Day 121 (68): Bus Ride To The Countryside

Woke up very tired as I had been asleep for just 2 hours. Must wake because the bus here in UK don't wait. I was ready for Newcastle by 7:30AM. ^^ At about 8AM something, I went down the block to wait for DeNise and co. LOLx I'm so dogmama, went out with different group every week.

We started our journey from Sheffield Interchange boarding the National Express coach. The trip started off well with Paul the coach driver being a very jolly guy. He cracked jokes even while explaining the safety precaution procedures. I (and most people I hoped) was duped by him when he announced that oxygen masks are above our seat. =.= I really looked up.

Heading towards Newcastle, we stopped at few stations and was able to get down the coach at Leeds. There was this market selling fruits so cheaply. We wandered around the area before boarding the coach again.


There were subsequent stops at few beautiful places, including Durham, before we reached the National Express station at Newcastle. Paul was kind enough to notify us about the Angle of the North just before we enter the city. After saying goodbye to Paul, ChinOnn led the way to our hotel. Unexpectedly tidy and clean rooms for the price we paid.



After leaving our bags in the room, we went back out and hopped on a bus at the city center to Alnwick. Where's that? I also never heard of it. They said Harry Potter's scene is filmed there. Due to time mismanagement, we were late by 10 minutes and did not get to enter the castle.


We were able to get a few photos of the exterior of the castle. I, for one, did not feel that much disappointment as compared to those Harry Potter fans. The scenery surrounding the place was magnificent.



We walked to the Alnwick garden entrance without much hope, but luck was on our side as we managed to get tickets to enter just before admission close. GBP8.20. That was quite pain, but the garden is quite beautiful (maybe not as beautiful as the one at Chatsworth House).




Outside the garden, there was this tree house which is a restaurant. We got to walk into it before it open its doors to customers. The design was nice and there is also hanging bridges where children run around. The girls were screaming out of fear crossing the bridges. =.=





After finish touring the site, we boarded a bus back to Newcastle but dropped off at Alnmouth, a quiet town beside the sea. Nothing much except beaches and a golf course. The people there stared at us like we were aliens. Maybe there weren't anyone visited that little town before, or maybe we are just Asians at an odd place.



We waited anxiously for the bus back to Newcastle from this tiny little township and was lucky there was one, the last one. DeNise was so happy that she screamed in excitement. =.= She wasted her wish for that bus on the meteor (so we presumed) we saw.

Returning to the city, we walked around and enjoyed the night view along the river. We got to feel the cool breeze and admire the 7 out of the 9 bridges crossing the River Tyne in Newcastle. One particular bridge that attracted me would be the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Well, maybe because it was the only bridge my crappy camera able to capture.


Returning late to the hotel, the reception guy played a joke on us. He was so serious we thought we really need to pay extra. Maybe we were just to tired to play along with his joke. Lying on the bed watching TV shows, that was something I had not done in ages. Better sleep early as there will be more to explore around the city tomorrow. ^^