Last Saturday, I embarked on my second adventure outside Oxford with my fellow exchange students; this time, to the lovely Welsh countryside. After struggling out of bed when the sun had only just peeped its head and making it to the meeting point, we boarded the bus for the hour and a half journey to Tintern Abbey. I thought I might sleep, but interesting conversation made the time fly by and next thing you know, we were crossing the River Severn, nearly at the Welsh border.

We were croesawyd (welcomed) to Wales by beautiful hills, covered in forestry and bordered by the blue of the sky. After being told a brief history of Wales, we turned a corner to catch a glimpse of our first destination – Tintern Abbey. We piled off the bus and started to explore the beautiful old structure. The crumbling grey stone was contrasted against the gleaming blue sky, the sunlight streamed in through the gaps that used to be windows illuminating the bright green grass replacing the floor. It truly was a magical place (with lots of photo opportunities).

The time flew by exploring this beautiful place and soon it was time to jump back on the bus to drive to Cardiff. The hour and a half trip to Wales’ capital was accompanied by picturesque landscape and great conversation.

Once there, we were told about the opportunity to see artwork by Manet, Monet, Picaso and many more for free in the National Museum. My Finnish friend and I jumped at the idea, and accompanied by an American and Dane we beelined it into the museum. We weren’t allowed to take photos of many of the artworks, but it was such a privilege to be able to see them up close and in the flesh. Towards the end of our visit, we found a place to write down how art can change the way we think. Some of the responses made me smile.

With the hours flying by, we left the museum and headed down to Cardiff Bay, a waterfront area with heaps of places to eat and some incredible architecture. After looking over the water, we found refuge from the wind in a cute little cafe and filled our bellies. With the end of the day upon us, we made our way back to the bus, ready to nap on the two-hour journey home.