Dover, England (Galentines Day 2015)

Valentine's Day can seem kind of depressing when you're living 3,500 miles away from your boyfriend. I was studying in London from January until the end of April so when February came around I had already been away from Derek for weeks. I was loving my life in London but already felt a sense of dread when thinking about the holiday. Luckily, me and a few friends decided to make a day out of it! My first ever, "Galentines Day"! We took the train to a cute coastal town called Dover, England to see the infamous white cliffs. Despite it being a chilly day, it was so refreshing to be by the sea.

 

The white cliffs were magnificent and absolutely breathtaking. I don't know what I was thinking, I was aware that we would be hiking up to the top before we left but I was also determined to wear a super cute Valentine's Day outfit. So, I ended up hiking the cliffs in a Topshop mini skirt and heeled booties, casual. Oh - and I couldn't forget my red lipstick either. This was my first glimpse at UK countryside which I absolutely adored! Later in April I got to see Scotland and Ireland, which were equally as gorgeous.

 

Man oh man was it muddy. Like, so muddy we were slipping and sliding and praying we wouldn't fall face down into a pile of sludge. When we got to the top of the cliffs we saw a sign that stated that France was only 22 miles away! Isn't that crazy!? There were people on horses and there was cattle at the top as well. When we would just stand and take in the sight, it was so relaxing and peaceful. It was such a different experience than our lives in London.

   

Later, we ate at a pub called "The White Horse" which had a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. All over the walls were the names and signatures of the people who have swam the English Channel. As someone who can't swim, I literally can't imagine what it's like to swim the channel. I got fish and chips along with a cider and it was all delicious and seemed like the perfect choice. We were surprised that absolutely everything closed by 5pm. We weren't expecting that and our train wasn't until 9 or 10 that night so we were a little thrown off. We ended up going out for dessert and wine and then seeing 50 Shades of Grey (haha, no shame) to wrap up the night. It was possibly one of the best Valentine's Days I've ever had.