I have been speaking with a friend about going to the UK with her whilst she is on a tour doing lectures at Oxford. A working vacation. A short visit from me so we can travel together a bit. I am excited by the thought of having someone so much like myself to travel with.
And yet, already, my thoughts have started to meander to where I want to go in the distant future.
Now where I really want to go is here.
The Vale of Glamorgan.
The autumn there is supposed to be beautiful.
I have wanted to go since I was a girl, but never made that particular journey.
I don't mind going alone. I know that most people crave a companion to walk with, I guess that would be ideal, but to travel alone has never bothered me. I traveled all over Europe alone. The Black Forest, Holland, I marvelled at the Tulip Festival and took back pictures to share my adventures. I loved traveling with Paige, she was my perfect companion. We loved the same things so there was never any bickering about what to see or do next. Other trips with friends were not always so enjoyable. They wanted to go to the Hard Rock Cafe while I wanted to go to a small local pub and meet everyday folks. Have a pint, eat a banger, visit the local shoppes. That's what I like to do. I'm far too adventurous for guided tours and have a terrible time with itineraries.
So this has been hanging in my mind lately, having a very good friend visiting the UK now. I can't help but wish I was there with her. Oh the fun we would have! I am about the worst traveling companion if you don't have patience. I want to go everywhere, see everything. But she is an adventurer too so I know we would be tearing up the pubs and rocking Parliament right now.
But, I think when I do go again it will be alone.
Not that it bothers me. I usually make friends quickly.
I've found that a strange woman sitting at the bar alone drinking a pint in a small town is just too irresistable for the locals to not belly up and buy a round.