Last Day of Touring

On our last day of touring (which was not our last day in the UK), we visited York Minster before leaving the city.  A few hours later we got to our Cambridge hotel, which was across the street from a nice park, a big expanse of lawn where the students sat, played frisbee, etc….just like any big lawn at any big college or university.  We set out for a traipse around the city.

Cambridge actually has what I would consider a real shopping mall, right in the middle of town.  I mention this only because it was the first real shopping mall we’d seen (the one in York was more like a basic strip mall).  We walked through it, but didn’t shop; we were just trying to get out of the heat!  Cambridge is also full of beautiful architecture and a ton of students.  I have often felt I’d like to live in Cambridge, but the reality is much different from the dream.  Too hot, too many people, too many maniacs on bicycles.   I’ll stick with the moors!

Here, we ended up at King’s College (I think) on the far end of our walking tour.

I don’t remember whether it was the heat or my feet, but I was starting to waver at this point, and am afraid I got a bit short with everyone, so we meandered easily back to the hotel (cutting through the mall again for some air-conditioned comfort).  On the way, we sat at the edge of the park for a while to recover our strength.

 

See the pub in the picture?  That was ultimately our dinner destination, mostly because it was right near the hotel!  Good food, though.

After that, it was an early night, just because we were all so bushed.  The next morning we checked out and drove back to Rudgwick.

A day in Rudgwick sufficed for packing (and repacking because the big suitcase was too heavy, buying a supplemental carryon, then packing again, and repacking!) and recuperating for the trip on the 20th.  We made sure to have motion sickness medicine, things to do on the plane, and some snacks.  The flight back was pretty uneventful except for the drama of rushing through Customs in time to make our connecting flight!  But we made it.  The cats were happy to have us back.  We were happy to BE back, and I’m still working on piles of laundry!

Many thanks to all the UK Picks for their hospitality and a big hello to all the new friends we met.  See you in ten years when we can nerve ourselves up for another trip, ha ha ha…