So after spending the afternoon and evening at Stratford, we headed off to Bristol where we stayed the night at some sort of distant relative's apartment. I'm not sure how I'm related to her, I mean. You know how it is when you're travelling? You meet family you never know you had. Mind you, the car journey this time was seemingly much more relaxed. My sister and I had finally worked out the best way to divide the space between us and sit ourselves in a way that we were both comfortable (after I pushed her feet off her lap enough times for her to understand it wasn't acceptable). Long car journeys are in no way easy on one's arse either. I also found that out the hard way. Seriously, to anyone embarking on a long car journey, whatever you do, do not forget some form of cushioning. Car windows are also not a good place to rest your head to sleep against.
Back to the trip, according to my plan, we were supposed to head to London the next morning but given that the weather was so so beautifully disgusting, we decided a change to our trip was in order. Shit happens, people. Sometimes, you're starved off your dream of the cringy London tour for the trillionth time because the weather decides to be your enemy.
Regardless, we decided to spend the day in Bristol, knowing the rain would stop eventually. And so I switched to my list of things to do in Bristol instead - yes, I had lists for every prospective city we were going to.
First on my list for Bristol was Clevedon Pier. If you must know, it's been a dream place of mine to go to because One Direction may or may not have filmed the music video for their song You and I.
Clevedon Pier was a 30 minute drive from my cousin's apartment we were staying in. The minute we got near the pier, the air was already 50 times clearer and freezing as hell. None of that matter though because the view just at first glance was so breathtaking. The water just seemed to go on forever and one look at the pier and I began squealing like a two year old. The entry fee to go onto the pier was surprisingly very cheap too. The day was already looking up you see. I was already practically jumping on the spot while my dad paid for us to get on the pier and so he let slip to the lady at the till that I was a One Direction fan. She laughed and told me about the plaque the boys had on the pier - it's worth noting that she was incredibly friendly too. I thanked her and left my family behind and literally ran past the scaffolding (they were making an extended tourist information bit at the front) to the pier.
So the pier is pretty long. Like it's huge. When you first step on it, you don't notice but the minute you look down at your feet and realise there's nothing under the huge planks of wood but water, it shakes you a little. Also, walking in a straight line along the pier proved to be more difficult than I thought it would. I kept thinking I'd trip over but it was all good. There weren't a lot of people up and down the pier and the few people that were there were only fishing.
Every time I looked up, the sky was truly surreal.
The wind however, I could live without. My hair was all over the place and the wind didn't even wait long enough between each blow for me to fix it. The next time I go, I most certainly will remember to tie my hair back super tight. Nonetheless, I wouldn't exchange the feeling I had walking up and down the pier for anything. Especially when my sister and I did the whole trek and were unsuccessful in being about to locate the One Direction plaque. I was disappointed to say the least seeing as they were the reason I went there. Some of the other plaques people had put on were so cute, they almost brought tears to my eyes. There were cute ones and goofy ones and heartbreaking ones.
I never did get around to asking the lady at the entrance how much it was to have a plaque put on the pier but I imagine the size and the number of letters you put on definitely mattered.
You could tell which ones were new because they were still gold and shiny whereas the older ones looked a little too vintage to be even classed as being from this century.
So back to my bizarre account of the day, eventually, after rushing back to the lady at the entrance and having her show me where the plaque for One Direction was, I managed to locate it.
Their plaque looked a little too dirty for my liking but then I realised I probably wasn't the first strange person to have driven all the way to Clevedon from Manchester just to take a picture of that pier and that there were many before me who'd done just the same.
After taking one last look back at the pier, we left Clevedon and headed to a place called Weston-super-mare. Considering the fact that I haven't been to a beach since I was like 3, Weston-super-mare was a pretty big deal for me. It'd been raining earlier in the day like I'd mentioned but by the time we got there, the sky was clear and pretty sunny. We walked along the beach (ran more like) and did the usual writing our names in the sand, screaming at the sea pointlessly and constantly looking out for the seagulls flying over our heads in fear of them doing what they do best.
We had lunch at McDonald's after that and finally headed off towards London but only to spend the night there.
Believe it or not, I managed to get halfway through that book I'd dreaded having to read just the day before because I realised I had a fabulous day and winding down with a book is exactly what I needed.
Our trip didn't go exactly the way we planned it but I wouldn't have asked for a better alternative than our day in Bristol. We drove around so much and managed to see so much of the city, I was truly left in awe of the whole experience.
If there's one thing this journey has taught me, it's to be open to changes and be as free minded as you can possibly be. I've met so many new people during this trip not to mention different types of people. I've learned an incredible amount about myself as well as those around me. I've learned to be a lot more thankful about what I have and be happy for what others have that I may not.
If I were to do this trip again, or a different road trip in fact, I don't think I'd do it any differently apart from possibly travelling in a bigger car with a little more leg room. It was just one of those trips where I didn't even have my earphones in for half the time to 'slip away from reality' or whatever because after 5/6 songs, even the different drum beats and lyrically approved 'na na na's and 'yeah yeah yeah's got a little repetitive.
I'd rather be imagining myself with my future and equally as strange husband living in that deserted cottage we'd passed on the motorway on the way to London over generic pop music anyday.
Here's to making each and every trip you ever go on in life count.
Back to the trip, according to my plan, we were supposed to head to London the next morning but given that the weather was so so beautifully disgusting, we decided a change to our trip was in order. Shit happens, people. Sometimes, you're starved off your dream of the cringy London tour for the trillionth time because the weather decides to be your enemy.
Regardless, we decided to spend the day in Bristol, knowing the rain would stop eventually. And so I switched to my list of things to do in Bristol instead - yes, I had lists for every prospective city we were going to.
First on my list for Bristol was Clevedon Pier. If you must know, it's been a dream place of mine to go to because One Direction may or may not have filmed the music video for their song You and I.
Clevedon Pier was a 30 minute drive from my cousin's apartment we were staying in. The minute we got near the pier, the air was already 50 times clearer and freezing as hell. None of that matter though because the view just at first glance was so breathtaking. The water just seemed to go on forever and one look at the pier and I began squealing like a two year old. The entry fee to go onto the pier was surprisingly very cheap too. The day was already looking up you see. I was already practically jumping on the spot while my dad paid for us to get on the pier and so he let slip to the lady at the till that I was a One Direction fan. She laughed and told me about the plaque the boys had on the pier - it's worth noting that she was incredibly friendly too. I thanked her and left my family behind and literally ran past the scaffolding (they were making an extended tourist information bit at the front) to the pier.
So the pier is pretty long. Like it's huge. When you first step on it, you don't notice but the minute you look down at your feet and realise there's nothing under the huge planks of wood but water, it shakes you a little. Also, walking in a straight line along the pier proved to be more difficult than I thought it would. I kept thinking I'd trip over but it was all good. There weren't a lot of people up and down the pier and the few people that were there were only fishing.
Every time I looked up, the sky was truly surreal.
The wind however, I could live without. My hair was all over the place and the wind didn't even wait long enough between each blow for me to fix it. The next time I go, I most certainly will remember to tie my hair back super tight. Nonetheless, I wouldn't exchange the feeling I had walking up and down the pier for anything. Especially when my sister and I did the whole trek and were unsuccessful in being about to locate the One Direction plaque. I was disappointed to say the least seeing as they were the reason I went there. Some of the other plaques people had put on were so cute, they almost brought tears to my eyes. There were cute ones and goofy ones and heartbreaking ones.
I never did get around to asking the lady at the entrance how much it was to have a plaque put on the pier but I imagine the size and the number of letters you put on definitely mattered.
You could tell which ones were new because they were still gold and shiny whereas the older ones looked a little too vintage to be even classed as being from this century.
So back to my bizarre account of the day, eventually, after rushing back to the lady at the entrance and having her show me where the plaque for One Direction was, I managed to locate it.
Their plaque looked a little too dirty for my liking but then I realised I probably wasn't the first strange person to have driven all the way to Clevedon from Manchester just to take a picture of that pier and that there were many before me who'd done just the same.
After taking one last look back at the pier, we left Clevedon and headed to a place called Weston-super-mare. Considering the fact that I haven't been to a beach since I was like 3, Weston-super-mare was a pretty big deal for me. It'd been raining earlier in the day like I'd mentioned but by the time we got there, the sky was clear and pretty sunny. We walked along the beach (ran more like) and did the usual writing our names in the sand, screaming at the sea pointlessly and constantly looking out for the seagulls flying over our heads in fear of them doing what they do best.
Believe it or not, I managed to get halfway through that book I'd dreaded having to read just the day before because I realised I had a fabulous day and winding down with a book is exactly what I needed.
Our trip didn't go exactly the way we planned it but I wouldn't have asked for a better alternative than our day in Bristol. We drove around so much and managed to see so much of the city, I was truly left in awe of the whole experience.
If there's one thing this journey has taught me, it's to be open to changes and be as free minded as you can possibly be. I've met so many new people during this trip not to mention different types of people. I've learned an incredible amount about myself as well as those around me. I've learned to be a lot more thankful about what I have and be happy for what others have that I may not.
If I were to do this trip again, or a different road trip in fact, I don't think I'd do it any differently apart from possibly travelling in a bigger car with a little more leg room. It was just one of those trips where I didn't even have my earphones in for half the time to 'slip away from reality' or whatever because after 5/6 songs, even the different drum beats and lyrically approved 'na na na's and 'yeah yeah yeah's got a little repetitive.
I'd rather be imagining myself with my future and equally as strange husband living in that deserted cottage we'd passed on the motorway on the way to London over generic pop music anyday.
Here's to making each and every trip you ever go on in life count.
Love the You and I gif btw..... MY FAAAAVE! And it's the same with my parents. We go out tons of places but when it comes to eat it's straight to Maccies. hhaahhaha! Roadtrips are most often very unplanned and spontaneous. You see somewhere new along your way then you decide to go there instead. Oh and not to mention the ever-changing views you get from your window as oppose to a plane journey where you don't really see much apart from clouds. I've never really wandered to see places around England and you've definitely made me curious enough to..well think about going around England. It may rain a lot at home but it's home and not that bad after all. - G x
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