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Gobsmacked

Tales From Around the World
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It Begins

April 21, 2016

It’s early in Yaxley, and I’m writing in Sue and Roger’s conservatory (sunroom) so I can see the sky above me through the glass.  It’s a gray and rainy day, but I’m cosy with my steaming cuppa, plus Elliott the dog and Skittles the cat to keep me company.   I’m trying to catch up on things (I’m dead last in my fantasy baseball league) while I contemplate our first three weeks on the road. 

It’s gone by in a whirl.  After spending the early part of March selling, donating and tossing our remaining possessions, we had one last great BBQ dinner at Dalie’s with Rosemary and Greg, then loaded up our 12 foot Penske truck and left St. Louis on March 26th. 

Perry drove to Defiance, OH that first day and we spent Easter weekend with Gary and Peg (his dad and dad’s wife).  After lots of home cooking and card games (and Easter baskets, thanks Peg!), we set off for Rochester, NY for a week with Mason & Karrie (Perry’s brother & sister-in-law), Sadie and Finn (the twins) and Tobey, Henry, Hannah and Bill (the cats).  It was a cuddle fest with Sadie and Finn (who are now one) obliging Auntie Paula and the cats obliging Uncle Perry. 

After 14 hours on the road (all driven by Perry, what a guy), we said goodbye to the trusty Penske (they were seriously awesome and I’ll never use Uhaul again) and placed our 25 totes of worldly goods in M&K’s attic.  Thanks guys!

We spent a very long day in the JFK airport waiting to fly to London.  While we arrived into brand-new, Delta Sky Club-containing Terminal 4, we were departing out of the less-than-desirable Terminal 1.  In addition to our backpacks, we had one suitcase with back up personal items and toiletries to keep at our home-base of operations (aka Roger and Sue’s) here in England.  As we had to collect our bag, we couldn’t hang out in Terminal 4, but since Norwegian Air didn’t open their counter until 5:30 pm, we couldn’t go through security in Terminal 1 until we checked our bag.  We spent five hours sitting on chairs that they purposely make uncomfortable with sharp metal bars to prevent you from sitting back.  Ostensibly, this is done to keep the random public from hanging out at the airport all day, but for the actual travelers stuck there, like us, I considered this classic New York ‘You’ve spent your money, now get the hell out of here’ attitude.

So far, it’s felt like home being in the UK with lots of familiar faces and places, and the country has even managed to gift us relatively decent weather.  We’ve had quiet walks in the beautiful countryside and even managed a three-day trip down to Cornwall, which I will write about separately, but mainly we have been catching up with our lovely friends during many events and outings.

  • A visit to Susie’s cottage in Buckinghamshire with Alex

 

  • A day at Sacrewell Farm with Karen, Harry & Dominic
  • A grand return to pub quiz at the Three Horseshoes for two consecutive Thursday’s (one win and one snowball jackpot)
  • A pizza party at Sue and Roger’s with homemade, wood-fired pizza courtesy of Chef Sue, followed by a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity (Roger won)
  • Lunch with several friends from AB Mauri
  • A night out in Stamford with the pub quiz team (a Turkish feast followed by a pub crawl)

 

  • Afternoon tea prepared by baker extraordinaire Alison
  • A visit with our former neighbors Liz, Kim and Lottie, but sans Puss the Cat who has moved on to a new home, the tart!
  • A visit with an American, Erica, who recently moved to Peterborough and married a local! In one of those ‘small world’ coincidences, we were introduced by Rosemary last summer in St. Louis and agreed to meet up when we arrived.

Food has also been a major factor (as you can see by the food centered outings above), but I’ve also gotten my fix of favorites courtesy of Tesco.

  • Bacon sandwich with HP sauce
  • Warburton’s crumpets (sorry, Kingsmill)
  • Cheese!  (Wookey Hole Cheddar & Wensleydale with Cran)
  • Walker’s Sweet Thai Chilli Crisps
  • Wispa biscuits
  • Unlimited fresh figs (Perry)

Throw in all the Sauv Blanc and G&T’s, and they are going to have to roll me out of here.

We leave for Copenhagen tomorrow, but I want to thank our friends for the British hospitality.  We are grateful to all of you!  Roger & Sue, Karen, Harry & Dominic, Alison & Mario, Helen & Sean, Mike & Lindsey, Liz, Kim & Lottie, Alex, Susie, Juliet, Joanne, Hannah, Kaye, Kristy, Elizabeth & Billy.

Bring on Scandinavia!

← Planning Long Term Travel Part III: ProvidenceWhat I Packed for a Year of Round the World (RTW) Travel Part II: Toiletries, Electronics & Miscellaneous →

TRAVEL BLOG

  • December 2018
    • Dec 17, 2018 Friends From the Road: Darren's Story Dec 17, 2018
  • August 2018
    • Aug 29, 2018 Travel Essentials I Can't Live Without Aug 29, 2018
    • Aug 4, 2018 My Weirdest Travel Habits Aug 4, 2018
  • July 2018
    • Jul 20, 2018 What I Packed For The Last Six Months of Travel Jul 20, 2018
    • Jul 5, 2018 We Interrupt Our Travel To Bring You The Following Message Jul 5, 2018
  • April 2018
    • Apr 29, 2018 The Best Cat Cafes in Tokyo Apr 29, 2018
  • January 2018
    • Jan 20, 2018 The Five Best Cat Cafes in Osaka, Japan Jan 20, 2018
    • Jan 1, 2018 The Best & Worst of 2017: Our Second Year on the Road Jan 1, 2018
  • December 2017
    • Dec 21, 2017 A Week in Mexico City Dec 21, 2017
  • November 2017
    • Nov 23, 2017 Thanks or No Thanks? Our Worst Travel Mishaps in Europe Nov 23, 2017
  • October 2017
    • Oct 1, 2017 Global Travel on a Budget: Best Airbnb's For $50/Night (or less!) Oct 1, 2017
  • September 2017
    • Sep 24, 2017 Things I'm Getting Used To: Europe, Round II Sep 24, 2017
    • Sep 22, 2017 The Five Best Cat Cafes In Seoul, South Korea Sep 22, 2017
    • Sep 14, 2017 A Girl's Weekend in Charleston, South Carolina Sep 14, 2017
    • Sep 3, 2017 The Five Best Cat Cafes From Around the World Sep 3, 2017
  • August 2017
    • Aug 21, 2017 Home Sweet Home Aug 21, 2017
  • July 2017
    • Jul 28, 2017 The Many Moods of Japan Jul 28, 2017
    • Jul 14, 2017 I Quit My Job to Travel: Sixteen Months Later Jul 14, 2017
    • Jul 2, 2017 Trekking Mongolia: Tips & Advice For the Best Tour Experience Jul 2, 2017
  • June 2017
    • Jun 13, 2017 A Travel Day in the Life of a Full-Time Traveler Jun 13, 2017
  • May 2017
    • May 31, 2017 Among Nomads: Nine Days on the Mongolian Steppe May 31, 2017
    • May 26, 2017 A Typical Day in the Life of a Full-Time Traveler May 26, 2017
    • May 19, 2017 China: Two Months, Nine Highs, Four Lows & Eight Tips May 19, 2017
    • May 5, 2017 Scenery & Sandstorms: 28 Hours on a Train to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia May 5, 2017
  • April 2017
    • Apr 28, 2017 Eat, Play, Love: A Review of Thailand's Cat Cafes Apr 28, 2017
    • Apr 19, 2017 Hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge: A Complete Guide For The Average-ly Fit Apr 19, 2017
    • Apr 6, 2017 Long-Term Travel & Relationships: The Peaks & Perils of 24/7 Togetherness Apr 6, 2017
  • March 2017
    • Mar 29, 2017 Things I'm Getting Used To: Eating in China Edition Mar 29, 2017
    • Mar 11, 2017 Eight Things I Loved About Thailand (and three things I didn't) Mar 11, 2017
  • February 2017
    • Feb 20, 2017 Eat, Play, Love. A Review of European Cat Cafes Part II Feb 20, 2017
    • Feb 10, 2017 What I Packed For A Six Month Trip to Asia Feb 10, 2017
  • January 2017
    • Jan 25, 2017 Actions & Words: A Week Volunteering In Spain Jan 25, 2017
    • Jan 13, 2017 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: What We Ate in Europe Jan 13, 2017
    • Jan 6, 2017 The Best and Worst of 2016: Our First Year of Full-Time Travel Jan 6, 2017
  • December 2016
    • Dec 31, 2016 Eating Well on the Road Part II: Kitchen & Shopping Tips for Budget Travelers Dec 31, 2016
    • Dec 9, 2016 Eating Well on the Road Part I: Recipe Ideas for Budget Travelers Dec 9, 2016
  • November 2016
    • Nov 30, 2016 A Tale of Two Cities: Lisbon & Porto Nov 30, 2016
    • Nov 23, 2016 Things I'm Getting Used To: Thanksgiving Edition Nov 23, 2016
  • October 2016
    • Oct 29, 2016 Who Needs Sleep? A Dream Week in Bilbao Oct 29, 2016
    • Oct 23, 2016 Six Reasons to Visit Bulgaria Oct 23, 2016
    • Oct 15, 2016 Forget Dracula, Brasov is the Transylvania You Want to See Oct 15, 2016
    • Oct 9, 2016 How The Grinch Toured Bucharest Oct 9, 2016
    • Oct 5, 2016 Pet Sitting & Travel: Why Do It and How It Works Oct 5, 2016
  • September 2016
    • Sep 28, 2016 Transition to Travel: How To Prepare For A Mid-Career Break Sep 28, 2016
    • Sep 24, 2016 Travel Packing Update: Winners & Losers Sep 24, 2016
    • Sep 13, 2016 Wrong Turns Made Right: Belgrade, Serbia Sep 13, 2016
    • Sep 9, 2016 The Numbers Issue Sep 9, 2016
    • Sep 3, 2016 A Mystical Journey: Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina Sep 3, 2016
  • August 2016
    • Aug 19, 2016 A Holiday in Croatia Aug 19, 2016
    • Aug 8, 2016 Have a Nice Stay: Tips to Maximize Your Airbnb Experience Aug 8, 2016
    • Aug 4, 2016 Ode To Joyce: Trieste Aug 4, 2016
  • July 2016
    • Jul 26, 2016 Where is Slovenia and Why Should You Go There? Jul 26, 2016
    • Jul 15, 2016 Things I'm Getting Used To: Part III Jul 15, 2016
    • Jul 9, 2016 Four (Affordable) Ways to Experience Romantic Budapest Jul 9, 2016
  • June 2016
    • Jun 30, 2016 Top Ten RTW Trip Highlights (So Far) Jun 30, 2016
    • Jun 30, 2016 The Art of Appreciation: Bratislava Jun 30, 2016
    • Jun 22, 2016 A Vacation in Salzburg (or An Excuse to Post Photos of Sound of Music Sites & Mountains) Jun 22, 2016
    • Jun 17, 2016 Eat. Play. Love. A Review of European Cat Cafes Jun 17, 2016
    • Jun 11, 2016 Three Days in Riga Jun 11, 2016
    • Jun 7, 2016 Philosophical Musings & Progressive Estonia Jun 7, 2016
    • Jun 1, 2016 Last Night A Big Mac Saved My Life: St. Petersburg Jun 1, 2016
  • May 2016
    • May 27, 2016 Rough & Ready(?) Helsinki May 27, 2016
    • May 22, 2016 Things I'm Getting Used To: Part II May 22, 2016
    • May 19, 2016 Beyond Stereotypes: Stockholm May 19, 2016
    • May 17, 2016 Stockholm Surprise: A Visit to the US Embassy May 17, 2016
    • May 10, 2016 Oslo: My Spirit Animal? May 10, 2016
    • May 8, 2016 Things I'm Getting Used To May 8, 2016
    • May 4, 2016 Split Personality: Copenhagen May 4, 2016
    • May 1, 2016 Baby, It's Cold Outside May 1, 2016
  • April 2016
    • Apr 27, 2016 Three Days in Cornwall Apr 27, 2016
    • Apr 23, 2016 Planning Long Term Travel Part III: Providence Apr 23, 2016
    • Apr 21, 2016 It Begins Apr 21, 2016
    • Apr 17, 2016 What I Packed for a Year of Round the World (RTW) Travel Part II: Toiletries, Electronics & Miscellaneous Apr 17, 2016
    • Apr 5, 2016 What I Packed for a Year of Round the World (RTW) Travel Apr 5, 2016
    • Apr 1, 2016 Planning Long Term Travel Part II: Patience Apr 1, 2016
  • March 2016
    • Mar 16, 2016 Planning Long Term Travel Part I: Preparation Mar 16, 2016
    • Mar 6, 2016 The 3 P’s of Planning Long Term Travel: Preparation, Patience & Providence Mar 6, 2016

HUMOUR BLOG

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Nov 29, 2015
Take a Bite
Nov 29, 2015
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Sep 27, 2015
A Kiss is Just a Kiss
Sep 27, 2015
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Sep 6, 2015
A Rose By Any Other Name
Sep 6, 2015
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Aug 3, 2015
TV Star
Aug 3, 2015
Aug 3, 2015
Aug 2, 2015
It's All Uphill From Here
Aug 2, 2015
Aug 2, 2015
Jul 27, 2015
I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday
Jul 27, 2015
Jul 27, 2015
Jul 26, 2015
The Voice of King's Cross
Jul 26, 2015
Jul 26, 2015
Jul 25, 2015
The Refrigerator List
Jul 25, 2015
Jul 25, 2015
Jun 28, 2015
I Should Be So Lucky
Jun 28, 2015
Jun 28, 2015
Jun 15, 2015
Accentuate the Positive
Jun 15, 2015
Jun 15, 2015

Follow Along!

 


Every week, we will post new stories, photos and videos from the road.  We would love to hear from you with any suggestions or recommendations as we move from country to country!

Paula LaBine, 2017