Since we moved south from Leeds, things have been relatively slow. We were in the tiny town of West Bexington, and life was very quiet. However, a couple of days ago, we moved again, to Woking, which is about 30 minutes west of London.

It means we’ve got an easy spot to take day trips to some of the other fantastic British towns, including two of my new favorites, Windsor and Oxford.

Windsor always gets listed as a side trip if you’ve got a Heathrow layover that’s just long enough to leave the airport, but not long enough to get involved in the hustle of London. Plus, it’s home to Windsor Castle, the longest occupied palace in Europe.

Windsor was, simply put, adorable. We walked the town several times over, stopping for a spot to eat at the Duchess of Cambridge (of course) and admiring Queen Victoria reigning supreme over the walls of Windstor Castle.

We walked by the river, meeting new friends along the way. I was carrying a Baggu bag with swans all over it, so stumbling on a huge family of the cuties was a real treat. I was SO happy. I practically jogged down the stairs to go see them, which is probably only the 4th time I’ve ever jogged in my life.

We also strolled down to Eton College, so I could catch a glimpse of where Princes William and Harry (plus dozens of other royal boys and 19 Prime Ministers) spent their formative years. The campus was beautiful, even as it started to rain.

After paying proper homage to Eton, we headed home to escape from the rain and rest up for a weekend of exploring in Oxford.

You guys. Oxford is out of this world.

Every corner seemed seeped in history (well, I guess technically, it is!), and Jer and I went full tourist mode, stopping awkwardly in the streets to gasp and snap photos.

Hours and hours slipped by while we strolled through the streets, admiring every nook and cranny.

Of course, I wanted to see the college, but I desperately wanted to get eyes on where they filmed some of my favorite Harry Potter scenes. The Bodleian Library was breathtaking, so much so that I didn’t pull out my camera once. Not even for a detail shot or to pretend I was Hermoine. That’s how in awe I was.

So, that being said, you’ll have to settle for these shots of us in front of the Radcliffe Camera, a circular library opened in 1749.

Finally, while we were strolling through the streets of Oxford, I spotted some emerging signs of spring.

I’ve been open about my struggles with this British winter, so any small glimmer of spring hope I can grasp on to is a win! (PS I spotted this sign in Oxford, which is essentially the story of my life.)