I’d like to say that after all the wedding festivities I was finally able to sleep in, but I guess the only way to make me a morning person is by shipping me across the pond to England haha. I woke up at 6 am and could not go back to sleep. So instead I enjoyed my morning sea view with a cup of English tea. Since today was my last day on the water in Brighton I decided to treat myself to a full English breakfast, well minus all the pork sausage and bacon. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of beans and toast first thing in the morning BUT I can now say I’ve tried it.
Afterwards I braved the bus again to get to Jes’ home because she and I are going on a road trip to Scotland!! It’s been my dream for forever to trace my ancestry back to the Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull. However, it seems that the world was determined to thwart me from getting there. We had an awful time trying to book flights, a car, and accommodations. And then just yesterday we got a notification that our campervan had been cancelled and there was no other vehicle available for rent in Scotland!! When I said we should cancel the trip, Jes decided to double down against fate and said that she would drive us the entire trip from Brighton herself, since I have no clue how to drive a stick shift. Something I’m very determined to rectify when I get back home. And with that we began our 9 hour and 45 minute journey to a city just past the Scotland border called Ecclefechan.
Honestly I can’t believe this day has even happened!! Were it me, I honestly would have put the trip off another time, hence why I never came up to Scotland in 2019 despite living in London for a month. But I’m so grateful to have best friends who push me out of my comfort zone and are even more determined than me to make my dreams come true. Hence why I’m campervaning and wild camping for the first time ever throughout Scotland despite being notorious for my A/C car girl life.
The drive was beautiful up the countryside, minus the constant smell of manure. But the sheep and the cows along the highway were so cute!! The drive itself flew by with Jes and I chatting along the way, even Jes said the 10 hours felt like 4 or 5 hours and she did all the hard work! We went to a famous rest stop on Tebay which apparently even Prince Andrew went to. It had the cutest artisanal chocolates and produce and art. It was so hard not to buy the entire shop! We had pot pies for dinner with this amazing view! I can’t believe this is a rest stop, sure beats the ones in America.
We eventually made it past the border to Ecclefechan where we are going to wild camp for our first night. Apparently it’s legal in Scotland and means that so long as it’s not private property you can park and camp anywhere. Pete sent us three wild camp spots and the one Jes chose was next to an ABANDONED CEMETARY right at sunset. Jes wanted to have a walk around, and I made it exactly 120 seconds before I spooked myself and ran back to the car. In the end, I will admit it was a nice location because of how quiet the road was. so it was easy to fall asleep. BUT I still wouldn’t call it my first choice for wild camping. Thank god we got to sleep in the van and not have to camp out by the graves, I would have slept in the car regardless were that the case. I’m superstitious enough not to provoke the old war veteran spirits lol.
Wish me luck for the night!!
Love you lots,
Carolyn
No comments:
Post a Comment