ROADTRIP IN ENGLAND

We were so excited when we first started to plan this road trip. It started out as a joke, but after some time we realized how great it actually could turn out, and how much we would grow as persons. We ordered some spontaneous tickets the week before and we were ready for a road trip in the South of England.

Day 1 - Monday

Our flight went okay and we arrived at the airport in Bristol in time to pick up our car. We had searched for a car on the internet some days before. Because we needed a car with some space, and possibilities to sleep in, the solution was a Volkswagen type 2, built in 1951.

The car was so cool, and we even had a stereo that worked. We played typical road trip music the first hour, and then we got tired of it.

We started late, and we did not arrive our planned destination, which was Penzance. We arrived Hartland, where we had planned to eat dinner before we drove further down to Penzance, but it was already evening and dark. The rain was crazy.

This was the schedule for our trip. We started out in Bristol, and we had planned to take a stop in
Hartland before we drove to Penzance.

Then the plan was Plymouth -Torquay-Weymouth-Brighton-Hastings and London.

DAY 2 - Tuesday

We had decided the day before to start early. We got up around 6 am, ate some breakfast and left the nice bed and breakfast we had slept in.

The weather was lovely and we had a nice drive to Penzance, which lived up to the expectations we had. It was beautiful, and just like a little village in Italy.

After a lovely dinner, we visited the beach next to our hotel.

The water had a pleasant temperature and we enjoyed the evening to its fullest.

The picture below shows the view from our room. The hotel was so nice, and just a small walk from the beach.

DAY 3 – Wednesday

We were tired from the day before, and we therefore slept in late. The route was Penzance to Plymouth, and from there to Torquay. We drove from the hotel around 11 o’clock.

It was a pleasant drive, and a lot to see along the coast.

As we arrived the city we were starving. Fish and chips was on the menu and it tasted lovely.

We were satisfied with the lunch and we had some time to explore the city. The monument that caught our attention was the red and white lighthouse.

The tower is called Smeaton’s Tower, and it is the third most known and notable Eddystone Lighthouse. It marked a big step in the design of lighthouses and it stands at Plymouth Hoe as a memorial monument to its designer, John Smeaton. The lighthouse was in use from 1759 to 1877. 
The schedule for this day was very tight and we had planed to visit Dartmoor national park, but the time was too little and we did not make it. We therefore drove from Plymouth direct to Torquay and arrived around six.

DAY 4 – Thursday

The car did not start, so we delivered it to a garage to get it fixed. The man at the garage said that it would probably take the whole day to fix it, and he recommended us to visit the beach in the meantime.

The sun was stronger than we were thinking, and we both were sunburned.

I was the worst, but Marthe was red herself.

We slept very badly that night, and when we ran out of after sun I almost started crying. The shops closed for the night and we were burning up.

DAY 5 – Friday

We were one day behind schedule, but fortunately the car was fixed and we were back on the road again. This time from Torquay to Brighton.

In Weymouth, we ate lunch a good lunch. Salad for myself, and pizza for Marthe. She is always  unhealthy. After the lunch, we took a “swing” to Dorset to see the horse made out of chalk.

It was quite a view. The horse is called the Osmington White Horse, and can be found in the limestone Osmington hill. The horse was sculptured in the hill around 1808.

The figure is showing King George III on one of his visits. It is imposing 85 meters long and 98 meters high.

After the visit we drove directly to Brighton. It was dark before we got there.

         DAY 6 – Saturday

We spent all the day in Brighton. It was a beautiful town with a lot to see. In the daytime we took theferries wheel, and after that we shopped a little.

In the nighttime, we visited the pier after a lovely dinner. We played some games and had a really good time

Brighton is an old town dated back to the Roman times. Now it is known as a beach destination for tourists and British inhabitants The long, sandy beaches and seaside towns, in addition to the bustling, electric life in the city makes it an interesting city to live in. 

DAY 7 - Sunday

We woke up well rested and ready for the last stage by car, this time from Brighton to London, with a stop in Hastings to eat a little and to see an attraction.

We were going to see the ruins of the Hastings castle. Hastings has an important connection with the Norman conquest of England, and it was an important fishing post.

Today, the tourists mainly visit the city because of its beautiful golden beaches and warm weather.

William of Normandy built the Hastings castle in 1066. The castle was built up, and built down many times. The main damage came from the bombing during the Second World War, when Hastings was attached.

After the visit we started the drive to London. It was dark as we arrived, and we did not see much, but we knew that we would have an amazing time here too.

DAY 8 - Monday

Monday were our last day in England. It was finally time to go crazy in the shopping centers.

We started in the bottom of Oxford Street and worked our way up, between snacks and Frappuccinoes from Starbucks.

We were loaded with shopping bags when we returned to the hotel to check out, and pick up our luggage.  

We drove an hour to Gatwick Airport, before we handed the car over to a German married couple. We wished them good luck on their drive back to Bristol, before we sent our luggage and ate a good dinner. The flight home went okay, but we missed the car. It was an amazing experience, and I would love to do it again soon.