I left Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday and said goodbye to some really amazing people. The one thing I need to keep saying over and over is thank you – thank you to all the people who hosted us over the course of our month. Dickie in London, Gary and Peggy in Paris, Mary and Joan in Geneva… and though I was on my own Brian in Oxford my last two days. Every host (our friends, our family) were incredible to us beyond anything we could hope. They made our memories of each city so fantastic, and we’re truly lucky to have had those experiences. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
So, I left Geneva and flew to London Luton, hopped a bus and took it to Oxford, England arriving late Wednesday night. I met up with my cousin Brian (on the last day of his moustache) and cozied into his dorm room for the evening. I woke up the next day, my last day in Europe (which was a perfect day) and started it with a “European” breakfast (pain au chocolat, a croissant, and a cup of tea). Brian toured me around in the morning and left me to my own devices in the afternoon. We met up again for dinner (Oh! dinner was at the pub C.S. Lewis and Tolkien used to sit with their buddies only discussing Narnia and Middle Earth… we didn’t do that but it was still kind of magical. I had fish and chips!) and thus began our pub crawl. We visited five or six different bars over the next few hours, talked, drank, and even danced a little at the end of the evening.
Like I said, it was a fantastic last night for the trip, and made me very sad to be leaving. Then again, maybe that was just because I had to wake up at 6am after a night of dancing and drinking to get on my bus! but all worked out fine, I got on my plane in good time, and arrived safely home a few hours later.
I stayed at my parents last night and have been answering questions ever since – what was my favorite part? My least favorite part? Where did I want to go that I didn’t get to go? How beautiful was it? Would you go again? Would you go for less or more time? but it’s been so good, and so good to see them, sleep in a large, warm comfy bed and not have to think about lugging my backpack anywhere (actually, my Mother has already done my laundry! we were shocked at how small it looks now that it’s all neatly folded)
Today I go back to my apartment, return to my own bed, my rabid cat, and my awesome roommates. I can’t wait. I am happy to be home.