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| Myself at Exmouth, Devon |
Here’s a recap of some of the highlights that made my 2024 truly unforgettable.
January: Visiting St Austell and riding the HST
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| Charlestown Harbour |
In the start of January, while everybody else is either partying or holidaying in the most touristy spots in the world, I hopped on a two-hour train ride down to the Cornish town of St Austell, a town famous for its brewery and one of the top 5 most dangerous small towns in Cornwall according to CrimeRate. Some of the locals even called it "St Awful". With that in mind, I hopped off the train and engaged in a lovely conversation with one of the locals, with his thick Cornish accent (I presume), the conversation didn't last very long until I just nod yes to everything he says. (I think at some point he asked me if I eat cats and dogs.) Then I hopped on a bus to the coastal village of Charlestown, just south of St Austell. There I saw some lovely coastal scenery before I wandered off towards Carlyon Bay, where the weather got worst all of a sudden. So, in order not to get hypothermia in the rain, I stood at the bus stop waited for the hourly bus back to the town centre. Yes, I waited for an hour in the pouring rain. What's not to love about the buses in this country, right?
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| 43156+43004 takes me to Plymouth |
It was already nightfall when I reached the town centre. It was fairly quiet except areas near pubs or some fancy restaurants. To me, I don't really sense much danger. But as a person that used to go Crawley a few times a week, I think my observations would be... less accurate.
The student guild managed to arrange the alpacas to visit our uni as part as their wellbeing programme or something of that sort to reduce the likelihood of students jumping into the river exe due to academic stress. I found this, however, to be the highlight of my uni life. (They're so dang cute aren't they?)
I didn't hang around too long as my train back to devon is approaching. And as a train enthusiast, of course I wouldn't take the fastest and direct train back to Devon. Instead, I took the stopping service to Plymouth and wait for the next train there in the cold. And boy, was that worth it. I finally got on one of the legendary HST sets that once revolutionized this country's intercity rail travel. Now, only a few sets are left in active passenger service with GWR on local stopping routes between Penzance and Plymouth and most of the other sets are with Scotrail. These sets are planned to be retired within these few years so if you want to ride this legendary train when it's still in normal passenger service, you better hurry.
February: Alpacas!!!!
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| Me and a friend with an alpaca |
March: Cows!!!!
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| Smokey Farm, Taunton |
My friend took me to Taunton, where he used to do his A-levels at, and into a farm where some lovely cows are at. My friends made a very good point that I might see those cows again, probably in Sainsburys.
I did not find that funny.
April: De Cymru!
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| Cardiff Bay |
I was visiting Wales in April. For the detailed journey please have a look at my "Ryan in Wales" series of posts. Part 1 is currently out and part 2 is coming shortly.
May: Bridgwater
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| Bridgwater Dock |
In May, I visited Bridgwater in Somerset. A town where it's rated one of the "worst places to live in Somerset" according to Somerset Live. I attempted to find some beauty in it, and I would be writing a post about it at some point. So stayed tuned for that.
June: Geocaching in Hong Kong
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| Sam Mun Tsai Village, Tai Po |
June marks the end of my first year in uni and while I was back home in Hong Kong, I did some geocaching and got severely sunburnt. Well, it was good fun though.
September: The Great Topsham March
October: A nice drink in Exmouth
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| A pint of cider at Ocean Exmouth |
I was hanging out with some friends in Exmouth and while they're poking balls with a stick on a table, I sneaked across to the bar and asked for some local delicacies. I tried this lovely ale brewed on site in Exmouth and a cider brewed in Crediton, just north of Exeter. The ale was lovely but the cider, however, is probably one of the best ciders I've ever tasted. It was strong enough to fit my personal taste but still retains the freshness and subtle sweetness of the apples.
The cider is called Devon Red by Sandford Orchards. Do try it if you ever had a chance to.
(It's also my obligation to remind you that you should be in your country's legal age to consume alcohol, and you should drink responsibly.)
November: The new bishop's enthronement
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| Myself with Bishop Mike Harrison |
Apparently, this is a huge event in Exeter and people are coming to join this from all across the county, and some, even overseas.
I managed to speak with the new bishop after the ceremony, asked about how the church of England system works, his relationship with the cathedral dean and etc. I even got a picture with him as well (Much to the annoyance of the people standing behind me waiting to speak to the new bishop.).
But yeah, it was good fun.
Oh, I also marched down the high street with the locals on a Remembrance Day event.
December: Back in Horsham
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| Horsham Station |
Just like last year's Christmas, I was back in Horsham to visit my host family. Although I've only spent two years living there, Horsham will always be a special place to me.
I don't know if I'll ever visit Horsham again, but this will be a place that I'll never forget.
Looking Ahead to 2025
I don't think 2025 will be much easier for me than 2024, academically of course. But I’m excited to continue to push my own boundaries and see what I can achieve. I'd also like to do more blogging if possible.
But right now, I'm just gonna head back and study for my January exams lol.
Thank you to everyone who’s been part of my journey this year. May your 2025 be even brighter and fulfilling than ever!
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