to stay each night. I had to adjust each leg of the trip to match up with campgrounds, state parks, national parks, and friends’ and families’ homes, along with points of interests. It was difficult but creating a spreadsheet with addresses was essential in me succeeding.

                I have created another spreadsheet, because I will be traveling around England, because it is too big to stay in one location and travel from there and be efficient in seeing what I want. Originally when I thought of this trip, I had planned to use the UKs mass transit system, as it is a million times better than what is found in most of the US. The issue that I had with this was my luggage. I am going to the UK for two weeks. I could pack lightly and most likely be fine for the daytime events with a combination of t-shirts, shorts, and other easy to pack clothing. But the UK is notorious for random weather events that could leave you wishing for more layers. So, I decided that I needed to have my own transportation while in England and my decision also answers other questions for me.

                I found a website called Goboony, where you can rent campervans and RVs. I found a reasonable deal for a converted VW Transporter that covers most of my trip. If/when I move to the UK, this is the vehicle I plan to buy and convert myself, so my travels can continue more effectively. I love the styling of all VW vans, but the modern Transporter seems to be the perfect platform for a converted camper because it can be both luxurious and stealthy at the same time. I could and will spend all day talking about campervans later.

                My campervan is called Roam. I will be flying into Heathrow and immediately jumping on the trains towards Wellingborough where I will be picking up the van. With the help of an app called park4night, I will be camping in allowed spots, and most of those spots will be close to the canals and rivers. I am doing my best to stay outside of towns, even when I have town stuff planned for the evenings. When my time runs out with the campervan, I will have a few days left in my trip. I plan to use a luggage storage service and taking the backpack to finish the last few days I have planned.

                My transportation and lodging plan is mostly combined into one because of the method of travel I have chosen. The cost seems to be cheaper than hiring a car and staying at AirBnBs and hostels. I am not concerned with driving on the opposite side of the road. Everyone else will be doing it as well. I have driven on narrow European roads before, and none of my plans puts me in a bind for time, so I can take my time. Feeling rushed is what creates most accidents. This is my vacation so hopefully I will not feel rushed.