Sep2013_Gemma’s Travels

– Part One

Gemma, who write the movie review, has gone to England and Europe for a holiday.  Yes she has saved up her money and gone on her own adventure for 3 ½ months . . . after a few tears from both of us before she flew out at 11.30pm on the 1st August.  

adventure for 3 ½ months . . . after a few tears from both of us before she flew out at 11.30pm on the 1st August.  There was a four hour stopover in Kuala Lumpur where nothing was eaten, as they fed her so much food on the plane.  On arrival at Heathrow Airport, London,  Gemma’s friend Emma and her brother Phil picked her up.  The girls hadn’t seen each other since they were thirteen years old and in grade eight.  It was a four hour car ride to Emma’s house in Newton Abbot, Devon where she is spending a couple of weeks.  

Gemma was lucky enough to escape jetlag as by the time they got home it was nearly bed time, so slept it off.  After managing to get sunburnt on her first day, it made her feel like a real tourist.  Who gets sunburnt in England!!!   

It’s been warm most days and not requiring having to put on a jumper.  One day Phil took her out on his boat around the bay and Gemma put her togs on with all intentions of going water skiing, but just couldn’t brave the cold water.  They were still out at 9.00pm as it doesn’t get dark till about 10.00pm.  People are seriously surprised when finding out that Gemma doesn’t surf, because apparently they think everyone in Australia does – pretty funny!!!

Anyway, next stop Stonehenge where lots of photos were taken.  they visited a castle at Totnes and went in the caves at Kents Cavern.  After exploring the historic building Torre Abbey, Gemma went on the Big Wheel at Cockington to enjoy the great view.  Visiting the coastal town of Paignton, Gemma then walked around the beaches and loved the cute beach huts.  On a trip to Dartmoor National Park, she was lucky enough to pat a wild brown Dartmoor pony, then on to a show in Ippelpen to see fireworks.  Another day saw them at a local country show to watch her friend, Emma, compete on her horse. 

Gemma is movie mad, so of course just had to go into the Torquay Museum to see Jack Sparrow’s real costume from Pirates of the Caribbean.  That should satisfy her need for movie stuff till she gets to any Dr Who, Sherlock or Titanic sites.   

In the middle of the night it was off to watch a meteorite shower from Haytor where there were cows asleep in the car park.  A first, in the form of an English pub lunch, was at the Double Locks at Exeter, then on to Dartmouth.  

Gemma’s last day out for this report was to Babbacombe, visiting a model village and going on the steep cliff railway down to the beach.  There was also a visit to Bygones at St Marychurch (a museum with a life-size street of Victorian shops) and had her first ride on a double decker bus.

Lisa. (Gemma’s mum)