Leeds

I need to apologize again for the awful writing skills displayed in the past two posts. Worn out!

We began our day yesterday as many people do- with a frantic powerwalk to the bus station in Oxford. Cailee, Kelly, Natalie, and I made it with plenty of time to locate the right bus and grab a water bottle. What transpired next.. was one of the longest days of travel ever. Our bus took us to a little stop, where we had a 40 minute 'layover' which we spent in the cafe, that resembled a portable building more than small eating establishment. Back on the bus at 11:10, and then we had another surprise bus change around Milton Keynes, where apparently another bus was supposed to take us all to Leeds. We ended up being stuck there until the bus driver was allowed to leave at 13:00, and found ourselves at the Leeds bus station a long nap later. Groggy, we were ecstatic to find a free city bus that would take us, hassle-free, to the train station. I basically ran to the platform, unaware of what time it was and if we'd be late, and ended up looking like a fool with ten minutes to spare. Our stop was Shipley, and after all this bus nonsense, our group was more than ready to make it to the flat of Natalie's friend, Mary Beth.

Let me spare you the long narrative about what went wrong and tell you that we basically went AROUND the route we were supposed to take. The initial main turn we were supposed to take was missed. Shipley saw plenty of us for the next hour or so through many failed attempts to locate the flat. A quick call from a security guard's cell, and we were finally united with Mary Beth. A little hot chocolate inside her flat was a perfect way to get settled in, and we relaxed on the couch for a bit while Mary Beth made us homemade pizzas! We watched the Bachelor online (and got pretty into it, I might add). Around 8, we met MB's friend Ellie, and walked to a local pub to talk. The atmosphere was really comfy, but the volume of everyone around us made it difficult to hear each other super well. Exhausted, we trekked back in the freeezing cold to spend the rest of the night cuddled up in the living room.

Started the day around noon with a train ride back into Leeds with MB, and she graciously guided us around the shopping district for quite some time. After lunch at a Spanish tapas restaurant, we parted ways to contiue shopping. Literally, until we dropped. Dinner at The Slug & Lettuce was delicious. I ordered a 'tostada' of grilled onions, red peppers, green beans, and other weggies with goat cheese on a tortilla spread with red pepper tapenade. I was ridiculously full.. and then we split dessert! Apple pie crumble and chocolate brownie torte. I don't want to think about food for a long, long time.

The girls and I finally made it back to the flat around 8 and have been drinking hot tea/chocolate while watching snippets of Mamma Mia online. We're coping without a tv! Overall, it's been a great 'girl' trip- plenty of relaxing and shopping. We still managed to cover a lot of ground over the past 36 hours or so, and plan on leaving the flat around 10 am to begin the journey back to home sweet Oxford.

If I don't turn into a popsicle first. Goodnight, dear readers.