Wimbledon Adventures

This morning I got up with every intention of being able to see a Wimbledon match, not quite from the court, but from the hill because it was more in range of my budget. But unfortunately with it being close to the finals so was everyone else.

We are going to back track a bit though to the journey it took to get there. I haven now learned, and should have known better, to look up turn by turn directions beforehand. Yesterday a girl in my class said she had attended and was able to get in so I thought today would be a perfect day to go. She said about how she got there, and I realize that she was definitely not the leader of her and her group of friends that went. Based on following her directions I did end up in the general area, and ended up asking a city worker how to get there and they were helpful in giving me solid directions. Another thing I did learn and what also had caused some issues was the fact that Wimbledon takes place in the town of Wimbledon, thus the name. I did not realize that until I got there. I thought there would be signs and it would be relatively be easy to find the way. I was terribly wrong. Just about everything in the town had Wimbledon in the name. But the good news is it didn't take me long to figure it out. I managed to find Wimbledon station, which would of been the ideal tube to take because it would have put me right where I needed to be, and I got on a bus that goes to and from Wimbledon Tennis.

Once I arrived there they actually drop you off by gate 11, I needed to be by gate 3. So I got to walk basically around the entire thing which was kind of cool because at the different gates I got to see different things and I got a couple pictures of various buildings and all of the people. This is definitely a huge event in London. As I got closer to gate 3 I asked one of the honor guard guys that help direct people and from where I was, on the other side of the wall is where the line entrance to the hill was and he told it would be about another 10 minute walk to the end of the line. And it was also "one out, one in". This means that they have reached capacity for the hill and whenever one person leaves another one comes in, so the line moves deathly slow. But I continued walking. Then as I passed a group of people I overheard them say that the person told them it would be at least a 4 hour wait, at that point I turned around. I wanted to be able to experience it, but I also didn't want to stand in a line and waste 4 hours. So I basically retraced my steps and got back on the bus that headed back to Wimbledon Station and I took the tube back. The return trip was less complicated luckily.

I will say it was definitely a good experience to get to see all of the people and the atmosphere outside of the walls, as well as the adventure of trying to find the place. The good news is I already planned to go to the tennis museum and Wimbledon Shop after finals are over, it isn't open during that time, so that I would be able to see everything this way. Out of the whole adventure today, I will say that I did feel pretty accomplished once I was able to find the place and make back without getting lost because I didn't know the area what so ever. I did have my A to Z map of London so I would have eventually figured it out anyway.

Then following my return I ate lunch (around 3pm) and got all of my stuff packed up for tomorrow. Then I did some homework (reading a chapter and answering a question, nothing too hard) and rested for a bit. Tomorrow we have to be at Baker Tube station by 7:30am so I plan on leaving around 6:50am because it'll take about 15 minutes on the tube plus getting to the tube and then getting off and finding the meeting point, but I've been in the area so I know exactly where it it. Below I attached the description they sent us about what the weekend will included:

Wales—the Land of the Red Dragon— full of green hills, countryside and sheep! Start your tour 2000 years ago at Caerleon Roman Amphitheatre and then visit Caerphilly Castle, one of the greatest medieval castles of Western Europe, where you will find out what it means to be the Prince of Wales, and St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh Life, on the outskirts of Cardiff, for a glimpse into Welsh life and customs. On your second day, you will drive through the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park on the way to the Rhondda Valleys and Big Pit Mining Museum. With your helmet and flashlight, descent into the pit and see for yourself what it was like to work underground, sometimes from as early as the age of 6. End the day at Tintern Abbey in the picturesque Wye Valley, a romantic ruin that inspired William Wordsworth and the painter J.M.W. Turner.

It definitely sounds like a jam packed weekend, but a lot of fun. Hopefully we don't get back too late on Sunday and I will try to update everyone.

Until then, everyone have a great weekend!