Traveling With Lola

When I first stepped off the train to Bath from London, my glassy eyes and sleep deprivation were no match from the familiar sense of wanderlust, manifesting itself as that familiar dumb grin that I can’t seem to wipe off my face. It was a short walk from the train station to my hostel and Bath Backpackers was a major upgrade from my well-worn London stay (though it may have just been my association of the location as more comfortable and joyful). My first afternoon in this Roman settlement included several hours of wandering this city with no plans, followed by a free walking tour, fresh laundry, and a desperately needed nap.

During my initial exploration, I walked up the steep hills, captivated by its never-ending golden Bath Stone townhouses, an architectural style of Georgian origin from the 18th century, and I was delightfully unaware of the passing of any amount of time. I kept imagining what it may be like to live in a place so authentic, yet just contemporary enough. What could’ve been 10 minutes or 2 hours into my initial walk, I googled how much it is to rent an apartment here (it’s expensive 😣). 

The next few days were equally as captivating. I explored the must-see spots of Bath, including the Roman Baths museum and the Bath Abbey. An hour long train ride shuttled me to nearby Salisbury, a day trip adorned with the sites of downtown of this quiet town, an abandoned fort Old Sarum near the city and the highlight of the day trip: Stonehenge.

Stonehenge offered another sense of wonder and awe. While you cannot walk directly up to the stones, I found it amazing to imagine the 1000s of years of history of this historically-sacred area. There is a meaning and appreciation of this place that is lost on many of the 1+ million tourists that visit annually, who care enough to get their perfect shot for instagram, but don’t care enough to read the plaques or walk a few hundred feet to visit one of the other dozens of creations in the same area, from burial grounds to guiding paths. 

One lovely evening after a picnic dinner on the lawn of The Royal Crescent, I followed my feet for yet another walk up the cobbled streets into a hillside neighborhood of the town, weighing the benefits of group travel versus solo exploration. I just watched groups of friends laughing and drinking champagne picnicking together, which left me with an unfortunate ache of FOMO. I continued to climb the steep, narrow roads until I reached a familiar shaped crescent building, but not one I had previously visited. I crossed the road to get a better view of the far hillside, dotted with lovely houses across the valley, lit up by the setting sun. And what I saw made me physically laugh out loud in delight: sheep. On the hillside. Grazing on the grassy lawn. 

There were at least a dozen, mozy-ing around the hillside with no cares in the world. As I followed the narrow path on the fence outside the hill, a large, fluffy sheep sat less than 2 meters (around 7 feet for my fellow Americans) away from the fence. She was unbothered by my presence and just batted her eyes at me as her two lambs lounged nearby. I asked her if it would be ok for me to sit with her and then I did, both facing the sunset and occasionally each other. It was so peaceful and calm. I’d be lying to say I didn’t shed a few tears while sitting with her and looking out over a view I couldn’t even process in the moment. 

This place showed me the joys of the little things— grocery shopping for every meal just to get a fresh pastry, little cottages that dot the countryside, enjoying a croissant for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the best boxed shortbread cookie I’ve ever had, a dog who tried to steal my cheese, the posh locals, and the simple yet scrumptious afternoon tea I enjoyed. And this is the beauty of Bath.

This place was a reminder that it’s nice to slow down to enjoy the small joys of travel in between the big monuments and must-do things. Next time your travel is feeling overwhelming, keep your eye out for a sheep that can stop you in your tracks.

Watch my solo backpacking Bath adventure here: