Story Book Adventures

I will first apologize for my lack of post in the last week or so - I have to admit, my life hasn't really been interesting enough to write about. That is, of course, until today. Today, Shelby and I went on an epic adventure of - well, of Robin Hood proportions. Alright, so maybe we didn't go running through the trees with bows or arrows or robbing from the rich and giving to the poor or anything, but it was definitely interesting.

I'm so heroic.

After rolling out of bed and dragging myself to King's Cross at the wee hours of the morning (and fortifying myself with a well-deserved coffee), we hopped on the impressively timely and clean East Midlands Rail to Nottingham! (I continue to be awed by the incredible public transportation system England has to offer.) I did some homework (shocker, right?) and slept, and in two hours we were in Nottingham! Today was fantastically sunny and clear - and also frigidly cold. I'm only now regaining full use of my fingers. But we trekked through the tundra up Maid Marian Way to Nottingham Castle. It was beautiful - and filled with so much history. Apparently, Nottingham was where the Civil War first began, which was not something I knew! And, of course, there was plenty of Robin Hood. We may or may not have partaken in the dress up section. But that's neither here nor there. We then grabbed lunch and headed back to the train station, where our adventure truly began.

Super nerds!

Our original plan was to take a train up to Sherwood Forest, stopping along the way to see Newstead Abbey, which Google said was a five minute walk from the train. For you English nerds out there, Newstead Abbey was one of the ancestral homes of Lord Byron. However, at the stop for Newstead, none of the train doors opened. Curious. This should have been a sign of things to come.

So we got the conductor to sign off on the back of our tickets and got off at the next stop, sprinting across the tracks to get to the train going in the other direction. We got off the train, feeling somewhat triumphant, and tried to decipher the map at the station. We kind of just picked a direction and passed by the Station Hotel, noticing a woman smoking right outside the door. We found out pretty quickly we were going the wrong way and backtracked to the hotel. This time, the woman was joined by two others - an older gentleman and a man in his forties. The younger man asked us if we were lost, to which we answered with a prompt affirmative. He asked where we were trying to get, and we said the Newstead Abbey. With a hint of skepticism in his voice, he said, "You're walking?"

That should have been our second hint.

We nodded, and he shrugged and told the older man to direct us. He did so (walk to the end of the road, take a right, cross over the train tracks, and take the next right. Follow the road). We bid them goodbye, and before we walked off they asked us where we were from.

"The States," we said.

"Where?"

"Connecticut. Near New York."

The older man scoffed and said somewhat indignantly that he knew where it was. We sort of mhm-ed and waved as we walked off.

Fifteen minutes later we came to a gate with a rather ramshackle house and a sign informing us of the ticket prices for Newstead. An older guy greeted us and we asked where to acquire tickets. The Gatehouse, he informed us, and he was heading there now. He apologized that he didn't have room in his car to give us a lift, and we told him it was no problem. Well, it was. We then walked down the road after his car.

And walked.

And walked.

And walked.

Victory!

We passed horses, and trees, and a lot of fields. But - turn after turn, hill after hill - there was no abbey in sight. No people, either. Miles from London or any sort of transport, we wandered aimlessly down a small road in the English countryside. Let me tell you, if you want to pull a fast one on somebody, just tell them how to get to Newstead Abbey.

Finally, about an hour later we finally rounded the corner to the glorious sight of two impressive looking buildings. We were freezing cold and more than a little bemused at the way things had gone. It was more funny than anything, to be honest - we thought back to the people at the Hotel, probably chuckling at our American naivete. Well, what can you do? Google lied! (To be fair, it was probably a three minute walk to the start of the abbey property. It was just then the rest of the way that was the doozy...)

Victory x2!

We then spent another hour wandering around these gorgeous grounds and gardens. No, we didn't go into the Abbey or the home - it would have been an extra £7 to do so, and we didn't have the time. Kind of unfortunate considering all the effort it took to get there, but I think it was worth it just for the gardens. Well, maybe. Instead we got some chocolate and chatted with the man at the shop, before reluctantly turning back to the road ahead of us. No way were we making it to Sherwood Forest.

Then, miracle of miracles, the man at the shop got one of his friends who was heading home to give us a lift! The kindly old man made room for us in his car, apologizing profusely for his mess (there wasn't one), pushing a few stray items into the bright pink child's carseat in the back. I could imagine him being a good grandfather.

The Abbey from behind

The road went a lot quicker behind the wheel of a car. We made some small talk - he told us how the land around the Abbey used to be mines, and remarked on the mild weather we'd been having until today, saying we were lucky we weren't here last winter when it snowed an uncharacteristic amount. He dropped us off at the station and wished us luck, and we pretty much fell over ourselves with gratitude.

Lucky for us, the next train came by in fifteen minutes - if we hadn't gotten that lift we would've missed it and had to wait another hour and a half. So we parked ourselves at the station and dreamed of warm meals in pubs and no wind chill.

Soon enough the train pulled up and we headed back to Nottingham. It was too late to try to get to Sherwood - by the time we got there the sun would have gone down and the park would have closed. We'll have to make another day trip out of it. Once we were back in Nottingham we wandered around a bit, checking out some of the town. We found this really cool vintage and antique shop that sold just about everything - from fine china to a knight's helmet (complete with chain mail) to boxes of old keys, pieces of watches, and vintage photographs, which I spent some time rummaging through. We got these thin brown envelopes marked "FOR YOU" and sealed shut with a security seal, billed as "free." Inside, I found a hand written letter from some guy, telling me about the only two interesting things that had happened to him in the past ten years - a guitar master class with Michael Angelo Batio and the L.A. Guns, Quiet Riot, Warrant Metal Health/Sex Action tour of 2011. Fascinating.

Then we headed to the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the oldest pub and inn in England. King Richard himself ate there! That sort of history is incredible. It was established in 1189 - insanity.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem!

In there we enjoyed the most delicious beef lasagna and some cider - so satisfying after such a long day. We hung around there until about 6:30, when we left (the two men sitting next to us laughing that they had scared us back to America and asking us the question that is apparently indiscriminate of nationality - "are you girls sisters?"). We grabbed some cupcakes at Tesco to eat on the train and were disappointed to find that there was no warm place to sit at the platform to wait for our 8:00 train. So we sat in the cold for an hour. If someone finds a nose on the Nottingham train platform, it's mine, it froze and fell off and I haven't felt it since. Alright that's a slight exaggeration, but it was seriously freezing. Finally the train arrived and we jumped onboard, scarfed the cupcakes, and passed out for the two hour ride back.

All in all, I would say that today - while not exactly what was expected - was definitely a successful one. I may be exhausted come tomorrow, but it was most definitely worth it. Clearly Shelby and I are going to have to come up with something even better than the Doctor Who exhibit and an adventure around the English countryside for our next journey - or maybe we'll do something calm and relaxing. I doubt it, knowing us! This weekend we have a tour of Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, so I'm sure I'll be updating sooner than this last stretch. Miss you all! Cheers! <3