End of Year 1 in Oxford

6 more days in Oxford, until we fly back home to South Africa for a month.

Athol passed his first year of studies! So we're back in September.

Our lease at college accommodation also expires this month. We had to find alternate accommodation for the second year, as college and university accommodation has a waiting list. There's been some advantages of being in college accommodation - it's serviced once a week, it's relatively cheaper than market accommodation, internet, electricity, water is all included, toilet paper, rubbish bags and kitchen sponges are replaced.

We managed to find furnished accommodation in Summertown for Year 2. It's a walk to the Summertown shops and a 12 minute bus ride into the city centre. It's a 2 bedroom flat - the second room is small but can be used as a study which is great for Athol. I will have to figure out how council tax, water and electricity all works now, will have to subscribe for internet ourselves. Nonetheless we look forward to our second year in Oxford.

Some of our wonderful memories and favourites of our time here:

• Our favourite Indian food is from Saffron - my favourite is the Chicken Tikka Masala and Athol's is the Vegetable Masala
• Our favourite Chinese restaurant is Xi-An in Summertown. Their Tofu and Cashew Nut dish is delicious!
• Favourite cooked meals - We invented "Oxford stew" which is made up of onion, cabbage and mushrooms in a brown sauce - Athol's favourite! Also amongst the favourite were Tofu Stir Fry and Tofu Curry - my new inventions while here in Oxford which are absolutely delicious!
• Favourite shows - How I met your Mother, 70s Show
• Athol wrote a bicycle in the garden - it's been years since he has rode a bike
• We tried growing chickpeas and celery but didn't last :(
• Tesco home delivery was great - at 3GBP a month it's worth it

We will start to pack up as the movers will collect our items on Thursday morning and store it until we are back.

The weather has been great, we've had sunshine for a week and the sun only sets at 10pm everyday :) not looking forward to the winter in SA :(

We've had a great time here and look forward to the second year! 

 

Boat Cruise to Iffley Lock (Oxford)

Summer has finally arrived in the UK, with temperatures in the late 20's this week.

We decided to do a 40 minute boat cruise from the Folly Bridge in Oxford to Iffley Lock and back. We discovered Salters Steamers a boat cruise company who charge 7.50 GBP, compared to the Oxford Boat Company who charge 12 GBP for the same trip. They offer cruises on the hour so we boarded the 16:30 cruise. It was a medium sized boat, probably for about 20 people. We went down the Thames River and saw the university boat houses, there were also a lot of children playing in the river.The boat went along Christ Church Meadow and we saw a lot of parked canal boats. A pleasant boat cruise.

Trip to Wales - Part 3 Hay-on-Wye 24-27 June 2016

We spent 3 nights in the little book town of Hay-On-Wye which is on the border of Wales and England. There are 20+ book shops in this tiny town - book heaven for Athol and any book lover :)

The famous Hay-on-Wye Book Festival took place early June. So we missed it but still was fun to explore this little town.

 Came across this art piece of books at Richard Booth's Book Shop - apparently the first book shop.

 This is the Wye River.

 Hay Castle

Honesty Book Shop at Hay Castle. Pay 50c for paperbacks and 1GBP for a hard cover and place your coins in the container.

Trip to Wales: Part 2 Tintern Abbey

We visited Tintern Abbey on 27 June 2016. Tintern is a tiny village in the Wye Valley. It's really beautiful. The breath-taking ruins stand gloriously in the valley. The building is incredible, built in the 1100's over a period of 400+ years.

Today, it towers into the heavens without it's roof but most walls standing perfectly.

These pictures don't justify the grandness of this Abbey.

To enter is costs 6GBP per person. Parking is 3GBP but you can get that deducted at the entrance of the Abbey or at the Anchor Inn.

Amazing to think how they built these walls so long ago...

We had lunch at the Anchor Inn afterwards

.A fun day exploring Tintern Abbey. We then head up to our next stop... Hay-on-Wye :)

Trip to Wales: Part 1 - 3 nights in Brockweir

We haven't had a holiday in two years so decided to take some time out and relax. This year has been hectic - Athol with his studies and me with Read to Rise (and all the other things we are working on in between!).

Athol wrote his final exam on 13 June 2016. It was 3 hours and he had to write 3 papers. There are so much traditions at Oxford University. All students write at the University Hall and you need to dress up in Sub Fusc (the traditional gown and bow tie with cap ). You can't wear the cap yet as you haven't graduated so you must carry the cap with you. You also need to wear a carnation. A red one means it's your final exam. A white one means it's your first exam and a pink one for exams in between. This is an important exam, if you fail you get kicked out the program and leave with nothing. If you pass you can proceed to the second year. So now we wait for the results. 

On 24 June 2016, we hired a Kia C'eed from Hertz- luckily no international drivers license is needed as long as you have a valid drivers license and passport. We drove about 2 hours to Brockweit, which is a little suburb near Tintern in Wales. We stayed at Hunter's Lodge, which is a beautiful cottage up in the mountains with beautiful views of the Wye Valley. The property belonged to late painter George Weissbort and his wife Rebecca. There were lovely paintings by George around the cottage. We were fortunate to meet Rebecca who lives on the property and she showed us more of her and George's paintings in their house. Such a delightful quiet retreat. We even made a fire one night.

The beautiful view from the cottage

George Weissbort's book of paintings

 The poet getting some inspiration

 Painting by George Weissbort