The drive into The Cotswolds, through little tiny villages such as Birdlip, the Slough, and Stow were stunning! Perfect forests, old rustic stone buildings, handmade fences, and beautiful gardens were everywhere!

The novelty and panic of being on the ‘wrong side’ softened as we hit a huge M24 traffic jam which allowed me to slow down and ask, “How did this left handed driving thing happen anyway?!”

In preparation for our trip to England I’ve been reviewing the stereotypes I carry around in my head about England – so that I can thoroughly enjoy busting them with reality. 

When we asked 13 year-old daughter what kinds of things she’d like to see and do in England – she replied, “I want to see the British version of Taco Bell, and Big Ben.”

We looked at each other and then kindly excused her from the planning committee. The mission to broaden her horizons was more critical than we had initially imagined!

We visited Old Trail Town, which was a collection of relocated historic cabins and a large collection of artifacts all set up in a town format. It was weird, but in a good way.

Impossibly large numbers were on my mind as I walked in the footsteps of the 10’s of thousands who’d lost their lives at the Dachau concentration camp; Lost in the most inhuman, unimaginable ways possible.

Yellowstone is amazing, and it stands in our collective American minds as the quintessential family vacation.