LEFT SIDE OF THE PMU tol atte ea rem ee a OLD FRIENDS TACKLE NEW ADVENTURES THROUGHOUT SOUTH WEST ENGLAND. ey Nor est aa Barbies) BOS LU Ror ocean Ie Peetu ca se San aS EUS CY: PEER SEER Sena rei nua au sc Er eee U Rare Ae Re Ua Ue eRe va Re eM eS a ecm Renee Tea) Pee Een en enue at ne end with driving off a clif OnE Ree Pea ee Ne a an happens between friends when tossed into unfamiliar territory. Do we naturally fall into archetypal roles when traveling, or is there room ant tRNA A EMU ene Ur ees Seno ke aCe Coen Coma To »—PUY eT els Coma Se -1 NiCr Ese aCe ea Beau kee LD SS ea oo "Do you want to go on a road trip?” | que- i Be ae ce oon eos la “You realize they drive on the opposite side of the road?" llene remembered my poor CEU ed Sa Re Caan relying on New York City’s public transporta- Tepe EC n eeu LCT RA oe Ca a ce RL Lode A LaTHE DRIVER'S SEAT je've flown a red-eye flight from JFK and anded at London Heathrow by 8 a.m, A quick shuttle takes us to the carport, where I've ted an automatic transmission and something "reasonable" in size. Before | know t lene is raiding the Mother's Day cupcake display and I've been convinced to upgrade to size sedan because of the built-in GPS ost-triendly di land in the parking lot, alrei py yed from sleep deprivation and a cupcake sugar rush, and we debate who's going to ake the first turn behind the wheel “| drove through the Irish countryside year with my body died, so | guess bickering sis Ido i e ther I'm more than happy to let her ta That leaves me in charge of technology, and its another 20 minutes before | can figure out how to program the GP last time we were in a car together, we had a TripTik rom AAA We're not even out of the industrial park be- fore Ilene clips the curb, and we both burst into laughter like we're on a rickety roller oaster. Fortunately, we've taken maximum DO AS THE ROMANS DO west: the Cotswolds. Its ) comprise f Our first stop is du rolling hills (or “w ies and have long been a favorite respite of the family. Prince Harry is nowhere to i, but we do find plenty of charm in he bucolic village of Cirencester. Considered he capital of the Cotswolds, it dates back to the first century and is fi neritage. By the third century, Cirencester was one of the largest towns in England, second only to London. Over time it’s had its ups and downsTy CNS) ‘not unlike the two of us). At one point the wool trade flourished, but two smallpox epidemics wiped out much of the papu- lation. The 19th century saw the arrival of a rail system and piped water supply, adding to an infrastructure that today positions the town as a popular tourist destination, Our posh accommodations at the King’s Head Hotel are a far cry from the econ omy digs that lene and | shared on the road all of those years ago, and we're happy to dive into the complementary DIY gin kit. The boutique hotel features @ soothing palette of gray and cream fur- nishings with a few quirky finds worth ex ploring, including the Library Room and he Vault, which hosts local music and other live entertainment. Cirencester is a charming day trip to walk ig the golden-hued streets, pop into he independently owned shops and visit he Corinium Museum, which showcases an impressive collection of local Roman artifacts and mosaics. The nearby New Brewery Arts is housed in the former Cirencester Brewery and features gal- leries and studio sp well as work shops, where you can have your hand at te en a meccted : nor ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking and more, We opt. instead, for a pasty and local beer. LIVE LIKE ROYALTY We've dipped our toes in England's ancient history, but it’s time to jump ahead a few centuries to Henry VIL Built by Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, Thornbury Castle has seen its share of trials and tribu- lations. Stafford was executed for high treason shortly after the castle was finished (note to self: be nice to your servants or they may betray you). Henry claimed the property and paid a visit during his honeymoon tour with Anne Boleyn (who in 153 found her head on the chopping block). The castle was eventu- ly returned to the Duke's descendants but fell into disrepair until the 1850s. Today, Thornbury Castle a luxurious hotel that pays homage to its royal splendor while offering a 2tst-cer tury experience complete with Wi-Fi, so that you can brag about your stay via social media. lene and | step into our bedchamber for the evening and our jaws drop. The room is decked out from floor to ceiling with brocade and tapestries, and though there’s not much light that shines through the deep-wallad windows, the regal purple and gold shimmer nevertheless. The castle grounds include the oldest Tudor-style gar den in England, and the surrounding 14 acres offer archery, falconry and croquet, if you like to party like your predecessors. We scale the 77 circular steps toBristol the Tower bedchamber for a peek at Henry Vil's 10-foot-wide bed and views that capture Gioucestershite’s rolling landscape. We resist the complementary sherry until after descend- ing. It’s time to leave the countryside behind and enjoy an urban adventure. My lame attempt behind the wheel in Cirencester resulted in a near-collision with a bus, so lene has volun- tered to drive to our next destination: Bristol This industrial maritime city of nearly 450,000 residents is easily accessible from London (as quick at an hour and 40 minutes by train from Paddington Station) and offers plenty of op- tions for food, shopping and entertainment. After a few days of shared accommodations, we decide to take a night and go solo at the Brooks Guesthouse, a charming bed-and- breakfast located adjacent to St. Nicholas Market, where you can find some of the best cheap eats in the city. Since we're on a road trip, | opt to spend the night in Brooks’ rooftop “trailer park” comprising four Retro Rockets. Built in Great Britain, the aluminum caravans are outfitted with compact modern amenities and offer stellar city views With less than 24 hours in town, we do what we know best: drink and see a show. It's an overcast day with pending showers, but that doesn't stop us from wandering the streets a bit to take in some of Bristol's famous street art. While there are plenty of places to formally appreciate the city’s cultural scene — such as M Shed (the city's flagship museum that tells, Bristor’s history), the Royal West of England Academy (housing more than 1,200 works of 1Sth-century art) and Arnolfini contemporary arts center ~ one of the best ways is by foot. Banksy is perhaps Bristol's most famous and elusive graffiti artist, but a walk among the city streets reveals plenty of can-wielding craftspeople making their mark. Take a streetE WANDERLUST art tour with Where the Wall or immerse yourself even further during this summer's, Upfest Festival (July 23-25, 2016), which will gather more than 300 artists to paint live After a bit of wandering, we discover an un. marked door that raveals one of the city’s most notable cocktail lounges, the Milk Thistle. The speakeasy-style setting deliv- ers classic craft cocktails as well as a re- volving menu of creations, such as the Long Walk Home (Somerset cider brandy, Oloroso sherry, demerara sugar and chocolate bit- ters). A few drinks in, we're ready for some the atrics at the Wardrobe Theatre. We're both skeptical about their latest ensemble piece, 1972: The Future of Sex, which explores the sexual revolution through an array of quirky characters and live music. It turns out to be refreshingly innovative, with stylistic references to the United Kingdom's wildly popular Frantic Assembly physical theater. After the show we meander back to Brooks Guesthouse, hoping to pop into a gay bar for a nightcap. Things are pretty quiet on this misty Tuesday night, but if an Ubergay scene is your thing, consider planning your visit during Bristol Pride Wuly 1-10, 2016), when the city overflows with LBT celebrations. | say goodnight to llene and crawl into my Retro Rocket. The bed is snuggly with its goose down pillows and duvet, but the light spring showers quickly turn into a torrential storm battering against the light aluminum shell. 'm tempted to look outside to see if the Wicked Witch of the West is flying by on a broomstick, but instead | lull myself to sleep with the soft glow of LED chromotherapy (and half an Ambien) SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY The skies have cleared by morning, and we pack up the car and head southwest toward the sea, During our heyday we were quite the adventur- ers: At one point Ilene had dragged me into 2 mosh pit at a nightclub in rural Virginia; | recip: rocated with Halloween antics in Dallas's Oak Lavin neighborhood. (We still laugh about their catchphrase: "Where the men wear heels and the women wear sensible shoes.”) So it’s only fit ting that we experience at least one adrenaline boost. It comes in the form of the Eden Project and Hangloose Adventure. What was once a Cornwall china clay pit has been transformed into a series of biomes that house different ecosystems, as well as an out- door garden, performance space, public art ven- ue and more. We walk the biomes for a bit, but llene — who spent way too long living in central Florida ~ is over the tropical heat before | even have a chance to spot a rouFroul partridge. We find that the best way to take in the scenery is from above.ecu aed Hangloose Adventure operates in tandem with the Eden Project and oversees a variety of stomach- churning activities, including the longest, fastest zip line in Engiand. We suit up in helmets and gog- gles and clip in for the 2,165-foot thrill ride, which whizzes us past the biomes at speeds of up to 60, miles per hour. Reeling with exuberant laughter, we pile into the car and head to the tiny fishing village of Padstow for a taste of local flavor. Nestled on the River Camel that spills into the Celtic Sea, the sleepy town is dotted with fish-and-chip shops, vendors serving up Cornish ice cream and local artisans pedaling nautical-themed trinkets. But the real culinary treat in Padstow is Rick Stein's, Cookery School, Author of more than 20 cookbooks, Stein has traveled the world in search of inspiration and is one of England's most notable food person- alities. Last year he was awarded lifetime achieve- ment awards from the National Restaurant Awards and the Food Writers Guild, We're both self-professed foodies, though | took it a step further after putting a kibosh on my act- ing career and going to culinary school. liene will eat just about anything too, and we marvel at a demonstration led by head chef Mark Puckey, who whips up an Indonesian curry. Then it’s our turn to don aprons and have a hand. | wrestle with clean ing the squid and monkfish while llene puts a pot of rice on the stove. In about 45 minutes we're eating DEE TaLL oeraanege ana eer) eer Tet a second heaping bowlful of the complex stew, which pops with intense flavors of kaffir lime, lemongrass and coconut milk. We arrive late for our last night in Eng- land at Lewinnick Lodge. Perched on the top of Pentire Headland, the property was originally built as staff quarters for a nearby manor and through the years has been repurposed as a fisherman's store and even a smuggler's den. Its thoughtful renovation embraces Cornwall chara with natural wood, pinstriped upholstery and plenty of surf artwork to remind you that Fistral Beach is just a stone’s-thro away. The following morning we finally indulge ina proper English breakfast, a bit bleary- eyed from the week's adventures. We share a comfortable silence - one that comes with a friendship that spans more than 20 years, The talk of aging parents, changing jobs, lonely hearts, unforget table meals and forgettable relationships has all been said. We choose not to drive the rental car off the cliff a la Thelma and Louise, instead returning it without a scratch to Heathrow Airport. And though we'll soon find ourselves back in the daily rhythm of life in the fast lane, it’s been great to slow down and enjoy the ride with an old friend. © NRResource (TAP A