Pony Trekking in Wales!

Wow [smile]. This past weekend was sooo cool [and even better because really neither Whit nor I had to plan or be prepared or worried about anything].

We started our trip on Friday and met here at Regents at 11am. Then we travelled as a group to the train station where we took a four hour train ride to Swansea, Wales. There we took a bus to the bed and breakfast that we stayed at for the weekend.
When we got there, it was so amazing, the house was huge, but so…personal. It was/is, by far, the best place that we have stayed so far. The rooms were great and had tv’s in them, and were decorated in a home-y way. We then ate a fabulous home-cooked meal and then some of us sat around and talked while drinking tea/coffee while others of us went to the game room to play charades. That night, being adventurous, half of us decided to walk to the nearby town to go to the pub [smile]. And by ‘nearby’ I mean a mile walk in the very dark woods [laugh]. It was really great. The boys scared us, we screamed, Kamani and I held on to each other for dear life, and then we got there and…well, did all the things you’re supposed to do in a pub [smile]. It was fabulous.

Saturday we got up and had another great home-cooked meal for breakfast and then got acquainted with our pony’s. My pony was named ‘Bottom’, apparently when he was a foal anyone that came up to him he would turn around and put his bum toward them. Everyone thought that he was going to kick, but it turned out that all he wanted to do was to say hi. The guides all said that my Bottom was handsome, and I agree, he was one hott pony [grin]. We brushed and saddled our pony’s [with English saddles], and then rode off [there were like 20 of us with the guides (3)]. We rode all over beautiful countryside and then stopped for lunch, where we left the pony’s to graze in a fenced in field. When we came back though, Bottom was covered with mud! Saddle and all was completely caked! It was so gross, apparently he enjoys rolling in the mud, but from that point on I called him the ‘dirty-good-looking-pony’. After lunch the tour girls led us along the shore…all I can say about this is wow! I took so many pictures, it was wonderful.
We got back to the house in the late afternoon and showered, cleaned up and then ate some more great home-cooked food. Then a bunch of us went into town to go clubbing, which turned out to be very different than we had imagined it. Everyone in Swansea [the town we took a bus to], was…well, wearing little to nothing [at least the chicks]. They had on the tiniest skirts I have ever seen! And then the tops…good grief, they might as well not wear any kind of top! It was crazy, but fun. And Kamani was seriously hit on by the Welsh guy [which was absolutely hilarious].

Sunday we all woke up incredibly sore, and only half of us went out trekking again. The smaller group was so much better though. We went out to where we could see water on three sides of us, and there was one point where we could see England land across the water. Then they pointed out caves and a castle and it was just really great. Even though we were incredibly sore, it was definitely worth going out. We came back to the house and packed up in the afternoon and then back to the train station to go home.

It was such a super weekend, Bottom was a wonerful pony, we had great weather [even though it was cold, at least it wasn't rainy], and we got to know a few more of our fellow students here at Regents. It was so worth every penny I paid for it. Well, I am off to write some papers. Hopefully I’ll get them all done before Rika, Lori and Alicia get here [smile]. I’m way excited about seeing you guys!

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*maike rinaye*