I had two weeks to travel, and I came up with one ambitious itinerary. Not knowing when I'd eventually be back, I wanted to cover as much ground as I could, from top to bottom. The trip began when I landed at Heathrow Airport in the early afternoon. After clearing customs and getting the rental car, I tried my hardest to stay awake as there was still a busy day ahead of me.
I didn't have to worry about getting used to driving on the opposite side of the road since I was just a passenger. Instead, I played the role of navigator along with two (sometimes completely useless) GPS units. The first destination was Buckinghamshire, in the outskirts of London, to meet up with some American friends that I had not seen in eight years. I got to tour the adorable house they are renting, and I loved it! Everything about it was so English. From the back garden, to the "conservatory," to the overpowering smell in one room of cigarette smoke from a previous tenant.
Sign on the door.
After catching up over tea and biscuits (cookies), we went for dinner at a local pub. But it just wasn't any pub. This pub was the oldest freehouse in England, The Royal Standard of England (http://www.rsoe.co.uk/.) Granted, if you search online, MANY pubs claim to be the oldest pub/freehouse/etc. in England for some reason or another. No matter what, this place was incredible. I loved the ambiance and the food. And I was shocked that I had still managed to stay awake this late into the day.
I'm a pilgrim! (This was my first taste of very confusing pub etiquette.)
Loved that they had such great options for vegetarians!
On the way to the pub, I got my first taste of an English "B" road. A B road can barely be considered a road at all. Sometimes they are paved, but more often they are not. They are barely wide enough for one car to drive down, let alone two in each direction. Basically, you have to be on your guard the entire time and ready to pull off if you see another car coming at you.
After dinner, it was a three hour drive at least to the next destination, a Bed & Breakfast in Devon. Arriving just after midnight is not the way to make a good first impression, but thankfully the owners didn't seem to mind too much. After an amazing, cooked-to-order breakfast the following morning, it was time to explore!
The B&B.
Breakfast outside. It was a beautiful day.
A traditional English breakfast. Way too much food for me, or any human for that matter, so I just got something "light."
My veggie frittata, which came with an entire bowl of whole fruit!
And by explore, I mean head to Exeter to check out the local grocery store! Seriously though, this is really one of my favorite things to do when traveling in foreign countries, and the UK did not disappoint. After loading up on supplies (both necessary and just for the fun of it), it was time to do some actual sight-seeing.
I love you!
You know you're in England when the store has a Heinz Beans section.
Uncle Ben's makes Korma and Curry?
The whole reason I chose to come to Devon was to visit Dartmoor National Park. I saw it on a very old episode of Travels in Europe with Rick Steves, and I thought it looked beautiful. Being there in person, the park was even better than I imagined it would be. The grass was so green, and there were hills and sheep everywhere. But the stars of the show were the Dartmoor wild ponies. Actual. Wild. Ponies!!! They live in the park and roam free, without being fenced in. When I finally caught a glimpse of them while riding down the road, I was giddy with excitement!
Oh, that's just a pack of wild ponies crossing the road.
What do you call a baby pony?
After that, it was time for a very late lunch. The grocery supplies and the backdrop of Dartmoor made for the perfect picnic lunch!
A vegetarian feast! (Side note: The "table cloth" is a fabric map I bought at the Dartmoor Visitor Center. It's one of my favorite souvenirs ever, because it's cute and practical.)
"with vegetable extracts"
Originally, I planned to take a hike in the park, but after getting a late start to the day there wasn't enough time for that. I rode to the opposite end of the park, admiring the view along the way.
Once officially out of the park, I passed through some small towns, including Tavistock. I wanted to try a famous Devonshire Cream Tea, but by the time I got back to civilization, tea time was over.
I loved that this house had like a thousand chimneys.
There were some other tourist sites on the way back to the B&B, so I tried to fit in as much as I could before it got dark.
Ruins in a nearby town that I can't recall. It was closed for the day, so I only got to view it from afar.
Devonshire sunset.
I definitely want to explore more of this area again someday, and also continue all the way out to Cornwall.
Up next: The Cotswolds & Stratford-upon-Avon.
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