http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/jubeedoo/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from jubeedoo en-us Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:10:07 +0000 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:10:07 +0000 Blearyeyed I gazed blankly through the dusty windows trying to imprint the Scottish scenery on my retinas as I travelled south once more. It seemed the early morning dash to get myself on the bus had used up my quota of energy for the time being and I lost the struggle to prop my eyes open although a dazzling play of light on the insides of my eyelids alerted me to take a peek when passing http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cumbria/Lake-District/blog-348890.html Arriving back off the ferry in Oban on the evening of October 31st I quickly found my hostel only a short trudge away and complete with a group of hostellers dressing up determined to wreak Halloween havoc or at least go out and rouse the locals at the pub on the corner. I had a lively evening just sitting in the lounge where I chatted gave costume opinions scoffed candy and even managed http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Oban/blog-348888.html The weather was so foul during my stay in Fort William that I didnrsquot stray far from the hostel. Arriving in the depressing drizzle on Sunday afternoon Irsquod asked if there was anywhere in town to rent a movie and the lovely Czech hostel manager responded by lending me her entire DVD collection. Weather forgotten I was settling in when invited to partake of the delicious dinner the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Isle-of-Mull/blog-348307.html ldquoHave you ever had a goateerdquoldquoNo but I had a goat once.rdquoSitting in Inverness a month on from the start of my trip I still loved the lively buzz of mixedup conversations and the crazy characters to be encountered in hostel lounges. The night of the above quotation I gave up on my guide books and bus timetables unable to resist the semisurreal exchange of carefully pro http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Isle-of-Skye/blog-341711.html Traumatised by the words up and hill and long walk things you don't want to hear mixed in amongst directions to your hostel especially when you've been awake since 5am and have already had one long hike and a neverending bus ride I was relieved to discover the predicted twenty minute slog up a ridge was actually nothing more than a slightly inclining five minute trot through the Inverness to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Inverness/blog-341385.html Song in my head I Am Over It by the Dandy Warhols. On repeat.Arriving in a strange place at night isn't the best thing for morale. It had been a tough day and although I was excited to be in the Scottish capital after traipsing from the bus station to the hostel I wasn't at my sunniest. Getting in so late meant I had no chance for a bed in a small room and had to settle for the largest mixe http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Edinburgh/blog-341016.html Staying in the historic city of Berwick Upon Tweed was a tactical decision because itrsquos within easy reach of Holy Island and because I found some really good books in the hostel lounge. It struck me as a curious place so I took a brisk walk around before leaving for Scotland.The quintessential border town Berwick pronounced Berrick was claimed by both Scotland and England and chang http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Berwick-upon-Tweed/blog-314052.html A tiny isolated island off Englandrsquos northeastern coast Holy Island was an attractive prospect to the early Christian monks. Its remoteness allowed them to cut themselves off from ordinary life in order to devote themselves more fully to prayer yet in this location they were still within reach of the towns and protective castles of the mainland.The religious community of Lindisfarne wa http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Northumberland/Berwick-upon-Tweed/blog-235575.html On the approach to Newcastle Upon Tyne some thirty minutes before our due time the road suddenly dropped down a steep bank to an absolutely astounding collection of bridges strung across a river. I frantically tried to capture the scene through the grimy bus widows as we crossed the strong afternoon light fighting me all the way. I craned my neck for one last view to commit to memory as we ro http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Tyne-and-Wear/Newcastle-Upon-Tyne/blog-225629.html Catching the early morning bus quite literally by the skin of my teeth I found an empty seat amidst the press of people and sat back to regain my breath. By the time we got to the edge of the National Park I'd calmed down breakfasted from the hastily assembled sandwiches thrust into my bag on my whirlwind dash out the door and was pressed against the foggy window to enjoy the view across the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/North-Yorkshire/North-York-Moors/blog-221570.html I was looking forward to visiting York but I had very little idea of what to expect... a small picturesque walled city on the borders of Scotland perhaps I'd wanted to visit ever since falling in love with the slackjawed way the Prince announced Wallace has sacked York in Braveheart. In actual fact William Wallace didn't make it that far south but the quote is certainly the reason behi http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/North-Yorkshire/York/blog-216164.html Following my literary trail of thought the next destination was StratfordUponAvon home of the Bard. I'd been tossing up between Stratford and other destinations and realised that I was just being silly I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to Stratford. Not just because because of my interest in its most famous resident but also because it's supposed to be one of the prettiest towns i http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Warwickshire/Stratford-upon-Avon/blog-216863.html From Bath I was Oxford bound. I was excited about seeing it because it's so famous and always recommended by those who visit. To make sure I got there without delay I reserved my seat on the only daily NX service between the two cities. This turned out to be a bit of a joke since I was one of only half a dozen passengers on the coach.Arriving in the evening I saw masses and masses of bicyc http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Oxfordshire/Oxford/blog-216162.html I've wanted to visit Bath ever since I can remember the first time I heard of there being such a place is lost in the mists of time. I seem just always to have known of its existence. I was so anxious to be there that I hotfooted it to the Exeter bus station and was early for my bus. The chattering bus driver made the journey from Devon to Somerset a little different he suffered from delus http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Somerset/Bath/blog-216161.html Arriving in Plymouth still dreaming of castles and wild Cornish coastlands I found a complete contrast in the orderly naval town. It has been an important base of the British Navy through all its major naval battles from the attacks of the Armada and Napolean to the wars of the twentieth century. Unsuprisingly then my first view of the harbour encompassed small water craft of all varieties w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Devon/blog-216151.html If you haven't been you should plan a trip to Tintagel. If you've been lucky enough to visit then like me you probably hope to return one day. It's just that sort of place.When I started planning my travels a friend gave me very firm advice to visit. The castle had made such an impression on her that I was intrigued and never having heard of it looked it up in my guidebook to learn more. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cornwall/Tintagel/blog-216145.html Due in Newquay on the Saturday to meet up with friends but faced with limited buses I decided arriving early was a better option than arriving late. A nasty shock awaited me when I went online in Bournemouth to book my seat though the only direct journey was already full An extremely roundabout overnight route back through London would deposit me in Newquay at an ungodly hour of the morning http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cornwall/blog-208088.html I arrived in Bournemouth bright and early full of enthusiasm and determined to find a place for the night straight away so I could leave my bags and go exploring. Unfortunately my expectations were a leetle too high. The bored guy at the Tourist Information Centre in the bus station told me straight away that the Backpackerrsquos limited opening hours were the reason I had not been able to r http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hampshire/New-Forest/blog-215935.html Chatting with the superintendent at the Brighton Coach Station I was assured of a place on the morning coach along to Southampton however my friend noticed that my hard won buss pass was invalid due to the London issuer having written an expiry date which preceeded the start date. He recommended I ask the kind folk at the Southampton National Express Office to sort it out. And just when I th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hampshire/Southampton/blog-209102.html All the stress of packing and leaving London evaporated on the way out of the city and the bus seemed to fly over the chokehold of the encircling M25. I was elated to be on my way and even the immediate ten minute stop in a grimy bus stand at Gatwick failed to bring my spirits down. I people watched shamelessly and was very taken with the sight of an airhostess in a tight bright pink number http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/East-Sussex/Brighton/blog-206330.html