best of the best

Now that the trip to end all trips is done and we are all home safe, sound, and in one piece, it is time to reflect on some of the very best moments of the whole shebang. Behind the cut (look! Even my lingo is technologically savvy.), you will find photographic evidence of fantabulous, fairly foolish, fantastically... fantastic? fun. (Alliteration is for the cool kids.)

There is no particular order or segregation by geographical location, because Blogger added them willy-nilly and I am too lazy to attempt to exert order, but the collection was carefully curated for representation of maximum awesome. If you really, desperately need to know where a picture was taken, or under what circumstances, ask me and I guarantee I will know the answer, something I can only do rarely. However, I very much doubt that you will have questions, seeing as NO ONE EVER COMMENTS EVER, BUT WHATEVER, I'M NOT BITTER. (Just kidding about the capslock.)

Enjoy.

(And try not to be too jealous.)

(I was just kidding. Again. Be jealous. It's a reasonable reaction.)

Bristol!

Fact: I have fabulous friends.

Case in point: Joanna.

See, Joanna has been hanging out in Bristol for the last ten months, going to grad school like a boss. Seeing as I've known her for ages (EIGHT YEARS, WE FIGURED OUT. That is a LONG TIME. And we weren't even infants when we met! That makes us OLD OLD OLD.) and Megabus makes the 2.5 hours bus trip cheap as can be, I went to visit her!

She was, of course, a perfect hostess and I am so insanely thrilled to have had the chance to spend thirty-odd hours flailing around with her. 'Twas brilliant.

Since the kids had the camera, you will be treated to an Instagram montage. Complete with foolish, too-close pictures of MY FACE. Yay!

Notable happenings included:

Hiding in a coffee shop while the stupid rain pounded and catching up on years of missed time.

Walking along the water and being shocked by how cute everything is.

Seeing old buildings every five seconds, but, you know, no big deal that's only from the 1700s. Boring. (!!!!!)

Getting oodles of awesome extra info on the city because, hello, that's what happens when you prowl the streets with an archeologist.

Bemoaning people and pop culture because there are some fads that make our brains melt.

Trying and failing to bus to a castle and Costco. We asked for directions in a strange hotel, switched buses three times, and still ended up just coming back to Bristol and eating Subway to help ease the pain of defeat. It was crazy foolish and crazy awesome.

Having British children on the bus with us carry out loud, animated conversations about the differences between American and English.

Hiking up many considerable inclines.

Climbing (and climbing and climbing) a tower that let us see the whole city.

Visiting an apparently important suspension bridge. I was distracted by the sunshine. And the perfect weather. And the grassy hill that was perfect for collapsing on and almost-sleeping.

Seeing street art by an apparently famous dude. Banksy. 

SEEING JOANNA DUH THAT WAS THE BEST OBVIOUSLY.