Replacement Postcard

The chilliest of all chill weeks ever is coming to an end. We've covered much of the UK: Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow, Kendal, Liverpool, and Bethesda/Bangor/Gerlan....we really don't know exactly where we are right now...somewhere in the hills of northern Wales; there are sheep outside the door. 

I've been sending postcards to myself because I have lots of friends.....no actually because I thought postcards would be a good alternative option to writing in a journal for this week's trip. But I can't buy any postcards around here for today and yesterday, so this is my replacement for those days.

October 29

Kendal, England

In Kendal, Kendall (ha) and I rode horses in magically beautiful green fields. I have to edit some better pictures in later because I took most of them on my camera where you can see my horse, baby Tom!!!!! Tom is no baby, actually. He was huge and Kendall said I was the one who looked like a baby on top of him. He was 18 hands tall...that's their measurement...in hands. 

My boy, Tom! 18 hands tall

A HUGE thanks to Anna and her husband @ Hipshow Riding Stables for such great hospitality and adventure. 

October 30

Liverpool

Hello, Liverpool. We get to our hostel at night and are greeted with a, "Sorry for the room screw up, you're staying with 8 other dudes tonight." That's not really what she said but that is what happened. And this one Polish guy (age 28) who was on his third month in this place, was the most fickle person I have ever met:~ "I can't stand the Spanish people in this hostel, they only speak Spanish and nobody can understand them. But I really want to make it to Barcelona..." Me: You do realize that's where Spanish people come from don't you, Spain?

In the morning we parted ways with the Polish man and the hostel, thankfully, and set off in our magical mystery bus, Beatles time. 

We also went to the childhood homes of George, Ringo, Paul, and John. Lastly the tour closed at the Cavern Club, where they played together well over 100 times and the atmosphere in there is still hoppin, featuring live music every day. The band playing had the stereotypical Liverpool accent, even while singing. 

Phew October 30-31 and right now November 1 (novemba!?!?)

Bethesda, Wales

Bob and Karen, our lovely hosts (not my mother-Karen and grandpa/uncle-Bob), have welcomed us into their wonderfully remote bunkhouse just off of their house in these sheep-filled hills of northern Wales. When we arrived late into the evening, Bob gleefully handed over some tea, milk, biscuits, and kit kats. The kit kats, just magical; They have to be different or I'm highly dillusional because they are without a doubt the best kit kats I have ever had in my entire life. 

As lovely as Bob and Karen are, and as clean and tidy as the bathrooms and showed are, we don't get sheets or pillows or blankets here and had to bring our own. And ohhh was that first night frigid. In the morning I told Kendall not to be surprised if I climbed into bed with her to cuddle, she agreed. We started pouring water over the little heater to make it steam and create more heat. 

Wasn't kidding about sheep outside the door. 

Finally, what we've been waiting for: Ziplining on the longest zipline in Europe. 

The line goes directly over the quarry (the water) and it was so blue and amazing. All the wires were secure and very safe...don't get flustered mother... I didn't catch any flesh eating disease like the girl in South America, poor thing.