There and Bath Again

Oh my goodness, what a weekend. Thursday on it's own was a totally crazy day - Shakespeare, hurried packing (rush # 1), walk for History, getting back to the flat before the play (rush #2), play (which wasn't very good) and we haven't even started the Bath adventure yet. So after the play, we went to Waterloo station to catch our train (#3). We had about 45 minutes between when we left the play and when our train was supposed to leave. We got to Waterloo in plenty of time, only to discover that our train was actually leaving from Paddington. So we get to the right station (#4) a matter of moments after our train has left. We had to buy new one way tickets to get there - they were supposed to be 46 but the nice ticket guy gave us a break and they were only 37. Still, not a expenditure I was foreseeing, but such is life. Well, the train ended in Swindon, which is obviously not Bath. Time: about midnight. So the next part of our journey was supposed to be on a bus, but there was no bus there. And by no bus I mean no one, at all, completely empty station. We waited for a while and eventually a train station guy showed up and we found out that our bus would be arriving around 10 to 1. The bus, once it arrived, deposited us in Bath around 2 - we scrapped our original plan of walking to the hostel and took a taxi instead, a good plan since it turns out that the hostel is a few miles from the train station and at the top of a very large hill. Finally, 2:30, we flop into bed and sleep like dogs. For being a crisis, I had a pretty fun time. I figured mom would be proud of me for dealing with such an adventure.

The first day in Bath was very full - walking all day. We visited the Roman Baths, which I just think are amazing. How is it possble that a civilization could create something that works so well so long ago. Fascinating. We also visited the Jane Austen Centre, but we didn't end up going inside because it was too expensive to seem worth it. The rest of the day we just wandered around Bath. In fact, that activity made up a large part of Saturday too. There was a lovely country walk, a large park, and just general nature that was so nice to be around. Don't get me wrong, I love living in the city, but it was so nice to see huge trees and to smell green things instead of cars. Saturday we also say the Fashion Museum, which was pretty cool, and then more general wandering. Our train left Bath at about 10, too late, but they were cheap tickets. Unfortunately, that also meant that we had about 5 hrs between when everything in Bath closed and when we actually left. We got to know the train station pretty well.

All told, a very fun adventure, although my legs are still protesting. I'm doing the dad thing where the first three steps whenever I stand up are accompanied by "ow ow ow."

Today was church, which I just love. I've made a couple of friends there, two sisters from MN who are here with their parents for a few years. It's nice to have someone to sit with and talk to and they're fun. I good part of our congregation is from the states - apparently a large part of the singles ward is usually transient types because most londoners stay in their home wards. Lots of brits though, too. I love being able to go to church because it's so familiar and safe. Yea.

It was so good to be home. I'm so attached to our flat already, and it was also really weird being away from most of my flatmates (except Molly, who was with me). When you spend so much time with the same people, it's weird when they're not there.

Phew!

Good times