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1 March - 4 March
"If you are lonely when you're alone, you are in bad company" Jean-Paul Sartre
I left London on my way to Salisbury. Salisbury is a small village that resides near the infamous Stonehenge. The bus driver was really kind in arranging that a tour bus come pick me up in a nearby city, and that I got a special discount.
Stonehenge is thought to have begun construction around 3100 BC and finished around 2500 BC. Although mysteries still remain as to its function, it believed that Stonehenge served as a pagan temple (due to the perfectly aligned stones during the summer and winter solstices) as well as a sacred burial ground. I took many pictures of this amazing site before heading to Salisbury.
My hostel was in a cute area in the woods, yet it was still 5 minutes walking distance from the centre. As evening came around, I met this Canadian girl from Calgary in the hostel. I invited her to come out with me, because I was really set on going to a pub, but she was kind of a boring girl. I was still set on going out. The staff from the hostel had told me of a pub quiz night, so I set off around 7pm to the pub.
As I entered the pub, everyone knew that I wasn't from here. I sat at the bar and started talking with the bartenders. It wasn't very long that the bartenders started giving me free alcohol. When the bartenders asked me if I wanted Sambuca, I asked them if they were going to flame it. They had never heard of that so I showed them how to do a flaming Sambuca. Many people in the pub were curious and wanted one as well. I ended up making flaming Sambucas for other people in the bar while the quiz started. During the night, I mainly talked to these two locals named Steve and Anna. Anna was a lesbian getting married this summer. I really had a great time because I went in knowing no one, and left the bar with great friends. I told the bartenders that if I come back, and flaming Sambucas are on the menu, I would know it was because of me.
The next morning I left for Bath. Bath is a beautiful Roman city that is popular for its Roman baths that contain natural hot water from the ground. It is very popular since it has retained most of its Roman buildings, and is the only place that was named a world heritage site to the whole city. The author Jane Austin lived in Bath, and two of her novels are set in this charming city. Walking through the streets, I could hear street musicians playing everywhere, however it wasn't your typical guitar player, no, Bath was too sopisticated for that, these street musicians played the violin, or the cello...
When I got to my hostel, I ended up talking with one of the staff members for such a long time. Her name was Ayla. We had planned to meet up that evening for a drink in the hostel bar. I toured the city as well as spent two hours in the newly renovated thermal spa. This spa contained stem rooms with different smells from lavender to eucalypto to mint. It also boasted a thermal bath at the top of the building, with a beautiful view on the city, and because I went in the early evening, I got to see the sunset. It was very relaxing.
When I got back, I ended up having a few beers with Ayla. We talked about our travels and her dream to travel the world and volunteer. No one wanted to go out that night so I went to bed early, but I was glad to have wonderful company throughout the evening.
Wednesday morning I travelled to Bristol. Bristol is the main hub to travel anywhere north. Bristol is a university city hence there is a lot of partying that goes on. I spent most of the afternoon updating my blog since there is really nothing to do in Bristol except at night. For lunch, I went to Subway (I know...really original...but it's cheap, so don't judge me!), and I found out that toasting your sub is 0.40 pounds more expensive due to a stupid tax law! UK had many of these ridiculous laws. Another example: bread = no tax, bread with chocolat = tax!
At night, a lot of people from the hostel were going out to this gay bar…the catch: all you can drink for ten pounds. I went with a bunch of Spanish people and one Australian. It was a really crazy night, because everyone was so sociable…until I found out that the only reason why all of the girls were being so sociable with me was because they thought I was gay. I didn't blame them; I was in a gay club!
Throughout the past few days, I was alone, but I always managed to make friends somehow. It took a bit of courage to go to a club or pub alone, but that's what made it so fun and adventurous. I got to meet great people, and never felt lonely. That next morning, I was off to Manchester, it was going to be there where I would further learn about the wonders of the couchsurfing community…
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