Bridgend Hotel Islay

... long one of 11 hours. At Paris I had to go through customs again and once again all my loose bits had to come off including my belt and shoes (such a pain). As I was taking off my belt an old lady, who stood behind me, asked "how are you gonna hold up your trousers now?" Wouldn't she like to know ;-)<br>Then as I boarded the plane and got to my window seat I discovered a chubby bearded Mormon guy (yes u can spot them a mile away) sitting in my seat. So I had to debate whether it worth ...

Well - being in Cardiff was good since it is the closest airport, being on a 2-hr drive to the hotel. But had to wait about an hour for the rental car place to open up.<br><br>At least I got to go through the visitor information brochures and grab a bite at Burger King.<br><br>

Lectures were cancelled this morning so I decided to make use of my random free day before the madness of essay-writing and seminar presentation preparation takes over instead of more ambitious travel plans. I didn't necessarily feel like just spending the day in London, where I can cram stuff into the afternoons if I so desire, so I bought some train tickets a couple nights ago and decided to go to Cardiff, Wales! Closer than Scotland and somewhere I ...

... doesn't live onsite - so we have an entire hostel to ourselves! Wandered across the road to the pub (naturally!) where we discovered beer, fish and chips and internet access! The people of Wales are just amazing, so kind, generous and genuine. We've had people ask us if we need directions, if we're enjoying wales, and the bar maid at the pub is giving Josh multiple free beers so he can sample them all !! <br>

... is just next to the Millenium Centre, the home to the national opera which is just stunning. <br><br>We then wandered back into the city centre, checked out the shops and a well earnt coffee and then headed back to the hostel. We've just been reading the paper (which came complete with a Robbie Williams cd today!) and Josh is fast asleep! <br><br>Nos Da ! <br>XO <br><br>*sadly photos don't appear to be uploading - will try again soon!*<br>

... the only catch being you must collect in person. So, Islay was a main destination for us in planning this trip. It&#8217;s a small island, absolutely stunning, even in the rain and fog. It&#8217;s the only place we stayed for 2 nights, in a b&amp;b in a 200 year old country manor house full of elegant antiques on a hill overlooking the farms and fields below. Wow. What a life. The weather turned and our 2nd day there was sunny and warm. We drove all over the ...

... de la vielle ville, patrimoine de l'UNESCO, impressionnant ; la débauche des jeunes la nuit à l'alcool, affligeant par leur nombre; les levers de soleil à 4 heures du matin. Pas le temps de profiter de la présence de Lise que me revoilà sur la route : gare de Edimbourg pour Glasgow (que je n'aurais pas eu le temps de visiter), puis bus au départ de ...

... doing a tour of the interior and wandering its grounds. Castles have to be one of my favourite things about Europe. Grand, ornate cathedrals don&#8217;t do it for me, old Roman ruins don&#8217;t usually do it for me, but exploring around grey, crumbling stone turrets and walls set behind a wide moat never feels to arouse my interest. So on leaving Cardiff we very soon stopped at the nearby town of Caerphilly ...

... of that Christmas magic that had long disappeared with my childhood. Being in the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year for the very first time added to it, as we came across an ice-skating rink, drank hot mulled wine and basked in the glow of living some of those White Christmas stereotypes that seemed so familiar from books, TV and movies but at the same time were still totally foreign in our Australian Christmases.<br>

... back to the front of the cathedral. The bells had begun to ring in the bell tower, calling the townspeople for the evening Eucharist service. Several people appeared at the top of the hill and began making their way slowly down the hill toward the cathedral. It was a magical moment. I only spent an hour at Llandaff Cathedral, yet I feel like I lived a year's worth of experiences in that time. While it may have been the time of day that contributed to my mood, I ...