Rtw ’23: Week 8

Throughout Week 8 of my journey I felt like I was always on the go, which was vastly different from the end of my time in Spain where I had plenty of time in one place. The week began in my favorite place: at sea. Even there, though, I was met with some unexpected challenges. During the rest of the week, I spent time in multiple towns in the UK, utilized various modes of transportation, made some amazing new friends, met some beautiful people, and learned a thing or two about the heritage and history of the UK. My agenda was jam-packed, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing as much of each place as possible, and immersing myself in all the UK had to offer me. As I close out the second month of RTW ’23, I’ve been reflecting on what’s working and what needs adjustment. Along with missing the longer daylight hours, I’m really missing walking or biking most of the day. There aren’t going to be opportunities for much of that in the UK this time of the year– it’s quite cold and rainy, which aren’t desirable conditions– so I’ve added exercise and yoga to my daily routine.

Before I left for my RTW trip, I sat down with Mentor Worldwide LLC — the company that I received my breast implants from after my double mastectomy — and spoke with them about my journey as a breast cancer survivor. They came to my home with a full crew including videography, makeup, and hair. It was just like being a celebrity for a day! They spent the entire day with me– interviewing me, recording me, spending time with me, and getting the full inside scoop on my experience. Through the magic of editing, they turned the entire day into a 5 minute video, and then posted my story on their LinkedIn page. If you’d like to take a brief glimpse into that part of my journey, please follow this link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/breastimplantsbymentor_support-from-the-inside-out-activity-7122944900794351617-2N3Q?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios. Surviving breast cancer doesn’t define all of who I am, but it certainly is a part of who I am. I am thankful to be able to call myself a survivor, and for being able to trust my body today. After all, my body has allowed me to take many magnificent adventures, including RTW ’23!

On Wednesday I woke up early, anxious to start my voyage from Spain to the UK. I gathered my belongings, ate a light breakfast, and checked out of my hotel to head to the ferry dock. Upon arrival, I had to go through customs before boarding. While there, I saw a sign that said no knives are allowed, which was quite problematic because I had my trusty Swiss Army knife on my person. I’ve grown very attached to the knife, and its features are really helpful during travel, especially the scissors, bottle opener, and 2″ knife that I use to cut my food. I showed my knife to the officer who immediately said “no”, but when I asked “por favor?”, he took it to look it over. A few minutes later, he returned and handed me my knife, saying, in English “don’t kill anyone in Spain”. So, I got to keep my Swiss Army knife– which I am so thankful for– and hope that UK customs is as accommodating, especially with the promise to not commit murder! Once boarded, it was so much fun to watch the RV’s get in line to drive on the ferry. It was odd to see the drivers wheel on the other side of the vehicle, yet driving on the right side. Watching the RVs made me think of my friend Debbie and our conversation about her future RVing life. The ferry itself, massive and beautiful, reminded me of a larger version of the ferry at Martha’s Vineyard. It’s so cool to me to see the parallels to home while traveling around the world. We departed at 11 a.m., and what started as smooth sailing quickly turned to rough seas. About 2 hours into the ferry ride, the ship started tossing and turning. I stayed at my reserved lounge seat for awhile, watching some episodes of the Morning Show to distract my brain from the nausea starting to settle in my stomach. I didn’t want to admit that I might be getting seasick, especially considering I had Dramamine with me but didn’t think that I would need it, so I didn’t take it ahead of time. In the moment, there was nothing to be done. I started getting a slight headache, too, as if my body knew that I was not feeling well but my brain was still in denial. Before I knew it, I popped up out of my seat to make my way towards the facilities on the ship. I made it to the bathroom… mostly in time. Struggling with working the heavy doors, I managed to get most of the vomit, which smelled like the prior days orange juice, into the toilet. I staggered back to my seat and fell asleep for a little while, thankful for the reprieve. When I woke up, however, the motion on board was much worse. I staggered down a deck, holding the rails from one side to the other, to find the information booth. The person there was a very nice French woman who gave me a pamphlet on what to eat and what not to do during the duration of the voyage. She suggested a sea band bracelet and cola (to drink after the fizz subsided), so I went straight to the duty free store to buy the items. I was skeptical about the bracelet, but the coke seemed to calm my stomach a little. I was hungry after losing all of the food I’d eaten that day and wanted to try taking an advil, so I ate a piece of flatbread that I brought with me. Lo and behold, a few minutes later, I was back at the toilet, and the flat cola and bread came up about as quickly as it went down. The information desk person also suggested staying in the center of the ship on the lowest level for passengers, which was level 7, so I found a spot to curl up on a cushion and listened to yoga mantras through my headphones. I was really sad that this seafaring girl could not seem to manage the situation. It took a lot of effort to not project how I would manage, or not manage, all of the upcoming sea voyages, but I knew that staying present in the moment and not focusing on the future was the best thing to do. That, and going with the rhythm of what was happening, not trying to fight it or deny it. I love Mother Ocean, and I’m happiest out on the open water, so I closed my eyes and let her rock me to sleep. I woke up some time later stiff and cold, so I went up a level to my lounge seat and got my jacket and more clothes, then went back down to my safe spot in the middle of the ferry. The next time I woke up, around 3 a.m., the swells were slightly less, so I went back up to my lounge seat where I was able to lay in the recliner, almost like laying flat on a bed, and fell back to sleep, hopeful that the next day would feel better.

When I woke up on Thursday morning I felt almost human again. What a difference just a few hours can make! The ship was humming along with no large swells and I could see land on the starboard side. I went to the information desk to ask what land I was seeing from the ferry, and to ask what time we expected to stop in France for a crew change. The crew member answered all of my questions and went on to explain the weather conditions from last night and today. I was so thankful to hear that the rest of our voyage would be calmer than the previous night! We had a nice conversation and he encouraged me to visit France when I had the opportunity. He admitted that last evening was very bad and that their returning voyage in the evening would be as well. Normally, they would not stop at Cherbourg, but because the Tuesday ferry was delayed, the ship was stopping to change crews and pick up passengers on the Thursday regular passage from France to the UK, most of which, he said, were English retirees who spend their free time in Spain or France. I was hungry and no longer nauseous, so I went to the tapas restaurant. I tried a small croissant and green tea to test my tummy, and things were looking up, so I wandered outside to the ship deck to look at the Cherbourg harbor where I was pleasantly greeted by a full rainbow! The day was definitely a 180 turnaround from yesterday. Keeping track of time, language, and place proved to be a bit of a challenge on the ferry. The vessel flies a French flag, but the crew– at least on this journey– was French and Spanish, and depending on who I spoke with, the language barrier could go either way. Time was British from the beginning, so that was fairly easy to track in theory, but time felt different on the ferry. The food in the tapas restaurant was British (full British breakfast with baked beans and grilled tomatoes), but the charges were in Euros. All announcements started in French, then turned to English, and finally ended in Spanish. Since I began feeling better, I could appreciate all of these nuances, but last night my brain just felt so scrambled. I definitely just needed to make it through the night! After a few more hours on the ferry crossing the English Channel, it was time to leave and go ashore to Portsmouth. As I was waiting to depart, I spoke with a British couple, Jane and Graham, that I had chatted with the day before when we were boarding. We expected to cross paths during the voyage, but the bad weather had kept everyone to themselves. It was nice to see them again and share how we had all made it through the nasty storm. They had been returning from their home in Bordeaux, France, which they had recently sold. They were very interested in my travels and it was really nice to have a full and easy conversation in English! We departed the ship together as friends, and Jane gave me a hug before we got into our cabs. My welcome to the UK was made even better when I was greeted with a double rainbow towering above me in the sky! It was a very good welcome, indeed.

On Friday, I spent the morning walking around Portsmouth. I didn’t have a lot of time in this particular city, so I saw what I could that was nearby my hostel. It was a beautiful day when I left for my walk, but dark clouds rolled in just as I got to the turnaround point and I ended up getting absolutely drenched on my way back. Luckily, the hostel had a dryer, but my beloved jeans were soaked through, so much so that I had to wring them out by hand, and I didn’t have enough time to dry them completely, so I had to pack them wet, which was a very heavy addition to my pack. Thankfully, I didn’t have much walking to do so it wasn’t a huge issue today, but it’s something to consider moving forward. I left my hostel at 1:00 p.m., bags in tow, and arrived at the train station around 1:40 p.m. I hopped on my train and enjoyed a smooth 2 hour ride to Wareham, my sister town. A little back story: When I was interviewed by my town newspaper before I left to go on my trip, the interviewer asked if I was planning to visit Wareham, England when I went to the UK. I said that I hadn’t considered it, but that it might be a good idea for a stop. So, about 3 weeks ago, I looked up Wareham, UK on the web, and on their town website there was an email to “contact us” listed on the site so I went ahead and reached out. I received a response back from Jackie, who is the town twinner, and she informed me that she would be out of town during the dates of my visit, but connected me with Jenny, who was in town and willing to host me during my time in Wareham. Fast forward to today: I walked ten minutes from the train station to Jenny’s home in the town center, and I got to meet Jenny in person! It has been absolutely lovely getting to know her. She is a widow who has downsized to a smaller, adorable, cozy home (where I felt very much at home myself) and has a passion for bell ringing. She has traveled the world ringing English bells in the US, Europe, Asia and of course, locally in Wareham. Her husband was born and raised in Wareham and studied ants at the research center nearby, but passed away from cancer a few years back. He was a very accomplished author and bell ringer himself– that’s how they met– and they have two adult daughters. Spending time with Jenny is like connecting with an old friend, and I am so thankful to be able to share my sister town with such a beautiful soul. In the evening, Jenny took me out to a charity dance supporting the Double Act Drama Club for their upcoming performance of Agatha Crusty and the Health Spa Murders where we danced the night away! It was a night full of very upbeat music from a live band, Arish Mel, and never-ending dancing. The event itself is known in the region as “English Ceilidh”. Basically, it was like attending a barn party (but in a building) where the band played energetic music and the attendees dance energy matched the beat of the songs– which included a mix of Folk, Jazz and a plethora of other influences. Jenny introduced me to everyone as “Sharon from Ware-am (the h is silent here) Massachusetts; she’s just arrived a few hours ago!”. It’s awesome to have first-hand knowledge from a local resident while also feeling so embraced by the local community as a whole. There’s so much more to explore, and Jenny has a full agenda planned for tomorrow. It’s incredible to wind up somewhere brand new and already have a full social calendar!

Jenny had a full packed day for us on Saturday and jokingly kept saying that if I was staying longer we’d have more time. But I only had a few days, so she made sure to fit in as much of Wareham as she could for me before I departed. I had no idea that there was so much to see and do in the UK Wareham! In the late morning, after enjoying a delicious breakfast that Jenny prepared, we walked to the farm market where we perused the vendors and eventually bought some meat pies to bring home for lunch later. Afterwards, we went to town hall and met with Margaret, one of Jenny’s many friends here, to look over a photo album from when she had visited Wareham in the US, and New England in 2000 as part of a rotary exchange program. It was so cool to see photos of my hometown while sitting in a town of the same name across the world! Jenny seemed to know everyone in town, which I was quite thankful for, as it added so much value to my time there. After that, Jenny brought me up to the church tower to watch the bell ringers training. It was an absolutely incredible spectacle to see all the women ringing their bells, allowing their vibrations and rings to permeate the atmosphere. I captured a video (posted below), though it doesn’t do it justice. Following the bells, Jenny brought me to the town museum, where I returned a short time later to do a walking tour with Heather, a Wareham native volunteer at the museum who studied architecture. There were many similarities between my Wareham and the UK Wareham– both are on a tidal river near the ocean and both have a rich history tied to naval battles and businesses the utilize shipping goods. It was nostalgic for me to be in a small town that reminded me so much of home, and it was a treat to be so welcomed into the community, thanks to Jenny. After the tour, Jenny and I drove out in the pouring rain to see the beach. When it pours rain in Wareham, the roads turn into rivers, but Jenny expertly navigated the winding roads to the seashore. On the way home, we went by Corfe Castle and were met with a rainbow as a treat! I suppose that the pouring rain isn’t so bad when there’s a rainbow to be found afterwards. In the evening, Jenny brought me to a rotary fundraising event: Halloween race night! It was so much fun to meet more local people, enjoy conversation, and end the evening having fun with the community. During our time together, Jenny shared a lot about her life in Wareham. Aside from being a pinnacle in the community, she is also a published author of 3 books. She has been an English Bell ringer since she was 13, and I learned so much about bell ringing and its rich history in England through her. Her late husband, Graham, was the Tower Captain bell ringer before his passing. Their shared love for bell ringing is how they met, and her continued bell ringing keeps him close to her heart. My visit to Wareham was way beyond my expectations. Jenny was a very gracious host, and within such a short time I felt like we had been long time friends.

On Sunday morning, I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast with Jenny in her kitchen and then we said our goodbyes. It was difficult to say goodbye to Jenny, and my heart felt heavy having to leave after becoming fast friends. She took me into her home and really immersed me into Wareham, UK, and I am so thankful to her for not only opening her home to me, but for opening her heart and community as well. She gave me a big hug, then sent me on my way with a sandwich and salt & vinegar crisps for the train. I walked to the train station in the rain– something I need to get accustomed to here in the UK– and boarded my very crowded train to Birmingham. This past week was the school 1/2 term break here, so there were a lot of families on the train, leaving standing room only. I stood for the first hour and a half carrying my backpack, then found my assigned seat when the train cleared a bit at the Reading stop. I was grateful to sit down for the remaining two hours to my final destination. Thankfully, my hotel was only one block from the train station. After I was checked in and settled, I spent some time walking around a few blocks– it was fun to be somewhere new! The Christmas markets were already set up, and although I’m only passing through Birmingham, it was fun to see people shopping and getting into the holiday spirit. I finished the evening with some pizza for dinner, then went to sleep, excited to embrace another brand new city in the morning.

On Monday morning, I checked out of my hotel in Birmingham. I only had a little bit of time there– it was just a quick pit stop before Liverpool– so I wanted to make the most of the few hours I had in the morning there. I made my way over to a huge mechanical bull in the New Street station. It was absolutely massive and well worth the few minute walk it took me to get there! After I saw that, I took a twenty minute walk to find the Black Sabbath heavy metal bench along one of the city’s canals, which was a pretty cool spot to stop and briefly rest my feet. Once I continued walking through the city, I noticed that there was a fair amount of trash. The city itself has a very edgy vibe with a post industrial feel. The University of Birmingham is here, which is a well known engineering college. There were also Turkish barber shops and quite a few Indian restaurants, but other than those staples, I was hard pressed to find endearing qualities. Even the shop clerks and staff that I encountered were not at all friendly or helpful. I was glad that I decided to only make a quick stop in this city. The residents of Birmingham are known as “Brummies”, and upon looking up the city, I discovered that it is the second largest in the UK and is known for being edgy and unfriendly, so the vibe matched the reputation. So, a huge mechanical bull and Ozzy will be what I remember about Birmingham! After I saw everything I needed to see in the city (which, notably, wasn’t much), I made my way back to the train station, hopped on my train, and made my way to Liverpool. The easy two hour train ride northwest was much more relaxed than the crowded ride on Sunday, for which I was thankful. As I was riding the train and looking out the window, I noticed that the horses here wear raincoats! We were going too fast to take a proper picture, but it was so funny to see such a large animal in a coat! My hotel was only a few blocks from the Lime Street train stop and about twenty minutes to the major attractions and ferry port. So, after I arrived and checked into my hotel, I walked around a little before it started to pour, and I could immediately feel the music and arts vibe in Liverpool, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Live music poured out of several pubs and, despite the rain, there were a few street musicians perched under awnings, pouring their hearts out through various types of music. There is an arts display in town this week called “River of Light” and I found one installation at town hall. Tomorrow morning I have a walking tour scheduled, so I’ll get more information on the art displays as well as the inside scoop of everything I need to see while I’m here!

Tuesday proved to be an eventful and informative day in Liverpool. I woke up and enjoyed a full breakfast at Lovelocks Cafe and then headed toward my destination for the walking tour. The weather has gotten much colder with continuing rain and dampness which has taken some getting used to. I’m definitely not in Santiago anymore! It’s kind of surreal that just a few weeks ago, I was walking in the blazing sun, covered in sweat, and now I’m trying to find as many layers as I can to stay comfortable in the cold rain. Most of my pack is filled with hiking clothes– with the exception of my jeans (which I continue to be thankful for purchasing)– so it has been mildly challenging to get my outfits just right. Nonetheless, I persevere, and for now, I have exactly what I need. Robert, the tour guide, was a plethora of knowledge and insight on the city. We covered a lot of ground from all of the UNESCO heritage buildings, to Albert Dock, to the Beatles fame Cavern Club. Before the tour, I was under the assumption that the Beatles were Liverpool’s claim to fame, but I learned that there was much more to the city’s history, and subsequent rebirth less than twenty years ago. Unfortunately, Liverpool was a major slave trade port. There is an international slave museum at Albert Dock where locals and tourists alike can learn about that dark part of the city’s history. During this part of the tour, I learned that during the transatlantic slave trade, Liverpool was responsible for the forced migration and brutal enslavement of millions of people. This continued to have significant social and economic impact on Britain after the trade was abolished. During the 18th century, over 5,000 slaves ships departed from Liverpool, and by 1800 three quarters of all English ships involved in the slave trade were fitted out in the port. There are other museums as well– all public ones are free– and I will return to the area tomorrow to spend some time in as many as I can. Another staple of Liverpool is the Central Library. It’s a beautifully remodeled building which serves many purposes, including the home of a business center, a dedicated family space, and holds the Liverpool Record Office and Archives. It also houses the historic grade II listed Picton Reading Room and Hornby Library, along with 15,000 rare books. Liverpool City Region itself is steeped in history built on maritime heritage and world trade influence. In 1715, the first ever commercial wet dock opened in Liverpool: the Old Dock, originally known as Thomas Steer’s Dock. Because of Liverpool’s strategic port, during WW2, Liverpool was the second most bombed city (with London being the first) in the UK. In 1911, the Royal Liver Building opened as the headquarters to the Royal Liver Group, holding significant historical and cultural importance to the city of Liverpool. Its adorning towers are the mythical Liver Birds, said to protect both the city and sailors coming into the port. In 2008, Liverpool became a European Capital of Culture, a transformative experience for the city. Not only did it offer a stage to show the world the creative brilliance of the city, but it led to real, bottom-line benefits in terms of its visitor economy and improvements to infrastructure. As Robert gave us the highlights of the city, I began to see just how much there is to do, so I decided to extend my time in Liverpool and stay for a few more days than originally planned. It feels pretty wonderful to be able to make decisions like that on a whim! That’s the wonderful part about not having every day booked and ticketed. If I like a place, I can adjust and settle in for as long as I please, and Liverpool is one of those places. There are shops, restaurants, museums, and a very friendly and open atmosphere here, and I want to soak up as much of it as I can!

It’s been a full week in the UK, and in many ways, it felt like coming home. I lived in Middlesbrough, England with my family for three years when I was 7 years old during the Beatles heyday. So, of course, it’s no surprise that I’d want to linger longer in Liverpool. It’s more than pure nostalgia, though– it has a similar vibe to Bilbao: a port city that has gone through many trials and dark times, and yet now comes out transformed, welcoming people from all over the world. I’m so glad that my journey is taking me to places in the world with such a rich, albeit sometimes dark, history. The lessons from the past can help transform our current times and teach us a lot, and I am humbled and grateful to be a student of history, and the journey, alike. Until next time, dear friends: stay safe, stay healthy, and always remember to make space for what brings you joy.

She lapped against the shore
restless like the sea
ready for any adventure
that blew along her way
-Atticus