Jet Lag and Scones that Make you Cry

‘Ello from England! We somehow arrived in London with no delays (after we changed our flights last minute) and did our first international house sit. We landed at the Gatwick airport and made our way to Perivale (suburb of West London) without driving through London traffic, thank you public transportation!

We were in London for just a couple of days to recover from jet lag, and since we will be here for a longer visit in December. That recovery was glorious! We slept for about 15-16 hours *without* any sleep aid which I believe is impressive (since we’re not 22 years old anymore). Mind you, we were also housesitting and woke up worried about what kind of impression we were making. We of course got up throughout the night to care for the sweetest pup named Coco who is also the best snuggler in the UK. This house sit was different from ones in the past since the couple were in and out of the house instead of vacating home for vacation. As soon-to-be grandparents, they were in and out of the hospital and needed someone to be there for their fur-baby. It was a truly lovely experience; the family was kind, humorous, and so welcoming to us. We absolutely loved caring for their pup Coco and enjoyed the strolls and snuggles with him during our short time in London. Before we left, the hostess made chicken curry from scratch for us three to have lunch together. We enjoyed the company, good conversation, and delicious homemade food :) I remember reading from other housesitters’ feedback that the experience is rewarding since you’re helping others. I remember thinking “well in turn, you are staying somewhere at no expense so how much are we really helping?” After this experience, I related to that sentiment, and we did feel honored to be a part of such an exciting and new chapter for this family. We were also not expecting how pampered we would feel by their hospitality and kindness. Before we left London, we also had the pleasure of getting dinner with a friend and her mom who will soon be a mother herself :) During this short visit in London, there was much to celebrate!

Coco, the cutest London resident

From London, we drove to Dover and stayed the night near the White Cliffs of Dover and the Dover Castle (I know, too many “Dovers” in one sentence). We stayed at Churchill Guest House, a charming and picqueresce bed and breakfast that was walking distance to everything we needed. I am not used to booking hotel rooms day of, especially since we’re in the UK during peak season. Since we were uncertain how our road trip would play out, we booked as we went which was refreshing after booking so many places in advance (and when you luckily book the last room). We highly recommend dining at the White Horse, this was probably my favorite part about Dover (and totally unrelated to their history). As you may know, Dover is a popular spot for swimming across the English Channel since it’s the shortest distance between England and France. This pub has signatures from hundreds of Channel Swimmers that span across decades. We even got to meet someone who swam the Channel about 40 years ago (from France to England which is rare) and is now a coach. She said it changes people afterwards, they’re more at ease and confident after accomplishing a once in a lifetime goal.

After our visit to Dover, we drove to Wiltshire and stayed in the countryside. We had another successful house sit and again, felt very lucky! Prior to arriving at the correct house however, we walked into the WRONG house (in our defense, the houses do not display address numbers). Luckily, this person handled the strange Americans in her home very well and directed us to the correct house which was next door. We stayed in a beautiful, older house in Stanley and cared for a social and absolutely adorable cat named Jet and his bunny siblings, Smoke and Zendah. We were taken aback by the rolling hills and vibrant flowers and trees. The pub down the street, Dumb Post Inn, was amazing; we had our first taste of black pudding (which is actually really good) and enjoyed chatting with people who live nearby. My favorite question was “so you’re traveling around the world but are in this small town. How the hell did you get here?” Needless to say, we loved conversing with this couple. During our stay in Stanley, we took a day trip to Bath by taking a 10 minute train from Chippenham. Thanks to free walking tours, we got the feel of the city’s architecture and history while saving money. We had dinner at an Indian restaurant named Mantra which has amazing views and delicious food. After living in Houston for about 10 years, Jeff and I have had really good Indian food but never had Biryani how this restaurant cooked it nor hyderabadi chili chicken which you have to try immediately!

Sarah in Stanley, Wiltshire

Our next stop before driving north was Avebury henge and stone circles. Who doesn’t enjoy prehistoric stone circles THAT YOU CAN TOUCH while strolling past darling sheep? Not to mention, there is a pub inside the stone circles, and there is no entry fee. You can sense the millinia of people who came before us there, the sacredness, and resilience. Starting in the 1930’s, the stones were re-erected after many stones were destroyed, buried, or repurposed. During the Middle Ages, the stones were likely to be associated with paganism and therefore, were destroyed or buried and stones were later repurposed as the area became more developed. Fun fact that we learned from a Rick Steves episode - churches named after St. Michael that are nearby prehistoric sites were named accordingly to “cleanse” the area of pagan influences. I know Stonehenge is top of the list for visiting prehistoric sites in the UK, but we highly recommend adding Avebury to your list!

York Minster

Fastforwarding to Medieval times, we drove to York and stayed overnight at our first hostel together. We booked a private room but rest assured, it smelled like years worth of gym socks :) the price was worth it! We both really enjoyed York and although we were there for just the evening, we absorbed what we could and concluded that we adore York. We walked along the River Ouse, City Walls, and walked down Shambles. When you’re unemployed, it is lovely walking down Shambles when the shops are closed because you take in the charm with no crowds and spend zero dollars! After strolling around the city, we went to Brew York which has delicious IPAs, stouts, and sours. What I love about ordering drinks in Europe that others would find lame is the fact that you can order ⅓ and ½ pints. This is perfect for me! You get a variety of brews without feeling like poo, and you spend less money. America - we need to sell beer in less quantities. It’s obviously a low priority cause, but a cause nonetheless. Before we left York, we had breakfast at Cakes d’Licious, and it was so glorious that it felt like the “last breakfast” starring Jeff and Sarah instead of Jesus and his disciples. No joke, the blueberry scone was the best scone I have ever had in my life. It brought tears to my eyes, and I do not know if I can ever enjoy scones again. Even their almond milk tasted like nothing I have ever had, and I am a devoted oat milk drinker when it comes to tea and coffee. I have never typed this much about a restaurant so please, if you visit York, you must visit Cakes d’Licious and order to your heart’s content. After having our last breakfast, we headed for Scotland with Edinburgh as our first stop. Hello haggis and whisky!