Hello lovely readers! If you’ve been following this blog in the last month, then you may know that I had the extremely good fortune to tag along on a trip to England recently with my husband, Mr. Bingley! You can read all about why and how he got invited to attend a gaming convention in my Austenesque Agenda post for March.
And in today’s post, since so many of you have requested it, I’ll be sharing loads of pictures and stories from our travels! You asked for it… 😉
This was my first trip to England and my first trip to Europe! I truly loved every minute of it! England is such a wonderful country and London was amazing (Mr. Bingley wants to move there!). We loved the history, the people, the buildings, the general vibe, just everything!
As you can see, we did NOT have much rain! 🙂 Lots of sun and semi-warm temps! It was incredible to see such famed sights like Big Ben, House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. We actually caught the Changing of the Guard quite by accident at Buckingham Palace, and do you know what they played??? ABBA!
And, we of course had to have some adventures and thrills so we rode on The London Eye and took a high-speed cruise on the Thames River.
And Mr. Bingley brought along his Go-Pro camera to capture some of the action!
We rode on double-decker buses, cabs, and many, many times on the Underground. And thanks to our handy phones and navigation apps we were able to find our way around with relative ease!
Thanks to the lovely Tamara of My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice we had some great tips on local restaurants. Mr. Bingley and I loved the food at Wahaca (Mexican street food) and Banana Tree (Indo-Chinese)! Definitely our type of places! Thanks for the wonderful recs, Tamara!
And we are such nuts for the Sherlock BBC series with Benedict Cumberatch and Martin Freeman that we had to go find the 221B Baker Street they use in the series! But it was so late in the day that the sandwich shop was closed, it would have been awesome to eat there!
I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting three very special friends face-to-face while in England! The first being author Jane Odiwe who took me to Selfridges and shared a lovely and oh-so-scrumptious Afternoon Tea with me! It was absolutely fantastic and Jane is just so kind and friendly! Loved our time together and loved learning more about one of my favorite Austenesque authors!
I also had the incredible coincidence to be in London at the same time as my lovely Belgium pen-pal, Caroline (who I met through Indie Jane’s pen pal project in 2011!) AND…without planning it ahead of time we both bought tickets to see Wicked the very same night! Can you believe THAT coincidence! I’m so happy to have met Caroline, she is so wonderful and we had such a great time talking non-stop about Jane Austen, work, and life! And Wicked was spectacular! Both Mr. Bingley and I can understand why everyone raves about it!
And if all that wasn’t perfect enough, we made it to the Jane Austen House and Museum in Chawton and met up with author Joana Starnes!!! Joana was so wonderful to spend the day with us and I’m so happy we met her in person! She is the sweetest!
AHHHH!!!! I still can’t believe I was there!
We had some hands-on fun with making lavender sachets and writing with a quill!
And we couldn’t resist having a good giggle and trying on some bonnets!
I think we look quite fetching, don’t you?
So in the actual house we got to see so many wonderful items and treasures that belonged to Jane Austen (like her writing desk, topaz cross, and ring), as well as some items that are “similar to what she would have owned.” Including a lovely pianoforte (which I was allowed to play!)
You wanna hear it? Warning: it’s not the best playing, I was definitely more than a little nervous and didn’t really have anything I’ve been working on recently memorized. 😉
Joana was such a good sport and planned to spend the day with us so we ventured to other Jane Austen haunts: we saw the outside of Chawton House, the outside and inside of Steventon Church, and a view through the bushes of where Steventon Rectory used to stand.
And in view of the church we saw a cute herd of sheep and baby lambs! I WANT TO LIVE HERE!
After all this fun and excitement we then made our way to Ricoh Arena for Mr. Bingley’s gaming convention. Mr. Bingley participated in panels, exhibits, meet-and-greets, and I had a fantastic time being his there with him – watching all his events and meeting all of HIS online friends!
Oh my goodness, am I proud of Mr. Bingley!! The convention was a blast and all his hard work this past year has made his attendance and this whole trip possible! Thank you for making my dreams come true, Mr. Bingley and for taking me on another fantastic adventure!
Keeping our fingers crossed Mr. Bingley gets invited to next year’s convention because WE LOVE ENGLAND!
~~~
FUN TIDBIT
In our hotel in Westminster there was a book case in the lobby with a small selection of books for borrow. Can you guess what author dominated the selection?!? 😀
~~~
Thank you for reading, dear friends! It is always so fun to share our adventures with you! Let me know if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them. Thank you for all your kinds words and wishes!
xoxo
– The Bingleys
Hi Meredith, you have cheered me up reading about your travels. It looks like you have had an amazing time so thank you for sharing it with us. So glad you liked London and the weather was nice. I am so happy you managed to visit Jane Austen’s house. I live in the North of England but also love London. I have been to see Wicked twice too and I would love to go and see it in New York. Fingers crossed you and Mr. Bingley can return to Bingley.
How lucky you are, Michelle! England seems like a great place to live! You can travel to all the wonderful cities in just a few hours and you are so near other countries! Caroline said it was less than a two hour train ride from Belgium! Lucky, lucky girl!
I meant you and Mr. Bingley can return to England!!!!
I was hoping you’d post photos! My favourite is Mr Bingley in a bonnet, made me giggle! I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip, and that you had such nice weather too. It’s lovely that both you and Mr Bingley were able to do things you were particularly interested in.
🙂 We had a lot of fun taking pictures and definitely happy to share them with you. 🙂 Yes, we had a perfect balance of activities and interests, and we always enjoy sharing in each other’s interest. Like Jane Austen’s Mr. and Mrs. Bingley, we tend to agree a lot!!!
Lovely post here! Your dimples are so beautiful. You and your Mr. Bingley make a very handsome couple. My husband and I visited London for five days back in 2004 before I discovered JASNA or even Austen Variations or Austenesque Reviews. We did take the train out to Bath and I visited the Jane Austen Museum there (while my husband visited a pub). I also viewed her memorial site in Winchester Cathedral. How very kind that those authors reached out to you and helped you in your touring. My Son-in-Law is very big in gaming…but he lives in Seattle WA. He and my daughter, an artist, do both on-line and board games. Wonder if they know each other?
Love the photos including the little videos of the boat ride, your pianoforte playing, etc. Great job!
Oh thank you, Sheila! You are so kind! That’s awesome that you got to see some very special Jane Austen sites! There are so many great places to find Jane in England! 🙂 If your son-in-law plays Minecraft, then they might know each other. 😉 Btw, love Seattle! Went there with Mr. Bingley last year!
Looks like a wonderful visit, Meredith! I think your playing was practiced better than mine would be! I’ve studied Beethoven’s Sonata Pathetique also. It’s one of my favorite pieces. I must admit your timing is better than mine probably has ever been.
You are too kind, Leslie! I cringe when listening to myself in that performance! I couldn’t think of anything to play though. Talk about being blindsided, I never thought they would allow you to play an instrument on display! It is one of my favorite pieces, I learned in high school, then again in college, and it has never left me. 🙂
Oh how wonderful! It seems you had an amazing time! 🙂 I’ll go in London in December with my fiance and I’m very excited. Loved your photos! I’m sooo jealous I want to visit every Jane Austen related area but I don’t think I will this time, we’ll go only for 5 days, but I’ll definitely go in the future.
Lucky you, Kristia! I hope you have a marvelous time! Collectively we were in London for barely 4 days! So much more time is needed. 🙂 I hope you get a little Jane Austen time in your trip.
Thanks so much for the report!! I keep thinking I want to live there too, but one cold winter and too many days of rain might make me miss North Carolina : ) Since you missed Speedy’s cafe, check out this little interview on Anglophile channel–you can go there vicariously https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAne7smyi-4
🙂 Glad you enjoyed our report! Yes, I’m with you about our warmer NC weather! Everyone we met said that the beautiful sunny weather we were experiencing three days in a row was quite a rarity!
Oh, that video was torture, Ginger! Makes me wish we did eat there, that looked good! Mr. Bingley says “next time!” 😉
Thanks for such a fun post, Meredith. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. We also live in the North if England and rarely get to visit London but we do have friends in Southampton, not a million miles from Chawton. Getting my husband to visit might be another matter as he’s already promised that we may, just may, get to visit Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) on one of our trips down there!
Our son is hoping to get into the gaming industry as he’s just about to complete a three year University degree on graphics for computer games. Maybe one day he’ll be at the same convention as your Mr. Bingley!
It was a fantastic trip! We love England! How lovely that you get to travel to Southampton! Highclere Castle was on our list and I think only 15 miles from Steventon, but they sold out of tickets! I imagine it is over-flooded with popularity from Downton Abbey. I hope you get to visit it soon though! That’s awesome about your son, the gaming industry is a lot of fun. I enjoy learning about it from Mr. Bingley and I can tell you this is the happiest I’ve ever seen him with a job! For sure!
Thanks for sharing all your lovely photos…love Mr. Bingley in his bonnet…looks like you had a wonderful trip. I hope to get there someday soon myself.
Thank you, Stephanie! It was so special! Yes, he wears his bonnet well, doesn’t he? 🙂 Hope you get there soon too! It’s so wonderful!
Lovely photo blog, thanks for sharing. Mr. Bingley is a great sport! I had a London trip with my John Watson last summer and it was fabulous. Love the Speedy’s picture!
Thank you, Colleen! How lovely that you have a John Watson! 😉 I bet you two had a wonderful time!
Loved, loved, loved your photos, videos, and comments! I understand your desire to live in England. I’ve only made one visit to that lovely country, but it constantly calls to me, “Come back! Come back!” I’m so glad you met some JA authors, and like others, I thought the picture of Mr. Bingley in his green bonnet was adorable. A man who will try on a bonnet? You found a good one, Meredith!
Thank you, Jan! You are so kind! Yes, not to sound disloyal to our country, but England felt like home in some ways! 🙂 Don’t I know it, Jan! He is the best of men! <3 <3
What a wonderful account! Sounds like you had a great time! What lovely photos! I think Mr. Bingley looks charming in a bonnet!
Sorry to have missed the chance to meet up with you! It would have been wonderful to have tea at Selfriges. Hopefully next year!
Thank you, Monica! Yes, would definitely love to tea with you! I’m such a fan of afternoon teas! 🙂 LOL! Yes, I hope we get to meet next time!
What a wonderful experience! Thanks for sharing it with us through your pictures.
🙂 Thanks for checking them out! It was a great trip!
Oh I love it all. I’m itching to go. Especially to see Jane’s. How marvelous. Thanks for sharing.
That view of the countryside! *le sigh*
The green, green countrysides was just gorgeous! I loved how picturesque it all was! Jane Austen’s house was truly a surreal experience! So amazing to walk where she walked and see up close things she owned!
I’m so glad you enjoyed so much in England 😉
221 baker street, wicked, new friends, game conventions and Jane Austen’ s home! How many places!. You even played the pianoforte! Thanks for sharing your adventures.
It was perfect, Teresa! I can’t believe we got it all in! I’m glad you enjoyed our little photo-show!
All I can say is wow! You really crammed a lot into this trip. It looks amazing. Loved the photos! I’m so happy for you and your hubbie.
Thank you, Suzan! It was very eventful! 🙂 Not too much resting and relaxing! Thank you for the kind words, my friend!
Oh Wow, you can see you had a great time. You both look so dapper on the speed boat in your shades, loved Mr Bingley’s bonnet and you are such an accomplished young lady well done on the piano, absolutely delightful. So glad you enjoyed the restaurants, have not seen Wicked but think I might go check it out! I bet the gaming convention was fun, thank you for sharing, you both brought a smile to my face.
You must go see Wicked! It was such an exciting and surprising show! Please thank your brother for the restaurant suggestions! Hopefully next trip we can see you! 🙂
That looks like a great trip! Coincidentally I’m planning a similar one with my family this summer. We’re definitely visiting Chawton, so it was great to see your pictures!
Oh how exciting, Victoria! And that is fantastic that you are going to Chawton! It will be an amazing experience! 🙂 I hope you and your family have a fabulous time in England!
Thank you, Mr & Mrs Bingley, for sharing your adventure to England! I’m at a loss for words. The pictures are spectacular, your comments, the videos–everything!
I think Mr Bingley is darling in his bonnet as commented above.
Thank you again!!
You are so sweet, Catherine! Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed our show-and-tell! It took a good bit of time putting the post together, but I just had to share it all with you!
Thank you again for taking the time to put together your blog. I enjoyed taking your trip vicariously. I’ve decided that your Mr Bingley is married to Elizabeth Bennett. I believe you took a quiz at some point that identified you as Lizzy. (I am Elinor–boring–but true.)
My pleasure! 🙂 You are too kind! I’m honored you think that! I did take the quiz and got Lizzy, but I’m not sure how true it is. I’m actually very shy around new people and large crowds (Oh dear, I sound like Darcy!)
It was great to meet you both, and I’m so happy you enjoyed your trip & the convention was such a success! Loved the photos and videos and the one in the boat & London eye is fantastic (loved your royal wave BTW, spot on!)
Come back soon! x
Hahahaha! You make me laugh, Joana! (very happy with Mr. Bingley’s fancy little Go-pro camera, just will make sure we aren’t chewing gum next time!) So happy that meeting you was a possibility during this trip!
I am so ecstatic for you and Mr B, that you had such a wonderful adventure packed time in Bingland! 😉 Your hubby is such a good sport and he looked quite fetching in his bonnet. Did he mend your quill pen for you or turn pages at the pianoforte?
It was definitely meant to be for you to meet Caroline in person! wow.
I think I’d have tried to bring home a fluffy lamb as a souvenir! Hopefully you’ll get to go again soon.
Lolz, Monica…just lolz! He did offer to mend my pen, but I told him I always mend my own. 😉
Yes, I wanted to take the baby lamb with us! SO FLUFFY!
Thank you for sharing stories and photos about your wonderful trip! You and Mr.Bingley are really fetching in bonnets:) Did you have a chance to get closer to baby lambs and pet them a little? They are so cute. Hopefully you will be invited to the convention next year as well and share with us even more great stories and impressions!
I wish we could have pet the lambs, there was a fence separating us and I wasn’t daring enough to go over. Don’t want to get in trouble! Not on Jane Austen turf!
Meredith, I love this post! It looks like you had a wonderful time and your pictures are great! Thanks for sharing about your trip. Jane Austen and Sherlock…can’t get much better than that. Well…maybe if you would have ran into the Crawleys!!:) Glad you and Mr. Bingley had such a great time!!
Aww, thank you, Kelli! Oh yes, the Crawleys were the only thing missing from our Anglophile love-fest! We thought about venturing over to Highclere just to see it from the outside (tickets are sold out for all of 2014!) but didn’t have the energy to. Hopefully next time we can run into Carson and Mrs. Patmore!
Thank you for sharing your vacation with us! I’m so glad that you had a fun time and you got to share the experience with Mr. Bingley. It reminds me of a trip I took to London in high school and your pictures make me want to go back. The weather looks like it was great. I was there at Easter in April and it SNOWED when we were at Windsor castle. Also, thank you for not indulging any extreme sports this time 🙂 London touring is much more my style. Plus, super jealous you made it to Chawton and ‘Baker Street’.
Also, Mr Bingley looks very fetching in a green bonnet.
I was so hoping we’d have warm weather, Heather! Now that I live in the south, I’ve adapted to the warmer temps and can’t stand being cold! Snow? Oh my! We are lucky that it didn’t get that cold!
LOL! The speedboat was about extreme as we could get I think. 😉
Mr. Bingley thanks you all for the kind compliments! 😉 Since we couldn’t take the green bonnet with us, Mr. Bingley is contemplating purchasing one…since he is told he looks very handsome in it!
I just loved watching the videos & reading about your adventures!! Mr. Bingley looked lovely in his green bonnet – Such a sport he is!! LOL All those amazing places to see & the fun tourist-y adventures… I would LOVE to get on the London Eye and see all there is to see! I’ve been to Europe, but never to the UK… someday I hope to be able to do so. In the meantime, I’m so excited that you were able to see & do so much, and to meet up with all of those wonderful people!! Next time you go, may I stow away in your luggage??? I promise not to get in your way! 😉 Just give me my camera & sights to “shoot” & tell me when to meet you back at the airport! 😉 LOL
Would love for you to stow away, Valerie! Just a warning though, you will have to share the space with my mom…because she is planning to stow away too! It was great that we got to do a little of everything, and London has so many touristy sites to see! I think we would’ve had a blast no matter where we went or what we did!
I am more than happy to share space with your mom!! 😉
Thanks for sharing the pics! It looks like you had a wonderful time. I definitely need to make the trip myself at some point. And Mr. Bingley in a bonnet…hilarious! I know my husband would never try one on for me, LOL.
Thank you for checking out our travelogue, Anna! I hope you make a trip to England too! It is such a great country! Mr. Bingley is very game, lol! I’m often surprised with what he puts up with and what he does for me! 🙂
It was so lovely to meet you, Meredith-hopefully, we can do so again soon! I loved seeing all your pictures-I can’t believe how much you managed to pack in!!
Thank you, Jane! I’m so happy we were able to meet! Would love to do so again in the future! It was a very special trip for us, hopefully the first of many to England! 🙂
So, I switched browsers and was able to actually watch your video clips – yay! Lol The bad news is, my phone slipped in my hand & I accidentally clicked the thumbs-down thingy on your boat video and I can’t fix it! So if you’re wondering what crazy doo-doo head dissed your video it was me by mistake.
That boat ride looked amazing. Do they only let proficients play the pianoforte? They’d be seriously displeased with my best efforts at Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Wow, what a fabulous trip you had!!!
Thank you! We had an amazing time! 😉
I too love England! Wish I had been in London at the time you were. Would have loved to meet you. I was out and about at other parts of the British Isles. It is such a beautiful county! I too want to live there someday.
Once you have been to England all you want to do is go back. Been there 4 times now!! Thanks for all the pictures!!
We are of the same mind, Jennifer! England is the BEST! (Not to sound at all unpatriotic for our own country!) It would have been fantastic to meet you! Hopefully our paths will cross some day! Thank you for your kind words!
Your trip sounds magical! I am so happy that you had this wonderful opportunity and was able to enjoy it to the fullest. Thank you for sharing the pic and video. Your piano playing is beautiful!
Thank you, Joy! It felt magical! You are so sweet! I’m so happy to share our trip with you all!
Loved your pictures, Meredith! I’m so happy you enjoyed your first trip to England! Thank you for sharing your emotions with us 🙂
Thank you for reading my post! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Maria! 🙂
Just now getting to read this, Meredith! It is awesome! I love, love, love all your pictures! I’m so happy that you got to go on this wonderful trip. I have to tell you, I’m right there with your Mr. Bingley, I want to live in England too. It is so beautiful. Ever since my trip in August 2012, I have literally ‘longed’ to go back. I have never had a place pull me like England does.
I hope you get to go back next year too! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Janet! I can understand that longing…I kept telling myself I idealized England, it isn’t going to be as awesome as I think it is…I was wrong! It was wonderful! 🙂 I’m so happy to share our photos with you, thank you for your lovely comments!