9/10/15
Today was my day to find bikes. I searched through the british equivalents of craig's list (gumtree, etc) and called bike shops. I ended up finding someone in Kingswood (7 miles away) selling a scott mtn bike for a reasonable price (55 lbs =$83). So in the evening when the gal got off work, I took my first bus ride in the city out there and found the house. It was a really nice gal (Steph) and her boyfriend living in a cute house in the suburbs. They invited me for tea...classic British move...then I biked the 7 miles, all downhill and in the dark, back to my place. Elizabeth was very excited about my bike b/c she thought I got a steal esp since it had no rust. I have to admit I did a lot of calling and searching, so I'm glad it paid off. I bought a U-lock as well b/c I have heard that bike theft is a real problem here. Elizabeth has had 2 bikes stolen, though hers were fold-up bikes that are very dependable. But one got stolen outside the theater she works at and the other someone hopped her wall and broke into her shed. But I've heard from others about the bike theft here, so fingers crossed that my bike survives my time here!
Also did you know that british bikes left and right brakes are opposite of ours in the US. Left is for back and right is for front in Britain.
Since I couldn't pick the bike up until late, I did a bit of a walking tour. I walked the Harbour walk, which goes by the harbor and along one of the canals. I then walked to the Old Market street and to the modern shopping and pedestrian area of the city. They had lots of street performers and I sat and listened to a couple while I had some cheese and a baguette. There was one I really liked who was singing some good political toned songs (see picture of him below)
At dinner Elizabeth told me that she works 3 different and cool jobs. She works at the theater. She also works at the harbor with a company that provides boating opportunities for mentally and physically disabled folks or at risk kids. She also works with a company that teaches kids entering middle school how to survive in the real world (all sorts of skills from how to walk in streets at dark alone to first aid to health, etc) b/c apparently parent's aren't teaching them this so well anymore. She also volunteers ringing one of the large church bells in the city. They actually have practice for this b/c they have to be really precise with it
I asked her what sort of chores and cleaning I should do in the house to help her out. She told me nothing b/c I'm paying to stay here. She told me once a week she will change my sheets, my towels, ad vacuum my room. But nonetheless, I've been doing the dishes and just trying to keep everything clean.
9/11/15
Jans (pronounced Yaans) is visiting for a couple of days from Germany. He's here on something similar to couchsurfing called BeWelcome. I guess couchsurfing has sold out a bit and has more money stuff involved, so BeWelcome might be the next thing. Elizabeth hosts these couch surfing types. She told me that when she started doing it 6 or so years ago, it really invigorated and changed her life. She loves hearing about all the people's travel stories and cultures. He's here to see Dysmaland which is sort of a dismal take on Disneyland and features a lot of good art.
Jans is just getting ready to quit his job and go traveling for 2 years. He has big plans, and we talked late into the night excitedly about traveling. It was difficult to plan out things with him, knowing that I am still in grad school! We share very similar ideas on traveling and it was fun. His plan is to travel from Alaska to Ushuaia (tip of south america). Then he's taking a ship from there to Antarctica and then to South Africa (He showed me all about the trip and it looks AMAZING. This has always been a dream of mine. check it out! https://www.barkeuropa.com/) He'll then travel from Capetown to Cairo, make his way to Russia and take the trans siberia from Russia to China before flying to Australia if he still has time or back to Germany.
Today was my day to find bikes. I searched through the british equivalents of craig's list (gumtree, etc) and called bike shops. I ended up finding someone in Kingswood (7 miles away) selling a scott mtn bike for a reasonable price (55 lbs =$83). So in the evening when the gal got off work, I took my first bus ride in the city out there and found the house. It was a really nice gal (Steph) and her boyfriend living in a cute house in the suburbs. They invited me for tea...classic British move...then I biked the 7 miles, all downhill and in the dark, back to my place. Elizabeth was very excited about my bike b/c she thought I got a steal esp since it had no rust. I have to admit I did a lot of calling and searching, so I'm glad it paid off. I bought a U-lock as well b/c I have heard that bike theft is a real problem here. Elizabeth has had 2 bikes stolen, though hers were fold-up bikes that are very dependable. But one got stolen outside the theater she works at and the other someone hopped her wall and broke into her shed. But I've heard from others about the bike theft here, so fingers crossed that my bike survives my time here!
Also did you know that british bikes left and right brakes are opposite of ours in the US. Left is for back and right is for front in Britain.
Since I couldn't pick the bike up until late, I did a bit of a walking tour. I walked the Harbour walk, which goes by the harbor and along one of the canals. I then walked to the Old Market street and to the modern shopping and pedestrian area of the city. They had lots of street performers and I sat and listened to a couple while I had some cheese and a baguette. There was one I really liked who was singing some good political toned songs (see picture of him below)
At dinner Elizabeth told me that she works 3 different and cool jobs. She works at the theater. She also works at the harbor with a company that provides boating opportunities for mentally and physically disabled folks or at risk kids. She also works with a company that teaches kids entering middle school how to survive in the real world (all sorts of skills from how to walk in streets at dark alone to first aid to health, etc) b/c apparently parent's aren't teaching them this so well anymore. She also volunteers ringing one of the large church bells in the city. They actually have practice for this b/c they have to be really precise with it
I asked her what sort of chores and cleaning I should do in the house to help her out. She told me nothing b/c I'm paying to stay here. She told me once a week she will change my sheets, my towels, ad vacuum my room. But nonetheless, I've been doing the dishes and just trying to keep everything clean.
9/11/15
Jans (pronounced Yaans) is visiting for a couple of days from Germany. He's here on something similar to couchsurfing called BeWelcome. I guess couchsurfing has sold out a bit and has more money stuff involved, so BeWelcome might be the next thing. Elizabeth hosts these couch surfing types. She told me that when she started doing it 6 or so years ago, it really invigorated and changed her life. She loves hearing about all the people's travel stories and cultures. He's here to see Dysmaland which is sort of a dismal take on Disneyland and features a lot of good art.
Jans is just getting ready to quit his job and go traveling for 2 years. He has big plans, and we talked late into the night excitedly about traveling. It was difficult to plan out things with him, knowing that I am still in grad school! We share very similar ideas on traveling and it was fun. His plan is to travel from Alaska to Ushuaia (tip of south america). Then he's taking a ship from there to Antarctica and then to South Africa (He showed me all about the trip and it looks AMAZING. This has always been a dream of mine. check it out! https://www.barkeuropa.com/) He'll then travel from Capetown to Cairo, make his way to Russia and take the trans siberia from Russia to China before flying to Australia if he still has time or back to Germany.
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| old market street |
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| the musician I liked |
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| the new bike |
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| the bike path near my place that I ride to work on and that goes all the way to Bath |
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| things to survive the oncoming Bristol winter. Plenty of hot drinks and Elisha gave me vitamin D for the lack of sunshine |
1 comment:
Nice wheels!
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