I lived my childhood in a fantasy of being one of Enid Blyton’s characters, with Famous Five being my favorite series. I read the books again and again, and took all the description about England’s countryside in an attempt to form a vivid imagination about it.

Then last week, out of the blue, I got a message from my friend asking me if I wanted to go on a road trip to Cornwall. Cornwall, the place that I’ve read about so many times in Famous Five’s adventures, the one place that I wanted to visit more than anywhere else in the UK (except Edinburgh, obviously). So then I said yes straight away.

I can’t even begin to describe how gorgeous Cornwall is. Really. I took hundreds of photos, stopping every few meters or so, all the while couldn’t stop thinking how lucky I was to be there.

I didn’t even mind the long way we took to go there (and back). The view along the way was amazing. The typical countryside view with green hills, sheep, cows, and sometimes horses. No wonder those kids love to go there. I really should thank Blyton for apprising me with this England’s gem.

And because I suck at choosing the photos I wanted to upload (there were just too many), I have to put this Cornwall trip into few parts, in no particular order (mostly because I’m bad at remembering, and another thing is because I’m such a moody person, posting what I feel like posting).

So this is the first part (and also the first destination of the trip), St. Ives. When I said I wanted to go to Cornwall, my friend suggested St. Ives, and of course, I googled it straight away. I instantly liked what I saw, so I told my travel mates about this place, showed them the pictures, and got St. Ives up on the list.

The minute we drove into the city, I knew that this city would beat the other cities in my list and put itself on the top position.

St. Ives is so picturesquely beautiful it made me breathless. A further walk away from the beach, we found alleyways and souvenir shops. The alleyways and all the shops reminded me a little of Rome, somehow.

This place is seriously stunning, and makes me so very happy.

A great start for the Cornwall trip, I must say.