As I enter the last month of my stay in Europe I have found myself with quite a lot of time on my hands to explore. My nannying job has ended and being that I'm still studying at AUB I decided to rent the room I live in for the last few weeks of my stay. With the extra time on my hands I started doing more research into all the things I could see and do on the south coast of England!
If you know me at all you know that I've always had my head in the clouds. I'm the type of person who honestly believes in mermaids and fairies purely because no one can prove to me that they DON'T exist. I constantly have my head in a book and I basically live in my own little world of fiction; and that's exactly how I like it.
So imagine my surprise when I find that some of the authors of my favorite literary works were from Dorset, the county in which Bournemouth lies!
Some of the most revered names in English literature are linked with Dorset including but not limited to Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, T.E. Lawrence, and Mary Shelley. So this past week or so I have been visiting all the sites that inspired some of my favorite novels (including my absolute favorite 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles')!!
On Monday I took a drive down to Lulworth, where 'Tess' lived and made my way down to Durdle Door and Lulworth cove and immediately I could see that it was definitely the kind of place that would inspire great works of literature. I could stay down there for hours. Sea side castles, thatched cottages, Thomas Hardy's house, and the incredibly stunning Jurassic coast. I stayed down at Durdle Door for hours, soaking up the sunshine, reading, and enjoying the view. I can't even explain the beauty so you'll just have to check out the photos and see for yourself!
My next mini- adventure was a trip to see Mary Shelley's grave at St. Peter's church in Bournemouth town center, I have attended mass at this church twice since I've been here (Easter and Pentacost Sunday), and had no idea that she was buried in the cemetery at the church. Frankenstein is one of my favorite horror stories, and I feel so blessed to be able to stand in the church she attended let alone visit her grave! I'm actually quite sad that I won't be here in October to attend the Mary Shelley festival!
After the literature-based adventures I spent a lot of time at the local beaches with friends Bournemouth beach, sandbanks, Branksome chine; enjoying sunshine and cocktails!
This past week was also chock full of random adventures including seeing the great gatsby at the cinema, windsurfing, paddle boarding, boating, dancing the night away with some friends in town from London, eating a hotel breakfast where I was convinced to eat black pudding (clotted sheep's blood), and finally cockling in the bay after the tide went out in Sandbanks, and tonight searching for recipes and cooking up the cockles we gathered!
I'm loving having the freedom to explore Dorset and participate in activities I normally wouldn't have tried on my own! I may even take up paddle boarding when I move to California!
I can't wait to see what the next couple weeks have in store, it's all going by so quickly, I can't believe I have been here for four months already!
I'm starting to miss home a bit, but there are so many things I will miss about England/Europe.
One thing is for sure: I won't be satisfied until I've seen the whole world, I am addicted to traveling the world and meeting new people while learning about their customs!
Here are some photos from my adventures in the last week or so!
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