My dad and step-mom came to visit for my “summer break” between modules C and D. They got here on the 18th of June and stayed until the 26th.  It was quite the trip, that’s for sure.

I met them at Heathrow so we could get the rental car on be on our way.  I was definitely not expecting to have to sit in the front of the rental car and navigate my father through the UK, but since Birdie had broken her ankle 5 weeks earlier, she needed to sit in the back to elevate her leg.  It was interesting for sure…  never in my life will I rent a car in a left side of the road country, but if there’s one non-Brit I’d trust to drive me around I guess that’s my dad.

We started in Warwick, where we spent the first night.  We took a trip through some country and down to Stratford-Upon-Avon, which was super pretty.  And the next morning we did Warwick castle, which had been highly recommended to me.  I think there have been some changes since it was recommended…  I absolutely do not recommend it at all, it’s a damn theme park.  The dungeons were supposed to be cool but it was a stupid annoying haunted house thing that was more about the plague than torture and imprisonment, so stupid.

After Warwick Castle, we began our journey to Wales.  Our first Welsh stop was Llangollen, which was really pretty.  They had horse-drawn BOAT rides.  No joke.  And I made friends with the horses of course.  

Then we continued up to Conwy where we stayed for two nights.  The B&B owners had a dog that I fell in love with, and Conwy has some bangin’ Italian food.  It’s a walled city with a giant castle, which was pretty cool.  It’s way up north on the seaside.

The first day in Wales we went to Snowdonia National Park, where we took a train up Mount Snowdon (couldn’t hike it because of the afore-mentioned leg, but I think it was far quicker anyway, it sounds like a 4 hour hike).  It was really pretty, though I certainly don’t consider it a mountain. But you could see all the way to the ocean, and a lot of pretty countryside and hillside.  We also went to Swallow Falls in the same general area, which is a pretty big waterfall, and really easily accessible. When we got back to Conwy that night we walked along some of the city walls, which was kind of cool.

The next day we drove out to Anglesey to see an unfinished castle, Beaumaris Castle.  It was the newest one built and they just ran out of money.  But it’s so far out of the way that there were hardly any people there, and it was super pretty because it’s right on the water.  I liked it.  I highly recommend it.

Then we started the trek back across to York.  I slept through this for the most part, thank god.  It sounded like a scary trip.  York is a really pretty city, with a big church and lots of crooked buildings.  We went to the Minster (the big church) the following day and spent a lot of time there, then went to the Castle museum which was not very cool, and then had tea and found some cool bars.  Good times.  Oh and the Shambles, which is this touristy sort of street but it’s really cool because all the buildings are tilty and crooked and cartoonish.

So that’s basically that trip.  We took a train back to London the next morning because I got a surprise assignment that I had to do at the last minute.  And that night we had dinner with one of Birdie’s business partners who happened to be in London as well, which was tons of fun.  The following day I had to go to class all day, but I was able to show them Islington and introduce them to the Byron burger, which my dad says is the best meal he had here - we have a bit of a burger bond.

Then on their last full day we went to Kensington to see the Victoria and Albert museum.  Birdie hadn’t ever seen Buckingham Palace so we went there as well, and then ate dinner in Covent Garden.  

Right after that I had to run off to Greenwich to see Glee Live at the O2 Arena, which was amazing.  I’ve seen some great shows here, and that one was pretty special.  And the next morning we had breakfast, and they left for the airport.  Quite the trip!

Since then, I’ve just been getting myself through this last module of school.  My friend Andrew won 4 more tickets to Glee Live, so we went again on Thursday.  And last night I went to a 4th of July party with a bunch of classmates.

So that’s really about it.  I’m sorry for the lack of pictures, but you can see them on my Facebook.  I just needed to get this blog out before I get too behind!  Tomorrow I’ll go to a Darren Criss concert (he’s on Glee, but it’s a solo show), Friday I’m going to see the X Factor auditions, and Sunday Andrew and I are going to Berlin!

I don’t know where this year has gone, I can’t believe it’s already July 5th.  2 months from today I’ll be back in the homeland!