Knee Highs in the Woods

The best part of living with locals for three months is visiting both the tourist must-sees + the lesser known spots.

Windsor Great Park has been one of my favorite local joints. It's a beautiful walking trail around Virginia Waters (the lake) that includes a waterfall, Roman ruins, and many hiking trails that weave off into the woods. It is absolutely gorgeous (+ massive)!

If you are a dog lover, go here. You will see almost every breed of dog on this earth at Windsor Great Park. I even saw a German Shepherd puppy + almost died of cuteness.

In case you're curious, these shoes from Primark are the best hiking shoes I've had. (Not that I do a lot of hiking...) I found this out only by accident (I thought we were going to a large garden...) + now I wear them everywhere we go even when Katelin's parents urge me to wear good walking shoes. They are honestly better than tennis shoes. Uh, unless you're running.

Outfit Details: Dress/H&M, Cardigan/New Look, Socks/Gift, Shoes/Primark, Purse/Thrifted

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First Day

Many, many people travel these days, but I hope everyone remembers the first time they began travelling. Their first trip. Because it's amazing, insane, unbelievable.

The months leading up to getting on the plane (you know, the one flying over the OCEAN?) I didn't know how I was going to go through with it. Thoughts of flying sent anxiety bubbling in my stomach and caused my tongue to itch.

We saved and saved, and made a pretty big mistake in acquiring our money (nothing illegal) for the tickets, and it felt like a miracle when we finally got the  e-mail with out printable plane tickets. And when I boarded the plane and flew across the Atlantic ocean? I had a blast.

8-hours to read magazines, play Farmville, and sleep was fantastic.

Landing in London, driving on the 'wrong' side of the road, going to bed in England that first night... it was surreal. My heart fluttered every time I let myself believe that I was here, that I had traveled to another country, that I had enjoyed an 8-hour plane ride.

I will hold that giddiness with me for the rest of my life; I hope everyone gets a chance to feel that wonder and excitement, and I hope everyone retains that memory.

Our first day was very simple. Katelin's step-grandparents picked us up in the morning and took us out for lunch at The Swan in Ash Vale, Surrey. Delicious.

The pub was absolutely adorable.

What I was most excited to see in England was the architecture of their towns, villages and neighborhoods, and I was not disappointed. As a Harry Potter fan now staying in a neighborhood that resembles Privet Drive, I was wide-eyed and toothy-grins!

Back at Katelin's grandparents house, I was too excited to be in England to just hang around, so we took a stroll through their (also adorable) neighborhood down to the park.

Oh, England, how you woo me.

Have you been to England? What was your favorite part?

Outfit details: Dress, H&M / Leggings, gift / Cardigan, gift / Shoes, Minnetonka Moccasins / Purse, Antique from England

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