My first real trip since September
Jan. 22nd, 2008 05:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
windemereSo, Rachel invited me to come to Sheffield. And I was all for it because, hey, bored out of my mind in Exeter and really needed to break.
So off I set on my own, for my first real trip without Kate to hold my hand. It helped that it was a direct train, but I've gotten the travelling in the UK think down by now anyways. Rachel kindly met me at the station so that I was not left to figure out the bus routes on my own (I wouldn't have been able to). And then she took me to Crookes, which is where she lives in Sheffield. Up the very steep hill. Apparently it used to be the holiday area like, a hundred years ago. And it is very pretty. Far enough from the main city to make it seem like an escape, and the countryside is just there.
And she lives close to everything. Which is kinda new concept for me. And the house is so cute. My first actual house I have been in since I came to the UK! I want one.
So Friday we went shopping and then out to this Tapas place for dinner (which was so bloody good!) and then there was much fanfic talk and then we went to bed, sometime after midnight, but I wasn't really paying attention.
Saturday we planned to catch the bus into the Peak District, which is, like, 20 minutes from Sheffield. So we wandered down the big hill and finally found where the bus stop was. It was, of course, rainy and windy, as it would be for the rest of the weekend. Still, the drive out through the country was so nice, and the little village of Castleton is adorable. It is a proper English village, with the quaintest little shops. And it has it's own (duh) castle, which is at the top of a very steep hill, and as it was muddy and wet we forwent the hiking to the ruins. Seen one, seen them all. Instead we went up to Peak Cavern, which is one of two very impressive caverns systems that are accessible from Castleton. We never did figure out where the other one was. Unfortuately, two weeks of rain had flooded the Peak Cavern out and so you couldn't get more than 200ft inside before the path just dead-ended in water. Which is kinda cool in and of itself. Apparently there are something close to 13km (or miles, not sure which) of cavern systems, and one cavern is the largest in England, but unreachable by the public. Still, the first 200ft was pretty awesome. And creepy. The entire thing is an archaeological site; people used to live inside the entrance way (which is massive) and make rope for a living. We had a neat demonstration by one of the archaeologists, and the 30min? talk was very informative. Still, I want to go back when the cavern is fully open and explore. Because it gets even more impressive, so Rachel tells me. The trip ended with creme tea (a must) and then we caught the bus back.
Sunday was Sheffield day. Rachel took me on a tour of the hill and the university and it was awesome. I've never actually explored a true city university before, so it was neat to see how widespread it was and that some of the departments are in converted houses. And Sheffield is a great city for university students. And then there was Harry Potter and early bed.
Monday we went to York. It rained, again, annoyingly, but at least it wasn't hard. Just constant. It's only an hour train from Sheffield, but we left early. First stop was the Cathedral, which is bloody fucking awesome! We didn't want to pay to get in (honestly people), but even standing in the entrance you can see quite a bit of the architecture. And we bought postcards. And then tried to get an outside picture of the place, which is impossible as it is so large. And then there was tea, because it was cold and wet. And then there was the Jorvik Viking centre, which is AWESOME. It is, actually, an archaeological site of a Viking village (there is an archaeological exhibit that you can actually book school/birthday trips for kids to go 'dig' at). They've done quite an impressive thing, and made it into a ride through the history of the village (very Disneyland) and with smells included! (which is kinda disgusting, but really, really, neat too) It was worth the price of admission.
And then there was shopping. And then there was more shopping. And more. And then we went up to see what Clifford's Tower looked like, which isn't much. And then there was more shopping. And then we wandered around until we found the train station again and caught the train back. And had fish and chips (finally!) in Sheffield. My gods, but they give you enough chips. But it was greasy and good.
And then we watched Torchwood 2.1 and went to bed. And it was all good.
Things I accomplished this weekend:
-2 drabbles
-1 TW fic
-chapter 5 of WATDA
-watched HP3
-watched 3 or 4 episodes of Charmed (I miss that show - it was corny and fun)
-saw York
-went in a cavern for only the second time in my life
-ate actual home-cooked food
-had English fish&chips
-saw Rachel
-did no school work whatsoever (I'll regret that, oh, tomorrow)
So off I set on my own, for my first real trip without Kate to hold my hand. It helped that it was a direct train, but I've gotten the travelling in the UK think down by now anyways. Rachel kindly met me at the station so that I was not left to figure out the bus routes on my own (I wouldn't have been able to). And then she took me to Crookes, which is where she lives in Sheffield. Up the very steep hill. Apparently it used to be the holiday area like, a hundred years ago. And it is very pretty. Far enough from the main city to make it seem like an escape, and the countryside is just there.
And she lives close to everything. Which is kinda new concept for me. And the house is so cute. My first actual house I have been in since I came to the UK! I want one.
So Friday we went shopping and then out to this Tapas place for dinner (which was so bloody good!) and then there was much fanfic talk and then we went to bed, sometime after midnight, but I wasn't really paying attention.
Saturday we planned to catch the bus into the Peak District, which is, like, 20 minutes from Sheffield. So we wandered down the big hill and finally found where the bus stop was. It was, of course, rainy and windy, as it would be for the rest of the weekend. Still, the drive out through the country was so nice, and the little village of Castleton is adorable. It is a proper English village, with the quaintest little shops. And it has it's own (duh) castle, which is at the top of a very steep hill, and as it was muddy and wet we forwent the hiking to the ruins. Seen one, seen them all. Instead we went up to Peak Cavern, which is one of two very impressive caverns systems that are accessible from Castleton. We never did figure out where the other one was. Unfortuately, two weeks of rain had flooded the Peak Cavern out and so you couldn't get more than 200ft inside before the path just dead-ended in water. Which is kinda cool in and of itself. Apparently there are something close to 13km (or miles, not sure which) of cavern systems, and one cavern is the largest in England, but unreachable by the public. Still, the first 200ft was pretty awesome. And creepy. The entire thing is an archaeological site; people used to live inside the entrance way (which is massive) and make rope for a living. We had a neat demonstration by one of the archaeologists, and the 30min? talk was very informative. Still, I want to go back when the cavern is fully open and explore. Because it gets even more impressive, so Rachel tells me. The trip ended with creme tea (a must) and then we caught the bus back.
Sunday was Sheffield day. Rachel took me on a tour of the hill and the university and it was awesome. I've never actually explored a true city university before, so it was neat to see how widespread it was and that some of the departments are in converted houses. And Sheffield is a great city for university students. And then there was Harry Potter and early bed.
Monday we went to York. It rained, again, annoyingly, but at least it wasn't hard. Just constant. It's only an hour train from Sheffield, but we left early. First stop was the Cathedral, which is bloody fucking awesome! We didn't want to pay to get in (honestly people), but even standing in the entrance you can see quite a bit of the architecture. And we bought postcards. And then tried to get an outside picture of the place, which is impossible as it is so large. And then there was tea, because it was cold and wet. And then there was the Jorvik Viking centre, which is AWESOME. It is, actually, an archaeological site of a Viking village (there is an archaeological exhibit that you can actually book school/birthday trips for kids to go 'dig' at). They've done quite an impressive thing, and made it into a ride through the history of the village (very Disneyland) and with smells included! (which is kinda disgusting, but really, really, neat too) It was worth the price of admission.
And then there was shopping. And then there was more shopping. And more. And then we went up to see what Clifford's Tower looked like, which isn't much. And then there was more shopping. And then we wandered around until we found the train station again and caught the train back. And had fish and chips (finally!) in Sheffield. My gods, but they give you enough chips. But it was greasy and good.
And then we watched Torchwood 2.1 and went to bed. And it was all good.
Things I accomplished this weekend:
-2 drabbles
-1 TW fic
-chapter 5 of WATDA
-watched HP3
-watched 3 or 4 episodes of Charmed (I miss that show - it was corny and fun)
-saw York
-went in a cavern for only the second time in my life
-ate actual home-cooked food
-had English fish&chips
-saw Rachel
-did no school work whatsoever (I'll regret that, oh, tomorrow)
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no subject
Date: 2008-01-22 06:23 pm (UTC)I am so jealous of you right now. Except that I don't have to go to school (yet) and I live in a place with dill pickles.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-22 06:41 pm (UTC)But I miss you and wish you were here. But: ROME!
no subject
Date: 2008-01-23 08:38 am (UTC)Thanks for the offer, but I will manage without. I am kinda trying to ween myself off those things that I could easily find in Canada but can't find here. After all, if I'm living in the UK permanently, I should just go fully native. I'm getting there...
Hope you feel better soon!