After a few more days of sightseeing around London, we parted for our trip to Wales! This was a little nerve racking seeing as neither of us had ever been on a train and we didn’t know how long the process would take – but come to find out, it was very quick and extremely easy to figure out. We were given the warmest of welcomes by my Great Aunt Elaine and her son Nigel (my mom’s first cousin). First things first… TEA! I’ve had more tea in the past 3 days than in my entire life combined. I’m at least acquiring a taste for it, and although Jacke drinks it at home occasionally, it’s a whole new ball game over here.

We’ve been trekking around pounds of Jolly Ranchers and Twizzlers to give Nigel’s children, because this decadent candy evidently can’t be found anywhere but the States; so considering our limited backpack space, we were just as excited to give the candy as they were to receive it. They literally jumped up and down in their school uniforms and when they opened the bags, said “ohhhh it even smells like America!!!” Our hearts were full.

After tea and an amazing lunch spread (note, we have been living off of PBJ’s), Elaine, who is 80 years old, recommended going on a hike (she may be the only person we know with more energy than me)….So we headed up the mountain literally in their front yard, and had immediate views of the different towns, beaches, churches, and rolling hills of sheep in each direction. For each hike Jacke does, she is rewarded with a glass of wine. This was in order prior to heading to town. We also went for another Fish & Chips “take-away” dinner, and of course I wanted to cover my eyes when Jacke ordered a spicy chicken burger in front of my Welsh aunt. I can’t take her anywhere.

For me, this trip wasn’t as much about the beauty of the country, but the family heritage and past times of my relatives. Ronnie is the brother of my grandma, whom were both born in England, but raised in Llandudno, Wales. I was able to walk the same streets where she was raised, see the houses she grew up in by the ocean, and visit the home my mom grew up in before she became a wild “cowgirl” dancing on tables and crashing my high school barn parties (jk mom. you are real a cowgirl).

Next, we visited the site of my great grandparent’s grave, and where we plan to lay my grandma to rest in the near future. This was a bitter sweet moment, but happy she will finally be reunited with her parents.

Day 2 was the day we were both looking forward to most! Nigel and Elaine took us down to Conwy to see the town and bay area. We knew about the famous castle built in the mid-late 1200s, and this was one of Jacke’s most anticipated sites of the trip, but the 25-30 ft walls enclosing the entire town were a huge bonus that we weren’t expecting. To actually be there after all the google images we had looked up and all the times we had spoke of it, was just surreal. It was wild to see how they have just added roads and shops throughout the city over the years, yet we could still walk around the entire ancient town (think of Dubrovnik, Game of Thrones, for a more famous example). We then went and visited the world’s first suspension bridge ever made, prior to heading to another Castle (they are everywhere around here) called Beaumaris. This was more like the one you would anticipate in Robin Hood with the moat surrounding the building and a draw bridge in the front. I would have thrown Jacke in for a swim, but I didn’t see any alligators or crocodiles like in the movies.

After a few more scenic drives and sites, we headed over to Nigel’s for a Pimm’s (fruity adult beverage they apparently drink at Wimbledon) and afternoon desserts. We finally got to meet Karen, Nigel’s wife; who lived up to the all hype of being such a joyful and kind soul (and Jacke’s new BFF, with their shared love for fun and wine). We shared a few laughs at the kids as they were scarfing down the candy, and Nigel yelling “you look like a gerbil on cocaine!! Slow down!” – Everything is better in a British accent.

The final full day of our stay was designated to Jacke and I exploring the town of Conwy again, and actually going into the castle. I think she’s starting to get a little castled out, but I can’t get enough of them! We spent a couple of hours downtown exploring the different crevasses of the town, and then went to explore another area with a rich Welsh History. We visited the Tu Hwnt i’r Bont for tea (yes, again) and scones in a building made for midgets…. Not necessarily, but the building was built in 1480, so everyone appeared to be that height over 500 years ago. Best scones I’ve ever had in my life and I stole Jacke’s, per usual!

We then had our final meal of the trip to celebrate the children finishing school for the year and what was most likely a celebration of Jacke and I leaving them for good. We had another amazing meal (we both look like pale oompa loompa’s right now), and afterwards, a walk to the sea and around town with the family. Nigel and Karen surprised us by taking us and the kids on a night ride in the back of his pick-up truck, around the Great Orme. It is basically a cliff/peninsula that overlooks the gloomy stormy seas coming in, with wild sheep covering the steep cliffside. We all giggled like little children in the back and the kids had us rolling in laughter as we listened to loud music and Jacke basically had lyric battles with them (not quiet like the movie 8 mile, but close enough).

Next, we visited another vantage point overlooking the town before heading to another sentimental spot on the list. Jacke and I got to see exactly where my Grandad and Grandma were married, some 60 odd years ago. We were able to take pictures in the exact same spot as their wedding photos, which we had gone through just weeks ago. This was very touching and the perfect ending to a perfect stay with family in Wales.

Takeaway from the past week: 1. We felt safe as could be during our entire trip to London (so go!). 2. No matter how many (or how few) times you’ve met your family, make sure you spend as much time with them as possible. 3. don’t try to focus and be productive on a train, as screaming babies and groups of girls talking about the process of menopause in other accents can be distracting 4. We may throw up if we attempt to have any more PB&J sandwiches for lunch.