Ever since I came in England, I always dreamt to see those landscapes, those greeneries, nature, what I have been seeing on the pages of calendars and movies since my childhood. And finally York fed my eternal hunger.
We, all the flatmates, have been planning to go somewhere for a bit longer unlike any day trip, what we could afford. After the successful day trips to Bristol, Bath, Portsmouth & South-sea, we all haunted ourselves to travel more. Very honestly speaking, we started looking for a way to break through the monotonous "student" life in London and somehow, the travellers spirit wake up within. We kept on checking ticket prices, mostly everyday, planning to go somewhere really "real far". Thanks to National Express and Easter deals! Being very much expensive and time consuming we postponed Scotland tour and got some tickets on "MegaBus" for York. Yayyyyyy!! Deal was on Megabus plus and we were paying £21 each that includes return. Journey covered rail service from St Pancras Rail station to East Midlands Parkway, Nottinghamshire (2hrs journey) and then bus from the station to York (3hrs). Hmmm, I was thrilled and so was everyone as long as we could wake up early in the morning.
Finally, the day came up, the cloudy and quite not-so-cold 27th day of March. We were supposed to set off at half six in the morning and to get quarter past eight's train. And as usually, some of us wake up late, ended up having an unsuccessful session at the loo and with a heavy heart burn. We finally left home after having breakfast at half seven. Some of us were backing off, saying, they would not be going cause we were going to miss the train anyway. Yet we started, no one knows what we gonna get!
York, situated at the heart of Yorkshire, the largest county in United Kingdom, often called as "Gods own country". York hold one of the finest histories and heritages of United Kingdom. Being originally build by Romans in 71AD, it used to be called as Eboracum, named by the inhabitant English tribes. Later on in 415AD it was taken over by Angles, renamed as Eoforwic and finally became York after the Norman Conquest. Also another interesting fact is, York city is surrounded by a wall, a protection wall,which originally was built in 71AD as it was a Capital city of the province Britannia Inferior [read more]. Sadly that wall has been mostly replaced and destroyed as (by historians) Romans were poor at repairs (as described by the historians). The wall around the city at this moment, was finally erected between 12th to 14th century. Very historic! All these things provoked us to make some plans to visit all places, where we could blend into the history once again!
Train was leaving in 15 mins and let me tell you delightfully, we were still in the train. Panic stretched out in our little minds!! Only good news was next stop, It's Kings cross St Pancras!!
So far, we had our booking made to a youth hostel costing £12 each. That was a 3 bunk bed room with a youth already staying in as we were a group of 5. We did not have a clue where to stay the night we reached there, neither, any hotel had any vacancies. Amio bhai said he was going to stay in McDonalds which is open overnight and Mizan agreed to him. But others were clueless and scared as the night would be colder. Apart from a stay over, everything was well planned as Amio bhai is sort of a permanent resider of York, being travelling there on millions occasions. Yet, we planned to visit, York Minster, St Mary's ruins, York City walls, Museums and more and also some restaurants!
Train's leaving in two minutes and its too hot in the train. As we have been running along the platform to get the train, we ran out of breath. The apple juice I have been carrying all the way from home, came handy. Finally we settled down and enjoyed all the landscapes passed by the train. Only wished we could stop and take some snaps. We got off the train at East Midlands Parkway Station (Nottinghamshire) and the first glance blown away my mind! A power station by the station in the middle of nowhere. Just green wavy landscapes.
I even felt the same, while crossing countries sitting in the bus. It was so beautiful, green fields, lazy sheep wandering around in herds, rolled down dry golden grasses, suns ray through the forecasted clouds, more power stations ... it was amazing, I hardly can forget.
As we got little off the city, we had to board into another bus to travel from there to the city centre. The place we stepped off was Askham Bar (Bar means gate in ancient Roman language) and regular bus services runs from every local places to the centre of York, costs only £1.80 one way and £2.30 return. If you are planning to get a bus pass for whole day, costs only £3.70 which is apparently unnecessary as York is a very small town and better to walk around (I said Yorkshire is the largest county not York!!). After a quarrelsome session, we finally decided to get one way ticket to York Rail station as we had some excitements in mind.
York city centre was amazing and a profound energetic place. The time we reached there it was around two in the noon and it was full of visitors and foreigners although it was cold and actually nothing came into our mind apart from food. All we were looking for that time was, food stores, precisely, cheap ones!
We planned to go to Wetherby, as it was described as a very interesting place to see landscapes. also planned to go to Whitby, which is one of the best beaches of Yorkshire. But as going there would be a tremendous loss of time. Moreover, we wouldn't get any buses from there to come back as the next day was Sunday, when they have a very limited bus service or nothing at all!
McDonalds was so ful, we couldn't even get a place to stand. Somehow we managed a seating space but was that important? All I needed was that Big mac large meal, mmm I had my best lunch ever!!
Wetherby was just 45 minutes away. It is actually a market district in West Yorkshire, has been awarded as "best floral district"on several occasions recently. Situated on the bank of River Wharfe, it has a historic water fall. We actually headed there to see this waterfall. Apart from that, I found it hardly interesting, rather a village for fun loving people who still travels from there to York, on weekends.
It was very very cold, and more than that, it was windy. I got cold and started shivering which ended up with a fever. And let me remind you that, we dont have any bookings at any hotels yet!
In London, Saturday night means, clubs and bars, pubs and restaurants, partners, couples, love and kisses (well, heaving stomach around is another, if you really count). But as we leave off central, we never get to see them much and in our own country, do not even think! Tonight was an exciting experience, we blended into the crowd, and watched people getting drunk, drinking, and again getting mad! It was getting colder as the night grew, yet we saw people halfway naked and DRUNK! All I was praying, I could feel that warmth like them. In the mean time we had our dinner at a local KFC after towering weariness, looking for hotels.
And yet no luck with hotels. We were marooned.
We, all the flatmates, have been planning to go somewhere for a bit longer unlike any day trip, what we could afford. After the successful day trips to Bristol, Bath, Portsmouth & South-sea, we all haunted ourselves to travel more. Very honestly speaking, we started looking for a way to break through the monotonous "student" life in London and somehow, the travellers spirit wake up within. We kept on checking ticket prices, mostly everyday, planning to go somewhere really "real far". Thanks to National Express and Easter deals! Being very much expensive and time consuming we postponed Scotland tour and got some tickets on "MegaBus" for York. Yayyyyyy!! Deal was on Megabus plus and we were paying £21 each that includes return. Journey covered rail service from St Pancras Rail station to East Midlands Parkway, Nottinghamshire (2hrs journey) and then bus from the station to York (3hrs). Hmmm, I was thrilled and so was everyone as long as we could wake up early in the morning.
Finally, the day came up, the cloudy and quite not-so-cold 27th day of March. We were supposed to set off at half six in the morning and to get quarter past eight's train. And as usually, some of us wake up late, ended up having an unsuccessful session at the loo and with a heavy heart burn. We finally left home after having breakfast at half seven. Some of us were backing off, saying, they would not be going cause we were going to miss the train anyway. Yet we started, no one knows what we gonna get!
York, situated at the heart of Yorkshire, the largest county in United Kingdom, often called as "Gods own country". York hold one of the finest histories and heritages of United Kingdom. Being originally build by Romans in 71AD, it used to be called as Eboracum, named by the inhabitant English tribes. Later on in 415AD it was taken over by Angles, renamed as Eoforwic and finally became York after the Norman Conquest. Also another interesting fact is, York city is surrounded by a wall, a protection wall,which originally was built in 71AD as it was a Capital city of the province Britannia Inferior [read more]. Sadly that wall has been mostly replaced and destroyed as (by historians) Romans were poor at repairs (as described by the historians). The wall around the city at this moment, was finally erected between 12th to 14th century. Very historic! All these things provoked us to make some plans to visit all places, where we could blend into the history once again!
Thanks to these traditional York sign posts, saved our times, mmm a little!
Train was leaving in 15 mins and let me tell you delightfully, we were still in the train. Panic stretched out in our little minds!! Only good news was next stop, It's Kings cross St Pancras!!
So far, we had our booking made to a youth hostel costing £12 each. That was a 3 bunk bed room with a youth already staying in as we were a group of 5. We did not have a clue where to stay the night we reached there, neither, any hotel had any vacancies. Amio bhai said he was going to stay in McDonalds which is open overnight and Mizan agreed to him. But others were clueless and scared as the night would be colder. Apart from a stay over, everything was well planned as Amio bhai is sort of a permanent resider of York, being travelling there on millions occasions. Yet, we planned to visit, York Minster, St Mary's ruins, York City walls, Museums and more and also some restaurants!
Train's leaving in two minutes and its too hot in the train. As we have been running along the platform to get the train, we ran out of breath. The apple juice I have been carrying all the way from home, came handy. Finally we settled down and enjoyed all the landscapes passed by the train. Only wished we could stop and take some snaps. We got off the train at East Midlands Parkway Station (Nottinghamshire) and the first glance blown away my mind! A power station by the station in the middle of nowhere. Just green wavy landscapes.
Thats me peeking (and shooting from back)
I even felt the same, while crossing countries sitting in the bus. It was so beautiful, green fields, lazy sheep wandering around in herds, rolled down dry golden grasses, suns ray through the forecasted clouds, more power stations ... it was amazing, I hardly can forget.
Power plants
Mind blowing landscapes (well this photo is not at all mind blowing whatsoever)
Yet, it had to come to an end; after two and half hour journey from East Midlands Parkway we reached York. And all we knew that time, "we were starving" ...
As we got little off the city, we had to board into another bus to travel from there to the city centre. The place we stepped off was Askham Bar (Bar means gate in ancient Roman language) and regular bus services runs from every local places to the centre of York, costs only £1.80 one way and £2.30 return. If you are planning to get a bus pass for whole day, costs only £3.70 which is apparently unnecessary as York is a very small town and better to walk around (I said Yorkshire is the largest county not York!!). After a quarrelsome session, we finally decided to get one way ticket to York Rail station as we had some excitements in mind.
York city centre was amazing and a profound energetic place. The time we reached there it was around two in the noon and it was full of visitors and foreigners although it was cold and actually nothing came into our mind apart from food. All we were looking for that time was, food stores, precisely, cheap ones!
Date with Pigeons ... comfy?
Shambles (details in next part)
Old and lusty electric!
The famous Road train. Best for tourist to visit all the attractions in York
We planned to go to Wetherby, as it was described as a very interesting place to see landscapes. also planned to go to Whitby, which is one of the best beaches of Yorkshire. But as going there would be a tremendous loss of time. Moreover, we wouldn't get any buses from there to come back as the next day was Sunday, when they have a very limited bus service or nothing at all!
Oh cant forget the diner at RAMADA McDonalds
McDonalds was so ful, we couldn't even get a place to stand. Somehow we managed a seating space but was that important? All I needed was that Big mac large meal, mmm I had my best lunch ever!!
Welcome to Wetherby
River Wharfe and the famous waterfall
It was very very cold, and more than that, it was windy. I got cold and started shivering which ended up with a fever. And let me remind you that, we dont have any bookings at any hotels yet!
* * *
In London, Saturday night means, clubs and bars, pubs and restaurants, partners, couples, love and kisses (well, heaving stomach around is another, if you really count). But as we leave off central, we never get to see them much and in our own country, do not even think! Tonight was an exciting experience, we blended into the crowd, and watched people getting drunk, drinking, and again getting mad! It was getting colder as the night grew, yet we saw people halfway naked and DRUNK! All I was praying, I could feel that warmth like them. In the mean time we had our dinner at a local KFC after towering weariness, looking for hotels.
At KFC
And yet no luck with hotels. We were marooned.
Part 1 Continue to part 2 part 3 part 4
good one buddy...keno j ami thakte tui photography te nojor dish nai r keno j amra york jai nai...:(
ReplyDeleteMosharrof naki??
ReplyDeleteLuck dosto, tai to boltesi abar UK theke ekbaar ghure jaa, Swiss tour thekeo aar bhalo kichu pabi ekhon!
Interesting to read:-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Selena, hope you enjoyed it. Its not as good as your though. Keep following, as the most interesting 2nd and 3rd part is on the way to be published!
ReplyDelete