Better late than never...England!

We had a fantastic, two-week vacation in England during July, where I was with Caroline and her parents. We had planned this trip so far in advance, that when it was time to go, it was almost surreal.

We took the direct flight from RDU to Heathrow and upon arrival, my father-in-law, Trevor, and I went to the horse races at Ascot that Saturday. It was a great setting, a very impressive venue, and just fun to watch the thousands of people dressed in their best dresses, suits, and of course hats.

We spent the next week in London sightseeing around the city and heading outside the city for tours. I loved seeing Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, and really just walking up and down the Thames River. Some of my more favorite moments were simply sitting at a bar on the Thames that Shakespeare frequented, and just having fish and chips and the world's coldest Guinness for lunch. Luckily, moments like that abounded during our trip.

On a riverboat tour with Big Ben in the background

After our week in London, we boarded a train headed north to Newcastle, where Trevor is from. We spent the next week touring the English countryside in an area called Northumberland (it is the last English county before you hit Scotland).

These towns and cities up north were my favorite part of our vacation. From Edinburgh, Newcastle Upon the Tyne, Tynemouth, Alnwick, and Warkworth -- they were all simply amazing. The fresh air from the North Sea, the castles that are awe-inspiring, to the warm little pubs with beers I'd never heard of (I definitely "tried" all of them), it was just a blast. I definitely want to go back, and go even more north next time to the Highlands of Scotland.

The stunning Alnwick Castle

It was here that I met Caroline's aunt and uncle and her cousins, their husbands and children -- all of whom I had never met before. It was great meeting Trevor's side of the family, seeing where he grew up, and simply making new friends!

Trevor and I played a two rounds of golf at the golf club he grew up playing at with his father, and I have a whole new-found respect while watching The Open. To call it windy is a huge understatement. Like so many courses in the N. of England, they're on the sea, and the wind simply does havoc to your ball while teeing off, putting, etc. Mix in weather that changes from full on sunny to rain in an hour and back again, and you'll start to understand. Regardless, the course was in flawless condition and definitely ranks as the best I've played on.

All in all, a fantastic vacation! We missed our puppy, but other than that it was an amazing trip. I highly recommend that anyone visit London for at least a couple of days, and cannot emphasize how great the northern countryside was.