Living in London is a lot of fun but can also be quite stressful.  Sometimes it’s nice to escape the craziness of the city and take a train to the countryside. I’ve always loved trains as they frequently evoke nostalgia. This particular journey was one to remember. I had set out (with a few friends) to explore Old Harry Rocks in Studland. This can be a bit difficult to access without a car because it requires taking multiple trains, buses, and even a ferry (or a combination of transport). We attempted to visit in January while the ferry was closed. I figured it wouldn’t be difficult to get to via bus but it turns out it was much more complicated than I thought. Due to the ferry being closed, the buses to Studland weren’t operating. In retrospect, we could have concocted a route, but the lady we spoke to at the train station advised otherwise. She said it would not be cost effective to take multiple buses to Studland. So if you’re planning on going, I’d recommend waiting for the ferry to open, or leave yourself a lot of time. I will go to Old Harry Rocks in a few months, I’m determined! So keep a look out for that post.

“ADVENTURES SUCK WHILE YOU’RE HAVING THEM”.

This is something my Dad has always said. Adventures can be stressful, tiring, expensive, and sometimes even scary, but that’s what makes them memorable! I try to look at the positives in all situations because heck, life’s too short not to! This day ended up not being our best. We didn’t end up getting to our final destination, it started raining, I tried flying the drone but then my phone ran out of battery (due to the cold), etc. It was even more frustrating because of the amount of preparation I had put into this adventure. I kept my phone at full charge while riding the trains, in coffee shops before we went to get on the first bus, and even brought a portable charger. I had researched the area beforehand to plan the route and charged all the batteries for the drone. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much prep you put in because so many things are out of your control. You have to roll with the punches. As my Nana always says, “roll with it, baby!” As I’ve grown older, I’ve noticed the beauty in that quote. Even though one opportunity was shut down, you have to see that another has opened. So, although we weren’t able to get to Old Harry Rocks, we had the opportunity to explore Bournemouth, England. And if it weren’t for this little hiccup, I probably would have never explored this small seaside town.

I had my mopey moment where I released some frustration, but then I knew crafting a plan to make the most out of the day was what needed to happen. We decided to walk through town to the beach and go on a walk. It was decently cold this day, maybe 35 degrees, then add the windchill from the sea (felt more like 25). Despite the cold, the beach walk was hopping with people. And even better, everyone was smiling. It was incredible! There were tons of cute dogs walking about, smiling adults, and children running around. There is an amazing walk along the beach that was at least a mile long, just in one direction. There is also a pier and a ferris wheel (not operating in January). There wasn’t a whole lot to do in the winter, but in the summer this place would be awesome. There were little cottages along the beach, ice cream shops, rides, arcades, playgrounds, and plenty of space for fun in the sun.

It started raining in the middle of the afternoon so we decided to stop at a local pub called O’Neills. The food was decent and the cider was even better. It was a great atmosphere. We enjoyed watching a game of rugby on the TV!

I’d like to end this post by giving a shoutout to my friends Lauren and Jenn for being great sports during this crazy whirlwind of a day:)

Here’s to more adventures and happy little accidents in the future! Cheers.

xx, Katherine