Exploring.....

The conference ran with sessions in the mornings and afternoons with a lunch break and of course the requisite tea breaks that people cannot  live without. I don't understand it but these people love their tea! So while Tim was listening to and participating in the talks I spent my days wandering around taking photos. But I have to say that I had a rough start to this portion of our journey. As you know we walk everywhere in Wellington because things are relatively close and we don't have a car. So what  do you know? I had to come to Cambridge to get the worst blisters of my life! I'll spare you the details but they were awful and I spent the first couple days not venturing out too far for the pain that radiated through my feet with every step. Something happened when we  walked from the bus to our accommodation and that had me incapacitated for a couple days. More than anything this was frustrating because all I wanted to do was walk around!! With this in mind I did spend some time in town (when I should've been resting) because I just had to get out there and explore Cambridge! Thankfully, I was  able to rest enough and my feet started to heal up. I had figured that I would invest in some new Pumas when we're in London but this has become a  'must do' so I can survive the remainder of the trip. :)

Walking around Cambridge was like nothing I've ever experience before. The buildings are incredibly beautiful and as you would expect, old. Throughout the city you can wander down meandering streets that follow no discernible pattern. The colleges, of which there are many, are spread throughout the area and it can be challenging to see where one ends and the next begins. Even after a few days of walking on the same streets I find it difficult to identify the buildings that I encounter. With that in mind I won't have labels for every photo because I actually don't know which building is part of which college!

One afternoon when I thought my feet might be able to amble into town I decided to go for it. I took some pictures along the way. After making a pit stop at  Starbucks - I know I'm a fiend for their chai tea, it never gets old - I looked at my list of 'things to do in Cambridge' and remembered that I had wanted to go find what is called the Bridge of Sighs. So I set out thankful for a recently purchased UK sim card for my phone I could use the navigation to get me there. It's good that I had it because otherwise I would've never found it! After a long walk outside the city center I came  upon huge imposing gates that were closed. But the GPS said I should turn left so I tried the gate and finding it open stepped onto what I later realized was St. John's College. The path, big enough to accommodate two cars driving abreast (but made for walking), leading to the grounds was lined with manicured hedges that contained little side paths to take it you were so inclined. At this point I figured I was in the wrong place and didn't realize that after I walked a bit more that I would step away from the tree-canopy covered path and see St. John's. What followed was me traipsing along, mouth agape, trying to take in the beautiful buildings. Looking back I've spent most of my time wandering in Cambridge with my mouth hanging open because there is no end to beautiful buildings.

Walking on the St. John's grounds I was making my way past the main buildings and my phone was saying that I getting awfully close to the Bridge of Sighs. Around a  corner it said I "had arrived at my destination" and to be honest I was little disappointed. Before me was a small, nondescript bridge. What? I consulted my phone and sure enough I was in the right place. Feeling a little disconcerted I wandered around and looking down the River Cam and then I saw it. The bridge I was standing on wasn't what I was after but rather the perfect place  to take in the Bridge of Sighs in all its intricate beauty. In the end the very long walk on tender feet was worth it as I discovered the grounds of St. John's and saw the Bridge of Sighs.