Wiltshire, Somerset, Yorkshire & London
Travel Day One - 24 August 2018 - Arriving in London 🛬
After experiencing engine difficulties at the Atlanta International Airport, my flight to London Heathrow was delayed. Despite the setback, I eventually arrived at my destination at around 10 a.m., having traveled on the same Virgin Atlantic route my friend and I had taken on our previous trip to London.
Fortunately, I landed during a quiet period for international flight arrivals, so the immigration queues were short and I was able to pass through UK Immigration with ease in under 5 minutes. Once my passport was stamped, I wasted no time in heading to the Heathrow Express, which took me directly to London Paddington. From there, I embarked on a train ride to Bath and was captivated by the beauty of the English countryside in Wiltshire and Somerset. It was a busy time for train travel due to the Bank Holiday weekend, and many passengers were going places.
I arrived at Bath Spa train station, where I was greeted by a friend. He had arranged for us to be driven to the Holiday Inn Express in Bath. We were all tired, with my friend and his driver having made the long journey down from Manchester, and myself from the flight and consequent train rides. Upon arrival, we were grateful to learn that we could check in early and get some much-needed rest. Later on, we went to a nearby pub to discuss plans for the next couple of days. Feeling hungry, and budget-conscious, we opted for Chinese takeout for dinner.
Day Two - 25 August - Visiting Wells Cathedral
The next morning, we enjoyed a traditional English breakfast at the hotel which included bacon, eggs, beans, croissants, and muffins. However, I decided to skip the bacon. Post breakfast, we geared up for a drive to Wells.
Upon reaching Wells, we started searching for a parking spot. Once successfully parked, we began our pleasant walk towards the cathedral. However, our walk was infused with excitement as it was Market weekend, and the town center was bustling with vendors. Interestingly, we were delighted to witness a town crier reading out news and humorous ads about local businesses right outside the cathedral in the city center.
The craftsmanship of the cathedral was impressive, especially the stained glass windows that cAugustht our eyes. We spent about two hours exploring the nooks and crannies of the cathedral. Afterward, we took a leisurely stroll back towards the town center, where we continued our exploration of the market and the town of Wells.
After our visit to Wells, we drove through the picturesque countryside of Somerset and returned to Bath for the night. For dinner, I suggested we try something different than our usual Chinese takeout, and instead go to a pizzeria that I had researched beforehand. The place I had spotted was Franco Manca, situated near the train station.
The pizza we had at Franco Manca was nothing short of amazing! It was probably the best pizza I had tasted in a while. The crust was perfect, and the toppings tasted incredibly fresh. With satisfied stomachs, we drove back to our hotel and planned for the upcoming day, which was dedicated to exploring the world-famous landmark of Stonehenge.
Day Three - 26 August - Sunrise at Stonehenge and Avebury 🐑
We woke up ahead of schedule to visit Amesbury to witness the sunrise at Stonehenge. I had secured special access earlier in the year, where we were allowed to walk amongst the stones in the inner circle at sunrise. It was an incredible and unforgettable experience, despite the cloudy sky due to an approaching storm front. I spent a whole hour amidst the stones at Stonehenge, relishing in the overwhelming energy and captivating aura of the place.
After Stonehenge, we headed to Avebury to explore the stone circles, where we could touch the stones and even play with the sheep. To me, Avebury had a more laid-back and relaxed atmosphere when compared to Stonehenge. It was indeed an enchanting experience to walk around the stones and explore the town of Avebury, even though it began to rain by the time we started heading back to the car park.
Following the visit, we drove back through the beautiful Wiltshire countryside to our hotel in Bath.
Day Four - 27 August - From Somerset to Yorkshire
We made our way up to Manchester from Somerset, where we had spent the past two days, to visit my friend's father, who had a mini-museum in his home. Upon entering the house, I was taken aback by the vast collection of antiques and curiosities. It was an absolute delight to meet my friend's father and get a chance to admire his collection. After enjoying a glass of Chianti wine, we headed to my friend's house, where I would spend the next two nights.
Upon reaching my friend's place, we settled in for the evening and ordered pizza from a local pizzeria operated by an Italian man with over 40 years of experience in making pizzas. Needless to say, the pizza was delicious! Following dinner, we relaxed by watching a movie before winding down for the night.
Day Five - 28 August - The National Railway Museum in York 🚂
The following day, we drove up to York and visited the National Railway Museum which showcases the history of the railroad. The museum had a range of displays, including the Mallard train that broke the record for the fastest train, and the first steam-powered train, built by George Stephenson. We spent a considerable amount of time exploring and absorbing the history of the railroad. After viewing the displays, we drove back through the charming Yorkshire countryside to my friend’s house.
Day Six - 29 August - Train from Leeds to London Kings Cross, British Museum, and more. 🚅
I boarded the LNER East Coast Main line train from Leeds to Kings Cross in London. Upon my arrival, I traveled via the underground to the Russell Square tube station, and then walked to the Morgan Hotel, where I would spend a night in London before my departure from Heathrow Airport the following day.
As soon as I settled into my hotel room, I walked around the corner to the British Museum. I had a list of items which I was eager to see, although some were on loan to other museums for exhibitions. Nonetheless, I spent about an hour exploring the museum and couldn't resist the urge to purchase some postcards from the museum shop. Later, for a late lunch/early dinner, I stopped by VQ Bloomsbury and enjoyed a scrumptious Falafel burger and Chunky Fries.
After my meal, I strolled to Treadwell’s Bookshop and spent a while browsing their collection of books. I ended up purchasing two books along with a tote bag, and then headed back to the hotel for the rest of the evening. Although my hotel room had a shared patio with the apartment next door, which overlooked the back of the British Museum, I decided not to use it. I had chosen the hotel primarily because of its close proximity to the British Museum and several bookshops in the area, and not for the size of the room.
Day Seven - 30 August - Heathrow to Atlanta 🛫
The morning of my flight back to Atlanta, I woke up at 5 a.m. and promptly got myself ready to fly back home. Taking one final look around, I ensured that everything was securely packed in my bags, and nothing was left behind in the hotel room. While checking my emails, I received a notification from the airline stating the flight was delayed until 11:40 a.m.
Later that morning, I walked down to the reception desk of the hotel and returned my room key. Afterward, I headed to the Euston Square tube station to catch a train to Paddington Station, where I would board the Heathrow Express to the airport.
However, my flight was delayed, and then delayed again until 2:00 p.m. The delay was due to the pre-flight checks revealing an issue with the electrical panel on the plane. The delay caused me to miss my flight from Atlanta to Nashville. Luckily, Delta airlines proved to be a great help and allowed me to re-book on a later flight as a result of missing my earlier flight due to the delay on the Virgin Atlantic flight.
After all the long flights and delays, I finally made it home to Nashville, albeit exhausted from the journey. To make things easier, I took a Lyft ride home, which was a convenient and comfortable option after a draining journey.
Using points from my Capital One Venture card, I managed to offset some travel-related expenses, which significantly reduced the overall cost of the trip.