July 21st - Farmoor
Hi!
Today was one of those days that started slow but turned into an unexpected adventure.
I woke up early for breakfast and brought back some fruit for Connor before crawling back into bed for a little more sleep. (Breakfast ends at 9am sharp, and I didn't want to miss it.) A little while later, there was a knock at my door. It was Connor. He looked at me and simply said, “Wanna go for a walk?” And off we went.
First stop: the Covered Market. Connor grabbed another one of his infamous cold quiches to eat with his hands. He’s becoming a bit of a local spectacle, judging by the looks he gets.
We headed west out of Oxford, navigating some construction near the train station and making our way into Osney, then further into Botley and up Cumnor Hill into Chawley.
We eventually reached the village of Cumnor and stopped for lunch at The Bear & Ragged Staff. I had a burger with fries and chocolate fondant for dessert. The burger came with “burger sauce” (which was basically Thousand Island dressing), plus pickles, onions, and lettuce. A good, solid burger. I also grabbed some ketchup and mayo on the side for dipping. Classic move.
After lunch, we walked north along the B4017 through Filchampstead and finally made it to Farmoor Reservoir, home of the Oxford Sailing Club. While we were admiring the view, the skies opened up, and rain came pouring down. There were sailing lessons for children going on, and due to the storm (and risk of lightning), the instructors pulled the kids off the water and into a nearby building.
I managed to find shelter under a gazebo at the entrance to the reservoir, where the lesson signup table was. As worried parents arrived, many rolled down their windows and mistook me for staff. “Crummy job, huh? They’ve got you standing out here in the rain?” one said. I eased the parents' worries by explaining that the children were sheltered in the club building just up the ramp. So I guess I had a temporary job as a helpful local while waiting out the rain!
After the rain died down, I found Connor, who was sheltering in a nearby restroom, and we continued north into Farmoor.
From there, we took a bus back to the Oxford Railway Station, picked up some dessert for later, and went back to our room. According to our pedometers, we walked a total of about 10 miles.
After resting and studying for a while, I went downstairs into the kitchen to help prepare dinner. Tonight, we had honey garlic pecan chicken and pasta with a giant brownie that we split. I wasn't sure that I'd like the dinner (due to the sweetness), but it was actually pretty tasty! After I ate, I did the dishes and went back to my room to continue studying.
And that's another day in Oxford. Come back again soon for another entry!
