Since I had to suddenly switch over from my GoDaddy site to here, I don't think I've posted about how you can find me on facebook. I have my own Miss Adventurous Travel page on there that you can find here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Adventurous-Travel/145198222220549
Come and "like" me! :-)
Saturday, September 17, 2011
That went fast...
I cannot believe it has already been almost two weeks since I got back.
I've finally caught up on sleep (probably today alone! I slept until 1:00 pm! Whoops...)
It's hard for me to even find the words to summarize the trip I had. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime type experience. Only, I don't want it to be just a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I honestly can't even imagine trying to travel any other way, now.
Coming back to life here was actually really hard. Is hard. Not that my life here is terrible...far from it. It's just I felt so connected to everything despite being pretty much unplugged to the rest of society.
It's hard for me to reconcile the version of me that was over there that loved every single second spent of every day with the version of me who is here and getting by with the status-quo.
I've already started researching the next place I will go to WWOOF at so I don't go insane. New Zealand is currently at the top of my list, but I'd love to hear your suggestions!
I'm going to be doing some more writing now that I've finally caught up on things from being gone. Sorry for the short break there!
I'll also be posting all my old posts that I had originally had on my other blog which I am getting rid of because of my deep hatred of GoDaddy.
Also coming up sometime in the not-too-distant future is a revamp of my blog! I might actually be switching over to wordpress when that happens, so stay tuned.
Lots of exciting things coming up. :-)
On the horizon for the next year are a few weekend trips I'd like to make: Wisconsin (multiple times), New York City (Katherine, I swear I'll make it out there this year!) and Portland (Destiny, I swear I'll make it out there this year!).
I'd also like to thank everyone who followed my travels, whether a silent follower or not...it was fun to take you along on my trip with me. It made traveling solo not feel like I was traveling solo.
So thank you for listening to me tell of my crazy tales. My hope is that instead of making people jealous that I was out seeing the world, I inspired you all to go out and see the world yourself!
It's easy to live within the confines of the horizon of where you life, but don't forget that when you travel, your horizon expands and you realize that there is so much more out there than our own little bubbles. Since I came back, I've seen and heard reference to things that I saw and heard about over there that I had never noticed before. It's not that I probably never saw or heard them before...but they weren't in my horizon then. But they are now. And I will carry them with me wherever I shall go.
Explore. Dream. Discover. <---- Mark Twain's words that I live by. You should, too. :-)
Until next time,
Miss Adventurous.
I've finally caught up on sleep (probably today alone! I slept until 1:00 pm! Whoops...)
It's hard for me to even find the words to summarize the trip I had. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime type experience. Only, I don't want it to be just a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I honestly can't even imagine trying to travel any other way, now.
Coming back to life here was actually really hard. Is hard. Not that my life here is terrible...far from it. It's just I felt so connected to everything despite being pretty much unplugged to the rest of society.
It's hard for me to reconcile the version of me that was over there that loved every single second spent of every day with the version of me who is here and getting by with the status-quo.
I've already started researching the next place I will go to WWOOF at so I don't go insane. New Zealand is currently at the top of my list, but I'd love to hear your suggestions!
I'm going to be doing some more writing now that I've finally caught up on things from being gone. Sorry for the short break there!
I'll also be posting all my old posts that I had originally had on my other blog which I am getting rid of because of my deep hatred of GoDaddy.
Also coming up sometime in the not-too-distant future is a revamp of my blog! I might actually be switching over to wordpress when that happens, so stay tuned.
Lots of exciting things coming up. :-)
On the horizon for the next year are a few weekend trips I'd like to make: Wisconsin (multiple times), New York City (Katherine, I swear I'll make it out there this year!) and Portland (Destiny, I swear I'll make it out there this year!).
I'd also like to thank everyone who followed my travels, whether a silent follower or not...it was fun to take you along on my trip with me. It made traveling solo not feel like I was traveling solo.
So thank you for listening to me tell of my crazy tales. My hope is that instead of making people jealous that I was out seeing the world, I inspired you all to go out and see the world yourself!
It's easy to live within the confines of the horizon of where you life, but don't forget that when you travel, your horizon expands and you realize that there is so much more out there than our own little bubbles. Since I came back, I've seen and heard reference to things that I saw and heard about over there that I had never noticed before. It's not that I probably never saw or heard them before...but they weren't in my horizon then. But they are now. And I will carry them with me wherever I shall go.
Explore. Dream. Discover. <---- Mark Twain's words that I live by. You should, too. :-)
Until next time,
Miss Adventurous.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Why I Should Never Have Ended With Edinburgh
I should have known that following up Shetland with any other Scottish town would be a mistake.
Two weeks in peaceful isolation can lead to a jarring smack back to reality when you rejoin the rest of the world.
In Shetland I was staying in a place where you literally couldn't even hear a car engine whirring except a couple of times a day when people would swing by the small town store. You couldn't even hear cars off in the distance.
In Edinburgh, you can't escape it.
Within an hour of arriving here I had a massive headache.
Was it the fact that the incompetent person at the Innskeeper Lodge I spoke to last week about changing my date of arrival completely forgot to tell management and they rebooked my room? Or that, as a result, I was placed in a wing of the hotel that is being renovated and paint fumes and hammer bangs are ubiquitous?
Or is it the constant traffic outside the window or fumes in the air?
It's just a different world. I went from being in a totally zen like state to being stressed out and needing to take ibuprofen to handle the throbbing ache of the city pounding against my brain.
I'm feeling better now though. The staff here was super apologetic and really have been very nice to me in the pub and restaurant since then.
I had a pint of beer, a relaxing afternoon in my hotel room, just grabbed some dinner and am enjoying my second glass of Scotch. Matt, I wish I could tell you what kind it is, but I literally could not understand the bartender when he told me. ha! It's good though!
I'm also currently enjoying my pudding. They call all dessert "pudding" here. My pudding of choice is a rhubarb crumble with an endless jar of warm custard. Idon't know how anyone could polish off the entire jar. There's probably a giant soup bowl's worth of custard in it. But oh man, is it delicious.
Also, I got hit on by a middle-aged Scottish man as I was entering the restaurant. I looked lost (a standard look for me) and the following convo happened:
Him: Been-ere before, then?
Me: Huh?
Him: You been 'ere before, then?
Me: Oh, yeah I was here earlier.
Him: Sorry, I just couldn't resist tha chance to talk to a beautiful lady.
Me: *confused look* *awkward laughter*
The waiter came along and seated me at that moment. Then, later when I went to go get my carvery and curry he came up to me again.
Him: I'm sorray if i was, ehh, forward with ya there.
Me: Don't worry about it *awkward smile*
Him: It's just you're GORGEOUS!!
Me: *even more awkward laughter*
Thank god the chef came out after that. I don't think I could have handled more uncomfortable laughter.
Was it flattering in its own special way? Sure.
Was it slightly creepy? Most definitely.
Did I still find it significantly less creepy because of the Scottish accent? Absolutely.
Ha.
(Side note: Scotch Whiskey and pudding should not be consumed together. Holy conflict of palate, batman.)
Anyway, back to my main point.
I am sure that Edinburgh is an amazing city. And I think part of the reason I'm upset that I am ending my trip with it is that I literally did not have enough time to do anything while I was here. Less than 24 hours in a city does not inspire much. Especially when I am tired and am battling a cold that makes me sneeze when I am in the sunlight (don't ask, I don't have an explanation for that one).
The one redeeming part of the day was that the train ride from Aberdeen to Edinburgh was absolutely gorgeous. It was another sunny day with these big billowly clouds.
Also, it should be noted that I never got lost today! I am getting more travel savvy. That and I paid for taxi rides instead of bussing it. :-)
It was really hard saying goodbye to my WWOOF hosts in Shetland. You really do walk away feeling like family. I've never had an experience like it, but it truly was a one of a kind, life altering event. They are just the most wonderful family and they treated me like a family memeber the instant I met them.
I will miss working in the garden on sunny days.
Working in the kitchen on rainy days.
Talking world politics and differences in culture over dinner.
Drinking tea with Jan in the afternoon and having wonderful conversations.
Hearing Pete say "Sweet Potato Pie" in his best southern accent.
Shetland milk. I'm not kidding, it is the most amazing thing I have ever tasted.
Waking up to a beautiful view out the window.
Being greeted by their dog, Odin, a giant Grate Dane, with a teddy bear he carries around with him in his mouth.
Watching Ertie (or Inspector Ertle), their bassit hound, give expressions of disdain at any number of things he found unfair.
Hearing british swear words.
Hearing the word "lovely" in British and Scottish accents.
Going for early morning or early evening walks.
Seeing the stars and the faint glimmer of the northern lights on clear nights.
Making my hosts laugh with crazy stories from my life.
Laughing at crazy stories from their lives.
The smell of the peat fire on a cold, rainy day.
Being asked: "Cuppa tea?"
Getting to know and live with people from another country and really understand their perspective on life.
I'm honestly going to miss everything.
But I have a feeling Shetland hasn't seen the last of me.
Well, I've had as much pudding as I could possibly handle and my whiskey glass has gone dry, so I am going to call it a night and catch some much-needed sleep.
I will be writing more stories about my stay in the coming weeks. So stay tuned! The fun doesn't end when I get home. :-)
Two weeks in peaceful isolation can lead to a jarring smack back to reality when you rejoin the rest of the world.
In Shetland I was staying in a place where you literally couldn't even hear a car engine whirring except a couple of times a day when people would swing by the small town store. You couldn't even hear cars off in the distance.
In Edinburgh, you can't escape it.
Within an hour of arriving here I had a massive headache.
Was it the fact that the incompetent person at the Innskeeper Lodge I spoke to last week about changing my date of arrival completely forgot to tell management and they rebooked my room? Or that, as a result, I was placed in a wing of the hotel that is being renovated and paint fumes and hammer bangs are ubiquitous?
Or is it the constant traffic outside the window or fumes in the air?
It's just a different world. I went from being in a totally zen like state to being stressed out and needing to take ibuprofen to handle the throbbing ache of the city pounding against my brain.
I'm feeling better now though. The staff here was super apologetic and really have been very nice to me in the pub and restaurant since then.
I had a pint of beer, a relaxing afternoon in my hotel room, just grabbed some dinner and am enjoying my second glass of Scotch. Matt, I wish I could tell you what kind it is, but I literally could not understand the bartender when he told me. ha! It's good though!
I'm also currently enjoying my pudding. They call all dessert "pudding" here. My pudding of choice is a rhubarb crumble with an endless jar of warm custard. Idon't know how anyone could polish off the entire jar. There's probably a giant soup bowl's worth of custard in it. But oh man, is it delicious.
Also, I got hit on by a middle-aged Scottish man as I was entering the restaurant. I looked lost (a standard look for me) and the following convo happened:
Him: Been-ere before, then?
Me: Huh?
Him: You been 'ere before, then?
Me: Oh, yeah I was here earlier.
Him: Sorry, I just couldn't resist tha chance to talk to a beautiful lady.
Me: *confused look* *awkward laughter*
The waiter came along and seated me at that moment. Then, later when I went to go get my carvery and curry he came up to me again.
Him: I'm sorray if i was, ehh, forward with ya there.
Me: Don't worry about it *awkward smile*
Him: It's just you're GORGEOUS!!
Me: *even more awkward laughter*
Thank god the chef came out after that. I don't think I could have handled more uncomfortable laughter.
Was it flattering in its own special way? Sure.
Was it slightly creepy? Most definitely.
Did I still find it significantly less creepy because of the Scottish accent? Absolutely.
Ha.
(Side note: Scotch Whiskey and pudding should not be consumed together. Holy conflict of palate, batman.)
Anyway, back to my main point.
I am sure that Edinburgh is an amazing city. And I think part of the reason I'm upset that I am ending my trip with it is that I literally did not have enough time to do anything while I was here. Less than 24 hours in a city does not inspire much. Especially when I am tired and am battling a cold that makes me sneeze when I am in the sunlight (don't ask, I don't have an explanation for that one).
The one redeeming part of the day was that the train ride from Aberdeen to Edinburgh was absolutely gorgeous. It was another sunny day with these big billowly clouds.
Also, it should be noted that I never got lost today! I am getting more travel savvy. That and I paid for taxi rides instead of bussing it. :-)
It was really hard saying goodbye to my WWOOF hosts in Shetland. You really do walk away feeling like family. I've never had an experience like it, but it truly was a one of a kind, life altering event. They are just the most wonderful family and they treated me like a family memeber the instant I met them.
I will miss working in the garden on sunny days.
Working in the kitchen on rainy days.
Talking world politics and differences in culture over dinner.
Drinking tea with Jan in the afternoon and having wonderful conversations.
Hearing Pete say "Sweet Potato Pie" in his best southern accent.
Shetland milk. I'm not kidding, it is the most amazing thing I have ever tasted.
Waking up to a beautiful view out the window.
Being greeted by their dog, Odin, a giant Grate Dane, with a teddy bear he carries around with him in his mouth.
Watching Ertie (or Inspector Ertle), their bassit hound, give expressions of disdain at any number of things he found unfair.
Hearing british swear words.
Hearing the word "lovely" in British and Scottish accents.
Going for early morning or early evening walks.
Seeing the stars and the faint glimmer of the northern lights on clear nights.
Making my hosts laugh with crazy stories from my life.
Laughing at crazy stories from their lives.
The smell of the peat fire on a cold, rainy day.
Being asked: "Cuppa tea?"
Getting to know and live with people from another country and really understand their perspective on life.
I'm honestly going to miss everything.
But I have a feeling Shetland hasn't seen the last of me.
Well, I've had as much pudding as I could possibly handle and my whiskey glass has gone dry, so I am going to call it a night and catch some much-needed sleep.
I will be writing more stories about my stay in the coming weeks. So stay tuned! The fun doesn't end when I get home. :-)
Location:Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Sunday, September 4, 2011
My Last Night in Shetland
I can't even believe that it is my last night in Shetland. This trip has flown by and yet I feel like I am leaving a changed person.
I woke up to a wonderful repreive from the rainy weather this morning. It was bright and beautiful, just like my first day here.
I spent this morning and early afternoon in the garden with Jan. I was tasked with digging up tatties (what they call potatoes here). I dug up so many tatties, I couldn't even believe it. It was probably a bushel's worth. They ranged from teeny tatties to gigantic ones. It was fun to play in the dirt all day. Dig your hands through the dirt and mud to find the tatties.
The soil here is so rich, it's unlike anything I have ever seen. And the worms...oh my god, the worms. You can hardly go a cubic inch in the dirt without finding at least 5 worms. It's amazing. I saw a worm today that was 10 inches long and at least a quarter inch thick. I actually thought it was a snake for about 10 seconds.
This is the garden:
And this is the tattie patch (to the right):
And this is the polytunnel. It's filled with amazing things.
After digging up tattie (and Jan picking beans and peas) Pete brought us both hand made cappiccinos (with shaved chocolate and all!) They are spectacular! I am definitely going to miss those. And tea. Oh god, I can't even talk about tea yet.
After our coffee break, we gathered all of our loot...
And cleaned it up really well to sell at the Sunday Tea at Hillswick town hall.
I kind of love Sunday Teas. They have tons of little sandwiches, cakes and biscuits and (obviously) tea. Jan does an amazing job with arrangements. The goods sold like hot cakes.
Sorry this photo is kind of dark...but this is the booth. There are peas, courgettes (zuchinni), tomatoes, celery, beet roots, cauliflower, poppy seed pods, and tatties. In this photo (L-R) is Alice (a regular fixture and wonderful person), Jan, and Nancy, a Shetlander who lives nearby.
We walked back from the Hillswick Hall because it was so beautiful outside. The sky could not have been more amazing.
I spent the evening down in The Booth by the peat fire. I can't even aptly write about how warm and inviting the atmosphere is in that place. It is as though you time travel back to a simpler days every time you walk through the door. No TV, no computer, no outside world. Just the pleasure of the company you are with, a nice cuppa, and the cozy warmth of the peat fire. I could spend an eternity in that room.
For dinner we had baked tatties. The ones I had dug up earlier in the day. I only put a little bit of butter on it and a spoonful of cheese. In all my life I have never tasted a potato that good. I saved the skins for last.
As I held the potato skins in my hand, I looked down and noticed the dirt lodged beneath my fingernails from earlier in the day.
I gave a satisfied smile to no one in particular.
And took a bite.
Hard work has never tasted so good.
I woke up to a wonderful repreive from the rainy weather this morning. It was bright and beautiful, just like my first day here.
I spent this morning and early afternoon in the garden with Jan. I was tasked with digging up tatties (what they call potatoes here). I dug up so many tatties, I couldn't even believe it. It was probably a bushel's worth. They ranged from teeny tatties to gigantic ones. It was fun to play in the dirt all day. Dig your hands through the dirt and mud to find the tatties.
The soil here is so rich, it's unlike anything I have ever seen. And the worms...oh my god, the worms. You can hardly go a cubic inch in the dirt without finding at least 5 worms. It's amazing. I saw a worm today that was 10 inches long and at least a quarter inch thick. I actually thought it was a snake for about 10 seconds.
This is the garden:
And this is the tattie patch (to the right):
And this is the polytunnel. It's filled with amazing things.
After digging up tattie (and Jan picking beans and peas) Pete brought us both hand made cappiccinos (with shaved chocolate and all!) They are spectacular! I am definitely going to miss those. And tea. Oh god, I can't even talk about tea yet.
After our coffee break, we gathered all of our loot...
And cleaned it up really well to sell at the Sunday Tea at Hillswick town hall.
I kind of love Sunday Teas. They have tons of little sandwiches, cakes and biscuits and (obviously) tea. Jan does an amazing job with arrangements. The goods sold like hot cakes.
Sorry this photo is kind of dark...but this is the booth. There are peas, courgettes (zuchinni), tomatoes, celery, beet roots, cauliflower, poppy seed pods, and tatties. In this photo (L-R) is Alice (a regular fixture and wonderful person), Jan, and Nancy, a Shetlander who lives nearby.
We walked back from the Hillswick Hall because it was so beautiful outside. The sky could not have been more amazing.
I spent the evening down in The Booth by the peat fire. I can't even aptly write about how warm and inviting the atmosphere is in that place. It is as though you time travel back to a simpler days every time you walk through the door. No TV, no computer, no outside world. Just the pleasure of the company you are with, a nice cuppa, and the cozy warmth of the peat fire. I could spend an eternity in that room.
For dinner we had baked tatties. The ones I had dug up earlier in the day. I only put a little bit of butter on it and a spoonful of cheese. In all my life I have never tasted a potato that good. I saved the skins for last.
As I held the potato skins in my hand, I looked down and noticed the dirt lodged beneath my fingernails from earlier in the day.
I gave a satisfied smile to no one in particular.
And took a bite.
Hard work has never tasted so good.
Location:Hillswick, Shetland, United Kingdom
Update on the baby otter
The little baby otter died about 30 minutes after arriving at the sanctuary last night. It was so sad to watch. It was only about 10-15 days old. It's poor little paws were all raw, and it was apparent that it had lost its mother and was desparately searching for her.
Location:Hillswick, Shetland
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Last Night
Last night was magical.
I had spent the majority of the morning and afternoon making a parsley pesto (omg so good) and an encore presentation of Sweet Potato Pie, and then spent the evening down in Da Bod (The Booth) which was once an old pub for hundreds of years, and is now a vegetarian cafe on the weekends. .
It's hard not to get swept away in the magic of the room. Stone walls and floors constantly remind you just how old the place s. And the low lighting and warmth of the peat fire just make you feel cozy and at home.
We ate dinner around the peat fire, drank wine, and listened to Miles Davis, a reggae band from New Zealand, and a wealth of other world music bands.
Around midnight or so the phone rang, it was Jan's son telling her that he had just seen two fire trucks, a police car, and the coast guard headed towards Lerwick. Immediately we got our coats and cameras and walked out door. The fire was at St. Magnus Bay hotel, a very old house here in Hillswick. Luckily it wasn't anything serious, just a small fire that had started by someone's cigarette on the porch. But the town was a-buzz. People were driving by in their cars slowly to see what was happening, and everyone that lived nearby was out on the street watching it all happen.
After the excitement of the fire, we all came back inside, enjoyed a few more glasses of wine and talked until 3 a.m. It was amazing sitting in that old, old room. Hundreds of years of history and good times have been had in that room and you can sense it. I feel so blessed that I am staying at a place with such energy and happiness lining the stone walls.
Earlier in the evening, Pete noticed my embroidered camera strap and asked me where I had gotten it in town here. I told him that I had had that strap since my first camera about 12 years ago. He looked at me, kind of surprised and said:
"You do realize that is a Shetland Fair Isle pattern, right? The Ox-O. It is the one they are most known for."
I had absoloutely no idea.
But I do know that I definitely chose the right place for my trip.
And as my trip winds down to an end, I can't help but think, given all that has happened and the wonderful people I have met, that this island chose me.
Then again, perhaps that's just the LOST nerd in my talking. :-)
I had spent the majority of the morning and afternoon making a parsley pesto (omg so good) and an encore presentation of Sweet Potato Pie, and then spent the evening down in Da Bod (The Booth) which was once an old pub for hundreds of years, and is now a vegetarian cafe on the weekends. .
It's hard not to get swept away in the magic of the room. Stone walls and floors constantly remind you just how old the place s. And the low lighting and warmth of the peat fire just make you feel cozy and at home.
We ate dinner around the peat fire, drank wine, and listened to Miles Davis, a reggae band from New Zealand, and a wealth of other world music bands.
Around midnight or so the phone rang, it was Jan's son telling her that he had just seen two fire trucks, a police car, and the coast guard headed towards Lerwick. Immediately we got our coats and cameras and walked out door. The fire was at St. Magnus Bay hotel, a very old house here in Hillswick. Luckily it wasn't anything serious, just a small fire that had started by someone's cigarette on the porch. But the town was a-buzz. People were driving by in their cars slowly to see what was happening, and everyone that lived nearby was out on the street watching it all happen.
After the excitement of the fire, we all came back inside, enjoyed a few more glasses of wine and talked until 3 a.m. It was amazing sitting in that old, old room. Hundreds of years of history and good times have been had in that room and you can sense it. I feel so blessed that I am staying at a place with such energy and happiness lining the stone walls.
Earlier in the evening, Pete noticed my embroidered camera strap and asked me where I had gotten it in town here. I told him that I had had that strap since my first camera about 12 years ago. He looked at me, kind of surprised and said:
"You do realize that is a Shetland Fair Isle pattern, right? The Ox-O. It is the one they are most known for."
I had absoloutely no idea.
But I do know that I definitely chose the right place for my trip.
And as my trip winds down to an end, I can't help but think, given all that has happened and the wonderful people I have met, that this island chose me.
Then again, perhaps that's just the LOST nerd in my talking. :-)
Meet Bill
This is Bill:
Bill is an adorable baby seal that they have been caring for here at the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary for the past few months.
Bill likes to make faces like this:
He's having a hard time learning how to eat fish properly. He likes to bite, tear, and shred instead of gulp. He should be released by the end of the month.
If you'd like to donate to the sanctuary here (it's run entirely on donations from the public) you can do so through the following link:
http://www.shetlandwildlifesanctuary.com/contact%20details.htm
There will be a yello "DONATE" button towards the top. Or you can mail a check or cash to them.
They truly do amazing things here. As I type this, they are headed down to Lerwick to pick up a baby otter that just washed up on shore and collapsed. I will keep you updated on his progress/prognosis.
Bill thanks you for your donation:
Bill is an adorable baby seal that they have been caring for here at the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary for the past few months.
Bill likes to make faces like this:
He's having a hard time learning how to eat fish properly. He likes to bite, tear, and shred instead of gulp. He should be released by the end of the month.
If you'd like to donate to the sanctuary here (it's run entirely on donations from the public) you can do so through the following link:
http://www.shetlandwildlifesanctuary.com/contact%20details.htm
There will be a yello "DONATE" button towards the top. Or you can mail a check or cash to them.
They truly do amazing things here. As I type this, they are headed down to Lerwick to pick up a baby otter that just washed up on shore and collapsed. I will keep you updated on his progress/prognosis.
Bill thanks you for your donation:
Location:Hillswick, Shetland, United Kingdom
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