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My first international trip was a tour of England and Wales in 1993.  I was immediately hooked.  Though I had the privilege of traveling all over the US as I grew up and even had a day in Canada, this was different.  For the first time, I felt like a stranger.  I felt out of place and I loved it.  Though TripsWithKevin really started with my website about the O’Donovan/Donovan Millennial Gathering in 2000, this was the trip that gave me the international travel bug.

It being 1993, I had no digital camera and photos were limited to the number of shots I had on the limited number of film rolls that I packed.  I must have only brought two rolls as there aren’t very many photos at all.  Here are some of the better ones…

The itinerary was as follows:

London – June 25-June 27, 1993

Sights: Tower of London, Buckingham Palace changing of the guard, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, a day trip to Canterbury.

Egham (Runnymede) – June 28, 1993

Sights: Windsor Castle and the site of Magna Carta signing

Chester – June 29-July 1, 1993

Sights: Stonehenge, Avebury stone circle, Stratford-upon-Avon, Medieval Chester, day trips to Conwy (Wales) and Chipping Camden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cardiff, Wales – July 2-July 5th, 1993

Sights: Cardiff Castle, Llandaff Cathedral

 

The first of many visits to England and Wales, my love affair started here.  It really is a perfect first international trip for an American.  Everything is different enough that it feels foreign, but everyone speaks English.  It’s a wonderful first step.  Entering Wales (where Welsh is the first language of much of the country) will really make you feel like you are in a foreign country.

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