Finding your travel 'groove'

"Travelling isn't easy you know"

"You're going to hate living out of a backpack by week 2"

"You two are probably going to fight like cat & dog"

"Be careful about only spending two nights in a city, the minimum you should spend is a week"

Pish Posh! Not us, no way no how. The above, believe it or not (it's probably really believable actually) are just some of the one liners Morgs & I got delivered to us before we went away - and no matter how much you think you aren't taking in peoples negativity, believe you me, you do. Starting this trip was quite nerve wracking - remember this post? - but here we are, 25 days in and we both couldn't be more blissfully happy & well on our way to finding our groove. We could sit here and say how much we didn't listen to peoples negativity or advice all we like but that would be a lie. We did. We totally did. All of it... and yet, none of it has come true. Don't get us wrong either, we bicker. oh do we bicker .. but only when we both need a time out, which we will generally call honestly & before it's too late and 10 minutes later are laughing over some new thing we've discovered or seen or explored. 

So here is our advice to you....

Find your own groove, dance to the beat of your own drum, live your own goals and values & do whatever is right for you. Travelling is a crazy thing that everybody should do at least once in their lifetime to learn things about themselves they never knew. But when that time does come - throw away most advice and do what you want most. 

Morgs & I were told we should be in a town for a minimum of 4 nights...but are finding 2-3 is our favourite amount of time spent exploring that town top to bottom. We were told we'd fight like cat & dog - but are more in love & in sync than ever. We were told we shouldn't have planned everything so concrete as we might want things to change ....but we couldn't love our plans anymore. But that's just the thing about you and your own dreams of travel. Do what feels right for YOU. Don't go to countries or towns because others have before you or do things you think would sound cool. Tread your own path, create your own memories and live your travel dreams true to yourself.

I read a quote the other day that I felt couldn't be more relevant right now in our lives...

"You are here. Be present. Live"

So here we are. Being present. And living. 

We're throwing caution to the wind, eating dessert for breakfast, lunch & dinner - yes that's seriously happened 2 days running now, napping when we want to, going out when we wish but having quiet nights in and exploring new cities on our own time with our own plans ... but it's 'us' - & we couldn't be happier.

So go on, live the life of travel that you and only you were born to lead and relish in every beautiful thing this earth has to offer us - they say the world is your oyster..& it's true. 

....................

Below are some pictures from our time in Scotland (Inverness, Isle of Skye, Aberdeen, Keith, Elgin & Edinburgh) & give you our view of how we're seeing this big beautiful world around us. 

Love Anna & Morgs xx

p.s We have finished our trip in Amsterdam & are currently on a train to Brussels - Morgs has put his hand up and said he would like to do the post for Amsterdam so stay tuned for that in the coming day or so.

1. Cruising the River Lochness, ciders in hand - loving life.

2. The photo that will eternally melt my heart. Morgan awaiting the cruise with coffee in tow writing a postcard home to his grandparents.

3. We pulled over to stretch our legs driving from Drumnidrochit (i.e. Urquhart Caste) to Isle of Skye & this is the view that met us.

4. An old beautiful church in Inverness.

5. Making it to Isle of Skye & sitting having a cup of coffee planning our adventure for the day.

6. Town of Portree, Isle of Skye - peeking out over the beautiful harbour with the sun shining.

7. The moment I realised I was so happy I might cry. Sitting in the sun in Isle of Skye with a coffee, my favourite person (i.e. Morgan) & a jam & cream scone 

8. First sighting of the Fairy Pools in Isle of Skye.

9. View across Isle of Skye after climbing a hill.

10. Sitting having some drinks our one & only night in Isle of Skye enjoying the gorgeous atmosphere.

11. Just made it to Edinburgh and we hit the double decker red tour bus (best way to see a city!)

12. Fairy Pools in Isle of Skye.

13. More fairy pools in Isle of Skye.

14. Sight seeing in Edinburgh - just about to enter Edinburgh castle

15. 3 of my favourite things about travelling - Morgan, the impromptu drinking of cocktails early afternoon, & the beautiful sights.

16. Looking over Edinburgh from a very big hill (it was actually an inactive volcano!) we climbed.

17. A look at Edinburgh fringe festival a top our double decker bus tour

18. Having a wine the first night in Inverness watching the Basketball finals of the Olympics live