English Hospitality

 

Welcome to England!
After about 24 hours of travel (driving, flight, bus, car) we landed (exhausted and yet thrilled) in the English countryside of Oxfordshire, to a lovely Weston Manor hotel. The car dropped us off and the first thing I noticed was the silence. After all the loudness of travel and crowds, queues and crazy people, there was nothing but nature around. We weren't too far from a main motorway, but it was still so quiet. 

The manor sat on some land, with a long drive to take you away from any road, and through gates to a circular drive. I felt so relieved to be in a place for a day where there was nothing to do except take walks, rest, eat good food, and enjoy the quiet countryside. 

We were greeted by the most friendly and obliging staff I've encountered. We were shown to our room, given a short tour, and special requests were all met with gracious friendliness. We had a few hours until dinnertime, so we unloaded our luggage and took a walk around the property to keep ourselves awake, for all we wanted was a good sleep after having none overnight. The fresh country air was a perfect antidote to feeling drowsy. The chilly air felt refreshing. Birds were chirping. We spotted our first patches of fully bloomed daffodils. We were on the cusp of Spring, and it is the most delightful time to experience England.

The manor was quiet as well. In talking with some of the staff, they had just finished a very busy week where the manor was fully booked, and whilst we were there, we had the place almost to ourselves. It felt a bit like our own manor house. What a perfect place to rest from our long journey before diving into a busier atmosphere that would follow. 

After four years, it was a great joy to be back in England. I had missed it so very much. It's a different world to be in, greatly contrasting my daily life in a tropical place. My heart and soul get filled to the brim when my feet are crunching along the garden paths of English gardens and when books are held in hand from the land in which they were written more than a century (or two) ago.

Thankfulness filled me for the journey overseas and a lovely time ahead. I ate some garden pea soup for dinner, along with a delicious chicken dish. The next day, breakfast was a warming eggs, bacon, beans, toast, orange juice, and a latte. We hung around for lunch as well, and the chef put together some open faced chicken sandwiches and chips for us, which was the most delicious simple meal that nourished us for the next journey into my favourite city in the world.