Windsor, England
On our way back from Reading, we asked our hosts at the University of Reading Farms if there was any place we should stop on our return trip to London. Without hesitation, they suggested that we should visit Windsor. Adrienne and I had considered going to Windsor on our honeymoon, but we opted for a tour that took us to Stonehenge and Bath instead. We knew that Windsor had a large castle and was a favorite residence of the Queen, but otherwise, we did not know what to expect.
I was getting a little more comfortable driving on the left, and the traffic in Windsor was nothing like what I had started the day with in London, so I drove to a car park in town beside the River Thames. The river had the largest bevy of swans I have ever encountered, as there were at least 20 floating on the surface of the river. It was peaceful to watch the swans for a little while on a beautiful spring day, especially since the river here was slow-moving.
After a while, I encouraged the students to walk into town, uphill towards the castle. The castle in Windsor is rather large, so we walked uphill to check it out. While we were in town, we also got a bite to eat, and I found a delicious Asian food takeaway where we grabbed some food and a seat on a bench in the street. A McDonald’s was nearby and was advertising frozen lemonade, which sounded delightful and easy to serve, until we ordered. One of the employees was brand new from Eastern Europe and did not speak any English. I made what I thought was a simple order: two frozen lemonades. Instead, we ended up with lemonade with chocolate chips. We tried to explain that the order was wrong, and once again, we ended up with frozen lemonade with chocolate chips. It was weird that she made this order the same way twice, and it made me wonder about the flavor combinations of her home country.
Anyway, we went back outside and waited for the students, and Windsor was a perfect side trip on our return to London. The trip would not have been possible without overcoming my uncertainty about driving on the other side of the road, and it awakened a strong desire in me to explore further by vehicle throughout the United Kingdom. Our trip to Windsor gave the students a chance to experience the charm of a small town in England, resplendent with charm, magnificent swans, and an impressive castle. We enjoyed a meal outside the castle’s ramparts, although it took a few attempts to get our lemonade without chocolate. Windsor was the perfect last stop in a day that contained so many firsts: my first time driving on the left, my first time at a foreign university, and, because I missed a turn when we returned, my first (and second) time driving across Tower Bridge. If you are visiting London and looking for a nearby day trip, Windsor is a great option.
