Hello everyone and welcome to this year’s bonus blog! Though I will be covering multiple days all the events were in the same area I figured let’s just condense it into one post.
Bonus day 1
Although yesterday was the official last day of LIYSF, Issie asked me to help her to the airport as she didn’t want to travel alone. Understandably, I said yes and we had the early wake-up time of 4:00 am! Three hours of sleep is rough on any given day, but on a day like this, it really takes its toll. Missing the first train we had to catch a taxi, which cost an arm and a leg, all the way to the Heathrow Airport. Chatting, saying our goodbyes, and sharing some more tears, I had to leg it back to Metrogate House to grab my stuff before checkout. All around I probably spent 2 hours in a vehicle before 9:00 am. After checkout, I finally began the journey to Oxford since I had the privilege of touring Harwell.
Photo 1: On the road again
Finally after a combined 5 hours on the road today I am at my first destination of Oxford, the Diamond Light Source. Though it would be impossible to take a photo of the whole site, here are some of the pictures inside their facilities.
Photo 2: Entrance to the Diamond Light Source
Photo 3: Inside the Diamond Light Source
By accelerating electrons to 83% of the speed of light the facility captures photons released by the electrons into offshoots of the accelerator for research on various topics such as fossils, jet engines, viruses, and vaccines. Additionally, I visited the ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source which works similarly but accelerates neutrons to conduct research with muons. I was able to snag a picture of one of the muon detection sections in all her glory.
Photo 4: Muon detection centre
Finally, I bussed back to Oxford and called it a day.
Bonus day 2
After catching up on some much-needed rest, and blog posts, I had my sights on visiting the Ashmolean Museum and headed into town. Thankfully I had no buses to catch today so I could really enjoy the walkable nature of England’s towns once more. Reaching the Ashmolean it was time to explore the ancient world through art and archeology.
Photo 5: Bust of Commodus (head is from 190 AD)
Photo 6: Lion statue from 3300 BC
Photo 7: Vishnu statue from 1050 AD
As you can tell from my photos I was more interested in the archaeology aspect than the art. Just as I was ending my visit, Issie finally landed back home and I got to chat briefly with her over the phone. Getting tired, but hoping to explore more of Oxford I extended my stay at Central Backpackers by a day. Getting moved to another room I found myself chatting up and getting dinner with another Australian on their travels through Europe! The universe must be trying to tell me something as I am clearly an Aussie magnet over here.
Bonus day 3
Impressed (I think) with my spontaneous travel style of booking wherever I was sleeping the night before Amelia, the new Aussie, and I decided to spend the day exploring Oxford together. After getting a toasted sandwich (I considered adding some vegemite) for my late breakfast the two of us journeyed to the Oxford Castle & Prison. Originally, after its construction in 1055, this building was used to store dunk students for the night. As the years passed it transitioned from prison to castle to prison again. Holding prisoners up until 1996 it has now been converted into a tourist attraction. Whilst here we climbed up the prison tower, visited the crypt below, and even got the authentic pillory experience
Photo 8: Outside the Castle & Prison
Photo 9: View from the top of the tower
Photo 10: Inside the crypt
Video 1: My sentence
To end our time together in Oxford we visited the Museum of Natural History museum. This place is incredible. Walking through an old converted university-turned-museum was a spectacular experience. Thinking back I probably should have given this place a whole day on its own as we kinda meandered through without reading much. Today was already so information-heavy I couldn’t read anymore. Here are some of my favourite pics of the place
Photo 11: The entrance
Photo 12: Old T-boy
Photo 13: The illustrious dodo bird
No more time for fun and games though it was time I headed back to London to my final residence which I am writing to you from I still miss the friends I made and don’t know how long I can wait before I see them again. They say time heals all wounds, but I get the feeling this is the kind of wound I want to keep.