Cambridge with a Scholar

Ah Cambridge, I feel so smart, everything was so cute, everyone looked pretty hip (and rode lots and lots of bikes). And we got a tour with our very own scholar, our niece, Lilypily. Woohoo!

I've been busting to see where Lilypily hangs out in her awesome university world, so we jumped a flight from Paris to Luton then the train into London, another train to Cambridge - and we were there, in this gorgeously quaint, sunny fairy land of incredible Jane Austen looking architecture, and an air of deep academic knowing and with a teeny bit of collective panic thrown in (fuelled by the BIG end of year exams in a couple of weeks).

Our wonderful personal local tour guide and scholar, was able to spare us a few hours each day to eat, drink, and hang in the local places. We walked and walked past the most incredible buildings and aura of history - the sun was shining, everyone was in singlets and shorts to take advantage of the sun, the birds were chirping, and all the students seemed to be having a fab time.

We stayed two nights in a cute little loft that was a quick walk to Lilypily, and we walked and bussed everywhere. We even headed to the outer burbs for our tick encephalitis vaccine (which you can't get in Oz), given to us by a fabulous Nigerian chemist whose brother lives in Perth. We ate scones, chelsea buns, went to a couple of pubs, watched the punting, and went to a couple of libraries. Mike was excited to see Isaac Newton's hand written notes in the Kings College Library, and I just oohed and aaahed at the buildings and stain glass windows.

After two days of glorious weather we awoke on Thursday to a cold overcast English spring day - jumpers were put on, we packed our bags and headed back through London to Luton to grab our flight back to Paris, where another of our young family seemed to say hello at the airport drinks fridge! Luton is an experience in itself, the flight was PACKED, but we got back to our cool little airport hotel, had an INCREDIBLE Moroccan restaurant meal nearby (and I even had a glass of red), and slept 9 HOURS (the jet lag has been a bit gruesome)!!! I can't believe it.

I'm writing this at the TGV station at Charles de Gaule - we're on our way to our friends in Champagne to get the bikes together, some admin done, eat great food, drink some incredible champagne, and then head off on our Big Bike Year. WOOHOO!

Big love to you Lilypily, and thank you.