Thursday, May 31, 2012
Guinness
Stairs and strangeness
Corbridge main street
Roman fort
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Invergarry Castle
Monday, May 28, 2012
Scotland
So, there should be a whole bunch of posts about to come through on email. The first one is kind of stuck though, so who knows if that will happen tonight. Here's what you should see.
First is Glasgow. The city is cool. We landed around 10:30 and got the rental car. First of all, we could barely fit the stuff in the car, and it's bigger than the one we had in Iceland! So not a Dalek car. It's pretty ugly too. I'm not a fan. Patrick started driving us around, which was interesting at first. I told the story of how I almost died within minutes of starting to drive in New Zealand because I looked the wrong way at a roundabout, and then we hit our first roundabout. The GPS was fairly stupid, and we ended up going to wrong way a few times. When we finally figured it out we headed to Hotel Indigo for the night. Yet again, we got in before the room was ready, so we walked around for a while. We wanted to go to the modern art museum but Pat didn't want to drive, so thinking it was just under two miles, we set off. However, there was strange construction and stuff so we hit a diagonal road instead of the one we needed and got off course. We stopped for lunch, figured out where we were, and got in a cab to the Tall Ship Museum. Best decision ever. Finn got his driving permit and sat on a giant chair, when we went in to the free transportation museum. He got to drive a train and look at bikes, cars, trams, boats, an old -time Glasgow street, all kinds of stuff. It was the best thing we could have done! Then he and I went on the tall ship which was cool. It's from the late 1800s and was a cargo ship, so it's huge. Three masts and four decks as far as I could tell. It's like a scavenger hunt...we found twenty (ceramic) mice, a cat, and lots of barrels. Good times.
Then we took a cab back to the hotel and took a nap. Everyone else went out to dinner but I stayed behind and watched some British tv for a while. Wow, they would never pass the censors in the US. Swears all over the place, breast feeding babies, all kinds of stuff that is banned in the states. It wakes you up a bit to hear the f-word on tv when you aren't expecting it!
This morning we walked around Glasgow a bit more and got breakfast and money. I like it that they have 1 and 2 pound coins, it feels like Australia again! Breakfast was only ok, but I had a flat white: 3 shots of espresso and milk. I was awake! After using the hotel bathroom (and finally getting wifi to work) we headed out to Invergarry.
The drive was so amazing. The Scottish Highlands are beautiful! I took lots of slightly blurry pictures out the window, but made Pat and Anna stop at Loch Lomond. I took my traditional standing in a body of water picture there, it's cold! Finn liked running around. And the Cameron House was there...I swear something big happened there during the 1745 rebellion with Bonny Prince Charlie but I haven't looked it up yet.
Now we are at Invergarry Castle. Yes, a real castle! Finn and I are sharing a room and Pat and Anna are down the hall. I've already made Finn trip over my backpack and whack his head on the bedside table...bad auntie. But tomorrow we are going to take a Nessie tour on Loch Ness and then try to row around on the Loch the castle is on. I want to find a nice patch of heather to possibly take a nap in, inspired by reading all about Jamie Fraiser sleeping in the heather in the Outlander series. I'm a bit obsessed. Then the next day we head to Edinborough (I know I spelled that wrong), Hadrian's Wall, and Manchester England. Then it's off to Ireland!
First is Glasgow. The city is cool. We landed around 10:30 and got the rental car. First of all, we could barely fit the stuff in the car, and it's bigger than the one we had in Iceland! So not a Dalek car. It's pretty ugly too. I'm not a fan. Patrick started driving us around, which was interesting at first. I told the story of how I almost died within minutes of starting to drive in New Zealand because I looked the wrong way at a roundabout, and then we hit our first roundabout. The GPS was fairly stupid, and we ended up going to wrong way a few times. When we finally figured it out we headed to Hotel Indigo for the night. Yet again, we got in before the room was ready, so we walked around for a while. We wanted to go to the modern art museum but Pat didn't want to drive, so thinking it was just under two miles, we set off. However, there was strange construction and stuff so we hit a diagonal road instead of the one we needed and got off course. We stopped for lunch, figured out where we were, and got in a cab to the Tall Ship Museum. Best decision ever. Finn got his driving permit and sat on a giant chair, when we went in to the free transportation museum. He got to drive a train and look at bikes, cars, trams, boats, an old -time Glasgow street, all kinds of stuff. It was the best thing we could have done! Then he and I went on the tall ship which was cool. It's from the late 1800s and was a cargo ship, so it's huge. Three masts and four decks as far as I could tell. It's like a scavenger hunt...we found twenty (ceramic) mice, a cat, and lots of barrels. Good times.
Then we took a cab back to the hotel and took a nap. Everyone else went out to dinner but I stayed behind and watched some British tv for a while. Wow, they would never pass the censors in the US. Swears all over the place, breast feeding babies, all kinds of stuff that is banned in the states. It wakes you up a bit to hear the f-word on tv when you aren't expecting it!
This morning we walked around Glasgow a bit more and got breakfast and money. I like it that they have 1 and 2 pound coins, it feels like Australia again! Breakfast was only ok, but I had a flat white: 3 shots of espresso and milk. I was awake! After using the hotel bathroom (and finally getting wifi to work) we headed out to Invergarry.
The drive was so amazing. The Scottish Highlands are beautiful! I took lots of slightly blurry pictures out the window, but made Pat and Anna stop at Loch Lomond. I took my traditional standing in a body of water picture there, it's cold! Finn liked running around. And the Cameron House was there...I swear something big happened there during the 1745 rebellion with Bonny Prince Charlie but I haven't looked it up yet.
Now we are at Invergarry Castle. Yes, a real castle! Finn and I are sharing a room and Pat and Anna are down the hall. I've already made Finn trip over my backpack and whack his head on the bedside table...bad auntie. But tomorrow we are going to take a Nessie tour on Loch Ness and then try to row around on the Loch the castle is on. I want to find a nice patch of heather to possibly take a nap in, inspired by reading all about Jamie Fraiser sleeping in the heather in the Outlander series. I'm a bit obsessed. Then the next day we head to Edinborough (I know I spelled that wrong), Hadrian's Wall, and Manchester England. Then it's off to Ireland!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Iceland update
Iceland is beautiful. We drove from the airport to Reykjavik and saw what looks like a moonscape. The volcanoes have erupted so much, the ground is all black with light scrub on it. The city is about 30 minutes from the airport, so you get to see lots of it.
The second picture is this amazing building in Reykjavik. The top part of the wall shimmers in the wind, so it looks like it is moving. The whole city is covered in graffiti, some of it is really good and some is just normal graffiti. The good stuff is huge. Some of it covers the whole wall of a building, and it must be allowed and encouraged because it would take a long time to make!
Third is the harbor. The mountains are across the way, they were totally covered in clouds all day today. The whole city is cold and grey, but you can tell it must be beautiful on a sunny day. The wind whistles through the buildings and you can see why they have such a wool industry! In another post I'll show you all the hat I bought. It's Icelandic wool, hand knit. It's toasty warm,
Last is Finn next to a giant boat moored near the Viking museum. It was closed when we got there because we landed so early. Not much was open. We wandered around the city, walking from the hotel (Hotel Bjork!) all the way to the harbor. Then we walked back and our room was ready, so we napped before heading to the hot pools. Finn loved the water slide (I hit my head on the side of it...ouch) and the stress of school just melted away as I sat in it. Then we went to the Saga Museum which was cool but creepy. They made full sized figures of different stages in Icelandic history, with some of them in the process of being executed or burned at the stake. Good times!
The next four are all at the Saga Museum. It was so windy it was threatening to blow off my new hat! The view was beautiful though. Then there are creepy people...Patrick is with a monk and the woman was one of the first women burned at the stake for being a witch in Iceland.
Now Finn is passed out, Pat and Anna are out exploring some more, and I'm boggling over the fact that it is 9:45 at night and it is still as bright as it has been all day. It's not going to get dark at all, apparently. I keep forgetting how far north I am right now. Finn and I have been having science lessons all day: what is a volcano and how does it erupt? Why are volcanic rocks full of holes? Why is it still daylight? Why is it still so cold here? He's going to learn so much on this trip!
EDIT TO ADD: stupid blogger won't let me email all my pictures are once. I'll have to do it in smaller batches, so there will be about 5 posts in a few minutes.
The second picture is this amazing building in Reykjavik. The top part of the wall shimmers in the wind, so it looks like it is moving. The whole city is covered in graffiti, some of it is really good and some is just normal graffiti. The good stuff is huge. Some of it covers the whole wall of a building, and it must be allowed and encouraged because it would take a long time to make!
Third is the harbor. The mountains are across the way, they were totally covered in clouds all day today. The whole city is cold and grey, but you can tell it must be beautiful on a sunny day. The wind whistles through the buildings and you can see why they have such a wool industry! In another post I'll show you all the hat I bought. It's Icelandic wool, hand knit. It's toasty warm,
Last is Finn next to a giant boat moored near the Viking museum. It was closed when we got there because we landed so early. Not much was open. We wandered around the city, walking from the hotel (Hotel Bjork!) all the way to the harbor. Then we walked back and our room was ready, so we napped before heading to the hot pools. Finn loved the water slide (I hit my head on the side of it...ouch) and the stress of school just melted away as I sat in it. Then we went to the Saga Museum which was cool but creepy. They made full sized figures of different stages in Icelandic history, with some of them in the process of being executed or burned at the stake. Good times!
The next four are all at the Saga Museum. It was so windy it was threatening to blow off my new hat! The view was beautiful though. Then there are creepy people...Patrick is with a monk and the woman was one of the first women burned at the stake for being a witch in Iceland.
Now Finn is passed out, Pat and Anna are out exploring some more, and I'm boggling over the fact that it is 9:45 at night and it is still as bright as it has been all day. It's not going to get dark at all, apparently. I keep forgetting how far north I am right now. Finn and I have been having science lessons all day: what is a volcano and how does it erupt? Why are volcanic rocks full of holes? Why is it still daylight? Why is it still so cold here? He's going to learn so much on this trip!
EDIT TO ADD: stupid blogger won't let me email all my pictures are once. I'll have to do it in smaller batches, so there will be about 5 posts in a few minutes.
My new hat
Thursday, May 24, 2012
I said goodbye to lots of people over the last couple of days. My eighth graders were so amazing this year-I'm going to miss them more than they know. It was super sad knowing that I'll be leaving them just as they are leaving me. Circle of life stuff, you know? But next year's group is a good group too, so hopefully I find some more kindred spirits there.
(Guess what...the blog apparently won't always be about just travel!)
(Guess what...the blog apparently won't always be about just travel!)
This is it!
Monday, May 21, 2012
I was reminded today that this is my last Monday in the US for over two months. It's almost time to go! I booked a couple more places today. I'll be staying at the University of Bath in Bath, and taking a day tour of Stonehenge, Avesbury, and a couple other places around there. That should be fun!
I also think I worked out my path through Italy that will allow me to see both Pompeii and Venice, and possibly even the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It will probably include single day trips through Venice and Pisa, but I can get off the train, leave my bags in the train station lockers, and get back on that night to sleep on my way to the next place. I think that's a good plan.
It's starting to fall into place!
I also think I worked out my path through Italy that will allow me to see both Pompeii and Venice, and possibly even the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It will probably include single day trips through Venice and Pisa, but I can get off the train, leave my bags in the train station lockers, and get back on that night to sleep on my way to the next place. I think that's a good plan.
It's starting to fall into place!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
This time next week I'll be in Iceland! How crazy is that? I'm still finalizing my itinerary, and then I'll post it up here. I think I have purchased everything I need except some random stuff for my camera. It's amazing how much stuff I apparently think the cats will need for two months. I may have overdone it a bit there.
I've decided I'm going to get a burner phone to use over there. Getting international phones on my plan is super expensive, so I'm just going to get a pay as you go one there with some data plan and hopefully a camera so I can do quickie uploads. Let me know if you'll want that number when I get it, but I don't know how much I'll be calling people. That will depend on what the costs are when I get there.
I've decided I'm going to get a burner phone to use over there. Getting international phones on my plan is super expensive, so I'm just going to get a pay as you go one there with some data plan and hopefully a camera so I can do quickie uploads. Let me know if you'll want that number when I get it, but I don't know how much I'll be calling people. That will depend on what the costs are when I get there.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Picture attempt and packing update
This is more an attempt to see if I can upload pictures with the iPad than anything else, but I took this picture of Finn this weekend. We all got foldable water bottles to bring with us, and he loves his. He made us carry it around the whole mall.
Well,apparently I can't upload right from the iPad. That sucks. I'm going to try the email option, so we'll see if that works.
In other news, I spent the weekend shopping and planning, and spent tonight putting all my liquid stuff into three ounce bottles. I know I'll have to buy more while there, but I want to make sure I have enough conditioner and stuff to at least last a couple of weeks!
Well,apparently I can't upload right from the iPad. That sucks. I'm going to try the email option, so we'll see if that works.
In other news, I spent the weekend shopping and planning, and spent tonight putting all my liquid stuff into three ounce bottles. I know I'll have to buy more while there, but I want to make sure I have enough conditioner and stuff to at least last a couple of weeks!
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