Easter in AZ

That's right I'm going to visit my boyfriend in less than 2 weeks. I can not wait. Long distance relationships suck, but we try to make the best of it.

We've got most of the trip planned already just waiting for his work schedule to be finalized then we'll know for sure how much time we have together and what we can do.

Trip Planning Take 2

I think I've found myself the perfect travel companion, now I just have to figure out where to go.

I'll address the first part first. So back in April I met these a few people through a chatroom. One of whom you've already heard quite a bit about as our relationship has progressed through friend and more than friend to basically to mere acquaintance status and everything in between. The other I've mentioned briefly here (don't worry I'm sure you'll be hearing more about him in the future as well). As we talk more I feel like we're becoming closer and closer each day. And we've discussed things like places we've always wanted to visit. Turns out we enjoy many of the same things so finding something to do that we would both enjoy is really no problem.

Some of the places we've talked about going are Denver (roughly half the distance between the two of us), Boston, Nova Scotia, and Portland or Seattle. I've already looked into Nova Scotia a bit for myself, as you might remember. And today I took a look at Boston. After reviewing the tourism website, I have to say I want to go even more now.

Now all I have to do is convince my parents that this guy is on the level (which given how they reacted to the previous situation might be difficult) and that it's safe for me to travel with him.

Post Vacay let down

You know that feeling you have when you come back from vacation and you just want to go back? Well I'm experiencing that now. I needed a couple days at home to get myself back in order again but now I'm ready for the next vacation. Lucky for me I already sort of have plans. Although they aren't exactly finalized.

I can't believe how much shopping we did. Seriously it was mostly eat, shop, drive, shop, sleep. I'd like to see the sites and do some stuff the next time and not just shop all the time. But we'll see what happens.

It was a nice trip though. But I'm glad to be back. It felt so good to sleep in my own bed.

Have you every experienced post vacay let down? Where are you planning to go next?

To Prague or not to Prague

First of all let me say that this is my 400th post. I can't believe that I've had enough to say to write 400 posts. Okay moving on.

Ever since I went to Scotland last summer I've caught a bit of the travel bug. There aren't a lot of places that I'd really like to go. I'm not a fan of tropical or hot places so I'm not really big on the idea of South America or Australia. But one place that I have wanted to go is Prague. I don't know why exactly Prague. I'm not Czech, I don't speak Czech and while I love history there are a billion other places in Europe with the kind of history I crave. Anyway that's where I want to go.

But the tour plus the flight is $8000, which I don't have (yet). Anyone wanna come? Is there one place in the world that you want to go more than anywhere else?

ain't it pretty?

This would only happen to me

So now that I've started a travel blog I wasn't sure if this would fall under my regular everyday blog or that one. But since this is strictly a shopping trip and not a sightseeing adventure it's going here.

Anyway my brother and I had a fairly uneventful trip to Fargo. The first thing we did after we checked into the hotel was check out the pool facilities. This included a fairly decent sized pool, a rather luke-warm hot tub and a sauna.

After my initial disappoint at the hot tub we tried out the sauna. And I managed to blister my back by laying down on the hot bench. Yup, this could only happen to me.

It's almost over

2:59 Pm London Time

We're back in Glasgow now and we've parted way with the others. We fly out of here tomorrow and spend about 19 hours before we get to our final destination.

I have some more pictures to add to my blog but I left my SD card upstairs in our hotel room and I don't really want to go up and get it so I'll add them later. Since wireless is only available in the hotel lounge.

We're staying in the same hotel that was stayed in at the beginning of our trip so it's like we're back tracking our steps now which is kind of neat.

Our day in Edinburgh and at the show

7:01 PM London Time

It's been a while since I did an entry. There has just been so much to see that the days were packed and I have been really tired. Today was a shorter day. Mom and I went into Edinburgh city centre today where I bought a new ring and bracelet as well as some souvenirs for my brothers at home. We saw the castle and Holyroodhouse Palace but we weren't able to enter them because the Queen was in residence at the palace and we ran out of time at the castle.

As for the Royal Highland sow it was pretty damn good. The show itself was interesting. There were a lot of things that they did differently over here than we would but overall it was mostly the same. As for the grounds they were pretty huge. There was all sorts of things to do and see. There was a sheep shearing competition and crafter's tents and an outdoor living section with chainsaw sculpting demonstrations and pole climbing exhibitions. It was very interesting. Oh and the Queen was at the show too but we missed her.

Tomorrow we head up to the Highlands. It's supposed to be beautiful scenery and I'm sure there will be lots of pictures taken.

9 Pm London Time

Yesterday we were in Portree in the Isle of Skye. We took a drive around the island and then returned to the hotel. I'm now done all of my gift shopping so anything else I buy should be just for me. Today we're just outside of Fort William at a B&B. Fort William is an outdoor town.. It's right on a lack and the highest mountain peak in the UK is right here. I of course hate the outdoors so this is not my kind of town.

Also our traveling companions are starting to get on my last nerve. I don't want to stereotype Americans because I do know a lot of really nice ones but these ones are obnoxious. For example we left the Isle of Skye early this morning and hopped on the ferry back to the mainland (or at least as much of a main land as you can consider a larger island). Anyway we arrived at the B&B an hour before check in which I knew would happen because we left so early. So we drove all the way back to Fort William for an hour of shopping but only an hour because our driver was tired. And he wanted to come back and unpack the van and then maybe we could drive back to Fort William. It turned out okay though because daddy and me took a little nap before supper and mom did some reading.

For supper we took a ferry to a little restaurant/inn. It was really nice and I got to see most of the Andy Roddick/Lleyton Hewitt match on the TV in the bar. Roddick of course won. I can't believe I'm in Britain during Wimbledon and I'm not there.

In search of Nessie.

5:39 PM London time

Today was probably the best day of our trip so far. it started off a little shaky, I got up really early, unnecessarily. And then we got out of the hotel too early and nothing was open which meant a lot of useless walking around. I should be used to this walking around by now. My mother loves to just walk around. Personally I'm not a huge fan AND the blisters on my feet were screaming at me to stop. Then we got on a Jacobite tour of Loch Ness. First we bussed from Inverness to the Loch. Then we jumped on a boat to go to Urquhart Castle which is really just the ruins of an old castle but that's what you see in a lot of pictures of Loch Ness. Anyway then we hit up the visitors centre there before getting back on the bus again to get to the Loch Ness exhibition centre. It was really interesting. I'm rather convinced now that the Loch Ness monster is a giant sturgeon.

Then we came back to Inverness on the bus and found a used book store where I picked up some book including a history of Scotland. I love books stores. I also love museums which is what we did before returning to our hotel.

Our vacation Act II

8:31 London Time

For those of you who have been trying to follow my trip each day I do apologize for the sparseness of my blogging. I have only had free WiFi at one hotel that we've stayed at and well frankly I don't want to spend the money for the ridiculous internet rate over here. So that's what's been happening. That's also why you'll see some backdated entries.

Okay now on with the vacation update. Today we drove from Edinburgh to Inverness. The day started off kind of disastrous. We didn't get as big of a vehicle as we thought we would and we weren't sure if we could fit all the people and luggage into the van (there are 6 of us traveling in a 7 passenger van). But we packed it in there pretty tight and just barely made it.

The people we're traveling with are kind of difficult. Although this trip has been pretty difficult for me since I was the only person under 50 on the first part of the tour. One of the people that we're traveling with makes me particularly uneasy. And given such close quarters it's difficult to avoid him.

Tonight we actually went for supper at a restaurant owned by the cousins of one of the farmers we went to see on the earlier portion of our trip. It was very good. Funny story we ran into a tour guide outside the visitor's centre and told him where we wanted to eat and he laughed. He said he'd never been asked where that particular restaurant was and asked who recommended it. Then we had a nice little chat and we might go on one of his tours tomorrow. We'll see how we feel.

Tomorrow we're going to try to get on a boar cruise of Loch Ness. Of course I'll be keeping an eye out for Nessie. I'm almost done all of my shopping for this trip, at least the souvenirs for other people part. The rest of it I haven't quite decided.

Cattle Day

10:54 PM London time

Today was the first day of the cattle portion of our trip. I haven't been on the farm fr a while so I've kind of lost the ability to pick a good animal in a herd, but anyway. There was nothing really eventful today. Although I've noticed that they feed you really well on this trip. I do love e some food. We even had entertainment for our evening meal. It was a jazz band, they were pretty good for all I know about jazz music.

The first day of the rest of my vacation

9:05 PM London time

So we've left Scotland and come back south to northern England to meet the rest of our crew. We're in the lake district and well these lakes are not exactly the most awesome lakes I've ever seen. I live in between 2 lakes that would be considered ginormous compared to these. Here's a picture that I took of the lake.

Here's another little detail that I failed to omit in my previous post mostly because if I had he would have read it over my shoulder but my seatmate from Montreal to London was super cute. I chatted him up for a while but it's hard to be flirty when your father is sitting in the seat in front of you. Anyway he was on transit to Israel and his name was Zach.

Alright moving on. Today we went to Gretna Green to meet the rest of our tour. Here's the deal with Gretna Green, way back in the day people didn't exactly have weddings. They just kind of said "hey we're married". Then a law was passed in England and the legal age was 21 and you had to get married in a church. But the law didn't apply to Scotland and the age of consent was 16. So English couples would trek over the border and Gretna Green was the first town they'd come to, so they'd get married in the Blacksmith's shop. We saw a mock wedding and visited the little shops and museum. One cool thing is that you can still get married or blessed there. Oh and they had a bagpiper (left) that you could hire out.

As I said we're in England but we're going back to Scotland the day after tomorrow.

Welcome to Scotland

8:47 PM London Time

I think I'm going to like it here the first thing I saw once we had gotten through the baggage claim here in Glasgow was Starbucks. It's reassuring that even so far from home I can find something that's just like home. That's the joy of the franchise industry. It's built for people exactly like me. Here's a picture we took of the special Scottish Edition Starbucks mug.

We just got back from supper in the restaurant in our hotel. Now I don't know if this is just a kind of high class establishment or if there really isn't anything like a hamburger in Scotland. Here's what we hate from supper.

Salad with Goat Cheese, Lamb Chops and Stuffed Chicken Breast

In the Middle of the Night

7:08 PM Montreal Time, 2:08 AM London Time

Wow it sure does get dark when you travel forward into the night. It's probably about midnight outside the plane right now even though it's only 8 PM back home. We're supposed to be landing at 7 AM in London so we've got another 5 hours on this place. Actually it'll probably be a bit longer since we got off a little bit late.

Is it pathetic that I've only been away about 12 hours and I'm about ready to come home? It's just been a long day is all. One down, 10 days to go.

Countdown to travel time

I'm sure I've mentioned it a couple of times but I'm going to Scotland in 6 weeks. Well 38 days to be exact. It seems like I've been talking about it forever and now it's almost here. I guess it's about time to get excited.

I haven't had a real go away type vacation in about a year and a half. The last time was when I went to Quebec with my parents. I actually like traveling with my parents because they like to see a lot of the same things that I do. I really like history especially Canadian history so when we went to Quebec we did things like visit Old Quebec and the Citadel and the Chateau Frontenac.

A few years before that we went on a trip to Saskatchewan. It wasn't very exciting but we did get to see some cool stuff. We went to Batoche and then the Saskatchewan Western Development museum in Yorkton. Yup we're dorky like that.

I'm just hoping we can get some of the historical stuff in too while we're there. We are going to Loch Ness and I'm pretty sure there is a museum there. Even if it is dedicated to a fictional lake monster. I totally want to go.