So it begins

King Arthur country

Published Date : October 12, 2004

Tintagel

Starting the day off with another excellent breakfast, our destination today was Tintagel in North-West Cornwall.  Our expectations were quite high, so we were a bit disappointed to find such a small town.  But that quickly wore off after a quick walk around.   It’s basically a one-street town, but it was quite charming, and just what you want to experience a more traditional Cornish way of life.

We found ourselves a place to stay, The Cottage Tea Shoppe B&B for £22 each.  Then we set about exploring the town.  First was the King Arthur Hall Exhibition.  A wealthy businessman with a keen interest in Arthurian legend put together an exhibit that details the basic story of King Arthur in a picture light show, followed by a large hall to explore, loaded with information about all the Knights of the Round Table.  The halls are used by Freemasons and other organisations for meetings and ceremonies, and it’s easy to see why – they definitely set the mood for it.

Next on our hit-list was Tintagel Castle, also known as King Arthur’s Castle even though there’s no evidence that he ever set foot there.  There wasn’t a lot left of it, so a bit of imagination was required, but it was great to explore Tintagel Island and take in the windswept cliff top views.  After about an hour and a half, we decided to take a wander around the cliffs in the area.  There are plenty of trails to keep ramblers happy for a day or two, and we definitely enjoyed going for a hike in the fresh sea air.

Another quiet night, we rented a video and stayed in with some snacks

Back to civilization

Published Date : October 13, 2004

We started the day with yet another fantastic breakfast.   The B&B was tiny with only 3 rooms, but it had the history to make up for it.  The building was over 600 years old!  

After a relatively early start, we spent about a half-hour one-lane picturesque winding country roads.  Another half hour or so on the motorway and we arrived in Exeter for a pit-stop.  Gray wanted to look into some things here, so that leaves me with a couple of hours to myself.  I figured it would be an excellent time to catch up some emails!

In another 3-4 hours we’ll be back in London.  Tomorrow will be my last day in the UK, then it’s on to the next adventure.  I can’t wait!!!!

Oprostite, ne Slovene

Published Date : October 15, 2004

Saying good-bye to Greg this morning was bittersweet.   As much as I’m excited to finally be on the road, I don’t know how well we’re going to survive almost a year apart.  I try not to second-guess myself on major decisions, but it’s hard not to on something like this.  So after we said our goodbyes, I caught the bus to Victoria Station, then the Gatwick Express train for GBP12 to the airport.   Check-in and security were a breeze, giving me time for a leisurely breakfast at Garfunkels where I spent the last of my British currency.

The flight was boring and uneventful, just the way you want them!  It did leave about a half hour late though – the bus that was meant to take us from the gate to the plane wouldn’t start – but we got there eventually.  I slept for most of the flight, but woke up in time for some spectacular views as we flew over the Alps.  We made up for lost time in the air and landed in Ljubljana Airport only five minutes late.  Through customs with no problems, my first passport stamp of the trip!   Ljubljana Airport was something to behold though.  It is quite literally, just a shack in the middle of the woods.  It serves it’s purpose though and it has all the necessary amenities.  Picking up my bag, I soon discovered that I was missing 12,000 SIT (about CDN $85), most likely taken by the baggage handlers at Gatwick.  To be fair though, I kinda deserved it for being so stupid.  I don’t know what on earth I was thinking putting cash in my checked baggage – I know better than that! 

First impressions of Slovenia – everyone is so friendly here!  I had to wait for the bus into the city for about a half hour, and three people offered me a ride in that time.  At least I’m assuming that’s what they were offering, seeing as though I speak no Slovene and we were communicating by charades!  The bus eventually arrived, and for 850SIT (a little under C$6) it took about an hour to drive into town.  It was a public bus, stopping at all the towns on the way in.  The trip would have taken only about 20 minutes without all the stops.

Hostel Celica is about a 10 minute walk from the bus station.  There are only two hostels in Ljubljana – the touist hordes have yet to discover Slovenia, so now is the time to visit – and Celica has only one dorm at 3500SIT a night for a bed and continental breakfast.  With a population of only 200,000 Ljubljana is a perfect size – big enough to have everything you need, but small enough to have a lot of old world charm.  I had a chance to wander around for a couple of hours after I settled in at the hostel, and the architecture is very representative of the country’s past.  There is a definite Austro-Hungarian influence, especially in the smaller towns, but there is also a very pronounced Mediterranean feel, with just enough Slavic thrown in to remind you that Slovenia was once part of the former Yugoslavia.

As for the language.  I’m struggling.  I’ve very quickly learned how to say  Sorry, no Slovenian “Oprostite, ne Slovene” and it’ serving me well!  German is fairly widely understood, especially among the older generations, but English is definitely the language of the youth.  So between my smattering of German, students wanting to practice their English, charades and a big smile, I think I’ll do alright here.  The tourist information office is great and they speak pretty much all the major European languages there.

Overall, first impressions are very good.  I’m looking forward to the rest of my stay here.