HELLO SCOTLAND

Oh it's been a while! I have just started rereading the Harry Potter series and am so inspired to revisit and reflect on my incredible trip to Universal Studios in Florida this January. Major Bucket List item crossed off! It's every Harry Potter nerd's dream to make it to Hogwarts in Florida, and it did not disappoint.

Let me start by talking about the rides. There are three rides within the Harry Potter World and hands down, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is the best ride I've been on in my life. EVER. The moment we got off the ride we ran back up the Single Rider queue faster than you can say Quidditch. The details put into both Gringotts and Hogwarts is next level. It was also astounding to see how much space is dedicated to the queue lines - thankfully we were visiting during off season and walked straight onto the rides, but it must get crazy busy during peak season! On our way through to the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, we practically walked 5 miles through the castle to get to the ride. Imagine waiting in a queue that long? Not going to lie, for Harry I would do it.

The other Harry Potter ride was the Dragon Challenge Roller Coaster where you had a choice between riding the Hungarian Horntail or Chinese Fireball. Naturally we rode them both!

The Harry Potter Wizarding World is located within Universal Studios in Florida. There are two parts to the World; Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Universal is super cheeky and have built each part within the separate worlds of Universal Studios, meaning you have to pay to visit 2 parks to see all of the Harry Potter World. Cheeky bastards! They know us Harry Potter fans will part with our cold hard cash to see both.

My friend Mark recommended we start at Diagon Alley before taking the Hogwarts Express over to the other side of the park to Hogsmeade. It was the best recommendation ever, getting off the train and stepping out in front of Hogwarts is magical. The train is a ride within itself, featuring a screen in the window that moves like we're speeding past country side on the way to Hogwarts. So good!

So I spent a small fortune in Hogsmeade. I was determined to get myself a wand at Ollivanders and I have no regrets spending the equivalent of 5 hours of work on what is essentially a piece of wood in a box. (Pffft, I bought a wand! A real wand! With a skull on the end! Yes, it's a Death Eaters wand.) I also spent extra on the more expensive wand so I could get an official Ollivanders bag. THAT'S WHAT A TRUE FAN WOULD DO.

I also picked up a Ravenclaw Quidditch Team badge, Bertie's Botts Every Flavored Beans, Butterbeer Fudge and a Chocolate Frog. I really wanted wizard robes but decided not to part with the $100USD for them. REGRET. That's what credit cards are for am I right??

We had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and ended the day with Butterbeer slushies watching the sunset over Hogwarts. This was one of the most magical days of my life, and I cannot wait to go back!

Happy Hogmanay everyone! 2016 was my first full year living in Scotland and I had managed to visit some incredible parts of the country as well as some beautiful places in Europe. The highlights of the year were without a doubt visiting Iceland and going home to Australia for three weeks!

MARCH 2016 - DENMARK

I found a cheap flight to Copenhagen and snapped it up and couldn't wait to head out to Denmark. I felt 3 days was the perfect amount of time to wander the city as well as venture out to Fredericksburg Palace and the Vikings Museum in Roskilde. LOVED IT.

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Snapshots Of Copenhagen

Vikings at Roskilde

MARCH 2016 - SWEDEN

Malmo is a 35 train journey from Copenhagen, so I jumped at the chance of travelling to another country. However my back was killing me and I spent the entire time in Malmo sitting on a bench in the middle of the square contemplating how I'm going to spend the rest of my life unable to walk (I got better a few weeks later.) So I only spent an hour in Sweden, and I only saw the main square!!

APRIL 2016 - SCOTLAND (GLENCOE, ISLE OF MULL, IONA)

My second Scottish road trip took me up through Glencoe (which is now my favourite place in Scotland), with a walk around Glencoe Lochan and 3 nights in Oban. I ferried over to Isle of Mull and drove down to Iona and overall had the most incredible 3 days in this part of Scotland. I also managed 4 castles in this trip -yasssss!!
Read More:
Oban Road Trip
Isle of Mull and Iona
Back through Glencoe and a horrible Scottish history
Dunstaffnage Castle

Duarte Castle
Aros Castle
Castle Stalker

JUNE 2016 - NORWAY

Norway is one of my favourite countries in the whole world. I had the best time in my short 3 days here. I wish I had more time and boy do I wish it wasn't so expensive but what I did see was some of the most incredible scenery I have seen. EVER. I travelled down one of the most beautiful railway journeys and had an amazing cruise through the Naeroyfjord. STUNNING. Oslo was incredible as well. Can't wait to go back!

JULY 2016 - SCOTLAND (KINLOCHLEVEN, ISLE OF SKYE)

Sarah came over to visit and we road tripped Scotland together! We headed up to Stirling, Glencoe and Kinlochleven before smashing out the Old Man of Storr trek in the Isle of Skye. Also caught the Hogwarts Express on the Glenfinnan viaduct. Top trip.

JULY 2016 - ICELAND

Oh my word, we've wanted to travel to Iceland for about 15 years and we finally did it! AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. What a country! 8 full days travelling around the whole Ring Road and had the most incredible experiences and saw some of the craziest scenery I've ever seen.

My 7 favourite photos of Iceland

AUGUST 2016 - NORTHERN IRELAND

My friend Aaron and I headed to Belfast to take part in two Game of Thrones Locations Tours. Not only did we travel to Winterfell and the Iron Islands, but we also travelled to the Dark Hedges, Giants Causeway and learned about the history of the Titanic.

SEPTEMBER 2016 - BIRMINGHAM

So this was technically a work trip but I tried to make the most of being in a new city and discovering a new part of the UK. I used my days off to head to Warwick Castle and Stratford Upon Avon and really enjoyed wandering around Birmingham. Also, that Cadbury factory was THE BEST.

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A Working Week in Birmingham

Warwick Castle

NOVEMBER 2016 - AUSTRALIA

And then the trip of the year I was most looking forward to: HOME! I had the most amazing time with all my favourite people and so enjoyed spending time in the sun again. Mike and Tara's wedding was stunning, I got to see family from New Zealand and enjoyed a girls weekend to Hyams Beach. This was highlight of my entire year. I miss home so much and I loved seeing my family again!

Merry Christmas everyone!! Edinburgh is something else during the holiday season, I feel like I'm in a movie and not real life as a winter Christmas is still such a novelty! All the films show Christmas with everyone wrapped up in their woollens and scarves and beanies as they drag around all of their christmas shopping and that exactly describes Christmas here! The christmas lights wrapped around the old buildings look INSANE and I just love how even more beautiful this city looks.

I had an absolute blast on Christmas Day! I took the bus down to my friend Billy's house and ran through the pouring rain to his flat. I was absolutely drenched by the time I got there and used a hair dryer to get myself warm again. We had so much food and SO MUCH WINE and then more food and more wine. We later walked down to Sian's house for even more Prosecco and Cards Against Humanity before I got so knackered and drunk I could have passed out. Somehow I found a taxi at 1:30am and spent a fortune getting home. NO REGRETS.

I had originally planned this post as a 1 year lookback/holyshitImadeitthislong recap but (since I am a brilliant procrastinator) that never happened and so we’re here now some 16 months since arrival and I’m keen to look back on how incredible this country has been.

Over 16 months I’ve explored my new home and country, had awesome travel adventures and made some incredible friends. I’m at this very moment living alone, fending for myself and attempting to Be An Adult for the first time in my life. I did have Popcorn for dinner tonight so that’s not going too well.

I love Edinburgh. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. Here’s a list of reasons why I fell in love with this city - and a reason to dislike it. Let’s go!

EDINBURGH IS BEAUTIFUL

I am so lucky to have lived in the most beautiful cities in the world. Sydney is stunning, Wellington is gorgeous, but Edinburgh is EVERYTHING. The moment I stepped off the Airport Bus in the centre of Edinburgh at 7am on my first day in Scotland, I remember staring at Old Town in front of me, Edinburgh Castle to my right, Princes Street Gardens below me and the towering Arthurs Seat to my left and I was BLOWN AWAY. And 16 months later I still feel that way. Every time my bus passes Edinburgh Castle I do a stealth shoulder shake of excitement as I get to live in this amazing city.

EDINBURGH IS CHEAP

Being from Sydney I am the only person (apart from the few who have lived in London) who believes Edinburgh is cheap. Transport? Cheaper than Sydney. Fresh Food? Cheaper than Sydney. Drinks? WAAAAAY cheaper than Sydney. People don't believe me. The other week we hit City Cafe where you can purchase jugs of 4 different kinds of cocktails for £8. The jugs were the equivalent of 8 cocktails. FOR EIGHT POUNDS. And while others were hesitating at the price, I was ordering a jug for each hand.
Not to mention all the online stores that have free shipping in the UK. I'm looking at you Amazon and your exorbitant Australian shipping fees. Now I get my Amazon and Asos goodies shipped for free.

EDINBURGH IS SMALL

I always have a chuckle overhearing about the length of time it takes people to get places in Edinburgh. “Oh she has to drive from Fife - that’s 45 minutes away!”, or “It’s going to take 2 hours to fly to Spain. TWO HOURS!”, or my favourite: “Rachel you live so far from work! How can you stand the commute?” I live on the harbour which is as far north of Edinburgh you can get before you are literally in the water. My bus takes me 30 mins. A taxi to town takes 12 minutes. I can walk to town in 1 hour and 12 minutes exactly. Yes, I timed it. If this were Sydney I would be living in the Inner Suburbs. I love how quickly I can get around town. It’s also such a novelty after living my entire adult life in Sydney where it takes hours to bloody get anywhere. Which leads me to my next point:

EDINBURGH IS GREAT FOR NIGHT’S OUT (for those who don’t usually enjoy a night’s out)

I don’t go out often, I love a night in either at home or at someone’s house for dinner and board games. In Sydney I did this quite regularly, and honestly can’t remember the last time I went into the city for a night out. It was always just such a ridiculous effort to get home, or unfair to make someone our designated driver again. In Edinburgh there are night buses that get me home in 25 minutes and a taxi cost around £10 to get home. Such a novelty!

TRAVEL

One of the main reasons I moved to Europe is to travel. This whole year has been about getting paid and spending every single pound on exploring this awesome part of the world. I've even done the unthinkable and dipped into my savings (damn you Iceland #noregrets). I think I’ve seen more of Scotland and any other country I’ve been to and can’t wait to explore it more. I love the cheap flights out of Edinburgh, often I can find a return flight somewhere in Europe for around £50.

NETBALL

I’ve joined a netball team for the first time in 16 years and now I can’t wait for Tuesday nights. We play in George Heriot’s School which is basically Hogwarts and I love playing again so much. My team is called Nets Go and I could not have asked for a more awesome team. Everyone is so fun to be around and though we don’t win often we try and have fun each game.

AND ONE THING THAT’S HARD, REALLY HARD…..

HOMESICKNESS

I hate being away from my friends and family. It’s the hardest thing to deal with.

Warwick Castle is a 45 minute train journey from Birmingham so I had to go on my first day off. I mean, look at it! What an awesome castle, and it's home to the world's biggest trebuchet. Freaking amazing. This awesome medieval castle was modelled on the original built by William the Conquerer in 1068. It is now a fully decked out tourist castle heaven, with so much to see and do. There was archery, a Horribly Histories maze, the Tower of History (my favourite part), Princess high teas for the little kids and beautifully ornate interiors.