Day Seventeen:

I've been looking forward for today for so long. Brother Chittock (the man who coordinates all the BYU students going to different wards) took us on a beautiful 9-mile nature walk through Kent - the English countryside. It was beautiful - so green, lots of wheat and flowers, nice cool weather. I think the best part though was just having the opportunity to get away from the city and to have time where I could just walk in silence and not feel pressured to talk to anyone. I seem to feel the most lonely when I am in big groups of people, but today was so nice and peaceful. I am so grateful for the beautiful world that Heavenly Father blessed us with and the wonderful people he puts in our lives.

Speaking of wonderful people, I got to talk to my family tonight - everyone except Drew and Jackson. It was so great to talk to them all, especially after missing them a bit extra today. I won't lie, I'm a bit jealous of the sunny, beautiful weather they're having, but all that being said, I'm so glad to be here having the experience of a lifetime.
Tomorrow I get to teach primary. I finished two papers tonight and will only have a bit of reading left to do which I can get done before class on Monday. This means I have a nice relaxing Sunday ahead of me where hopefully I can catch up on some sleep, read my scriptures, walk through the park, and just have a slower-paced day to prepare for all the adventures next week will bring.

Our walk took us to these wonderful old castle remains. They were fun to play in... and pose on! I was half-tempted to analyze the geology of the site: what kind of rocks they were and what effect weathering had on them... then I decided I hate geology and thinking about it would ruin such a magical place.

Adrianne, Karly, Me, and Kourtney in front of a very old family estate where Henry VIII and Elizabeth I both visited occasionally. Can you imagine growing up here?!

This darling cottage is typical of the houses we passed in the country... lots of flowers in front and very quaint. I felt like it was right out of a storybook. I could never live in London, but maybe in a small countryside like this...

One of the best stops on our walk was the Lavendar festival, which is held once or twice a year for a week before they harvest the lavendar. The whole hillside was a bright purple. It smelled wonderful too!

This was one of my favorite pictures of the day, mostly because I was so happy that my friends Rachel and Adrianne would play along with me. It was so hard not to start leaping and twirling through these open fields. I miss dancing...