Day 6-Bath

From my last post, my sister and I caught the train from Brighton to Bath. Before I get to that part of the story, let me tell you about the morning.
      I awoke, after crashing at 1 am, feeling completely rested and refreshed at 7 am. I decided I would take a shower and do my hair before breakfast and finish packing before our train. After my shower, I blow dried my hair. Which, when I do that, I look like a white Diana Ross. My hair is afrotastic. Got the converter and began straightening my "luscious" locks. 5 min into doing my hair, and about 1/4 of the way done, I hear this "POW!" look down at the converter only to see black smoke coming out. Yes friends, the converter blew up. Sad part about that is, my hair wasn't finished and I hadn't done the other side. So trying to save as much heat as there was left from the straightener I tried to do the hair framing my face.....it didn't work. And I looked like a frizzy freak. So braid day it became. My sister laughed, I laughed, but I was secretly crying and cursing the converter out on the inside.
We finished packing, and headed down to breakfast. VOILA! The dining hall had a FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST BUFFET! Heaven to my eyes, nose, and stomach. We FILLED our plates, grabbed some tea (uh duh) and devoured our breakfast. It was the first full meal breakfast we had had since leaving the States. It was delicious. And we were full.
    We checked out of our hotel and headed to the train station, and after about a half an hour of people watching, our train was ready to leave the platform. My sister and I were still on a bit of a concert high from the night before and therefore our train ride was an hour's worth of laughing and being absolutely 100% goofy. At one point we pretended that the train was a horse and we galloped in our seats lassoing the air.
    Few station stops and platform changes and we were on our way to Bath. The journey was long, long enough that I fell asleep. Which never happens. Unfortunately it was a short snooze, because being that it was a Saturday, there was a rather rowdy group of women in our car that were having a Hen Weekend, and apparently it began the moment the train began to move. Wine at 2 pm. Class. Pure class. Luckily they didn't get off the train in Bath. But when we arrived at the station in Bath, there were plently of other Stag and Hen parties commencing because there were loads of same gender groups roaming around the streets in interesting attire. Cheers!
Next on our list after disembarking the train was to find our B&B. Should be a synch really because Bath isn't too big and the directions say it's only a ten minute walk. BAH! HA! JOKE!
    It was a 30 min walk. In a weirdly shaped circle/square/figure 8. My sister was convinced she could find it. I was growing weary of her up beat attitude of finding the B&B only because she was making us walk all over the town and backtracking more than 3 times. And I was very self conscious of my frizzy hair.
    FINALLY. WE FOUND IT. HALLELUJAH. I was beyond excited because (1.) My bags somehow gained 20 lbs. (2.) My sister had run over my feet with her 60 lb suitcase more than once when walking over Bath. and (3.) My hair. My hair. My hair.
    We knocked on the door and were greeted by an elderly woman (who I am pretty sure had she not owned a B&B, she would have had 20 cats.) who asked us firstly if we wanted any tea or coffee. "Tea of course!" was our reply. Off she went to the kitchen to get us tea and biscuits. We put our stuff down, filled out the paperwork and just sat down to breathe. She brought out a tea pot, cups and a plate a piece of 4 chocolate chip shortbread Scottish dogs. So delish. Yum. Then she went over what there is to do and see, what we wanted for breakfast the next day and so on. She waved her finger at us when she discovered we were only staying for a night and staying in the Cotswolds for 2 nights. Then she asked us what we were planning on seeing in Bath, we told her. Then she goes "Oh dear, what time is it? Oh 3:15pm. Well you better hurry, things close up around here at 4pm." "OH! Really! Okay, well we should probably get moving." Half an hour later.......our host was still talking to us about everything there was to do in Bath. Then other guests arrived and she told us she would go check them in and then she'd come up to our room in about 5 min to show us our room stuff..(My thought, we knew what a bed was, and a bathroom...but alright.)

(Our one and only photo of our room....haha)

20 min later....she came to our room. It was now 4:05pm. And according to her, that meant everything was closed. Cool. She showed us our room stuff and then my sister and I quickly threw our stuff down, grabbed our cameras and headed out to the city of Bath. My number one thing I wanted to see was the drug store so I could buy a hair straightener. My sister had other plans though. We just missed the tea time at the Jane Austen tea room. We walked around the Royal Crescent, The Circus and the shopping center. I then told my sister, "UH I need to go buy a straightener NOW." "Oh, right. Really??? I mean your hair looks awesome Katie." Awh jee thanks. Feeling the love. 

STRAIGHTENER PURCHASED! And a bottle of nail polish. And some tangfastics. And digestives....And a tummy ache....nahhh.

    (Royal Crescent)

   We headed back to the B&B seeing as it was getting close to 6pm and we had plans that evening to see our dear friend Antonio perform at Oxjam. I did my hair, which took about 20 minutes plus 5 minutes of me going "'oH my gosh.' 'Wow.' 'Awesome.' 'I look fantastic.' 'Stupid Converter.'" But straight hair did I get. YES.
Next I slapped on some makeup (not really but that would be awesome if you could just slap it on and be done with it....) Changed my clothes and off we headed, into the cold and dark night for some food.
    We walked all around trying to find a pizza joint we spotted earlier in the day. It was now nearing 7 pm and we were about to give up hope when my sister goes, "HEy! That's the pub Antonio is playing at! Cool!" I looked over and as we were walking past I spotted Antonio. "Annie! He's in there! I see him!" She goes "REALLY!?! Well we have to go say hi! I mean we are here!" In my mind I was like uhhh but I need food first, and to mentally prepare myself for this reunion. But oop, we were crossing the street. We walked up to the window/door, he looked over, I waved. Annie opened the door and Antonio got up gave Annie the biggest hug ever, I was still outside, seeing as she had just opened the door, Antonio comes over to me grabs me, gives me probably one of the best hugs I have ever received (Like top 5 best hugs list) and carries me inside whilst still in hug mode. Awesome. :)
We chatted for an awkward 5min. Then said we were gonna go find some food, since he wouldn't be on for another hour and a half. My sister and I found the pizza place! Quickly ordered, scarfed down our food in 15 min. And left. So American of us. Shameful.
    We headed back to the pub, bought our tickets. I was weirded out that no one asked to see I.D. but it felt like I was cool....soooo....ha.
    We watched him do his set, which was fun to see! Got stared at by 3 dudes and a girl. Interesting moment that was. 

(Here's him performing Sound of the Girl Next Door, Singing)

   And then after Antonio finished, he asked us what our plans for the evening were. My sister's reply, "Uh hanging out with you?" We decided we would head back to our B&B and wait for Antonio to finish packing up his guitars, then we would meet him at a pub. 

    15 min later. It was pub time. Pub time is ALWAYS a good time in England.
My sister and I, arm in arm, walked to the Pub. When we showed up, there was cool Antonio, looking so suave waiting outside like an English gentleman. We headed inside to our second pub of choice (the first was really crowded), ordered ciders and Antonio got some beer of some sort. Went to a table, 2 hours and a few pints later, we were caught up on each others lives. It was a super wonderful evening full of laughter and chit chat. Afterwards, we parted ways, and my sister and I headed back to our B&B to sleep. Ahhh glorious sleep. 

And that was our first day in Bath. :)

Side note: If you would like hear or buy Antonio's music, click here here and here.