UNEXPECTED JOURNEY TO WALES AND EVEN FURTHER

There’s no point in making plans. I think I have written it here a few times already. It is nice to have one, but they are quite often being changed by someone up there. Sometimes- luckily. All you have to do is just let it happen. I mean, you shouldn’t become careless of what happens in your life, no. Maybe you just need to ask the life what are its plans.

People are simply too small to argue with the circumstances.

I wanted to go to Winchester. Why? Because the weather forecast for Wales was ‘heavy rain’. I thought I will have enough time for going there later. How wrong was I? 

“Hi! Are you driving in the direction of M3? Winchester?“

That’s how it works in UK. Only places, where is possible to hitch-hike are petrol stations. There are highways leading to every point of the country. And it’s forbidden to stand beside the highway of course. The best petrol station is called Cobham services. It lay on  the London ring-road. It takes usually 10 minutes to get a lift in every direction from there. At least when you are not trying to get to Winchester. That one is a little more complicated.

“No. But I can take you to the nearest services. It would be probably easier to get a lift from there. “

He seemed to be a nice guy. He was wearing a grey jumper, earrings and I noticed a tattoo on his hand. That time I thought about him as one would about a normal driver. One of thousands. I didn’t know then, that this ride would be special.

“Where do you drive?“

Such a normal question. I always ask people where do they drive. And from where. As a hitch-hiker, I am only a short-term passenger for them. Usually. 

“To Swansea.”

That’s in Wales. Exactly where I wanted to go before the weather claimed not to be good. It was before I decided to make a short trip to Winchester.

At first, it was just an idea. Then I started to consider pros and cons. Then I decided. To change my plans and go to Wales. I don’t know why. It just felt right.

Five minutes later was the car basically floating on the highway covered by water. So that’s what the Brits call ‚Heavy rain“. Despite that, I still felt the decision right. Carl is a cool guy.

“Do you like beaches? “

Well, I am probably not that ‚lying-on-a-beach-whole-summer‘ person, but I like beaches. And a sea. You know, we do not have it in Slovakia.

“There’s one beautiful place few miles before Swansea. Do you want to see it? “

“Sound’s good. Why not ?”

Did you ever saw that TV advert presenting Tulamore Whiskey? Yes, I am aware that the Tulamore is Irish !!! However the place I want to tell you about, looks exactly like the one from that advert. So watch it if you haven’t already (I am not trying to promote anything) There are four men walking the green, hilly valley in such a peaceful rain. The same valleys are in Wales. You have never seen that kind of green! Here and there you can see a curvy little stone fence. Exactly the same like the one on which are sitting these four mentioned men, singing and drinking Tulamore. And there is also that kind of stone church!
 I have never been to Ireland. I fell in love with Wales though.

Through this breath-taking country leads a motorway. It goes through hills, bends itself in loops and at its end you will find a beach. Small one. Protected with rock cliffs from both sides. In that moment, while standing there, you won’t mind the rain anymore.

“Do you want to see one small Welsh village?“

“Sure.”

“Good. My mom’s living in one, we can stop there for a tea and coffee.“

I asked him what is worth of seeing in Wales before. He obviously decided rather to show me.

I would never find most of the places that we were driving through. I would also never be able to see it all during one day and without getting wet. It was a great day. One of the best of my almost two months long journey. Unbelievable, how can someone who was just a stranger few hours before, change your day, way and plans. He called it Welsh hospitality. I call it -the proof that people are still good, despite we keep calling the world a bad place these days.

PS for Carl: If you are reading this, I had a good time. THANK YOU! And yes, I am already fighting with Welsh pronunciation.

PPS: I really appreciate what have you done for me, but I am sending you those money back. I managed my trip without them and they are sure more needed somewhere else.

PPPS: I hope you will visit Slovak High Tatras one day as you said.

I ended up in Swansea that day. I was walking its streets for a few more hours, until the night came. Then I went to the petrol station, where I met Lauren, the nice shop assistant and a man that gave me a lift to the nearest services, just like that, despite that it was far away and he was not even driving that way. Also a cleaning lady from these services, who came to tell me, that it’s more comfy to sleep on the sofa than on a chair if I want to stay there for a night. And a lorry driver with his dog Max, that he saved and now they are travelling together.

PEOPLE ARE JUST AWESOME AND IT’S A FUN TO HAVE YOUR PLANS CHANGED SOMETIMES

I arrived to my aunties house the next day, just to realize, that I am not going to work in Flensburg from 1. October as I’ve planned, but in Munich. That is so damn far away! I had to take a first possible plane back to Denmark (lucky that I saw Wales already), so I would pick up my luggage and say goodbye to my friends. Kolding had been something like a crossroad for me in the last few weeks. I was regularly showing up there and I have to admit, I didn’t like the idea of never coming back. I didn’t like the idea of moving to a city that is 830 km away, completely new and strange neither!!!  

IT’S REALLY ANNOYING TO HAVE YOUR PLANS CHANGED SOMETIMES. BUT I STILL INSIST ON THAT STATEMENT  ABOUT GOOD PEOPLE.

  

 

     

My awesome auntie came with a new plan, gifted me with a skateboard and a duct-tape and drove me to the airport. Friends from Kolding helped me to make that plan work. I've got a bare new suitcase! DIY. Beat that! They also found and printed a bus tickets for me, as there was no possibility to get to Munich in two days by hitch-hiking.

Right now I am sitting in that bus and thinking, what life prepared for me for tomorrow.

BECAUSE YOUR PLANS ARE JUST CHANGED FROM TIME TO TIME, THAT’S LIFE

 So thank you one more time people. For all the help. Thanks to you I am where I am. And despite that it was not according to my plans, I believe that everything is just like it has to be. I hate leaving. However, I really hope it is not for a long time.   

Well, like Charlie said, "Why should I say goodbye! See you later !"  So see you later friends :)