Still alive here folks, and loving every minute! Have you been keeping up with my grand adventure across the United Kingdom? If not, catch up on the first four installments here, here, here and here!

Last time I checked in, we had just wrapped up our first and only night in Bristol, England. Sunday morning, we woke up and headed to the concierge floor for breakfast (got to love Dad’s Marriott Gold Member status, which has been clutch on this trip!) After packing up a bit, we headed out to wander the streets of Bristol for a few hours.

And guess what? The sun was actually shining!

Taylor explained to us that there are really three kinds of towns/cities in England: London, which is its own category; small towns or villages, similar to what we encountered in Wales; and then midsized cities, like Bristol or Nottingham, where she studies. So our trip covered all three types!

Part of our walk around the city was consumed by searching for a drugstore that was open on a Sunday morning. During Wales, I developed a weird hives-like rash on my arms and back – apparently I’m allergic to the UK, not good!! So, being the good pharmacists they are, Mom and Dad picked out some meds which have thankfully kicked in. Fun fact: medicines here are different! We wanted Benadryl, but it is made from a different drug than in the US. Still called the same thing though. Very strange.

After exploring Bristol for a bit, and wandering through a cute market down by the river, we headed back to check out of our hotel and find lunch. Then it was back to the car for one last harrowing drive into London! Luckily, the Heathrow Airport is located on the outskirts so we didn’t have to venture too far into the city to return our car. We made it back in one piece, and thankfully turned over the keys.

Sadly, it was then time to say goodbye to Mom and Dad – they were headed to their hotel in London for their last night, and Taylor and I were headed to Nottingham. We said our goodbyes, wished each other well on our various travels, and then Taylor and I hopped the hour-long tube ride to King’s Cross station. From there, we had a few hours to mill around, find dinner, and see the Olympic decorations in the station.

Everyone is really feeling the British spirit this summer, between the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics – it has been a fun time to be in England for sure! Our train departed around 9pm, and I immediately felt like I was in Harry Potter. The attendant came by and asked if we wanted anything from the trolley – my eyes were peeled for some Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavored Beans or a chocolate frog, but no dice. We pulled into the Nottingham station around 11pm, hopped a quick cab, and settled in to Taylor’s apartment for a good night’s sleep.

Yesterday, I was quite content to sleep in and be lazy. While Taylor flitted about, going to the gym and to a meeting on campus, my big errand of the day was walking 5 minutes to the grocery. Fine by me!

We made lunch and dinner, and watched a movie – A Joyful Noise – and were planning to meet some of her friends for a quick drink…until we got a call from Taylor’s mom. One of Louisville’s local news stations, Wave3 (affiliated with NBC, who has the Olympic rights) wanted to come do a Skype interview with Taylor and her mom about carrying the Olympic torch! After running around, cleaning the part of her room that would show on camera and selecting an appropriate outfit, we settled in to be interviewed.

Really, they only wanted to talk to Taylor. But I got to come along for the ride! The segment aired last night, and I can’t wait to see it when I get home. Taylor is so famous!

This morning, we decided to walk the two miles into downtown Nottingham to get a little work done at the local Starbucks. Along the way, I got to see a few of the sights – more to come once Taylor’s mom gets here, and we become actual tourists!

We’ve spent a nice morning, sipping coffee and lusting after the people coming out of Zara watching people stroll by on the shopping street outside our window.

Pretty soon it will be time to head back and do some laundry. I’m hoping this will be the only time I have to do it while I’m here! I’m almost to the halfway point of my trip (sad day), so I should be able to make it…

Tomorrow, we’re off to London again to meet up with Taylor’s mom. Can’t wait to experience my favorite city again for the second time in just a few weeks! Cheerio for now.