May holiday in the UK

After leaving at 7am sharp, I found out (after 10 minutes, that I left my phone on the bed). After quick thinking I decided that I needed my phone. I decided to run back and get my phone. To make a long story short, I ran back to the flat and then to the station (even got lost on the way to the station!). I ran up the stairs at the station and there it was the 07.30 train... yes I made it! But no, for the first time since the new time table of the national railways the train left early! Only 30 seconds but I could have made it.... it's not that we couldn't catch the next train, I was just very annoyed because I ran more then 3 kilometers (and everybody that knows me, knows I am more a cycle person then a running person!)

After that everything went fine, check in, security, flight, hire car we even found the way from Birmingham to Steve's parents immediately. And that was the start of a great holiday!

After arriving in Malvern we almost immediately went to the forest with the dogs. I was looking forward for to see some bluebells, it appeared that we came in the right week! There were loads of bluebells :)
After coming to Malvern for the third time I thought it was time to do some real sightseeing around area. So Wednesday we went to Wales, to be more specific we went all the way to the coast, to Aberystwyth. When we arrived there after a 3 hour drive, I found out that people in Wales were not the prettiest people in the world and they walk around in a bikini when it is only 23C...bit to chilly for me to go sunbathing but Aberystwyth was nice. Of course being in the United Kingdom I couldn't resist to eat some real English things, fish and chips with pees, not out of a newspaper but on a normal plate.
After Aberystwyth we went to Devil’s Bridge, which is absolutly amazing! Not only did they build three bridges over each other there (?!) You can also walk down the hill and see a waterfall falling down almost right next to you, absolutley gorgeous!
Thursday we went to Iron Bridge. Which I can best described as a very picturesque village with a very scary teddy bear shop!
In the evening we went to Worcester to go out with Kate, Ally, Jazz and Rob. After spending some time in one club we decided to go to another club. Big mistake! When we got in there Kate and I soon realized we were the only one wearing jeans....and on top of that I wore Converse. I definitely missed the dress code there! Apart from that the woman who were there were a bit "strange". If you go to the toilet you don't expect that some blond lady with way to much make up asks you if I think her hairextensions look good and if I could rearrange them a bit?!

Friday it was the day of Luke's birthday party. Steve, Ben and Luke formed a band for this occasion. That meant Steve had to go practise in the afternoon, we first went to Kidderminster to see how nerves Luke was for this gig. After a little practise in the garden 'The Band' left and I helped make a lot of food (specially a lot of sandwiches!) with Luke's family. Who had some troubles believing that almost everyone in Holland owns a bike.
Luke's 21st birthday party was really entertaining, the 5-song-gig was good. Some things when a bit wrong but overall they rocked. Although I didn't really know anyone, and I couldn't really understand anyone (People from Kidderminster speak 'Kiddy' that's a world away from English ) But after a few drinks everyone was social and were willing to dance. All good things come to an end, the party ended early (at midnight!)
After a week of sightseeing we took it easy on Saturday, untill Heather suggested that we could go ride the ponies :)
I never did that, but this was going to be the first time. I got the nice and calm pony, and Alan walked next to him to ensure he wouldn't go anywhere with me screaming on this back. I had great fun , we walked trought the forest. We saw some agressive sheep. It was a really nice day.
In the evening Rob came around, and he did his usual thing (ordered pizza). We watched some snooker, I finally understand the rules of the game! After some packing I went to bed, because Sunday was the day we had to return home :(

Sunday morning we had to leave early, because we first had to return the hire car to Birmingham Airport. From Birmingham Dave brought us to Coventry, because we were quit early we thought it would be nice to eat somehting at the city center of Coventry. We soon found out there is absolutely nothing in Coventry! Although this winter IKEA is opening their first city center store of the UK in Coventry (my question would be, do they know where the city center is? We didn't find it...)

After a short flight we landed on Schiphol airport, when I got out of the plane the first thing I saw was clouds filled with rain. I went to England "The country of rain", I come back to Holland: rain.