Gettin’ Carried Away

I find that, when people make plans to visit the UK, they tend to talk to me about London, Dublin, Glasgow, etc. No one ever mentions Wales! I think it’s a shame because, for one, I have several friends from Wales and two, I’ve been there and it’s gorgeous! I was lucky enough to be part of a student bus trip from London, England to Chepstow, Wales and the Wye Valley. It only took a few hours to drive there, so it’s a perfect day trip for anyone.

I had never seen such greenery in all my life. Of course, I’ve seen empty lands. But being from Illinois (USA), all I’ve seen is corn fields. But in Chepstow… vast, verdant lands stretch out as far as your eyes can see! You won’t see herds of cows, lost in countless stalks of corn. You will enjoy breathtaking views of warm, green planes that glimmer in the sunlight.

We headed to Wye Valley, a section of the Royal Forest that runs from Hereford to Chepstow and forms the borders between England and Wales. It has been said that this exact forest inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s descriptions of Fangorn Forest in Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of the winding road we took through the enchanting archways of trees. It’s not just because we stayed on the bus the whole time. Unfortunately, I sometimes get a little bit of motion sickness, and it happened to me on this journey. A bit of advice: If you don’t have any medicine, cold water and a fan work wonders… and will get you through the bumpiest, wildest rides.

After we drove through Wye Valley, we visited the ruins of the Tintern Abbey and Chepstow Castle. One of my most memorable experiences of this trip was when I got be in two places at once! I’m serious, too. Just up the road from Chepstow Castle, there is a tiny bridge that features two seemingly out-of-place squares. You are meant to put one foot in each square, thereby being in both England and Wales at the same time! Just take a look at this photo:

Another place I suggest seeing in Wales is Cardiff. Stay on the water near the River Taff and tour the luxurious Cardiff Castle. You can even grab a Mega Bus for under £20!