Wales, the land of fairy tale hills and valleys, where on would expect many an outdoor adventure on the grassy plains.
It rained when we went there.
Through the sad reality, we were still quite determined to make the most out of the trip. After all, Wales was still brilliantly beautiful, just a little wet. Despite the downpour, we managed to do a bit of cycling through Llandegla, a popular trail in the area. We were able to choose the safest route as it accommodates all levels, which we chose because hitting a veteran trail during a rainy day is not exactly the best idea.
Off the trail, muddy and tired though smiling, we trudged our soggy selves to an only slightly less soggy pub, to have an even slightly less soggy dinner. There was a workable hierarchy there, as you cannot really tell if a bowl of soup is soggy or if it just is what it is. The conversation during our dripping and delicious dinner wandered into planning, given that we had to make adjustments if the rain were to continue.
After the meal was consumed, we went to our temporary home, which was originally a tent but now upgraded into a caravan. No, it did not go through puberty or a sudden growth spurt- a tent would have been more desirable had the weather been more agreeable. After all, Wales is the country of the great outdoors, where the only way you could appreciate the place is if you spend as much time as possible under the stars.
However, one would not be able to adequately appreciate the stars if one’s vision were made blurry by subsequent rain drops, so we had to compromise there.
After a well-deserved hot shower, we settled into our caravan. It wasn’t quite late enough to go to sleep, which also tends to escape you whenever you’re on vacation in an exciting place. With hot cups in hand and tired legs tucked underneath, we had a nice movie marathon on Steve’s laptop. I have to admit, it was very cozy while the rain poured outside.
Eyes strained and legs needing a good stretch, the movie marathon ended just in time for us to want to turn in and go under the covers. Before preparing to go to bed, however, Steve opened up an online gaming website and logged on for a quick game, according to him. It was a curious thing watching him win and lose a couple of rounds online, as the website was for online casino games, and while we appreciate the occasional bouts of gambling, we never made the effort to find a casino during a trip. This was pretty convenient. He was able to end the night with an admittedly deserved smug look and top casino bonuses, and even paid for dinner.
It was rather unfortunate that the rain chose to fall during our planned trip to Wales, the land of the great outdoors. However, we still managed to have a pretty good time, and all regrets we had were washed away by the pouring rain.