Oooo, me so adventurous! Butler Adventure Weekend
Trip Start
Jan 01, 2007
1
18
51
Trip End
Jun 2007
Keswick, United Kingdom
Monday, March 12, 2007
arriving in London. As part of the Butler Study Abroad program
that I'm on, we have free trips around England. The largest and
most exciting of these is adventure weekend - a weekend getaway to the
beautiful Lake District of England. Filled with outdoor
activities and plenty of time to hang out with the Butler students and
staff, the weekend is three days of crazy fun!
We left London early Friday morning and made our way north on a long,
but well broken up bus trip. Just before leaving, I ran into
David Nestor whom I haven't seen in a few years. I had no idea he
was studying in London, let alone on Butler - small world! We
arrived at Glaramara at around 5:30. Half the Butler group was
staying at a hostel down the street, but we lucked out and got rooms at
the Glaramara Centre. This beautiful cabin is nestled in a
breathtaking valley and surrounded by rolling fields and plenty of
sheep! Upon entering, I was instantly impressed. My shared
room is cozy, clean and much nicer than even our hotel at
orientation. The main room downstairs is full of big, comfy
chairs and has views of the countryside that are some of the most
beautiful I've ever seen. In fact, once we hit the Keswick area
(in the Cumbria district), I couldn't take my eyes off the bus
window. Everything is just so beautiful. The mountains have
such an atmospheric quality - the thick clouds and swirling gray haze
is mysterious and almost creepy. I like that by going to school
in the city, this all seems so different and exciting to me!
Dinner on Friday was amazing! My tomato and basil soup was
perfectly warming. My salmon was delicious and the ample amounts
of veggies kept me quite happy! I think the nicest part was
having a wonderful meal that I didn't have to cook! I like
cooking and all, but sometimes it's nice to just sit down and have
someone else do all the work! More than anything though, dinner
was fantastic because of the company. We sat with Yvonne and
Oran, two Butler staff members. I really haven't had a chance to
get to know the staff, but they are fantastic!
After dinner it was time for my first ever quiz! As I sipped on
my pint, I learned what exactly these quizzes are. Essentially
it's just a giant trivia game. My team successfully came in dead
last - but we had fun losing and that's all that matters!
Evenings like this one make me SO glad I chose to come with
Butler. The program lives up to all the hype!
Saturday was a day full of walks through the stunning mountains and
thrills of mountain-biking. My morning began with a hearty
breakfast and a three hour hike through the mountains of the Lake
District. Downing a ridiculous orange rain suit (which I'm so
thankful I had!), I walked along slippery river beds, up steep mountain
slopes, through incredible caves and across wide-open
sound-of-music-like fields. It was awe-inspiring and incredibly
refreshing. Our group was quite small - only about 6 or 8
students and staff. To go along with the small world theme of
this weekend, one of Devra's good friends from Tufts, whom I met when
visiting her Freshman year, was on my hike. I love it when things
like that happen!
We got back to Glaramara, had time for a much needed lunch (all that
walking left me SO hungry!) and then around 2, I headed out for an
afternoon of mountain biking. I'll admit I was hesitant at first
to try this, but I am beyond glad that I decided to go. I had an
amazing time!
Riding a bike was like heaven! I have so missed the exercise I"m
used to at home and so finally getting a nice work-out was like a
gift! Our guide, Simon, knew that most of were inexperienced
mountain-bikers, so he kept us on the rode for most of the time.
We spent about an hour and a half gaining some altitude into the
mountain. Finally, Simon decided that it was time to try our
hands at some actual mountain-biking. He used me to demonstrate
the correct positioning and technique for standing and shifting your
weight as you descend the mountain. In theory, it all sounds
straight-forward. In practice? Not so much!
No more than 5 minutes into the downhill portion, 3 of our team members
wiped out! I couldn't handle the huge rocks, got stuck in the mud
and ended up walking my bike. Even Simon fell! We had
scraps, broken wheels, loose chains and bloody legs! Based on our
less-than-stellar performance, Simon decided to keep us on the road for
the rest of the time. Nice choice Simon!
By 5 we were back at Glaramara - tired, sore but incredibly
invigorated! After a brief nap, a freezing shower, and a warm
dinner, it was time to party! The rest of the night was spent
enjoying the company of the crazy Butler students and the equally crazy
staff!
Sunday, after breakfast, I spent a few hours in the town of
Keswick. We got tea, walked around, did a little shopping and got
food for the long ride home. Now, back in my flat, I'm tired and
looking forward to a good night's sleep. It was a fantastic
weekend and I'm actually sad that it's over. I could easily have
stayed up in the Lake District for an entire week. But, alas, I
must trade gray-green mountains and rolling rivers for the busy, active
streets of London.
