Peeglitagusel maal...

Torquay Dartmouth Kingswear Paignton (July 7)

Because I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with trains, I decided to do what it takes to spend 30 minutes on a steam train. It sort of ended with me having traces of soot in my hair and everywhere else. But it was fun!!!

First we took a regular train from Exeter to Torquay. English trains go on water.

Torquay or the English Riviera as they like to call it was sunny and colourful.

It had a ferris wheel and palm trees.

Then we took the boat from Torquay to Dartmouth with a short stop in Brixham.

Find two lazy seals in the picture. Hint: real seals not the two blue kayakers.

Dartmouth was absolutely beautiful

and so was Kingswear just across the water.

An übercool car on the ferry!

The steam train started off from Kingswear station.

You might have your very own door in the coach! A thing to be excited about!

Off we went. Just a friendly reminder: when a steam train goes through a tunnel and all the windows are open - it's not very pleasant.

We ended up in Paignton. In comparison with all the other cute seaside towns Paignton was pretty ugly. Sorry.

But there were real donkeys.

And a very cheeky seagull who stole and ate some mayonnaise in the local pub, behaving as if he belonged there.

On the first seat of a double-decker like a boss on our way back from Paignton to Torquay to take the train back to Exeter from there. Yeah, it was an excellent day.

Thomas Hardy's Dorset (July 8)

Here lies the heart of Thomas Hardy (in Stinsford)

and here drive the fearless English drivers.

Hardy's Cottage, closed on a Monday.

There grew some pretty spectacular nettles.

A wet dog coming through! The wet dog ended up behind the bar at the pub in Bere Regis.

The reason we were in Bere Regis wasn't the pub, it was the church.

Thou shall not have to mow the lawn at a cemetery.

Our next stop was in Lulworth - Durdle Door car park.

This is where Mr. Oak's dog drove the sheep off the cliffs in Far from the Madding Crowd. Honestly, I could have very well lived on without the knowledge of that.

Who needs to think about dead sheep when Durdle Door, the most scenic part of the Jurassic Coast, is just there, in its full glory.

The water was the most amazing colour. It didn't have that colour four years ago. Magic!

Just.Look.At.It.

Glastonbury Tor (July 12) - the island in the mythical Lake of Avalon

Glastonbury is definitely one of the most memorable places I have ever been to in the UK.
It was a bit bizarre but cute, magical, mythical and quaint at the same time. I don't know if this kind of combination is even possible. What I know for sure is that it had the most extraordinary shop windows and shop names.