My favorite vacation was to Scotland and Northern Ireland. To be honest both trips to Scotland are my favorite. For a writer of fantasy the scenery and atmosphere is food for the imagination. In Canada out West we do not have aged cities. I like feeling all that history. I love exploring the history.
My first trip was when I was 19. I went with my mother and brothers. We went for my great-grandmothers 100th birthday. That woman was smart as a tack. Like I hope to be if I ever manage such an age, which I highly doubt. I was wearing my favorite jeans when I met her; they were so worn they had holes in the knees. She said to me looks like my jeans needed to be mended. Which made me laugh because people buy what I had managed to wear into my jeans. So they were now ‘cool’. More important to me though, they were my favorite. My brother and I met some other people our age. They bought us half a pint of Guinness. That is when I learned how horrible that tastes. And then they invited us to a club. So we went. It was insanely busy so I lost track of my brother. And others. Found another man to talk to on the second floor. I have to say the Scottish men were quite appealing to my 19 year old self. I give up looking for my brother and finally look for him outside. There he was. He couldn’t get in because of his shoes. No one commented on my shoes and I only wear sneakers. Ever. But they cared about his sneakers. He had an interesting experience outside the club… apparently a different scene out there.
The second trip was for my cousins wedding. My aunt had moved back to Scotland. Something I envied a great deal. Then when she met a new man she moved to Ireland but her boys were still in Scotland. So we knew them all well. And decided to make a trip out of it to see them all again. My mom, my boyfriend and me went on this one. But my other aunts, uncle and grandmother were there as well. It was a stunning wedding and a blast… and I hate weddings. They did it right for sure. We explored a lot on this trips. Headed of to check out museums and three castles and some ruins. Checked out some old churches.
Went on this long bridge between the main Ireland and an island. They give you a certificate for completing. I think I really earned that from the 2 mile walk, hilly walk there and back. But we did it. Got that damn certificate and framed it.
We also went to the Giants causeway.
Trips to remember. And some day I’ll go back.
The Wyrd 