York!

Well, here I am, safe and sound. It was quite an... interesting experience getting here. I flew into Manchester, and expected to take the train straight from the airport to York.
That was my first mistake.

Apparently, some where down the line, someone had stolen the cables from the track, so all the trains were running exceptionally late, if they ran at all. Sometimes, they were just randomly cancelled, but British Rail failed to actually tell anyone that, so not only did I not have a train to catch, but neither did the drivers (which, I confess, made me feel better about the whole experience). So I changed trains in central Manchester, and then was left without a train. I tried to board one, only to have it be cancelled in the time it took me to walk from the schedule board to the platform (about 100 feet. Seriously.).

To say that I was thoroughly confused is an understatement. To say that I was utterly exhausted, lugging more than my weight in luggage, and covered in sweat due to unseasonable heat, however, is entirely accurate.

I was not a pretty picture, but thankfully, the people of the North overlooked all that. I struck up conversation with a couple, recently returned from Las Vegas, who promised to get me to York come hell or high water. They kept an eye on me, making sure we all got to the right platform, making sure I got on the train in all the confusion, and just generally being really nice, and calling me ‘love’ a lot. Once on the train, I lost sight of them due to the mass number of people, but I got stuck in the first class luggage hold with four older women who were very nice to chat with.

And once I got to York, I called up the woman I was couch surfing with, and we made arrangements to met up in the city center. I left my luggage at the train station, and wandered around York for an hour. Holy cow, I love this city already, and I can’t wait to get to know it better. There is quite a bit of tourism here, and since it was unseasonably nice here all weekend, it was packed with daytrippers.
So I met my host, Carol, and we had a drink next to the river Ouse, and chatted about York, and then she offered to give me a tour of the city. We went past my house, and my program’s building, both of which are almost directly in the city center. We went to the Museum Gardens, which are absolutely stunning. There’s a ruined abbey just plopped down in the middle of the Gardens, for sun bathers and readers to lean casually against, or for small children to climb over, despite the fact that it dates back to at least the 12th century. Ain't no thang.


And then we took the bus back to her place, where I had the best potato soup in the world. So.Good. She had a Swiss exchange student staying with her, who was very nice. Carol was absolutely lovely, and so generous and kind. We had biscuits and tea, and watched tv, and I fell asleep. I also had shower that was like a religious experience after a day of hauling luggage in extreme humidity, and brushing my teeth, I may have had an epiphany. Carol’s a nurse, so I didn’t see her the next morning, but Angelica walked me to the bus stop, and I made my way back to King’s Manor for my keys.

(The view from my window)

(Half of my room)

(The other half. Yes, I have two desks. And a rather large room.)