Barb's Fab Adventures in Cotswolds, London and Croatia
 

This was my first trip to UK and 5th trip to Croatia.

A little background:--- My 1st trip to Croatia in 2006, was a celebration of my independence and a return to solo travel and living out a dream that started in a hotel room in Paris in 2003, while watching a Croatian Tourist Infomercial on TV and being totally wowed by the sheer beauty of what I was watching.

And,, then fast forward to 2006, after a week in Paris, a week in Dubrvonik and then a week in Rome , I knew I had to return to Dubrovnik. When I found myself standing in front of St. Blais on Independence Day, 08/10, listening to a wonderful, patriotic, band, with the sun on my face and chocking back tears of sheer joy, I KNEW I had to return, it was an overwhelming feeling of being at peace and at home.

So, again fast forward to 2007, after deciding that I was going to go back to Croatia, and basing myself in Dubrovnik for THREE WEEKS!!! perusing Fodors for any tidbits about Croatia, I noticed Julial_t , was thinking about going to Croatia and then .... after many emails, we arranged to meet in Mostar, she hiring a car and driving from Split/Trogir to Mostar and me, taking the bus from DBV to meet her there. I will refer to that as the bus trip from hell, but back to that later.

We had a wonderful time in Mostar and then on to DBV and... well the rest is history. Ever since we have been meeting up in DBV.

So,,,While in DBV in 10/07..actually my 2nd day there, I met a guy, an amazing guy, a handsome, kind, caring, guy, who totally knocked my soxs off. I won't go into details, but, suffice it to say, he has pretty much changed my travel plans, if not my life!

He is a business owner in DBV, and for confidentiality reasons, I will just leave it at that.

Obviously, this is presenting some real logistic difficulties. I realized this was the ultimate of the "long distance relationship", but I managed to get a fairly decent, cost-wise, flight to DBV in April, 2008. April in DBV is ideal if you want to avoid crowds, but not ideal, at least that April, for good weather.

But now, I am feeling very relaxed in DBV and feeling quite at home. My little apt. is perfect (not on the web), lol. The weather is not a problem, because on the really bad days, I stay home and paint -- I am a painter, and totally in my element there. This was a short stay -- 10 days :(

While I was planning my trip for Oct. 08, Julia said she was thinking of going back to DBV too -- so, we spent 4 wonderful days, with the most incredible weather, lots of sun, islands, great food and fun times.She is very lucky that she is a short 2 hour flight from UK to many fab euro desitnations. I was there for 16 days. Actually, extended my stay for an extra week, having to call Boss, airlines, and ultimately paying $250 to change my flights. Well worth it!!

Ok, if I haven't lost you by now, ( you are probably saying, just get on with it already) This is all background for what is to come. It's not earth shattering, it's just what it is.

If you are still hanging in there and not totally bored.... I do promise to contribute some really good information -- I will carry on.

OMG''' I can't believe it. They told me at check in at SEA that my 6:45 pm BA flight to Heathrow has unfortunately been delayed -- what??? a couple hours??? Oh no, 9 F!! hours. You have to be kidding me?! Well to ease the pain, I got a $19 voucher for a meal. Oh, that makes me feel so much better. So, instead of being at the gate by 4:45, I now have to be at the gate by !:00 a.m, Gee, I think I can make that. Flight now at 3:15 a.m This is just crazy. How can I do this!!! Too far from home to go back, too much of a hassle to get out of the airport and .. then where to go?? TG!! I met a lovely lady, who was visiting family in Blaine, WA and returning to Ipswitch, UK. We were now like so simpatico, slowly watching the entire airport shutting down, takng turns watching each other's bags, whle going in search of coffee, water, and sharing a final small little bottle of vino, while watching a dvd on my new little Dell netbook.

After an excruciatingly long boarding process, we were finally on board. Feeling incredibly tired, zombie like really, and kinda nauseous, I was in my window seat with an empty seat between me and the fellow in the aisle seat;. Apparently because the delay was caused by a fuel problem after the London to SEA flight left, and they had to return to Heathrow, they had to get a whole new crew and a 747 jumbo to replace our plane, The result was an old 747, but with more room. The aisle seat guy quickly jumped up and took a bulk head seat after we were airborne, which left me with three seats!! Ah,, stretch out, how do you do that while in your seatbelt?? I managed, I also managed to miss the "drinks and dinner" WTF, that they served at that ungodly hour.

After a few hours sleep!! and watching one movie and reading a bit, and about 1.5 hrs. from London, upon return from the WC, a man in the middle of the bulkhead row, one row to the right of me, where the aisle guy had gone to sit, stood up ubruptly, he kinda spun around, his eyes rolled backwards and he collapsed onto aisle guy!! who sprung up and tried to help the guy to the ground in front of them. FA and fellow passengers rallied around him and for about 15 m. it was uncertain if he was ok or not. They did CPR and called for any docs on board. Evidently not? But after about 30 mn. aisle guy came back to his "aisle seat" quite upset and told me that apparently the man had suffered an epileptic seizure, but was stable.

I will apologize right now for any typos, etc.as I am on a little tiny Dell notebook, which I love and which I will promote later as a super travel choice, ... but at home,,,, not so much.

More tomorrow...

So sorry,, I forgot to mention that this trip was 10/1/09 --10/22/09

Oh - this is great. Really looking forward to the rest. (assume the Cotswold bit is you visiting julia_t?? How neat!)

Yes, my time in UK is with Julia_t, and then on to Croatia!!

Looking forward to the rest of the story.

After going through customs and picking up my suitcase, there was Julia (DJ) waiting for me. It was so good to see her. Unfortunately the 9 hour delay had really cut into my with with J. We drove back to her house (S. Cotswolds) in the dark, so I didn't really have a chance to see much, but I was honestly too tired to appreciate it anyway. After a glass of wine, in J's warm cozy kitchen, it was off to bed.

I slept like a log and awoke to a rather gray day, but no rain. We had a relaxing morning, drinking coffee and catching up. As we set out for the day and after again getting into the wrong side of the car! I began to feel like I was actually in Englad. OMG - look at the amazing views from atop her hill, which extends across the Severn Vale to the Forest of Dean. Wooded hillsides can been seen for miles around. Our first stop is the little town of Bisley. Now this is how I have imagined English country villages in my mind and I am not disappointed, the wells, the horse troughs with beautiful white ducks. I walked up to High Street, snapping photos and just soaking in all the charm. I was practically the only person walking around and just the odd car. It felt truly like stepping back in time. Really like something out of a period movie. I came upon the Bear Inn, with all the gorgeous flowers decorating the outside. The quintessential English Pub!! DJ promised we could come back maybe that evening and have a drink.

From there we went to Stroud. I had read some less than glowing remarks made about Stroud on this forum, but I have to say, I loved it. It is a vibrant place and real blend of old and new. It was once the center of the woolen trade.. most of the mills are now closed, but the creative spirit of the town is still very much alive. I was lucky to be there on a Saturday and could experience the Sat. market. We munched on delicious sausage rolls, sampled very tasty cider and bought a scrumptious looking sticky toffee pudding for our dessert that night. There is a real diversity of places to eat and drink, something to suite a range of tastes and pockets and lots of traditional looking tea shops.

After a quickk stop into DJ's shop, we were off again. We drove up out of the valley over Minchinhampton Common and through Amberley where we stopped at the Black Horse Inn for a glass of wine for me and a pint for DJ. Again, I am totally enjoying just soaking up all this fabulous atmosphere.. we then passed through Pinfarthings, this is more of a hamlet rather than a village as it is pretty small. This is where DJ's father lives and where she grew up. Then down a winding hill call the "W" to Nailsworth.

We continued towards Bath, which was our real destination for the day, stopping at Tipputs Inn on the main road just out of Nailsworth. This used to be an old coaching inn where they used to rest after making that long haul up from the valley.

Warm red wallpaper, chandeliers, red candle holders, exposed stonewalls and bronze statues retain the ambiance of the old former coaching inn, including the boar's head mounted over the old fireplace mantel.

Enjoying this so far!

The friendly welcome at Tipputs is apparently well known in the Five Valleys and the staff could not be more helpful. I enjoyed watching and listening to a group of hunters who had apparently come in for a wee one after a mornings hunt. Oh man, it just does not get any better than this!!

Lunch was a very tasty baked camembert w/herbs, olives, chutney, bread and a small, very fresh, salad. So... on to Bath. By now it was spitting rain, nothing serious and not cold. Parking was a bit of a challenge, but DJ is pro when it comes to parking, or just driving in general.

Because time was an issue, DJ gave me her special self-guided tour, which took me by most of the sites I had wanted to see. Pulteney Bridge and the Weirs, the Abbey, which is just amazing. The face of the turrets on the west front is decorated by ladders with angels ascending and descending from heaven! at the sides are figures of the Twelve Apostles and above the great west window is a respresentation of the Holy Trinity and an angelic choir. There was quite a crowd, so we did not go in. We peeked into the Baths and even sampled a taste of the bath water and, hmmm, ewww,, not good. We walked past the Jane Austin Center and looked down the fashionable Milsom St. The Royal Crescent is as impressive as I had expected. It is composed of 30 houses and apparently has changed very little externally from the time it was built in 1767, and still fronted by the same cobblestones over which carriages would rattle.

The rain had turned from a sprinkle to showers and the wind was picking up, so we picked up our steps and carried on --by Sally Lunn's and back to Pulteney Bridge where we discovered a little place that served cream tea and looked very cozy and inviting. It was,, and the tea and scones were SO good. I think spending a day/night in Bath would be ideal, but even if you onlyl have a few hours, it is still worth a visit.

Back to DJ's where her DD had returned from university with a nasty cold and cough. DJ had put a lamb roast in the oven before we left and now we were enjoying lamb, pita, chopped condiments and sour cream -- yummy. DJ, DD and I sat up sharing a bottle of wine and stories, at the kitchen table until the wee hours. What a wonderful first day in England and such good friends. I am a very lucky lady.

woops - I forgot to mention the sticky toffee pudding for dessert! words cannot describe how incredibly, sensually, delicious this was. I am not kidding and I normally do not eat desserts. DJ has kindly shared her short-cut recipe, which she says is almost as good. This will be my Christmas dinner desert. I also forgot to mention that we did in fact return to the Bear Inn after dinner. If you have seen the movie The Holiday with Cameron Diaz, this is the pub where she goes to meet Jude Law!! well not really, but it is the exact copy of that pub. In fact, this whole area looks like it was from that movie. You know there are those moments when you feel you should just not be allowed to feel this good and this was definitely one of those moments.

I also cannot believe I have failed to mention DJ's two darling twin boys, DA and DB. Talk about cute and just so polite and gracious - can't say that about too many teenage boys I know.

Woke up rather tired, and maybe feeling the results of that last glass of vino, or was it the limoncello from her and DD's trip to Italy in July? DJ, DD and I packed up for our trip to London. DD was going to join us in London for the afternoon before meeting up with a friend and returning to uni.

Before this trip to UK, DJ had sent me a couple of mystery books that take place in the S. Cotswolds and one set practically in her back yard! A Cotswold Killing and A Cotswold Ordeal by Rebecca Tope, the latter being the one set in her area. Along with the books, she very kindly tucked in a map, which she had marked with all the pubs mentioned, little villages, canals and tunnels. As I read, I was able to follow along on the map. The original plan was to spend some time just walking along the canal from Chalford to Frampton Mansell and to the Sapperton Tunnel. Walking in the shoes of the protagonist, Thea and her little dog Hepzibah. In lieu of that, DJ drove me down the Chalford Hill and along the valley on a little road running parallel to the River Frome, through Siccaridge Woods to Frampton Mansell, Sapperton, on to Cirencester and then to Bilbury and the very picturesque Arlington Row -attractive little thatched roof cottages, which were once weaver's homes. Took a ton of photos here and walked along the river where all the ducks seemed to be taking refuge -- maybe from those hunters!??
Because of the time, it was a short visit and then on to LONDON!

Ok, I have to just say here and now, DJ should win some sort of honor or prize or certainly a mention here on Fodors, for driving into and out of London, and on the wrong side of the friggin road!

Well, I'm not sure as to how I'm going to get there, but the Tipputs Inn is now near the top of my list as to places to visit. The sticky toffee pudding was the clincher or was that where you had it? Recipe welcomed.

And, thanks too for the information about Rebecca Tope as I'm always looking for good stories taking place in England.

We decided rather than going straight to our hotel, to park on the South Bank, have some lunch and then do the Eye. After parking, we spotted a place that looked very interesting and after perusing the posted menu, decided to give it a try for lunch. Ping Pong Dim Sum (pingpongdimsum.com). An interesting introduction to London. I had it in my mind that my first meal would be something "English", but now I know, that while in London, you are faced with a whole myriad of ethnic choices, and, well, really, no offense, but I can actually eat pretty darn good fish & chips, meat pies and spotted dick, ha, well maybe not that! ... in Vancouver, a short 45 min. drive from home. So... I tried to look beyond the "expected" and lunch was terrific.

Just a short walk to the Eye from there. I do not usually do heights, ferris wheels and such, but fear not, this is NOT a ferris wheel. It is rather a large gondola type capsules, which do not rock and do have seats in the middle if you want/need to sit down. What it is, is a very good way to get an overall view of London and to get your bearings. The weather was good at this point and I could see for miles. It takes about 45-50 min. and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

DD met her friend and we all hugged and said our goodbyes and then DJ and I headed to our hotel. Travelodge Covent Garden. We found a parking spot directly across the street from the hotel and felt blessed, lol. There is free parking spots in the hotel parking garage, but just to unload our bags, this was perfect. Dragging our bags up the steps, checking in and then being quite pleased with our respective rooms at 29L !! was such a relief.

We then walked back to the car to park in the garage and OMG what is that on the window -- a parking ticket!! how can that be. And to make matters worse, it was for 180 pds. Poor DJ was having a mini meltdown and I don't blame her. Driving into London was exhausting, it had been a long day and now this!! We took photos of the sign that clearly said "Loading/Unloading Zone", pics of my watch that showed we had only been there just long enough to unload and check in. As we were walking back to the hotel, we spotted the dasterdly parking ticket guy. Trying to sound very under control and calm, we explained to him how we were under the impression that "loading/unloading zone" under most circumstances, in front of a hotel, means that you can unload your luggage and so, what's the F'in problem. Well according to him, it meant, trucks unloading their wares, but she could contest the ticket and he wished her luck?!

Trying not to let this ruin our day, we went back to our rooms and had a little rest before going out for the evening. A short walk brought us to Covent Garden. The weather was cold, a little rainy and feeling a little tired, we did not spend too much time there and went on a walk around the area perhaps in search of a good place to eat dinner. We discovered a very nice, welcoming corner pub where we popped in for a nice relaxing glass of wine. I was still struggling with that feeling of obligation of having that "English" meal, but instead decided on a really great, I kid you not, a South Western place. DJ, please jump in here if you remember the name, but it actually turned out quite well. I had really luscious lamb medallions and roasted vegetables. The ambiance was good, attentive waiter, good wine, and not very $$. Back to the hotel for a well deserved sleep.

If I haven't lost you by now, more to come ...

history, we bought the sticky pudding in Stroud and then had it for dessert at DJ's house. I am not sure about how to get to Tipputs, but maybe DJ can help out there. Are you driving? She can probably give you more of the background history on it as well.

I am somewhat familiar with Nailsworth/Stroud/Bath area so can probably find it. It's just that I don't do much driving in the UK anymore, but we'll see.

I hope there is good news about the parking ticket.

As I mentioned, and I hope DJ will comment here, but I am pretty sure the Tipputs Inn was on the main road to Bath, not too far from Nailsworth. I hope you can find it, it is very sweet.

Last word re the ticket was that DJ was appealing, but it looks like, unfortunately, it will be 60 pounds.

Enjoying your report...

This is fabulous, and how lovely that you were able to spend time with julia_t! We enjoyed a nice dinner with her at a little pub in Selsley a couple of years ago.

Lee Ann

I am really enjoying all the details about the Cotswolds, where I hope to spend some time next summer. Thanks for sharing.