Airlines, Bath water, and other yucky things
So, let me just start off by saying that Virgin Atlantic is both the best and worst airline ever. It’s the best because you have a huge selection of free entertainment to choose from. For example, I watched Hot Tub Time Machine, Kick Ass, and episode three of the BBC’s Sherlock. And those were just a few of the many options. However, I watched all of these from a seat the size of a sheet of notebook paper. I have short legs but even I was complaining about the intolerable lack of legroom (so imagine how poor Larry felt!), and the people in front of us immediately put their own seats all the way back. I never recline my own seat, so you know it was a desperate situation that Larry talked me into it. When I finally agreed and Larry offered to warn the guy behind me, that guy kicked up a big fuss about how squished he already was, so then I didn’t have the nerve to do it. Larry switched spots with me–MY HERO!–because no one was sitting behind him. So I put my seat back, but even then my knees were so smooshed up against the seat in front of me that I had to cram the little pillow they’d given me between my knees and the seat. I would have had more room to stretch out if they’d just stuffed me into the overhead bin. Needless to say, neither of us got any sleep on that flight.
Also, never eat airline curry.
Despite dire warnings from Virgin about the extreme delays we could expect at customs due to a strike, it actually wasn’t any worse than normal–plus, no vomiting Asian man! With that out of the way we picked up our rental car and promptly got lost for an hour. This is Larry’s first time driving in the UK, so that was stressful for both of us poor jet-lagged souls. But eventually we made our way to Avebury, which was nice. And from there we went to Stonehenge, which was mobbed by tourists, but still very cool. Then we drove to Mere to check into our B&B and have a little nap before dinner. When we finally woke up we wandered to the pub across the street to eat, came back to our room, and realized we couldn’t get online. Hence no updates from me last night.
This morning we were up for our 8:30 am breakfast, which was your basic English breakfast. We shared our table with a nice, older Australian couple who were several weeks into their own vacation. I always feel a little self-conscious about my flat accent when I travel in the UK, so prolonged conversation makes me feel very shy, but they were kind enough not to laugh and point (unlike some people I could mention *looks pointedly at Stacey*).
We decided to spend the day in Bath. It was chilly and overcast, which is a pity since it doesn’t photograph very well, but at least it wasn’t raining. We saw the Royal Crescent, the Circus, the Jane Austen Museum, the Roman Baths (full of British school children), the Pulteney Bridge, and a random maze. We also enjoyed some Cornish pasties, visited many stores looking for a UK plug converter that would accommodate our laptop’s grounded plug (or as they put it in Boots: “an earthed plug”) , and used a very sketchy public toilet–twice. Also, while at the Roman Baths we sampled the special spring water–free with admission!–and, yeah, that stuff is nasty.
After Bath we returned to the B&B for some down time and then went to a very nice Indian restaurant for dinner. (Laura, they were playing selections from the Om Shanti Om soundtrack!) On the way back from dinner Larry stopped to take a photo and an enormous spider tried to attack his face. I was traumatized.
Now, some photos:
Larry trying to be serious at Avebury.
Avebury
Me at Avebury
Stones at Avebury
Avebury
Stonehenge
Larry at Stonehenge
Dinner at the George Inn.
The Royal Crescent, Bath
Another shot of the Royal Crescent
Bath Abbey
At the Roman Baths
Statue at the Roman Baths
The Great Bath
Pulteney Bridge
Beazer Garden Maze
Center of the Beazer Garden Maze
Last shot of Bath
