Last weekend I decided that we should do something a bit different on the weekend, so we went off to Cambridge. It's quite a quick train journey from London (a bit over an hour from King's Cross or Liverpool Street Stations) but also quite expensive. It was £15 per person one way! And even more infuriating was the fact that there were no ticket gates on either side or inspectors.... most irritating.
The first thing you notice when you get off the train at Cambridge is all the bicycles parked there. Cambridge is a big cycling town (reminded me a little of Canberra in a way) which is great, because apart from all the environment and health benefits, there is a lot less car noise than in London.
We started our weekend break by walking around and trying to find somewhere to stay. At the tourist information office if you want to get a list of hotels/b&b's etc. you have to buy a book off them for 75p. This guidebook has a short list of things to see and do in Cambridge, some maps, as well as a listing of hotels, bed and breakfasts etc. with contact details, ratings and prices. If you want the tourist into office to book a room for you, you have to pay them a 10% deposit and a booking fee of £3. We bought the guide book and rang around some places ourselves.
There weren't many vacancies, but we ended up finding a decent B&B not too far from town. Netley Lodge, 118 (?) Chesterton Road, Cambridge (I'll put the phone number up when I find it!)... it was £35 for a twin room (she doesn't have any doubles) with a shared bathroom and T.V. in the room. It's a very nice house and the lady who runs it is very friendly, if not scarily happy and cheerful! (I think her cheeks must have ached from all the smiling and polite talking) Only criticism is that the breakfast was a bit small compared to what you usually get (scrambled egg, as opposed to scrambled eggS), but it was nice and was actually filling.
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That night we just had some drinks in a few of the different pubs, as well as a dinner at a pub near we were staying, and 'Jesus Green'. We also had a wander along the river and watched the punters for a while. Most of the Brits were more concerned with the world cup qualifying football match against Germany.
| Although the day had been quite warm and sunny it gets rather chilly at night with the breeze that comes through the town, so while all the brits were outside in tehir singlet tops at the pub, we were huddled up inside with our drinks (well it wasn't that cold, but not exactly warm either!). The houses are so English countryside quaint around the area I felt at times I was in a country-ish village. Especially walking home over a bridge and through the berry bushes. |
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Next morning after our breakfast and goodbyes to the B&B we walked back into town and booked ourselves on a guided tour from the tourist office. They cost £7 pp and that includes entry to King's College and Chapel, which is well worth the visit. Our tour guide was a lovely old lady who seemed to have the same over cheerful problem as the Bed and Breakfast lady! (and bad jokes to boot, but I suppose that's expected of tour guides!). |
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 This is one of the only post boxes with Queen Victoria's initials on it rather than Queen Elizabeth II |