I have finally arrived in Bath!

I have never written a blog post before, so here it goes. I am studying abroad at the University of Bath in England for the next four months and I though a good way to keep in touch with everyone from home would be blog about my adventures in Europe. So if you're interested please read and enjoy and  don't hesitate to ask questions. So now the story begins...

After an easy flight, I collected my bags and took a train to the central terminal in Heathrow Airpot. I weaved through the underground paths and finally found made it to the bus station. I attempted to stay awake on the bus ride, but that did not happen since I only got 3 hours of sleep the night before! During the portion of time I managed to stay away for I saw very lush areas and many horse farms. My first thought of England was pure amazement of how green everything was. As we approached Bath, I saw the city up on a hill and it was breathtaking. The town is sort of in a valley and the campus is up the hill. It is hard to explain it accurately and pictures do not do it justice. I also love the fact that a river flows in the middle of it (right by my dorm).

When the bus finally got into Bath, Jake (another student from Purdue) and I got slightly lost and finally asked the bus station for a map. It turns out, the building we needed to get to was approximately 500 feet away, maybe not even that far. I got my key and dropped off my stuff and then helped Jake bring his bags to his dorm about 1/2 mile away. Then I explored! I got turned around and lost, made some necessary purchases and finally found my way back to my room. I am slowly getting the feel of Bath and its surroundings. There are so many shops it is unbelievable and the cost of living is very high. I keep converting pounds into US dollars and I am driving myself crazy, I should probably stop doing that.

Later that evening, I went to my first Pub and ordered my first pint of beer. Sadly, it wasn't as exciting as I expected. Still, I crossed off one thing on my to-do list. In my first few days in Bath, I have not been served warm beer in Pubs, I'm convinced that is a myth. I have also enjoyed some delicious cider (way better than Woodchuck). To my surprise, this cider was sold in liter bottles in the grocery store. Another surprise from the grocery store was the ample amount of packaged food. It is going to be hard to motivate myself to cook when I can buy a pre-made meal for less money. I guess I will see how good they taste.

On Friday, I had my orientation at the Uni. If I remember correctly there are 105 exchange students from 24 different countries and only four people are studying chemistry. I met so many people! By the time I returned from campus, which is about a mile away from where I live, but across a river and up a hill (I am not sure how I get there if I don't ride the bus, which is rather expensive), I went out on the town for dinner and some drinks with my new found friends. We walked around for a while and again got turned around and finally decided on a Pub that was advertised as being a 'different kind of pub'. The food was delicious, I am not sure what everyone is saying about English food being bad (I mean sometimes it needs a little salt, but...). Europeans I have met tell me once I try other types of food and make the comparison, I won't like English food. After dinner, the group of us set to experience the nightlife of Bath!

The next morning (Saturday) I went to Windsor. Again, I slept on the bus because jet lag is messing up my sleeping routine. One of these days, I'll actually see what is between Bath and London, but I am pretty sure we took the highway. Windsor was very different than Bath, but still just as beautiful. I spent the first few hours in Windsor touring Windsor Castle, the residence of the Queen. I definitely recommend this sight if you travel to the London area. My favorite part was seeing the Staterooms (the inside of the castle), we even got to see portions that are currently used by the Queen. After the tour, I ate lunch at the Crooked House Tea Rooms and I saw the shortest street in Britain. It was called Queen Charlotte Street, so I am assuming Queen Charlotte wasn't too popular. Lunch was alright and the tea was amazing! Then, I walked to Elton College with some of my new friends and walked around the campus while ignoring the signs suggesting the campus was closed to the public. Then, I walked back to the area the near the castle and saw the Guildhall, the architect was instructed to include pillars to support the building, but he argued it was unnecessary. To prove his point, he added pillars that don't touch the ceiling, so they are not supporting anything, when looking at the building you can see the gaps between the ceiling and the pillar. Then, we walked to the front of the castle and walked down some of the Long Walk, it is quite an entrance. Picture will be uploaded in the near future, when I get around to it.

That is it for now, classes start tomorrow and I have to prepare because my first class starts at 8:15am. The whole higher education system is very different and I am not sure what I am getting myself into, but I am excited for the adventure that awaits me!