Road Trip to England

So early Sunday morning (early meaning 8am)all three children and three adults packed into a French minivan and headed to England. The adults were armed with new toys, Where's Waldo, plenty of snacks and nappys and a portable potty. This portable potty turned out to be very crucial to a successful and hazard-filled journey. Hazard-filled due to the snow and ice. Successful because about every two hours, Alistair would cry out in agony, "I have to do a weeeee." The first stop, we pulled over on the side of the motor-way(free-way) and opened the boot (the back hatch) and Alistair was graced with a scenic snowy view. He did not view it that way and once again cried out in agony as flakes of snow pelted him. Alistair HATES getting wet. This continued throughout, about twenty minutes after every stop at a petrol station where Alistair would not do a wee, he would cry out. Marc possesses that particular male gene that must make good time, so you can imagine how this urked him. My favorite wee stop was when the portable potty was placed on the drivers seat and Alistair got to play driving and wee at the same time. Although, I do think he found the steering wheel a bit diverting.

We took the euro star over, which was pretty interesting and not at all what I expected. The cars drive onto it like a ferry. In 35 minutes you are in a new country. We stopped in Ashford and I introduced the Dubarrys to Starbucks. Which they loved. Then we travelled across the widest part of southern England to Kingsbridge, Devon. Kingsbridge is idyllic, I rarely use that word but it is the best way to describe it. It is at the end of an estuary where little fishing boats rest on the sand when the tide is out. On the north side is filled with beautiful English farms spread over rolling hills and complete with hedgerows, spray painted sheep and stone farm houses. To south is the English channel crashing into cliffs. Devon and the neighboring Cornwall are the setting of many pieces of English literature and it is not hard to imagine why. It is absolutely stunning and has a wild, untamed feel. It is tamed, but you can feel the history just under the surface and it feels like Druids or knights might come thundering over a hill at any moment. I know its probably just me and all of the books I've read, but is wonderful to see the landscape that inspires so many metaphors in literature.

The congregation is also lovely. I am staying with a sister who is the picture of hospitality. And after only a week here, I am privy to much of the congregations gossip. For example, one young sister was supposed to be proposed to last weekend, but her boyfriend was struck by a sudden illness that kept him in the loo all night and she returned unengaged. We are expecting a retry next weekend. It is nice to be a part of the congregation so quickly and I definitely plan on returning.

Next week, I will experience a different aspect of England with a visit to London. I am really looking forward to visiting the British National Museum, Victoria Albert, and St Pauls Cathedral. More to come. Bisous!