Cornwall, England

My first trip from London! Caught a National Express coach from Victoria Coach Station to Wadebridge. Had an absolute nightmare getting to the bus on time, and arrive with literally seconds to spare (major issues with all the last minute stuff, and then I couldn't get uber to work at all as hadn't done it on my new phone before, and then there were dramas with getting a black cab). Had a great trip once on board the bus though! Took about 7 hours from memory.

Bill and Stephanie were ready and waiting for me in Wadebridge, Cornwall and it was lovely to meet them. They are very special people who I have a very special connection to, as my Mum actually also stayed with them for a bit while on her travels with her friend Michele in the 1980s! Bill and Steph are literally two of the most generous and kind-hearted, hard-working, genuine people you will ever meet. They went out of their way to make me feel welcome, and were so generous in so many different ways to me. One example is how on my first night just after arriving I realised that I'd stupidly left my laptop onboard the coach!!!!! After numerous phone calls and me trying to figure out what on earth I was meant to do to get my precious (it is!!!) laptop back, Bill decided to drive me all the way down to Penzance to retrieve it! This too roughly 3 hours of driving all up, and he wouldn't even take petrol money from me! Stephanie had prepared a lovely dinner which my antics of course ruined and meant everyone had to wait ages to eat. I will never leave my laptop ever again, and will never forget them offering to do that for me! Oh and the bus driver also jokingly told me off and gave me a slap on the hand when I retrieved it. Reminded me very much of my Grandpa. All of Cornwall was very much like this, old fashioned, and with that Grandpa-like sense of humour.

Bill and Steph had planned a full itinerary for my 6 days in Cornwall. We visited the old fishing village Padstow (now very touristy, which I liked, but the locals definitely did not), which was very picturesque and lovely to wander around. Here and at many other parts of Cornwall I loved how you could feel the history of the place all around you, and that everywhere truly was a proper little English countryside community. We explored around Land's End, which often reminded me a lot of Invercargill/Bluff in New Zealand. We went to the amazing old house/mansion Lanhydrock as part of the National Trust and I really enjoyed exploring the big old house with separate servants quarters etc, just like in so many of the TV shows etc. We looked around Truro where we also had afternoon tea in a fantastic, classic teahouse called Charolotte's Tearooms which were very popular so we had to wait in line for a table. We had a great night out at the local pub (literally about 5 doors down from Bill and Stephanie's place in the wee village of St Issey) called the Ring O Bells which was around in the 1600s and was packed! I loved being in a pub so old. Could really imagine people having used it for the past few hundred years. The ceilings were so low! There was an Irish Band playing which was really great! I drunk a lot of Pimms during my time in Cornwall, and met many interesting characters! Some of which were at Steph's crafts group (like a coffee group) which I got invited a long to one afternoon. So interesting to get a glimpse in to. One my last day we had a beautiful Sunday lunch at an incredible restaurant with the most amazing view. All was very special! Oh and driving around Cornwall I couldn't believe how narrow many of the lanes we were using were! And line with greenery! Was like you were driving through a hedge! You couldn't see a thing and I loved it! So cool to experience being in the English countryside like that. Just like in Emmerdale or many of the war time movies etc that I've seen which are often set in these kinds of places.

When I left Bill and Steph gave me a special fight, a hair clip made of Cornish tin. Even though I'd at times felt a bit overwhelmed at not really having any time to myself while in Cornwall, I instantly missed them and my time there once I left! Like Mum I will remember my time with them forever, and like many other English people I too am now a fan of Cornwall!Read more