Bath Blues

Thursday was a sad day. We got up really early and had breakfast in our London hotel. Dad left after that and I went back to bed. I relaxed for about an hour before getting up and having a long shower, repacking my bag, and getting organized. As I was leaving I got a little emotional. It was so nice to have company and I don't know when I will see another familiar face. I headed to the Victoria underground only to find that it was packed and the ticket machines weren't all working so there were huge line ups. I got in one and waited my turn. I arrived at Waterloo station just in enough time to check the board and within minutes get on my train. I had left so early but with all the traffic in the tube it took much longer! And it wasn't even rush hour!

I arrived in Bath a mere 2 hours later and headed to my hostel via their online directions, which weren't as clear as I thought, so I stopped at tourist information for help! Oh boy! I checked into my hostel and dropped off my bag and headed back out. Within a few minutes it started sprinkling, which is no big deal since I am now a weather pro. I simply whipped out my umbrella and continued along. It seemed to be getting pretty dark so I checked my watch...3:45 and it was night time dark. As I wandered down the streets of Bath it suddenly started to downpour and gusts of cold wind started to blow. My umbrella turned inside out and I was freezing. I stopped for an early dinner as I hadn't had lunch and to wait it out. It let up for a bit and I wanted to get back to the tourist office to book a Stonehenge tour. I headed out and found my way to the Abbey square and booked my tour. The rain dissipated enough to wander a bit more but when it started up again I decided to head to the hostel and dry off. It was early evening at this point and after some online time I headed back to my room and met my roommates. I chatted with an Australian traveller, with stinky fert (I tried not to judge), for the rest of the evening before bed. He gave me tips on where I am going and told me some of his crazy tales.

I woke the next morning and went to the Roman Baths, built over 1000 years ago by the Romans when England was a Roman empire. People came to use the natural hot springs which they turned into a huge complex of buildings and rooms. People also went there to worship the goddess; appealing to her to cure illness or to curse a wronged deed. It was a beautiful complex work of art that they had built before the tools we have today. It amazes me what the Romans had the ability to do. They created steam rooms by stacking tiles in columns and building a floor overtop so the steam would heat the floor and the room. They created piping systems to get the water into several different pools at different temperatures. Truly amazing to be standing where people stood thousands of years ago.

After the Roman Baths I grabbed a quick lunch and loaded onto my Stonehenge bound bus. My driver had a radio voice and repeated everything twice. Lol He pointed out the home of Jane Austen. We drove through a beautiful valley called Bradford on Avon and passed cottages with thatched rooves. Along the way we saw the Westbury White Horse, a famous chalk hill carving of Ancient Wessex. In the distance we saw Cley Hill which is the remains of a 2000 year old Celtic Hill Fort with renowned UFO and crop circle sightings. As we reached the last hill before Stonehenge I held my breath. Reaching the top amd seeing the standing stones in the distance I felt a sense of awe. They are beautiful. I head towards them and can not believe I am here, seeing them in person. As I lift my camera for another shot, it slips from my hand and crashes to the ground. I let out a small scream and reach for it quickly. It is dented but otherwise looks ok. I turn it off....nothing. The lens stays as it is. I turn it back on, the screen remains black. I stand there in front of Stonehenge trying to fix my camera and trying not to cry. I manage to continue my way around the circle, listening to my audio guide. But to be honest, I couldn't really focus. It was freezing out and I was feeling really upset so I headed back to the bus, the wonder of the stones forgotten. As we drove back to Bath, I felt sick to my stomach. When we arrived in town I headed straight to the camera store. The "camera first aid" sign in the window gave me hope. It soon faded as the guy tells me they would have to send it away as there is some serious damage to my camera. He said it would take weeks to get it back, and seeing as I am leaving the next day and don't have a permanent address in the UK......

Depressed, my stomach in knots I head back to my hostel. Holding back tears I grab my tablet and email my dad....he'll know what to do. As he isn't online and I don't want to sit there, I head out and wander the town of Bath. As it grows later, I start to think about dinner. I decide I need something wholesome to help me feel a bit better. I read countless menus in windows. I finally find a place. I can get a bowl of noodles for less than 4£...a true miracle in England, plus they have sushi so I could have that to start. I have a couple of California rolls and after a long wait I get my tiny, and I do mean tiny bowl of noodles. No wonder it was so cheap! I end up paying almost £17 for my meal and I am still hungry! :( It is not a good day. Back at the hostel, I skype dad and we both agree I need to buy a new camera. If they are to expensive here, dad will buy it and ship it to me.

I feel better the next day as I head out to hunt out a camera. I find my exact camera with a mail in rebate so I buy it and head to a cafe to switch the battery. I spend the rest of the day wandering Bath and taking pictures, thank goodness! I feel so much better. I was devestated by the thought I may not be able to take any more pictures for awhile.

It is a couple of hours before my train so I head to the hostel bar to do some online stuff and charge my tablet. When I arrive people are watching a football game and there are no seats left. I decide to take my bag to the train station and do some stuff there. Surely they have a seating area. I end up arriving nearly 2 hours before my train. I am informed there is a cafe. I grab a drink but the few seats are full so I sit outside. It isn't too bad. But about an hour and a half later I am freezing. I get up to check the board. My tain is cancelled!!! I go downstairs and the guy at the ticket gate tells me I can just take any train to London. Ok, phew. I go to someone upstairs to ask whether I will need a new ticket and they say I can't do that. I need to take the train to Salisbury, the next train leaves 30 minutes after my original one, amd then after a 45 minute wait there I can catch the London Waterloo train. Oh man. It turns out the wait is more like an hour and I arrive in London over 2 hours later than I was supposed to. I haven't eaten dinner and the tube takes forever. I am on the fourth floor of my hostel to boot. I am hungry and exhausted. I head to McD's for dinner and when I head back to shower I find there is only cold water. Giving up I can't get into my room. I have to head down four floors to the bar in my pj's. The guy gives me a bunch of excuses about the key and the cold water. Whatever! I head back to my room to go to bed. Sleep? Nope, the guy in my room snores like a Mac truck and the bed feels dirty (I am being paranoid since the bathrooms are so gross). Lol

I have just had breakfast and am leaving to catch the train to York! Here is hoping I have better luck!