Illiterate Academic: Blue Ridge Mountains

Okay so firstly to apologise for the crappy half-arsed last post...

I will explain that the beautiful photos which graced your eyes (if you did take the approximate 4.5 seconds out of your day to have a look) were taken in West Jefferson, NC, about 3 and a half hours west of where we're living now in Raleigh. Went up there to the mountains for a weekend with a lovely group of about 13 to stay in a friend's holiday house.

Molly, Kate, Sara, Sam, Maddi, Natalie, myself, Nat and Henry

Making Tyler a thankyou cake seemed preferable to venturing outdoors

The living room- red cup heaven

Being from Newcastle and all I am not in any way used to such nice places. But having mentally prepared myself beforehand thanks to the accuracy of Google images (who came up with this after a search for "Blue Ridge Mountains". A misleading representation- I could not find this woman anywhere), I was able to appreciate the view and the house itself, both which absolutely blew me away.

After the success of this mountains trip, the girls and I decided to get really crazy and book the following weekend away too- so we ended up spending three incredibly hot and giggly days in Charleston down in South Carolina. Honestly the best weekend I've had here so far, definitely one to remember.

Emily, Amy P, Amy L and Megan, immediately before coincidentally running into and being ignored by the boys from Alexander in Macdonalds.
Surely the lowest possible level of social rejection.

We had it all. Car singalongs, complaints from fellow hostel-stayers, the best Urban Outfitters sale of all time, a party on a worryingly unsupportive balcony, bagels, more bagels, dinner at a famous seafood restaurant - I sat where Samuel Jackson did when he visited, a story which will definitely have a place in my 'well on my gap yah' speech, to be given in the pub at home on a bi-weekly basis when I get back - even more bagels, very sore feet, a bit of standard Civ War history and a dip in the freezing sea.