Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Hooray for English speakers

Since I’ve been reminiscing about last Christmas and New Years in Europe, I figure I should finish off our trip, which ended in England.

The moment we boarded the train to take from Paris to London, we cheered. And the moment we stepped off onto English soil, aka the train station platform, we cheered some more declaring how happy we were to be in an English speaking country.
this truly conveys our happiness to be in London.
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In Paris’s {small} defense…thanks to Tabitha, who happened to be in Paris the exact same time we were!! (that’s just crazy!), she filled me in that they had a terrorist threat New Years Eve night so they canceled the scheduled fireworks.

OK, I forgive them then…

We had 1 full day in London before going up into the New Castle area to stay with friends, but the night before, a certain someone got really bad food poisoning and we never left the room that whole next day.

This isn’t to say I wasn’t pushed, encouraged and darn near yelled at to go and explore on my own, but I did not want to go by myself. To this day, he gives me a hard time about it but I just didn’t want to go see everything by myself or be alone…or truly…get lost.

Ladies, would you please tell me this is ok?! Would you do the same? Opt to go out on your own, seeing all the sights while your man is laid up feeling the worst of the worst? Or would you want to stay in the room and hangout with him even though it meant missing out on the only day in London???

Thankfully, before dinner that night, we bought an international battery charger for my camera ($85 *choke) and I was back up and running using my sweet camera.

Since we both were still feeling sick, me from Paris and he from the food, once we got to our friends’ house we didn’t want to do anything but sit around. Eventually, they took us into New Castle and though it was freezing (to us), it was nothing short of beautiful.
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You may remember {those who’ve been with me from the start} this used to be my blog banner.em23

Our friends, were nothing short of perfect as hosts, taking great care of us the entire time. Driving us around, showing us Alnwick Castle. The original Harry Potter movie castle, to be exact.
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Taking us to an amazing amazing restaurant that is in a tree. A tree house restaurant. It. was. beautiful. The food was delicious too.

Toward the end of our stay, they took us into Seahouses to see the Bamburgh Castle. It was breathtaking.
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…and positively freezing. I’m pretty sure I was shivering the entire time I was in England. The entire time!

We got back to London for one last day before making our flight back home, but at that point we were done with the whole trip and never left the hotel. We’re lame, its ok, you can say it.

We splurged on 1st class for our flight back to San Francisco and boy oh boy it was luxury at its finest having our seats fold down into a bed. Where the flight attendants make our ‘beds’ for us. Unlimited everything. Treated like celebrities and actually, “Carrie” from Days of Our Lives was in 1st class with her family. Yup, we felt cool.

The whole trip, I never used my flat iron. My beloved flat iron since I didn’t have an adapter. I attempted it in Rome..it failed. I attempted it in Paris…I made the outlet spark in the wall. I didn’t even bother in England, but once I got in the hotel room in San Francisco I ran into the bathroom and plugged it in.

I was nervous not sure what it would do, so I grabbed a towel, wrapped my hand in it and flicked the switch.

It burst into flames.

It was such a sad day as I laid my beloved flat iron to rest. But a wonderful trip that I would do again and again, even if I couldn’t use my flat iron again.

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Jumping back in time

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I was doing this time last year {maybe because I’m working on a photo album} and though we hadn’t left yet, G-man and I went to Europe to celebrate Christmas and New Years.

My first trip out of the country. {I don’t count Mexico..} My first stamps in my passport. I was beyond thrilled.

We left Christmas Eve and arrived in London Christmas day. We treated ourselves a bit on the flight and flew Virgin Atlantic in their Premium Economy seats. The ‘just below first class’ section. It was wonderful.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget having to go the bathroom to the point of the wiggle dance, before taking off and literally the moment we took off, the ‘fasten seatbelt’ light turned off, the flight attendant assured me I could go and I almost tumbled down the back of the isle because we were still climbing so steeply.

Or the time we switched seats with a more than accommodating passenger and G-man telling the attendant that he’ll buy any drink the guy wanted…and not knowing that all drinks were free.

We had a tremendous laugh over that.

awesome iPod photos for your viewing pleasure…IMG_0004

Once arriving in London, we needed to connect to our official stop…Rome. So we rode the airport train to our terminal. We were really excited!
(my first picture in London!)
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Being Christmas, the people at the airport were more than eccentric. That would be an older man..with a blonde pigtailed wig…and a candy striped scarf.
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Once boarded, I watched the sunset as screaming Italian families were crowded all around us. Once they handed out very very questionable (to us) sandwiches, we passed out. Mouth wide open, drool filled passed out. I’m sure everyone around us were saying ‘typical Americans’ but we didn’t care. We were so exhausted from a full days travel all we wanted was sleep.
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As we descend to land, we prepare ourselves but nothing could have prepared us for the landing. Never in my life before or after, have I ever felt the plane go sideways upon touching the tarmac. Both G-man (the pilot who’s landed on aircraft carriers) and my eyes were wide open in shock and were thanking God that we made it safely.

It was a whirlwind start to our trip.

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Friday, July 1, 2011

30 to 30

It’s my birthday month. Like, for reals, yo.

And look at who’s kicking off my birthday month with me.
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Yup, I found a picture of his backside. That’s right! He’s real…I know some of you were thinking I made him up with the whole ‘no pictures’ thing. Winking smile (We were in England freezing our tails off walking around a massive castle.) note to self. do not visit Europe during one of the worst winters in history.

But yes, he’s here!! He got in late late last night and I couldn’t be happier. He just got back from 2 weeks in “Y” country and I’m so thrilled to start my month with him. What better way!?

He only gets to be here for the 4th of July weekend, but I’ll take the time I have. His mission and he jumped at accepting it, is taking care of me. G-man said, he had to come because he wanted to take care of me for a change. I’ll happily let him.

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty! In 30 days, I’ll be 30 years old on the 30th of July.

Do you see how important this birthday is going to be!?? I have to do something major to celebrate. I’ll never turn the day my birthday’s on again so let’s hear some ideas.

What should I do to celebrate this once in a lifetime birthday?

What did you do when you turned your day? (am I the only one that thinks I need to do something for turning the # of my day?)

Should I scale Mt. Kilimanjaro or something?? Ok, maybe not that, but I want it to be EPIC!

I want it to be like no other birthday I’ve had before. Throw your ideas at me, any and all! All and any!! Let’s hear whatchya got!

And you have yourself a wonderful 4th of July weekend while you’re at it!…and keep brainstorming over the weekend too. I’m patient. I can wait for you to conjure up something so great, so fantastic, so monumental that it will blow. our. minds!!! and mainly mine…cause I want my mind to blow (figuratively speaking of course)

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Friday, April 8, 2011

Foto Friday

I think it's best I stay quiet today so instead I thought I'd show photos from some of the places I've traveled.

But I do have to say thank you. Thank you all SO much for your sweet comments, prayers and thoughtfulness. You all are the best!

Ready?
- Ready.
Newcastle, UK

 Disneyworld, FL

 Lake Tahoe, CA

 Lake Tahoe, CA

Oahu, HI
 

Pearl Harbor, HI

 Vatican City, Italy

Vatican City, Italy

The Coliseum, Rome

Bocca della Verita, Rome
 

Eiffel Tower, Paris 

Musee du Louvre Paris, France

Bamburgh Castle Seahouses, UK

Alnwick Castle, UK

This actually made me happy looking through all these and choosing which ones to post. I have a ton more but figure you have other things to do. Have a happy and safe weekend! Pin It Now!

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