Grąžinti

Back home! Time for a résumé...

Just over 600 km (sorry, a little less than 400 miles) on the island and about 200 km on the "mainland": what remains?

First of all, the conversations and sympathy of the people - old and new acquaintances - that I met. Somehow, that was the best part. Thank you all! Also thanks to the "home base" for the support and patience! Well, what can I say: even the railway staff was friendly (and all trains were on time😉).

Then: the landscape. Especially Wales/Snowdonia, with its mountains and waterfalls, mossy stones and trees. Look, let it sink in, imagine what could be hidden there. But also elsewhere, the typical hills, sheep meadows, little walls, streams and small towns in between: I liked that. It may sound strange, but somehow I "needed" to see it all!

After that, the big cities. The showcase tourist spots were nice, but I liked it better off the beaten path. Capturing the atmosphere and flair of the city. Or going to a concert.

Finally, the well-known little tourist towns (Betws-y-Coed, Castle Combe, etc.). Yes, they are nice and have flair. But it just looks like on the internet, only with tourists everywhere "spoiling" the view. I didn't really manage to establish a "connection" (although Betws-y-Coed was brilliant as a starting point to explore the area!)

And here are a few things that I found beautiful and/or quirky. If anyone can explain the quirky ones to me: please do!

On the train: The bike can be taken for free. Brilliant! (Sometimes you need a free reservation.) But why is it never announced where the exit is before the train stops. Especially with the bike, there is sometimes unnecessary maneuvering (well, here we don't always know in which section of the platform the train stops and have to rush. It's better in the UK!).

The cycle paths: There is a network of national routes. They are "mostly" well signposted. But you shouldn't rely on it. And I found it exhausting that these routes also include muddy paths or long stretches next to the highway. Then I had an app that at least knows the routes (even if it doesn't always plan according to them): Cycle.Travel. Combining signs, app, and Google worked (attention: Google Maps is rubbish for cycling in the UK!)

On the road: Instead of a thank-you wave, there is a thank-you thumbs-up. Actually nice! But the fact that it is expected to signal inside (to the right) first and then outside (to the left) in mini roundabouts put me in a predicament. Otherwise, the British are actually rather lazy with their indicators.

With money: You can actually pay with (any) card almost everywhere. No minimum amount. If it doesn't work, it's called "Sorry" instead of "€10 minimum amount" like here. I think it's good that it's possible, but it's increasingly becoming the only option: hmm...

Is there a law against hanging toilets in Great Britain? I haven't seen one!

Well, the coffee. Especially if you - like me - like latte macchiato. First of all: you have to say "Laaate" otherwise you'll get a "What?" or the wrong thing. In the chains, you get the quality (and the price!) of the chain. Otherwise: ask people! The average coffee is, let me put it this way, on the level of a tea-drinking country.

So, dear Great Britain: I hope you like what I wrote about you. My bike and I really enjoyed being with you! See you soon! 👋