Having roamed around the city of Oxford for a couple of days, I have picked up a couple of things.

1. It’s old

There is so much history here. I did a tour of the Bodleian library, which opened in the 1600s and has roots back to the 1400s. I’ve sipped cider in pubs, where people have been enjoying pints for 500 years. The bedroom where Shakespeare stayed while he was here still exists. You can almost feel the stories in the walls, yearning to get out and be told.

2. It’s beautiful 

There is something truly magical about the amount of detail and care that goes into every pillar of every building. You can walk down the streets of Oxford and be transported to another time – cobble stones, towering spires and beautifully crafted stone walls are around every corner. It’s almost surreal.

3. Books, books, books

I have been awestruck more than once by books in Oxford. The first time was during a tour of the Bodleian library. Walking into the main room, my nerdy heart literally skipped a beat at the sight of the walls of antiquated books. So much knowledge and history, bound into beautiful words to be kept forever.

The second time was exploring the 5km of shelves of Blackwell’s bookshop. I wandered the three levels, with my eyes wide and jaw open. It was so amazing to see so many books in one place, an eye-opener of how much there is to learn – a never-ending task.

4. Everybody rides bikes (and don’t care about pedestrians)

If you are crossing a street in Oxford, be more wary about cyclists than cars. They are everywhere and they come out of nowhere, nearly knocking you down.

It is very cool that it is so easy and common to ride a bike around Oxford. To be honest, it’s quite easy to walk everywhere too. Makes a change from hilly Brisbane.

5. I can never escape Toowoomba

On my second day in Oxford, I was feeling a bit lonely. There wasn’t anyone else in my flat and uni events hadn’t started yet. I decided to venture into town, rather than moping about in my room. And purely on a whim I decided to try a pastie shop that I had walked past.

The lady who served me asked me where abouts in Australia I am from (do I sound that bogan?). I told her Brisbane and she kind of half squealed back at me ‘Toowoomba???’. I wasn’t sure if I heard her properly at first, so I think I just blankly stared at her for just enough time to make it awkward, before replying that I grew up there. Turns out, she did too. Honestly, the ghost of Toowoomba is going to be haunting me forever.

But, it meant I made a friend who offered to take me out and made that Sunday a bit less lonely.

I have met so many other people now, from all corners of the world and all different backgrounds. I am so excited to explore this beautiful city more and get to know it’s hidden treasures and secrets (if I don’t get killed by a crazy cyclist first).