As many of you know, I needed to find another location that is not part of the Schengen Visa agreement. After a fair bit of research on various subjects (temperature, costs, accommodations, access, etc.) I decided to take a few weeks and explore Wales in the western part of the United Kingdom. The more research I did, the more I realized that Wales offered me many things I was looking for in a destination. Wales is the forgotten part of the United Kingdom; most people think of Ireland, Scotland, and England before thinking about Wales. This also applies to me, making it a perfect destination to explore.
The flight from Bordeaux to Bristol, United Kingdom, cost me around $200. This is similar to taking a long-distance train across France and cheaper than flying to many other destinations. Traveling during the summer months can be expensive; I, on the other hand, have the luxury of exploring different destinations and taking advantage of travel deals when I see them. It is a fun way to travel!
To get to Wales, the closest international Airport is Bristol, England. I am excited about spending a few days in Bristol! The city is known for its excellent gastronomy and vibrant modern culture. When I booked this trip, I was in Lourdes, France. The daytime highs in the UK were expected to be in the low 80s. Unfortunately, I appear to have brought a heat wave from France with me, and temperatures in Bristol and Wales are expected to soar into the mid-90s the first few days I am here. I am not pleased. AC is not standard here, as the Atlantic breeze usually keeps the temperatures lower making AC an expensive and useless luxury.
After a two-hour flight aboard EasyJet Airlines, I land in Bristol. Below is the EasyJet plane we arrived on. EasyJet is a Swiss-based low-cost airline that services most of Europe. Similar to Southwest or Frontier Airlines in the US. I booked with EasyJet as the cost to travel to Bristol was half that of British Airways. The flight was enjoyable, and I have zero hesitations about flying EasyJet again in the future.
When I deplane, I notice that the air is considerably more comfortable here. It is a little past 2 pm, and the temperature is in the high-80s. It is supposed to warm up to the mid-90s today. My phone tells me the humidity is slightly lower here, contributing to the pleasantness that I feel. Below is a map of where Bristol is located. Wales is the yellow region immediately northwest of Bristol.
I find a double-decker bus, the Bristol Airport Flyer, which regularly travels from the Airport to downtown Bristol. I jump online, pay my 8 quids, and board the bus that is already parked waiting for passengers. I climb to the top and sit in the front. With the big window, I can easily see across the landscape; of course, I need to look around the bug stains on the windshield, but you get the idea.
After leaving the bus station in Bristol, I make my way to my Airbnb. I rented a room here for around $50 per night. Bristol has an intriguing vibe, and I can't wait to explore it. Below is one of the lovely pieces of street art that I pass. All street art is considered graffiti but not all graffiti is street art, or is it?
I pass by lots of different types of street art. My initial reaction was to leave out the photo below because it reminds me of graffiti back home. I pause and consider my response and bias further. Finally, I decide to take a picture. After exploring my initial reaction to what I see before me, I determine everything I am seeing is art, and I shouldn't edit my experience as this is what Bristol is. Sure some techniques are more refined or appealing, but I think it is only because their forms are more recognizable to me. As I stand there taking the photo below, I notice that each bay is a layered display of several types of street art that appear to have changed with the times. Looking carefully, you can see at least three types of shapes and forms in each bay. I love how they layer. Also, notice the other types high and right in the photo.
I arrive at my Airbnb around 5 pm. Louise has provided me with room in her quirky old house in Montpellier (refer to the blue home below), a neighborhood in Bristol. First, she gives a quick tour of the place. The bedrooms are upstairs in the front of the house, and the only bathroom is downstairs in the back of the house. The staircase creeks with every step, a wonderful charm of old houses. Louise tells me, "There is a new restaurant nearby, the Caper + Cure. It is getting mad reviews, Darling." Louise says Darling after nearly every sentence; it is lovely.
This weekend is the International Balloon Fiesta in Bristol, the hot air balloon capital of the world. The event has not taken place since 2019 due to Covid. My research revealed that it was the capital, but somehow I missed it was Fiesta weekend. What great timing, and I am looking forward to experiencing it! When I bring it up with Louise, she tells me how to get to the event and recommends I take the train and walk across the Clifton Suspension Bridge. "It's a bit of a walk, but you'll be fine Darling," she says. She tells me the morning mass ascent at the Fiesta starts at 6 am, and I would need to leave around 5 am. I laugh and tell her I haven't gotten out of bed at 5 am in over two months. That will be a stretch considering how tired I am today.
This is the first night of the Fiesta, and a night glow is scheduled at 9 pm. So I decide dinner needs to be my first order of business, then I'll make my way to the Clifton Suspension Bridge. So I walk to the Cape + Cure. I am famished and order fresh sourdough with a 1/4 bottle of Spanish White Wine. Then I order Hake and mussels on a bed of orzo rice with leeks. Man, the Brits know how to cook Hake! A lovely white delicate fish that is very common and related to Cod, but far superior in taste.
After dinner, it takes me 10 minutes to reach the Montpelier train station. I pass by these colorful apartments or houses, I am not sure. The one on the left catches my attention, and I make a mental note that I need to explore the street art of Bristol. In my brief travels, I have uncovered many great artistic displays; there is bound to be more.
I reach the Clifton Suspension Bridge around 8 pm. It should take me another 20 minutes to walk down to the Balloon Fiesta. Unfortunately, the bridge is closed tonight. They close the bridge during the evening of the Fiesta to protect the old bridge from the resonance created by the heavy pedestrian and car traffic resulting from the Fiesta. So, I stop and join the rest of the crowd, hoping to see a glimpse of the Night Glow below. No Joy! At around 930 pm, I decide that this scenic vantage point will not allow me to see the festivities tonight. My train back is scheduled for 1001 pm, so I choose to make the 20 min walk back to the station.
I arrive at the bus station around 10 minutes to 10 pm. A loudspeaker announcement is made as I sit down on the bench, informing me that the 1001 pm train has been canceled. Hmmm, now what? A quick assessment reveals I have three options: 1) walk home, my phone says about an hour and 20 min; 2) wait till 11 pm and hope that train does not get canceled; or 3) download an app on my phone and take an e-scooter home, a 20-minute e-scooter ride.
When in Bristol, right? I download the app on my way to an e-scooter parking area. The app tells me it would cost me £ 0.99 initially, then £ 0.16 per minute. A quick calculation tells me this new experience will cost me around £ 4.00. I enter the 4-digit e-scooter number into the app. Then I quickly fail the reaction time test, designed to evaluate whether I am sober. I laugh at myself; I was unprepared for that. I try again; this time, I quickly outpace the app. Finally, the lights on the scooter turn on. I jump on, start Google Maps for the best path home, and place my phone in the cradle on the handlebars. Below is a designated parking area for e-scooters. Bristol uses a single company, Voi. The green lights are battery meters on the scooter; they are either green (> 50% power) or red (< 50% power).
The 18-minute ride to a nearby designated Parking Area cost me £ 3.49. Not too bad. I also enjoyed the ride, which was a huge time saver. Notably, in Bristol, e-scooters can only be used on the streets, and they have become so common that vehicles treat them as other vehicles. Despite this, I stayed off busy roads and navigated my way home via side streets. I notice many women take e-scooters. I suspect it is much safer and faster than walking alone at night.
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