Inverness

I will have to keep this fairly brief as I feel I could go on and on. I will do my best and use pictures to sullplement so I can keep my words few(er).

We flew from Amsterdam to Inverness and spent three nights in a great little hostel there. We spent our first day walking around the city, familiarizing ourselves and enjoying the river that runs through town. We explored a cemetery and climbed a hill for what would have been a view of the city if there weren't so many trees in the way.

The room we stayed in the first night was at the back of the hostel with a separate entrance. There were only three rooms back there and we had our own kitchen to use so it was a delightful little secluded area just for us. And our room had a view of both the river and the castle - yes please.

On day two we made our way to Drumnadrochit for the day. We went to Urquhart Castle which is situated on Loch Ness. We sadly did not see Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, but the castle was lovely and the Loch was stunning. We decided to walk back to Drumnadrochit from Urquhart as it was a two mile walk that winded along the Loch. The clouds were clearing and the sun started shining just as we ventured off and it made for an absolutely lovely stroll. Along the way we happened upon an Equestrian... Farm? We walked on up and ended up booking an ride for the next morning. Then we were going to head to some exhibit in town but saw a sign for a footpath to some waterfalls just three miles out of town. The sun was shining and warming our bones putting us in exceptionally jovial moods so we decided to follow said path. I am so glad we did as it was incredible. It took us up the hillside, through fields, along deserted roads, into forests, and to the falls. The falling water itself wasn't impressive, but the icicles certainly were. There were icicles clinging to the rockface behind and around the falls. It was beautiful.

On day three we started the day with a horseback ride. It was more like horseback skating as the ground was incredibly icy. The lady taking us riding kept apologizing saying she didn't realize how icy it was. My horse, Florry, was particularly prone to slipping for some reason. We didn't make it very far as we had to move so slowly. It was a little disappointing, but I am still glad went. After our horse adventure we made our way back to Inverness and there we waited for the bus to take us to Stirling.

Ok, that went way different than I anticipated. I am far too lazy to edit or shorten so this will remain as is. Sorry about that... The rest, if they are written, will be less wordy. Well, maybe not less wordy, but less like a " and then we went here, then here, then here, then here." You know??

Yup, it is great.

Well hello there. I am currently sitting in the living room of some lovely friends shivering ever so slightly, but enjoying a hot cup of tea.

Scotland has been amazing. Not a single day has gone by that I haven't been overwhelmed with the beauty around me. I was very much looking forward to Scotland and it has been better than I anticipated. I don't want to jinx it, but the sun has been shining every day. Yes, it is cloudy a lot, but the sun has managed to fight its way through the clouds for at least a few hours each day. We also had a morning of snow, but we have yet to experience the delightful Scotland rain. I am sure it is inevitable so I am thanking God each day I wake up to something other than rain.

The weather, though it definitely makes exploring more inviting, is not the reason I have fallen in love with this beautiful country. As with all of Europe, Scotland is so full of history. With every step you take you are breathing in the rich history that is everywhere. Now, I am no history buff by any means, but I do love hearing the stories and seeing the sites. My skill for retaining such knowledge is unimpressive at best and embarrassing at worst, but I like to appreciate it while it is being delivered to my ever-welcoming ears.

The highlights of our time here, aside from seeing our dear friends, have been the unplanned and spontaneous adventures we have been on. The planned things are wonderful too, but it is the unexpected detours that have charmed me. For example, we were making our way to an exhibit at Loch Ness and we chose to follow a foot path on a three hour walk through the countryside to a wee waterfall. We had no idea the walk would take that long, but in the moment we decided it sounded intriguing so off we went.

Today we are planning on walking the Royal Mile here in Edinburgh. I am excited for that in itself, but I am interested to see what adventures we unexpectedly find ourselves on. The sun is shining and beckoning me outside even though I know I will be met with a bitter cold. I hope you are all asleep in your beds dreaming pleasant dreams.

Much Love,

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a cozy weekend!

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Scotland: We Have Arrived

This castle is right outside my window. I snapped this picture yesterday while searching for our hostel. I had a pack on my back and a bag on my front as I quickly snapped this en route. If this is what Scotland is going to be like then we are going to get along fine. Just fine.

A Day in Amsterdam

We only had a day to spend in Amsterdam. One day was certainly not enough!! Amsterdam was absolutely lovely. It was breath-taking both in beauty and temperature. I wore every single article of clothing I brought along. It was freeeeeeeeeeeezing!

We didn't want to stress ourselves out and try pack too much into a day so we took it easy. We walked downtown, escaping into every open shop to warm up along the way. We quickly found toques and mitts to purchase as I was nearing tears. I hardly took photos as my fingers were far too cold to be exposed.

Amsterdam is beautiful! It felt strange seeing a shopping mall or McDonalds in such lovely, historic buildings. I felt that every building should be a cute shop or a museum. I loved the canals, the bikes, the blue skies (yes, they were blue!), the scones, the cobblestone, the history and everything else.

The highlight of my day was definitely visiting the Anne Frank House. It was an incredibly humbling and touching experience. I had started writing a bit about here, but it got a bit out of hand so I will give it a separate post.

We spent most of our day walking the streets, moseying along the canals, and ducking into shops to keep warm. We did splurge and go on a candlelight cruise from 20:00 until 22:00. We sipped on wine and snacked on cheese while drifting through through Amsterdam's canals. It was lovely.

And then we walked the 30 minutes back to our hostel and went to bed. It sounds like we didn't do much, but it was a wonderful and relaxing day.

It's Been A While.

I have decided that I am not very good at blogging while traveling. There are just so many other things to do! Some people's priorities, eh? When I am so "behind" in updates I like just throwing a list at ya. I hope that is acceptable as it is so conventient. Here goes.

• I never mentioned that we visited the equator on our way back Mindo. Maybe I did, but I don't recall doing so. We visited the Equator and it was fabulous. We balanced an egg on a nail, tried to walk in a straight line with our eyes closed, watched water drain from a basin both directly over and on either side of the equator, saw a sundial in action, and did a strenght/gravity test (or something). All simple little tricks, but very entertaining and amazing. Really, it was awesome. 
• We spent the last two weeks in Canoa, Ecuador. Two whole weeks. We were planning on staying for a few days, but we got stuck. The main reason for our long visit was that last weekend was Carnival here in South America. Apparently it is a continental party that lasts five days. It invovles flour, eggs, paint, and foam being thrown at everyone and anyone. We were encouraged to settle in as we wouldn't be able to find a hostel at the next town we were hoping to visit. So, two weeks it was. Thankfully Canoa's Carnival was the tamest it has ever been. I only had paint thrown on me once and foam sprayed a couple times. We also stayed just down the beach from town so we could escape the blaring music and sleep. 
• I don't regret a moment in Canoa. It was a little beach town and it was great! Erik surfed every day. He had only tried surfing a couple times before this trip and after a week he is actually quite good. I'm impressed, at least.
• I tried surfing. I had a lesson and actually managed to stand more often than not. Sometimes I would stand for a few feet, sometimes a few meters, and sometimes for many meters. I would say my longest "ride" was 75 meters (though it felt like 1000). I just played in the white wash, I didn't actually try any real big waves. I told the instructor that I was afraid of waves before we started. We didn't go past our necks so I wasn't too too scared, but I am terrified of the power of the waves so it was a big step for me. I tried one other time, with Erik, but was feeling exceptionally weak that day so I only got up once. I only tried three times actually, but I just didn't have it in me to push myself up. I am weak. It's embarrassing. 
• I'm a little ashamed to admit, but we ate at the same restaurant almost every day in Canoa. The reason I am ashamed is because it was run by Americans... no local food sadly. But, the employees were all Ecuadorian so we were supporting the local economy still. It was definitely gringoland in Canoa though. It was delicious, however, and there were plenty of vegetables to be had. We ate burgers, pizza, fish tacos, salads, and sandwiches. It was Yummmmmm. We started off sharing one meal betweenn the two of us to stay on our rigid budget, but the food was so good that we soon started ordering our own meals. Woops. 
• Erik volunteered at this local establishment (the delicious restaurant) so we started getting 30% off. That helped immensely both because we loved the discount and he was needing a challenege. He was getting bored doing "nothing". 
• We ate so much that we both gained whatever weight we lost since leaving Canada.
• There was another restaurant that opened when we arrived. It had a buffet breakfast for $5 per person. It had fruit, granola, yogurt, lemon loaf, toast, meat, cheese, crepes, waffles, eggs, and cereal. It was delicious as well. Again, it was a bit expensive for our budget, but we ate there because we could finally control the nutrients coming into our body. It was such a relief to know you were getting what you needed.
• Oh, we also only eat two meals a day. Just thought you should know. We aren't ridiculous gluttons all the time. That's also how we can afford to spend so much on each meal... at times. 
• In Canoa our days revolved around the beach and food. 
• Our days usually only revolve around food so it was nice to have a bit of a distraction. 
• We ran into these two Irish girls that we had met briefly in Quito while in Canoa. They arrived about a week after us and we spent every waking moment with them for our second week there. Erik and Karen rented the surfboard together and Elisa and I held down the fort on the beach. They were easily the most lovely people we have met traveling. I absolutely adore them and it was a tearful goodbye yesterday. They are flight attendants so I am trying to convince them to meet us in Scotland for a day. 
• Internet was the pits in Canoa so I feel very out of touch with the world. It was both wonderful and painful. I enjoy mini check-ins with family and friends. 
• I did get to skype with a few families from church on Sunday. It felt like I was having tea and cookies right alongside them. It is nice to stay connected like taht. 
• We traveled from Canoa to Guayaquil and then from Guayaquil straight through to Lima, Peru. A six hour bus ride followed by a 31 hour bus ride. I miss Ecuador already. Erik and I are reminded of why and how much we don't like Lima.
  
  And that is that. We fly to Amsterdam tomorrow and then we are off to Scotland soon after that.

Back in Lima

You can't imagine how many blogs I have written in my head. I write them at the beach, on the bus, in bed, and walking down the street. I write them while I am eating, showering, swimming and reminding myself to shave (noted). Sometimes they are witty one-liners, sometimes it is just a story I want to share and sometimes it is pages of droning. I am sometimes impressed with my intelligence and wit, but I am usually humbled by how dull and uninteresting I can be. I have the best of intentions and I thoroughly enjoy blogging, but the wind is taken out of my sails as soon as I open this thing.

I am sitting on the roof of our hostel listening to the city awaken. Lima. It is probably my least favourite city. Definitely not a destination, it is merely the gateway to Peru. We have 36 hours here and I intend to make the most of it (now that I am done complaining... Sorry about that).

I have a friend from nursing school flying into Lima today. Her flight should be landing as I type this. We are staying at the same hostel and I am so very excited to see her. She is not only a friendly and familiar face, but also a peron I love. She may be one of the funniest people I know. Erik and I have prepared for her welcome by foregoing showers for the past five days. Gross.

I have yet to be homesick, but I do get peoplesick. Sometimes the distance feels greater or more real than others. I think about the people I love every single day. This is usually in the form of "Mandi would love to (insert fun activity here)” or "Lindsey would do fine with the twins here" or "Milena would think that (insert object here) was beautiful"... Etc etc. I often wonder how people are doing and what they are doing. I wonder who the little ones are becoming.

Erik is reading up on Scotland. Yes, we are planning ahead a bit....Europe requires it. We only have ten days there which is not nearly enough, but it will have to do.

I think that is about all I have to say right now. Unless you are interested in hearing about my nieces' most recent developments, but I know you aren't. Have a lovely Sunday!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a restful weekend!

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It is February.

• I cannot believe it is February.
• I will be home in five months! Home in Canada, at least. I haven't quite figured out how I am going to get back to Kelowna.
• This morning I briefly skyped with a friend who just had a baby and I got to "meet" her little fella. He is absolutely perfect and she is looking and sounding fabulous. It was so nice to have a chat with her, no matter how brief. I wanted to hound her with questions, but decided that those can wait. I already emailed her a bunch which she graciously answered. What a gem. 
• We are heading to Canoa tonight. The only available bus was the night bus, which I am dreading. There is no first-class Cruz Del Sur in these parts so we are in for an uncomfortable (and long) ride. Canoa is a coastal town so I am looking forward to sand and sun while Erik can't wait to go surfing. 
• We rented a motorcycle for 24 hours and ventured off through the back country to a sleepy town called Mindo. It poured rain for much of the trip so we were both wet and muddy on arrival at our destination. It was the highlight of Ecuador, even with the puddles that I still found in my shoes the morning after. We visited the Equator on our way back to Quito. That was actually a lot of fun too. 
• Our shoes smell something fierce. So foul. I may have to soak them in vinegar or baking soda. Would that help? If not we could always make little volcanos in cups. That would be fun, at least. 
• It is no secret that I have had baby fever since... well as long as I can remember really. Sadly that baby fever is turning into whatever could be worse than baby fever. It consumes me. Even more sadly, Erik has yet to catch said fever. Four and half years of asking and his answer has never waivered. Apparently we are operating under a renewable five-year-plan. 
• Speaking of babies, Peyton and Avery are six months today! 
• We have had strawberries and cream every day for five days. We share a bowl so I feel about myself. The owners of the little icecream parlour we go to laugh when we walk in. They are very sweet. And I get zero dairy so heavy cream is better than nothing... right?
• Gravol will be my friend on this bus trip we are taking tonight. Yes, I am hung up on it. That is how full of dread I am. 
• I love clean laundry. I love not having to clean my laundry. 
• Our GPS broke while we were on our motorcycle adventure. For some reason it couldn't find the satellite so we had to navigate Quito on our own. That was a little stressful. We had to get the bike back on time and we had only a faint idea of where we were going. We made it though. Quito is huge, in case you didn't know. 
• We have to check out of our hostel so that is all for now. I'm going to get me some strawberries and cream. 

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a fabulous weekend!