Hi! It’s been a few days but I’m still healthy and busy. We left Coniston on Saturday the 7th and made our way to Stratford, stopping in Haworth to see the Bronte Parsonage. The first morning in Stratford I attempted to go to Starbucks for a quick cup of coffee before breakfast and ended up on a ridiculous adventure.

First I walked way too far past my turn, and that took me to the town square. At the town square there are four different directions. I made the mistake of going down the wrong one in an attempt to retrace my steps from the walk I had gone on with friends the previous night

The entire time I had been walking through Stratford without sunglasses. In any other English town this wouldn’t be a problem because it would be gray and rainy, but we were lucky enough to wake up to a cold but sunny morning in Stratford. Before I left I had figured the sun would remain low enough that I wouldn’t need them. I was wrong, so I was half blind for my whole trip. Once I was safely back in the house, I realized my sunglasses were in fact in my jacket pocket.

Eventually I got to Starbucks only to find out they didn’t open until 8! I was annoyed but I figured I might as well stop at the grocery store across the street to pick up some snacks and use their ATM. I wandered through the store and didn’t find what I wanted. Only when I was walking out did I realize I had brought my purse but forgotten the fanny pack that actually had all of my money. Right about then it hit me that I was lost, without money, half-blind, and cold. Right about then I started to panic

First things first I tried to get on WiFi to get directions. That didn’t work so I texted my teacher and a friend and let them know I was stranded. Then I started walking, looking in vain for anything remotely familiar. I stopped a biker and a few passersby to ask for directions and no one was much help. Eventually I circled back to the Starbucks and they were open! I got the coffee I was after and used their WiFi to sort it all out. My teacher called me and I let her and my friend know I was alright. I got directions and got back to the house in time for breakfast.

Overall it was a rather stressful way to get to know the town, but it taught me how to handle a crisis alone and keep my cool. I was proud of myself and relieved when it was over. I’m glad it happened here because I’d rather get lost in a small friendly town like Stratford as opposed to a giant city like París or London. With a better grasp of navigation, I’m excited to keep exploring this idyllic town so stay tuned!

Bon Voyage 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 E