Trip Update: Month Two

This post is long overdue but free wifi has been scarce over the past couple of weeks. At the hotel in London they were charging 7 (!) pounds a day, which I didn't pay of course. Here in Paris wifi is free but, well, I'm in Paris. I want to give Bronte country and London the attention they deserve, so it may be awhile before I post again. But for now I figure I'd do an update on where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going:

Places I've Been: The Peaks District, Haworth, York, London, and Salisbury.

Where I am: The Hotel de Louvre in Paris until Oct. 2nd

Where I'm Going: On Wednesday James and I will take the train from Paris to Munich where we will meet up with my cousins for Oktoberfest. James heads back to the US on the 6th but I'm staying on through the month with my cousins and interrailing to Italy. I'm calling it Eurotrip Part Three: The Cousining. Our route will take us to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Dubrovnik, Split, Florence, Sienna, and finally ending in Rome. 

In truth, I am pretty exhausted--I know, tough life--but we've been packing in a lot of stuff during James' visit and as much as I like playing tour guide and interpreter, it can wear on a person after awhile. Hopefully I'll be able to relax a bit and recharge in Munich and Prague, where we're spending four days each before moving on to a faster travel schedule. In the meantime, I'll continue eating and siteseeing my way through Paris. Mangez bien!

Travel Inspiration #1: Brit Film & TV

I have spent an inordinate amount of my life watching British films and tv series, especially since Netflix was invented. Growing up I was mostly at the mercy of my local PBS station or A&E so I was thrilled to finally have unlimited access to shows other than Monty Python, As Time Goes By, Pride & Prejudice, and whoever was playing Ms. Marple. 

But, as much as I enjoy the intricate story lines and compelling characters, with each new viewing I became more and more drawn to the landscape and settings: the Peak District, Yorkshire, Lyme Park--pretty much anywhere in Wiltshire. (IMDB has been incredibly helpful in providing filming locations.) 

Though I studied abroad in London for a summer, my time spent outside the city was limited to a few day trips here and there. So when I started planning my trip I knew I wanted to visit these places. (This was further compounded by my desire to visit certain literary landmarks like Haworth, but more on that later) Basically, I want my summer to look like both versions of  Pride and Prejudice, this version of Wuthering Heights, and 1993's The Secret Garden:

Source: Uploaded by user via Taiwan on Pinterest

Source: travel-blog123.tumblr.com via Eloise on Pinterest

Source: uk-photos.co.uk via Emma on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via BrendaGay on Pinterest

Source: dpreview.com via Michele Sarra on Pinterest

Source: ohyeahuknationalparks.tumblr.com via Joan on Pinterest

Anything look familiar?

Springtime Rambling in The Farmington Valley and Beyond

Lately I've taken to going on hikes near my home as a way to escape from end of the semester stress. It's easy to forget how calming simply being in nature can be. I'm also lucky enough to live near a number of great hikes and now that the weather is better I plan on taking full advantage of my surroundings. Yesterday James and I checked out the trails that surround the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT.

It was  the perfect end to the weekend. I only wish I could get out more during the week. Soon.

I'm planning my summer travels and this has really inspired me to look into walking tours in the UK. I literally just want to wander around the countryside for a few weeks and recharge. 

I'm thinking of hitting up the Peak District to recreate Lizzy Bennet's journey to Pemberly and then checking out the Yorkshire Dales and recreating Heathcliff's crazed ramblings searching for Catherine's ghost.