2017年7月21日金曜日 - 
Lucy： Memories
One of the
things that I love to do most is explore. I’m an avid fan of travelling. I love discovering new
destinations and experiencing new food and activities. And there’s no better
time to explore than during the summer. In England, the summer season can be a mish-mash of rainy days and sunny days with
no two days being the same. Of course, summer is also the season when school
has finished for six weeks, and many families are jetting off to exotic locations to embrace the
more predictable warm weather.
However, I enjoy quieter locations with
the promise of adventure: small, secluded areas with undiscovered prizes and
the promise of peace and quiet. Living in Osaka, there isn’t much opportunity to seek a quiet refuge, however, back home in the UK, there
were ample occasions to sneak into the
countryside and forget about the world turning for a few hours.
One of my favorite getaways was travelling to t
he Forest of Dean. This was my grandfather’s birthplace, so the Forest seemed somewhat akin to home. It's a beautiful place with monstrous pine trees towering over you like dark green giants, paths which seem to endlessly spiral around the forest floor with no clear destination, and lakes and ponds that appear still on the surface but which are teeming with aquatic life under the surface. There are picnic sites with families enjoying the infrequent sunny weather, children watching the ducks on the ponds and feeding them the stale bread they brought from home. But I just loved to walk. I would walk for what seemed like days through endless shrubbery, the only noise being the chatter and song from the birds, or the occasional quack from the ducks. This to me was my idea of heaven: a peaceful, serene, tranquil location where I felt like the only person in the world. It was a good place to think and mull things over.
The other place that I love to visit is
Cornwall. During the summer Cornwall becomes a popular place for families who
want a typical English seaside holiday. Cornwall also provides some of the most
beautiful scenery that England has to offer: white sandy beaches with clear
blue water and cliff faces which seem to tower over the beaches. The smell of
the salty sea air provides a different experience to a landlocked girl such as myself. And some of
the best ice cream is available here too, perfect for that unexpected heatwave.
Although the most important part of any holiday is the
break from the repetitive everyday schedule, the best part of any exploration
is the small treasures you find on your journey, whether they are the memories
which will forever remind you of the trip, the small restaurants that serve
delicious food, or the cute little souvenir shop you find. However, nothing
beats the peace and quiet that you sometimes stumble across. England can be
very busy, chaotic and sometimes even manic! But it's the small things that
make the difference and can turn a bad trip into a good trip. So my
recommendation for this summer is to go on an adventure and discover new
locations, new cuisines and new people. But most importantly, have a break from
the insanity that can be everyday life!
Have a brilliant summer everybody!
avid：貪欲な
mish-mash：寄せ集め
jetting
off：飛行機で飛んでいく
peace
and quiet：平和な静けさ
quiet
refuge：静かな逃げ場所
ample：十分な
getaways：逃避
somewhat
akin：少し似ている
monstrous：巨大な
teeming：満ち溢れる
mull
things over：じっくり考える
landlocked：内陸部に住む
Although：たとえ・・・でも
chaotic：ごちゃごちゃしている
manic：病的にハイテンション