Travel Writing and Literary Tourism in England: Travel Journal

    On day ten we headed back home. As I sat on the plane headed back, I thought back to the amazing nine days we spent in England and realized just how fortunate we were. While thinking I kept going back to the Tower of London. After dreaming about going there for so long, I finally had my chance. It lived up to all of my expectations and I loved being able to bask in the history. One experience that really stuck out there was being able to see Anne Boleyn's grave and just stand on the same ground that such influential historical figures stood. When visiting Shakespeare's birthplace I was shocked to find out that he was an ordinary boy like the rest of us. He went to school like a regular dude, and helped his father make gloves. It really put into perspective that many of the literary stars were normal people just like us. Being in England and only being able to use wooden and paper utensils and plates really made me miss plastic and the pollution it spreads. After ten days of

     On day nine we headed back into the city of London to start our day with a theatre workshop. In this workshop we were taught how to take simple sentences and objects and interpret them in many different tones and situations. This workshop loosened us all up and helped us bond for sure. Once this was finished we headed to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, where we were given a tour in the pouring rain. The Globe is an open roofed theatre so that in his time they could avoid needing candles and the threat of setting the place on fire. This is not the original building, however it was built as an exact replica use the same type of construction and materials. after touring each level and getting an up close look and the magnificent stage, we then headed out to Borrow Market down the street. The market is full of stalls with many diverse types of food, places to buy meat, cheese, and fruit, so many dessert stalls and so much more. We stayed and got many different types of food and delic

On day eight we headed into the city of London and started with a bus tour. Here we saw the Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal guards on horses, The Ritz, Harrods, King Henry the VIII Honeymoon castle for Anne Boleyn, Big Ben and Victoria Tower, and so much more. We then ended this tour by walking to Buckingham Palace to see the end of the changing of the guard. We were able to see the parade of the soldiers walking back to the armory. We then seperated from the others that were going to tour Windsor Castle and headed to eat at a restaurant down the street. After eating we headed to Westminster Abbey where most of the group went to tour, and Kennedy and myself got gelato and headed back to Buckingham Palace to see it cleared out. We then met back up and rode the tube to the Tower of London. We started with a tour where we learned so much about the history of each tower and even was showed the path Anne Boleyn would have taken for her execution. Once done with

     On day seven we traveled to Bath. Here the first thing we saw when we arrived was the beautiful Bath Abbey. It is located right beside the Roman Baths, and steals your attention the whole time you wait in line. We got our tickets and headed into the Roman Baths. As soon as you walk in they give you a device that acts as your guide. As you walk to different stations you are given a number to type in and it plays the corresponding information. As you travel through you get to see the old retired baths, and also the springs that still supply the main large bath in the center. There are many artifacts that you can view including original pieces of the architecture and even a skeleton found there. Once you finish walking through you come to the gift shop which has amazing bath water chocolate! When our group was done we went exploring while the others finished. We ended up at a pastry shop where we bought some early lunch and sat down together. When it was time we walked to the coach a

On day six we headed out on the coach and landed in the heart of Oxford. From here we were split up into two groups and started a walking tour of the city. Our guide led us down the street to one of the 39 college that makeup Oxford, and was able to secure us a spot to tour. It was the heart of exam time and not a peep was allowed on campus. We were led into the court yard where we saw students in their formal exam attire walking too and from testing. We admired the beauty and continued on into the dining hall. This room was straight out of a Harry Potter movie. Long tables running the length of the room with benches on each side. There were lamps at every spot and water glasses. There was a large organ in the back, adding to the unique beauty of the room. Once leaving the dining room, we walked to the chapel. Pews facing the center on each side, stained glass windows, and high arched ceilings. Every corner you looked the detail was amazing. After the tour of the campus we left and con

On day five we toured Shakespeare's birthplace. As we got off the bus in Stratford, I was immediately immersed in the sounds of tourists and smells of the near by bakeries. Peter gathered us by a statue of a jester, and we were then split up into two groups to take a walking tour around the city. We were shown all of the beautiful buildings that lead to the river, where you find geese and swans everywhere. The river offers boat rides and is a beautiful place. From the river, we were taken to the local church where Shakespeare, his wife Anne, and his eldest daughter are buried under the alter. The tour continues back up the streets of Stratford, where we were shown the building he went to grammar school in and practiced the plays he wrote. This building was two stories with white and black stripes on the outside. He is said to have did school upstairs, and practiced the plays downstairs. After viewing this building, we were taken back to his birth house. It is beautiful and quite bi

 On day four we woke early and traveled to Haworth. There we toured the Brontë museum and explored the town below. I was not expecting their hometown to be so quaint and relatable but I was well surprised.  It was a self guided tour of the house, but you were assisted by the pamphlets at the door and signs marking important items. The pamphlet was very helpful in explaining the history and life of the family, while also connecting it to their home. It went into more detail about their achievements and aspirations, while the signage around the house focused on particular items. After eating lunch at a local restaurant we then road the coach to York. Here we toured York Minster and learned many things about its history and evolution. We were showed all of the rooms including the exquisite meeting room and unmarked tomb.  We then walked across town, seeing where our guide showed us Johnny Depp's favorite pub, and a location they filmed Harry Potter. We ended up at Clifford's tower

     On Sunday we had breakfast at the hotel, then departed for Rydal Mount. As we arrived, we walked up the large hill to the house. From there we were given a tour of the bottom floor with the kitchen, drawing room, and living room. From there we were able to explore the upper floors including the bedrooms and William Wordsworth's study in the attic. In his study there are many artifacts left by the family. Many books, clothes, and letters. There is a map of the Lake District and a poster of their family tree. However, something that really stood out to me was William's sword. It was given to him for his action against the French, and was recovered from the wreckage of the ship he died on, "The Earl of Abergavenny". This sword beautiful with many gold details, and it served as a reminder that not only was William a literary icon, but he also fought for what he believed in. After touring the house, we then explored the lavish garden. It branched off into many paths,

       We landed in Manchester at 8:55 am local time, and walked down the stairs of the plane. As soon as I walked through the door it was cold, wet, and windy. It had just stopped raining and the sun was shining down on the runway making it glisten. I had heard how rainy the UK could be, and in this moment it really lived up to the expectation. We boarded the shuttle waiting for us and rode to the place where customs was set up. After passing through customs and using the restroom, we met up with our tour guide Peter. He told us that we had to wait for the other group to land, which took another hour and a half. Once they were landed we headed to our coach and started traveling to Carlisle. We stopped a few minutes from the airport at the Manchester United stadium, then got back on the road. I fell asleep as soon as we got on the road and woke up at a beach. Across the street there was a festival going on, with loud music and people everywhere. We walked through the stalls then walked

     Everyone dreams of a chance to travel across the Atlantic and discover something new. I was given the chance of a lifetime and I am so glad I took it. Friday morning we all met at Charlotte Douglas International airport, checked in, and went through security. From there we found our gate then split up to kill time before boarding. About an hour before we boarded we met back up and gathered to play UNO. This was my first time flying and I was terrified. They started boarding and finally called our group. This is where it all started to go downhill. We were flying for two and a half hours on a small jet. While taking off I started to freak out from the new sensations. It felt like I was on the world's worst rollercoaster. The flight was crowded, every seat filled. We finally landed at JFK, where we went to find our new gate. Shortly after getting there, I realized I had lost my AirPods. It was a travesty, and I was now left to spend 9 days in a foreign country with no way to lis