6/13 - It was time for a nice workout anyway

What I did:

I went to bed last night thinking that there might be a possibility that I would wake up today and go with Graham to hear him give a presentation type of thing. But, he never told me what time, so I got up just in time to hear him getting ready to leave. I don’t know if he forgot that he invited me, or just did not want to wake me up, but that gave me the whole morning to get ready to go. I also began to realize that I still had not told either Graham or Anne that I would be leaving today, and I just hoped that I would run into them before I had to leave.

Sure enough, Anne was still around, but she too got ready to go somewhere, so I told her my plan and continued to make some breakfast. I packed everything up, but still had some time to kill because I did not need to be at the hotel until sometime before 11pm. So, I figured I would wait as long as I could for Graham to 1. Tell him my plans and 2. See if he would drive me to the station. So I waited and read and watched some fresh expressions dvds. Finally, it got to be about 4pm, so I figured I would head off. I left Graham a note, but I hope to see him again (and stay with them again).

Now came the hard part. I had to lug all my bags to the train station. About a 30 minute walk. It was tough, because I packed too much, but with some sort of divine strength and endurance helping me, I made it there. Then I tried to get a ticket. I had not purchased one before because I was still leaving open the opportunity that I would be with Graham that morning, and I didn’t know when or from where I would be leaving. I also knew from prior experience, that I would not be able to use my card at the machine. I was trying to get a 69.50 pound ticket, which is more than those machines allow. I tried anyway, then looked into the station office. I saw a sign that said 30 seconds, and for some reason assumed it meant the guy would be back in 30 seconds. Thinking back on that, a sign like that would be kind of useless. So, I walked around and waited a little. The train I needed was announced, and it hit me that the sign was really about the train doors closing 30 seconds before the train leaves. I panicked a little, saw a train that I could take approaching, dug through my backpack and found 71 pounds in cash. I knew I wouldn’t make the train, so I took my time going back around to purchase the ticket from the machines. I might have cut it a little close this time.

Then, as I tried to enter one of my 20 pound notes the machine kept spitting it back at me. I had to use it since I had no other way to get a ticket. After the fifth try, it finally accepted it and gave me my ticket. Finally, relief. So I waited. And sure enough no one came to the ticket office for another 30 minutes, let alone 30 seconds, but I kind of expected it being a Saturday and all.

Other than that, it was the easiest train ride I have had so far. No trains were late, and we had no unexpected stops. I made my one transfer, and spent about 4 hours total on trains. Unfortunately, I did not feel like reading at all, so I listen to music and podcasts…a lot. Occasionally, I listened to other people on the train, but nothing incredibly interesting happened.

I made it to Stockport rail station fine, and walked out. I noticed I was much closer to the city center than I thought I would be, but walked in the direction I thought I needed to go. I still don’t understand what Britain’s problem with street signs is, but I had no clue where I was. I knew what streets to look for, but not which ones where right in front of me. I kind of wandered a little, realized the longest walk may be yet to come with all my luggage, and considered going back to get a cab (which I not only do not want to pay the money for, but also have some sort of aversion to). Finally, I found a bus stop with a map in it! I found where I was, which was no where I thought I was, and not incredibly close to where I needed to be. But I thought I knew which direction to go, so I went. A couple of bus stops later I stopped again to make sure I was not getting farther away, and found that I was indeed going in the right direction and that it would be a pretty long walk. Most importantly, I finally realized what went wrong. I had gotten off at the rail station I planned on this morning when I got the ticket, but that was not the one that I had intended to go to when I booked the hotel. No wonder I had no clue where I was! I had started my long trek through Stockport at the wrong place.

Nevertheless, that realization gave me knew hope and vigor to complete this journey. I knew exactly where to go now, and somewhat of how far it would be. And so I walked. With all my bags. About ¾ the way through was probably the closest I have ever come to hitchhiking. But I didn’t. It was worth the walk, though, all because of one thing I saw. I kept my eyes open to take in the place and what was around me, relatively close. As I did this I noticed a snooker bar (kind of hard not to, it was open and lively). But, standing outside the door, smoking a cigarette was Sonic the Hedgehog. No joke. Well, it was a guy in a Sonic costume with the head off. But still, it made the entire toilsome journey worth it completely. I would not choose to get off at the correct rail station and miss that.

Anyway, I finally made it to the hotel and the only thing to prove my difficult journey was my sweat and incredibly tired shoulders. To make me feel even more ashamed, though, I quickly noticed that there was a wedding reception happening on the first floor. There is a big dining/party area right outside the reception desk. So, I was very out of place in my t-shirt having walked across town, but I got my key and headed up. Seeing the wedding party did make me really excited about Robert and Tanya’s upcoming big day!
I got to my room after 3 flights of stairs and lots of tiny hallways, but I realized how quiet it was and how far removed from the craziness of the reception downstairs. It is a really nice place and I look forward to the next couple of days. But for now, a shower, some tea, some chocolate, and some rest.

What I learned:

Thank you to whoever decided to put street maps in the bus stop waiting areas – you are a genius. No thank you to whoever decided not to put street signs out.

I may not be in-shape (although I am not that out-of-shape) or strong, but endurance and perseverance can cover that up a lot.

Your right, dad. The best way to carry that bag is by acting like it is a makeshift backpack.

I am very grateful for being able to walk. If I couldn’t, this day would not have happened at all (or been much easier).

No matter how many times you double check something (like a destination) and make sure it is all set to go, if it is the wrong thing, it doesn’t really matter.

There is at least one other guy out here who likes sonic as much as me (or maybe a little more than me).

6/12 - Somnium or something like that

What I did:

I found myself awake with Michael and his family busy and doing everyday morning things. I was right in the middle of everything. Then, suddenly Michael’s wife came up to him and me and did not look pleased. This was the first time I had met her, since she (and everyone else in the house was asleep the night before). She asked Michael why he had let me sneak in last night, and as I thought about it I began to remember not coming in the front door. She was very angry and clearly wanted me out of there as soon as possible. Michael and I had intended to have a nice chat before I left, but we saw this was no longer possible. The kids were still running all around, all four of them (but I thought there were only 3?). So, I started to get my things together. Michael apologized, but did not say much else, I could tell he was a little beaten. It seemed like it took me forever to get everything together, and before I knew it Michael and his wife were leaving. She was expectantly watching me and waiting for me to leave with them, although I really did not want to have to walk out with her too. Anyway, I finally got it all together and walked out and tried to remember where I had parked my car…

Then, I heard a knock on my door startling me to consciousness. I woke up to Michael’s voice asking me if I wanted any coffee or tea. He could tell he woke me up, and felt kind of bad and said that it was 8am. He asked if I had a good night and all that, and went to get me a cup of tea. I got out of bed and began to clear my head. I became less and less confused as I realized my dream had given way to real life and I was not yet kicked out of the house. Michael came back and told me where the shower was and told me that he would be heading off to morning prayer in about 30 minutes and invited me to join. I said I would love to and before long we were walking back to the cathedral.

I was actually really excited to do this. I told him that I often use the Book of Common Prayer in my personal prayer life, and he explained to me that that is pretty much what we would be using today. We got there and he explained some parts of the cathedral to me (I promise he is one of the most energetic, fast paced guys I have ever met, but in a really great way that breathes life into everything around him). It was time for prayer and we went into a pretty small room with about 10 people. We went through the daily office, which was a little different than what I usually do, I guess more true to the origins. But it was great.

We walked back and talked a lot. He offered me some breakfast and we continued to talk until about 9:30. He explained that he had a very important phone call about his new job that he had scheduled and could not miss, so unfortunately I would have to leave. But not before he drew me a map of Gloucester of where to go and loaded me down with 2 new books (and the promise of a third in the mail to my house). I bid my farewell wishing I could have spent much more time with him, but extremely grateful for the time I did have.

I walked around Gloucester a little, which had definitely transformed from the night before. There was now a very busy city center with tons of fresh produce stands and the like. It was great. A very rich atmosphere. But I didn’t stay long before heading to the train station and pioneering my way to Bath. (I had no clue how to get there).

I made it, and with no big problems. I walked around Bath for a while and finally got my bearings. I made my way to the Roman Baths, and decided to go through them. It was cool, I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would, although I still have mixed feelings about all the modern construction around the baths to allow for the museum to be there too. Then I walked back to the river Avon and walked around it some, slowing down a little and thinking about my next move. I finally decided to just stay in Bath through dinner and head straight back to Fleet. I also randomly came across a little maze, or labyrinth in the ground. At first I passed it, but I realized that I really wanted to do it, so I doubled back and went through it!

Then, I walked back through town to find the Royal Circus, which is a bunch of houses built by some architect. It was also cooler than I expected, although I could not get really into it. I kept walking around, just to see where I wound up, and I found some Botanical Gardens in a park. I walked around a lot, and finally decided to get some dinner and head back. I ate right out front of Bath Abbey, and it was fun to just stay there a while.

Then, I headed back to the rail station ready to get home and lay down. It went fairly well, except for getting off at a station too early and having to wait an extra 45 minutes or so. But I made it back and now it is time to pack and get ready for the next stop.

What I learned:

The first train I was on would have been a great one to play “Hey Cow!” on. See Andy Roberts for details.

People really like taking pictures touching statue’s butts.

Waking up is really surprising when it relates so closely to your most recent dream.

Dreams can be deceiving when they relate so closely to real life.

Roman Bath water is pretty gross, but that does not stop ducks from stopping by for a dip.

I was surprised how much I remembered about typical Roman bath houses from Latin class. But these also had kind of a temple area added to them with a Sacred Spring.

The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father) has many different variations in wording.

British towns really have upheld city centers for a very long time. I couldn’t help but notice in the middle of Bath where all the activity was, were the Roman baths, which were there years ago, a huge abbey was after that at some point, and now, the area is still busy. But, I think it is most interesting how the dynamic of why people gather there has changed. It is the same spot, and people have come there for ages, but always for a different reason.

Rachel (Michael’s wife) is really a very, very nice person as is the whole family. All three kids were great, and although I was offered a chance to drive a car last night, I still have not ever driven here in England.

6/11 – The best view in Gloucester

What I did:

I woke up and read a little (I wanted to finish a book before I left so I could take a different one with me, which I did). Then I just waited around a little until it was time to go to the train station. I did not have to be in Gloucester until 7:30, so I was planning on getting a train at 3:15ish. I walked over and it was a really beautiful day. The train that was leaving for where I was going was leaving earlier than I expected, but I made it and got on. Halfway through the trip, though, we had to stop because there was an obstacle. Apparently there was a tree limb that had to be removed. Now, when they announced this, I thought it was a limb lying across the tracks. I don’t know what it really was, but they had to get some guys with saws out there and we were waiting for a while. But the obstacle was removed and we were on our way.

I had some more train problems, mainly because of that first delay, but to make a long story short, I made it to Gloucester at about 6:45. So I had some time to kill and I walked around the city center. Now, I don’t think I can even describe this but as soon as I turned onto the “main” street, the one with all the shops and stores, it was like nothing I have ever experienced. It was almost dead quiet. Ghost town is the first thing that pops into my mind. I could hear every little move I made. It was incredible. There were a few other people walking around, but ultimately it was as close to silent as I have ever been in the middle of a city. Granted it is no big city, but still, I was really taken aback, and a little creeped out. I guess the biggest contributor was that there was virtually no traffic there.

Anyway, I walked around a lot and found some interesting ruins and walked down to the “Historic Docks.” Before long, it was time for me to head to the cathedral. The community I was meeting today is called Feig, and every other month they get together in Gloucester Cathedral for what they call a feast. This was pretty much all I knew going in. So, I found the cathedral alright, and met Michael, who is the guy in charge that I had contacted. I walked into the cathedral, which was pretty much empty and up into kind of a second tier area (I am sure it has an official churchy name) where lots of people had gathered. I met several great people right off the bat and had some great conversations. After a while of waiting for everyone Michael greeted everyone and introduced me. Apparently, the large group that was there tonight is actually a bunch of smaller groups that meet on their own outside of this “feast.” So, he encouraged everyone to meet each other and blessed the food. It was kind of a potluck type of this but there was lots of food and wine.

So I talked for a long time to lots of people from stuff ranging from US geography type of things, to why I was there, to emerging churches in US, to Obama (which always seems to get brought up), to all kinds of things. We ate and after a little while we had the opportunity to go up into the tower. This part was great. We got to go to the very top of the cathedral into the topmost tower. The view was amazing. I stayed up there for a while talking to people some more, then headed down. When I got down I ran into a guy that was taking some people to see the cloisters. Now, these very cloisters were used in the filming of Harry Potter. No joke. It was pretty cool. I walked were Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked. I think that made this whole trip worth it. Lol.

The cloisters were pretty cool though, as was the whole cathedral. And we had free and open access to it all. After walking around for a long time and talking to people the whole way, I met back up with Michael and talked to him some more. He took me around to where they had kind of a contemplative area set up for people to walk through with several stations. It was in a quiet area, and he told me all about it. Then we went back and I talked to even more people and hung out around the food through the end of the evening. I helped tear down, and then Michael gave me a lift to his house, which is literally a one minute walk from the cathedral, and I crashed for the night.

What I learned:

Gloucester is pronounced glawster. I explained to one guy my inability to pronounce it and he said it should be spelled Gloster.

Live, active ghost towns can exist.

Trees are mightier than trains.

Some people even over here really, really like Obama. One lady confessed to me that she even had bought an Obama hoodie.

I might have an opportunity to play on some grass courts! I told someone, but I never met the guy who actually would have access to the courts. Hopefully that chance will pop up again.

There are some amazing people here. I was blown away at Pall and his hospitality, and tonight was equally incredible (not to say anything against Pall). Everyone was friendly and I enjoyed every minute of it.

There a LOTS of steps to get to those high towers.

6/10 - the last of my lazy days

What I did:

Three days of rainy weather = not much fun. I stayed in Fleet all day today again, although I feel like I got a lot done and I actually feel very relieved in general now.

I have been waiting to hear back from Cliff College to see whether or not I can stay there for the next two weeks, and I simply have not heard back. So, today I decided I would call to see if I needed to book a hotel instead. But before I did that, I figured I’d give them one more workday to reply and if I had not heard by about 3pm I would call. So I read and made lunch and wrote some (a little story that came to me last night in bed).

Then I got out and walked around. It was still cloudy, but the actual rain had moved on some. I just wanted to explore some more around the area and go to some places I had not been to yet. So I walked across the railroad tracks and around some housing areas. I found the hospital, but not much else. I did find a nice little trail that ran along the train tracks. It got to be close to 3, so I headed back.

I really did not want to call, because I had already bothered the people a lot with emails. But I finally decided to do it. It rang and rang, then said that the lady was on the phone already. Aah! So, I waited a while and then tried again. This time I got through and started to talk to a lady with an American accent, to my surprise. But she was nice, and asked if I had gotten her emails about the price and stuff for the room. I said no, then checked my email (I had checked right before the first call, just in case) and sure enough, I had received it right before I called! Haha. I could do nothing but laugh. I waited as long as I possibly could for that email, and I finally got it right when I called. But, it worked out, because I actually booked the two weeks I need to be there while I was on the phone. So it is set! I will be moving over there on Monday. Such a relief to know that is worked out, and it really won’t be that expensive. I now for sure have a place to live until June 27!

After that, I recontacted everyone at the college that I am hoping to meet with (although my chances are probably slim since graduation for them is the day I leave, the 27th, so it is probably pretty busy). Still, I tried and will see what happens with that.

The rest of the day I continued to read (I am trying to get through these books Graham lent me as much as I can before I head away for a while). Then I had a nice dinner with everyone and settled back watching some football through the rest of the night.

What I learned:

I have for a long time thought that the idea of a secretary is a little silly and possibly even degrading. But, I now believe that it is not so bad in that it offers jobs to people who need them, and for people who don’t mind scheduling and calling people all day, it is not a bad gig. Also, for people like me who hate doing that stuff and are pretty terrible at it, it works out nicely. A very mutually beneficial relationship. (Not that I want a secretary, just a general thought).

Fleet, at least the area I walked around today, smells pretty good.

Leafcutter ants that cut up leaves do not actually eat them, but rather use the leaves as a fertilizer for a fungus that grows on the decaying leaf. I thought that was pretty amazing. Actual ant farmers. Haha. But really, it is one of the few examples of “farming” in the animal kingdom.

The receptionist at Cliff College is from Grand Prairie. Who’d have thought?

Popular English sports all require a lot of patience. That does not necessarily mean that they are not exciting, but rugby, cricket, and football all in their own way are sports of patience. Even tennis in a way. Rugby is a lot of give and take until you finally get the slim chance of scoring, cricket is a lot of small runs that eventually add up but takes forever, football is a lot of back and forth with maybe one goal overall that wins. That’s a lot different than the quickness of basketball and even American football.

There are some cool (and diverse) trees here. (not that the picture is a great example)

6/9 - Another cup of tea

What I did:

It was another cold and rainy day today, so I just stayed in and did some more research. I was the only one here today, so I had the house to myself. I woke up and took my time really waking up. I was really cold all day today. I did some reading and eventually made some lunch.

I was really in a better mood today and felt content to just be here and read and take things easy. Especially as I look forward a little and see that once I move out of here and up north (at the end of this week) I will not have many days like this to relax. Also, I remembered that this is my summer vacation and that it is worth it to just relax. So, I read a lot and looked up some more emerging communities online to go visit.

I purposefully did not watch much TV today, except when I ate. But when I did, I saw that Fresh Prince was on again, so I watched a little. The next two times I turned on the tv not much else worth watching was on, so I went back to that same channel because it said Fresh Prince was still on (I guess it was some sort of marathon). But, all three separate times I did this I saw the exact same episode! It was even in a very similar place two of the times. And it wasn’t even a very good episode compared to others they could choose to show all day.

Anyway, before I cooked up some dinner I did some yoga on a really fuzzy rug here at the house. It was nice to really stretch out. Then I caught up with all the news and political craziness over here and 'chilled' throughout the evening.

What I learned:

Video call on Skype without a headset can be very static-y.

Tea + fleece jacket (and socks) = nice and warm.

A lot of people are moving or are out of town right now. I guess I can’t really complain about that though.

Mutemath has announced the release of their new album! It is like music heaven this summer.

6/8 - There’s a movement in our stillness and however much we move we’re bound to stand completely still.

What I did:

Before leaving America, I was pretty sure that I would ultimately wind up living like and doing the things I do at home. I did not think that a trip or even living in a different place would really change any of that. Today confirmed that hypothesis of mine.

I woke up and kind of got ready thinking I might go to Stonehenge today and possibly Bath. I had not made any set plans, but I knew what train to take and kind of what buses. After getting ready, I realized that I probably did not have time to make both places, so I decided on Stonehenge. Then, I looked out the window and saw that it was really cloudy. I checked the weather forecast online, and noticed that it is supposed to be rainy until Friday. Today had a low chance of raining, but I then walked outside and it was pretty chilly. I went back and forth as to whether or not I should go. I finally decided after loading up my backpack and putting on my jacket that I should just wait. I have plenty of time here, and I can wait until it is a nicer day. Besides, I will be traveling back to where I have been staying on Friday and that will be a perfect opportunity to check the places out.

So, that left me with a day of relatively nothing to do. So, I naturally found my way to a couch and got on my computer. I noticed a post on facebook of a clip from Man vs. Wild of a special episode, Men Vs. Wild with Will Ferrell. I could not pass that up and watched the whole episode through YouTube. It was mildly funny, and a very unlikely match up, but Bear had some funny things to say too.

Then I finished a book (one of the ones Graham gave me), which I consider research, because those books are really helping me understand what is going on over here more and more. They really have been invaluable in getting me up to conversational levels with the fresh expressions movement. Then I started a new book. Like I said, pretty much what I would normally do. At this point, I started to get a little bored and I couldn’t believe I had spent another day indoors. Little did I know, my day was about to change.


I was really down the whole day that I stayed inside and just didn’t feel glad about it. I was somewhat upset that I decided against going to Bath and kind of moped about, especially since it still had not rained and would have been a pretty good day for it. But then I decided to go walk around and maybe find the pond and nature reserve that Ann had told me about several days ago. So I did, and the more I was out, the more I felt alive and good. There was just something really vital about being outside. Not that I think it is purely limited to the outdoors, but that is definitely where I find it the most.

I walked around and easily found the lake. It was not very far from the house at all. And it was a pretty large lake tucked in between several groupings of houses. It had a bunch of ducks and was nicely landscaped. I sat for a while and just watched the pond. Then I got up and walked around the path some more. I saw a gate and a little map so I went to check it out. It turned out to be the nature reserve. So, I went in and followed a nice path around. I immediately noticed that it was much larger than I thought it would be and that it just kept going. There was lots of vegetation, but the only wildlife I saw at first was birds. It was also very different from the lake area, much more wild and unkempt. I kept walking around the trails, then I found what looked to be a kind of road. I decided to follow it and eventually came across some cows! Haha. Don’t worry, I was wary of them. Then the road just kind of stopped and a trail started. This was different from the other paths (more like a hiking trail than a park trail, if you can understand the difference). At this point I was really close to a busy road, and it was pretty noisy, much different from the front. I followed the trail and it gradually got narrower and narrower, but it eventually connected back up with the main paths. I followed them back around and eventually to the lake where I sat for a while again. It was really nice and great to get outside.

I came back and read some more and watched some more cricket. I went to the store and got some dinner to cook and came back. I turned on the tv and saw that Avatar was on Nicktoons, but, curse my luck, the channel was not available. So I settled with the news.

Overall, a really good day after I got out and walked around. Maybe tomorrow it will clear up and I can go out somewhere.

What I learned:

I never really thought about how ducks move around in the water, but they do it so smoothly, and it is all by moving their feet. It just seems cool how relaxed and calm they are even though they are working to move themselves.

More about all the discontent and raciness, but growing popularity of the BNP. And the pressure the Labour Party now faces.

If you are just sitting around and bored with life because you have nothing to do, it is always a good start to just go outside and start walking.

When I am trying to make a decision that really only impacts me, I just cannot make up my mind. I kind of knew this before though with my inability to choose a camera before I left.

There are some ‘irresponsible’ dog owners around here.

Reindeer eyeballs are eatable.

There are structures called hibernacula that are basically snake houses made of logs that kind of serve as compost heaps.

*I am indebted to Aaron Weiss for the title of this post.

6/7 - Jiminy

What I did:

Today wound up being another day of rest. It was another cold and cloudy day all day today. I had thought about going to visit a church in London this evening, but it is a church I will be visiting later, and I have not gotten a response from the leader yet. Graham and Ann went to church this morning, but I did not wake up to my alarm, so I missed going with them. But, I have been getting quite a bit of church time in. I did want to go with them, but I was content with getting some extra sleep too.

After waking up I did do a little more work. There were still a couple of people I have not emailed yet, so I did that. I also read through some of the stuff I picked up yesterday and found a couple more opportunities/people to meet, so I started to get in touch with them. I ate some lunch and started to watch some cricket. Apparently, Graham is really into it, but Ann thinks it is boring. I did not really know much about it, so I figured I would watch and figure it out. This actually is what most of my day consisted of, so I will go into detail about my cricket watching.

The first game was Scotland verses South Africa. It was 20 overs style, if that means anything. Basically South Africa blew them out of the water, but I only watched half of that game, then I went back up to figure out something to do tomorrow. I think I may go around to Stonehenge/Bath or something like that. Still working on it.

Then I went to read some more and dozed off a little. Graham came back and turned on the England cricket game and I got back into the zone of figuring it all out. They were playing Pakistan and to make a long story short beat them easily. I think I have the game figured out for the most part, at least enough to be able to watch and know what is going on. I had to ask a few questions, but have not had to default to the internet (Wikipedia) to learn anything, which I consider a success. It is a relatively slow moving game, but still I find it very interesting. I might join in a game with the international students at school next semester some. Haha.

Not much else happened. We had dinner and I am continuing to figure out what to do tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow will more interesting. But today was a good day of rest.

What I learned:

The basics of cricket. Even the difference between a finger spin style bowling and wrist spin style bowler. Although it may take me a while to really get all the terminology down.

Blues Brothers 2000 is not as good as the original. But still has some good music.

*I am pretty sure that there are some cricket players way in the background of the photo.