We swung into Oxford where our next Warmshowers host, Stanley, was waiting on the steps of his place.  Stan had so kindly offered his sitting room for us to bunk down.  The house was a student rental with four levels, one level just of bathrooms, and kitchen cupboards stacked with a mish-mash of jilted pots, plates and mugs left behind from bygone students.  Stan had dinner simmering away and within the hour we were showered, washing machine humming, plates piled high and an extra nights stay already arranged.

After dinner we went for a nosy around the colleges, with Stan sneaking us into his old college and student pub.  The City of Oxford revolves around its prestigious university/ies and the surrounding 30+ colleges most which are private to students only, being places of study, and not open to the general public.  Stan insisted we check out some of Oxford’s world-class museums that also offer free admission, which we dutifully did.

This is the Museum of Natural History which also houses the Pitt Rivers Museum.  The building, built in 1861, consists of ornate cast iron pillars which support the glass ceiling and cloistered arcades with stone columns each made from a different British stone selected by geologist John Philips (the Keeper of the Museum).

We found the animal Cleave wanted to see the most – a badger!

Through a passageway is the Pitt Rivers Museum, three levels crammed full of curiosities, artifacts, relics, tokens and trinkets focusing on ethnography and world cultures.  A lot of the objects still have the original neatly hand written labels.

Hours later we reluctantly pulled ourselves away to stroll around Oxford’s streets, some virtually unchanged since 1810.

Oxford is acknowledged as a true cycling friendly city with one of the highest rates of people cycling to work.  Bicycles shared the roads with students whizzing past onto their next class.

After returning the favour by cooking dinner for Stan and his friend, we packed up for the road out.  Hugs goodbye on the doorstep we all went off on bikes, Stan off to his summer teaching job and us continuing west.

Daily Costs:

Day 1
Warmshowers: £0
Groceries: £16.34
Cafe/Restaurant: £9.60
Total: £25.94/$56.68 AUD

Day 2
Warmshowers: £0
Groceries: £10.09
Cafe/Restaurant: £7.20
Total: £17.29/$37.78 AUD