This day was so completely jam-packed.

Our "English Breakfast" was at 7, which entailed eggs (not for me), toast, beans (apparently it's a thing), bacon, sausage, fruit, yogurt, and everything other thing one's heart might desire. After scarfing down as much as we could handle, we made our way to Winchester Cathedral and my oh my was it beautiful. The Flower Festival also happened to be going on inside and outside the cathedral, so it was quite the sight, seeing modern art flower pieces with second century architecture.

More than anything, though, I was pumped to see Jane Austen's tomb. I was looking for it the entire time and couldn't find it. I went back in and asked where it was, and of course it was in the little corner I skipped over in the beginning.

Life complete.

I probably could have sat in the cathedral for hours and still would not have been able to take it all in. There was so much faith and devotion (whether to religion or to the art the architects were creating) in every part of that building.

The next (quick) stop was the Great Hall, which is actually not so great (in size). However, it does have King Arthur's Round Table. So, that's pretty cool.

It's not actually King Arthur's Round Table, but an English scholar wrote this famous work on King Arthur way back in the day. His sole proof of the reality of King Arthur was the fact that this table existed and the fact that it existed in Winchester must have meant that Winchester must have been Camelot (also, the descriptions of Camelot are quite similar to the scenery of Winchester). While it was proven later to have been made quite a bit later than the supposed existence of Arthur, I still thought it was pretty dang cool.

If you thought the nerd portion of my day was over then, think otherwise. The next stop was Jane Austen's House Museum. And I almost cried. Maybe not really, but I definitely wanted to because it was just so beautiful and I was so freaking happy.

JANE AUSTEN'S ACTUAL DESK. I'M FINE.

I was actually the last one of our group on the bus because I just wanted to stay there and soak it all in for as long as possible.

The next stop was Stonehenge. I'm sure that's probably a touristy spot that everyone knows about. However, I didn't know that people had theorized that the Druids (a priest-tribe of about 1200 B.C.) and it just so happens they play a role in the wonderfully cheesy show that I may dabble a bit in, Merlin. So, the nerd fest continued.

It was quite a bit of a downpour when we were pulling into this mystical place, but that made it all the more mystical. And since I didn't feel like digging for my raincoat that was in my suitcase under our coach (bus), I decided to sport one of the ponchos the G sent me before I left.

Post-poncho when the rain had finally ceased.

After that we made our way to Bath. The only thing I really knew about Bath before getting there was that Jane Austen hated it, but she also used it for the setting of her novel Persuasion.

It probably had something to do with the fact that she left her long-time home involuntarily that she hated Bath so much, but oh my golly, I was in love with it. It was so, so beautiful. It was so rich with Roman architecture mixed with so many of the other layers of English history, I couldn't handle it (in the best way).

When we got there, a few of us from our group headed out to find dinner. We ended up at a pub that had the most delicious burger of my life and then we perused this gorgeous town. We ended the night with delicious gelato.

Yes, I'm the tourist that takes a picture of her scrumptious burger.

Ladies and gentlemen, freaking Bath.

As I was crawling into bed, I was greeted by the serenade of a drunk German guy singing the one line of Ave Maria that he knew, over and over again. It was absolutely perfect.

The Land of the Queen

I have always been a pretty confident traveler. I know certain airports like the back of my hand, and if I’m in a new one, it’s not a big deal. But for some reason, the klutzy side of me was in full force on this trip to England. I’m usually completely aware of my surroundings, but going to a foreign place threw me of somehow.

I managed to pour the majority of the contents of my water bottle on myself on my first flight; my second flight entailed me getting lost on the airplane after I (bravely) used the restroom; and I had a very attractive nosebleed at the beginning of my second flight (thank you, drastic climate/altitude changes).

After that grand journey of grace and poise and a long wait at customs (most terrifying experience of my life), getting lost in the Heathrow airport, taking an anxiety-riddled bus ride, and getting the wrong directions twice to our hotel, I made it to where I was meant to be. And I mean that in just about every way.

I just don’t understand how such a beautiful place is the norm for everyone here. I see Jane Austen’s and Charles Dickens’ novels etched in every street corner. The new is welded into the old with hip and happenin’ shops in buildings that pre-date any semblance of a hip or happenin’ by hundreds (and, in some cases, thousands) of years. It is so incredibly beautiful.

After finding the hotel, two of the girls I latched onto at the airport from my Study Abroad group and I had lunch at a cute little cafe on High Street (a famous street full of little shops and restaurants). I might have accidentally bought sparkling water and it was probably the strangest experience I’ve forced upon my tastebuds. Again, the fear of them kicking me out for lack of sophistication kicked in in that moment once more. (Like, how do you casually sell sparkling water?)

View from lunch at EAT.

After getting checked into our little hotel and meeting up with more people from our group, we headed on over to Windsor castle. We couldn’t take any pictures inside, but trust me when I tell you you have never seen anything quite like it. I’m not usually one for over-the-top decor, but man oh man was it beautiful in there.

St. George's Chapel in particular was just so breathtaking. You could just feel how sacred it was and the rich history bound in its walls brought reverence to it on top of the faith felt within its walls.

After exploring the Queen’s Crib, we were starving. So, we figured it was about time for the obligatory fish ’n chips meal.

After that we did some more exploring and found my new favorite shop in the world--Cath Kidston. Everything in this little boutique (which is apparently big all across England) was absolutely adorable from the items sold to the atmosphere of the store.

Once we were done coveting and souveniring, we made our way to Runnymede with the rest of our Study Abroad group. After a bit of walking across a few fields, we came to that beautiful pasture where the Magna Carta was signed. It felt like hallowed ground with how peaceful and beautiful it was.

On the walk to the Magna Carta Site

That night entailed going to sleep before the sun was even done setting--we were all exhausted and the next day entailed the most we would be doing in one day the entire trip, but that's for another post.

Before Lift Off

These past two months have been filled with one adventure after the next. While I've been working around 40 hours a week to save up some dough for my Study Abroad and perfecting my office playlist during the day, nights and weekends have be reserved for and filled with so many wonderful people and memories.

I've been to a few weddings, made some new friends, said bye to some old ones, played so much ultimate frisbee, had a collaborative birthday party with one of my favorite people (since I'll be gone during my actual birthday), enjoyed the freakish rainstorms Provo was having on the daily, enjoyed my apartment's Swamp Cooler when it decided to get freakishly hot, and I've felt God's love for me through so many people and in so many moments these past two months.

I'm so excited for my Study Abroad, but I'm sad I have to say goodbye to more people and halt anymore memories with them while I'm away. I honestly don't know how I got so lucky to have so many people in my life that it makes me so sad to say goodbye to.