Welsh Adventures

Hiya! I'm Rachel, and I'm studying abroad in Wales (at Bangor Uni!) for the 2013-2014 academic year. I made this tumblelog with the intention of filling it with photos and text posts about my student exchange adventures in Wales. My main fandom blog is haptichoax.tumblr.com

[haptichoax]

Pyg Track, Snowdonia

[welshwugs]

Been a hell of a long time since I updated this blog! Sorry about that. I've been home for almost eight months, so haven't had much to post on here.

BUT! I'm moving to Scotland in two weeks!! I think I'll start maintaining this blog again, turning it into a broad travel blog rather than just one about my student exchange in Wales. Think I'll keep the name, though. Nice nod to my first real adventure out into the world on my own. :)

TWO WEEKS!!!

[welshwugs]

So many confirmation emails! :D Really not long now 'til I'm off to Italy and France with a friend from home!

[welshwugs]

gwehydd said: I know of a great restaurant with proper Venetian food in Venice! Remind me to look it up for you :)

That'd be awesome! Thanks!

[welshwugs]

Just roughly mapped out my Italian and French trip with a friend from home!

We're going to be starting in Rome, then Florence -> Venice -> Milan -> Nice -> Paris -> London. Which is all actually for about the same price as our train trips to various places in the UK before we leave, ridiculously. Hehe. 

Now I'm all excited and don't want to focus on my last essay (of undergrad! Forever!), haha!

[welshwugs]

Wales

Daffodils. Daffodils everywhere.

[welshwugs]

Penrhyn Castle, Wales

[welshwugs]

Conwy, Wales

I went to Conwy a little while back with the boy, and am only just getting around to posting these now. (Well, a delay helped by the terrible photo-arranging system of Tumblr.) Anyway, it's a really lovely town, and the castle is gorgeous. Really nice views from inside and out, and it still has some of its internal structures, which made it really interesting!

The castle was also flying both the Welsh and British flags, which I found very strange! It was the first time I'd ever seen the Union Jack being flown in Wales. But, brilliantly, I feel, the wind was only picking up the Welsh flag, and the British one was just hanging limp the entire time we were there. Hehehe.

I wish I could just stay here. Everything's so much cooler than Australia, haha.

[welshwugs]

Working out the itinerary for my last few weeks in the UK. I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all.

ETA: I looked at my bank account and I should have enough money leftover to just come straight back if I want to! That makes me feel just a million times better. *sigh of relief*

[welshwugs]

York, England

Such a beautiful city! I was there for this past weekend with a friend from Australia whom I hadn't seen in two years, and her fiance. York Minster is incredible, and York Castle is small but impressive. It's a motte-and-bailey castle, the first one I've ever seen! There were red and white rose motifs everywhere, which was pretty awesome. Ooh, and it has the longest stretch of intact city walls of any walled city I've been to so far. It's a gorgeous city, and I can't wait to visit it again with Mum!

[welshwugs]

I just booked train tickets to York for my trip there in a couple of weeks to visit a schoolmate who's been living in the UK for the past two years. It's gonna be so much fun!

Now to finish these essays...

Two and a bit essays and then York, two and a bit essays and then York, c'mon Rachel, two and bit essays 'til York! DO YOUR BLOODY WORK.

[welshwugs]

Off to Sweden today to spend Christmas with Cailet! Excite!

[welshwugs]

Tignes, France

I had such unbelievable fun with everyone at Tignes! We skied all day, partied all night, got very little sleep, and had an absolute ball! I met so many lovely people and my skiing really improved - it was just the best week I've ever had! The weather was so beautiful for almost the entire time we were there and it snowed towards the end (the first proper snowfall I've ever seen!). I couldn't have asked for a more perfect trip! I miss it already.

[haptichoax]

I’m off to France for a week today, so I’m gonna be a bit scarce! Have excellent weeks, all you lovelies! ^^

[welshwugs]

Chester, England

Chester is such an interesting city because it has so much 'still-present' and varying history. It was an important Roman fortress called Deva Victrix and a Royalist stronghold during the Civil War. The Romans built the amphitheatre and the first city walls, both seen in the photos. Many of the buildings are Tudor(esque), it has two beautiful cathedrals (one of which is half-ruinous, half-well-kept and still used - a sight to see!), and there are several monuments to Queen Victoria!

It also had the first British flag I'd seen since arriving in the UK - they don't really tend to fly it in Wales, haha...

[welshwugs]

I feel like 80% of the time when I get assignments back I don't understand why they've given me the mark they did. I just got one back that I did the day (and into the night) before it was due, and which I thought was terrible, and I got an A- for it.

I don't... ugh... understand. Am I just a much harder marker than most of my lecturers? Not that I'm complaining. I mean, surprise A-? Winner! I just don't get it, that's all.

[welshwugs]

Feeling a bit homesick today. I haven't really missed home at all 'til now, but it's the 1st of December, and I should be at home decorating the Christmas tree with Mum...