I have spent a LOT of time traveling alone in England, Scotland, and Wales. Much more than I originally intended. I went to Europe without a plan, ended up living for months at a time in two different cities in England, and used them as a base to explore the country. I never thought the […]
Solo Female Travel in England, Scotland, and Wales — A UK Guide Read More »
The question I get more often than any other is, “So what’s your favorite place?” Truth? I understand why people ask me this question, but I hate this question. Most other travel bloggers hate it, too. It’s not just that we get asked it constantly, it’s that it’s impossible to boil down years of travel and
My Love Affair with Scotland Read More »
In late July, two special ladies ratlew across the Atlantic to Latvia. For the first time in my nearly five years of travel, family members were coming to travel with me. My mother, Debbie, and my sister, Sarah. Wait? When did you mention a big family trip?! I didn’t mention it, actually. My mom is conservative when
The Genealogy Trip: Tracing Our Roots in Latvia, Sicily, and Scotland Read More »
2013 was a fantastic and exciting travel year — probably my most active year of travel yet! This year I visited a record-breaking 22 countries (UK, USA, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, San Marino, Austria, Malta, Turkey, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, United Arab Emirates, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand, and Cambodia — though,
My Favorite New Destinations of 2013 Read More »
Here’s something I’ve learned from a year and a half in the UK: if you open any guidebook about this nation and skip London, Edinburgh, and the most touristy sites, you’ll soon see tales woven of cities once dark and desolate, cities defined by their industries, where life was hard and cold and there wasn’t
Hello, Glasgow: The Gritty and the Pretty Read More »
The Isle of Skye has long held a place in my imagination. Off the west coast, it’s been known as one of the most beautiful places in all of Scotland. It’s home to countless legends. My cousin, who adores Scotland, even dreams of getting married on Skye! So you can understand that I had high
On a Skye High in Scotland Read More »
When I was in high school, I was in a performance of Brigadoon. The show — cheesy, but featuring some very beautiful songs — is set in the Scottish Highlands. Brigadoon couldn’t have painted a prettier, happier picture of life in the Highlands — weekly markets filled with cheerful merchants, beautiful fields of heather, proud Scottish
The Dark Side of the Scottish Highlands Read More »
Looking back over the years, my New Year’s celebrations have been mostly low-key, largely unexceptional. Oh, I’ve had some good ones — my Bangkok New Year’s was so much fun, and I’ve had a few memorable nights in Boston — but most of the time the night hasn’t lived up to the hype. It’s hard
Hogmanay: Bringing in the New Year in Edinburgh Read More »
With Christmas freshly finished, I’ve got my next trip planned: Blogmanay! I’ll be celebrating New Year’s in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edinburgh, which I’ve long extolled as one of my favorite cities, has one of the world’s best New Year’s celebrations. People come from all over the world to celebrate Hogmanay. I’ve been invited to be part
New Year’s in Scotland — It’s Time for BLOGMANAY! Read More »
Edinburgh is famous for its wild and unpredictable weather, categorized by frequent rain showers, fog, and chilly winds — the kind of weather that makes you want to bundle up with a tartan scarf and wile away the day in glorious cafes. Well, most of the time, that is. I happen to have incredible luck
Scenes from Rainy Edinburgh: The Water of Leith Read More »