Holiday adventures

Christmas away from home is hard. I won't lie about that.

No, hang on, let me correct that statement. Christmas away from my family is hard. If I had had the opportunity to spend Christmas in Scotland with my family and my dog I would've been the happiest on the planet; the fact that usual routines with family members was taking place without me being there was startling - seeing as that hadn't ever happened (as far as I know) in my short 22 years. But what needed to be done, needed to be done, and cherishing new experiences and saving money were top priorities. So myself, and a few other friends, bought train tickets and booked a hostel up North to Inverness...

...which, for the "capital of the Highlands", is incredibly tiny. However, the trip was a breath of fresh air and the chance to explore a new city and new area of Scotland. It's also the furthest North I've been on the Earth, and that's pretty cool. I was extremely grateful to be able to spend Christmas with a few friends, and while Christmas Day was extremely tough (mentally) - I am glad to say I got through it alive and the subsequent days were perfectly great! 

It was also my first official "Boxing Day" and we took the day's lovely weather as an opportunity to walk from our hostel out of the main bit of Inverness, and to the North Sea. It was a small and quiet Christmas, with the exception of a raging game of Pictionary, Monopoly, Doctor Who, and plenty of Christmas movies and pubs.

The North Sea

Looking towards Inverness

Along the River Ness

Christmas night

We returned on the 27th, and I'm glad to say that Glasgow certainly feels like home. I was glad to be back for another week of sleeping in and having adventures (and my wool blanket!). I spent New Years Eve wandering George Square, listening to bagpipe bands, drinking Hot Chocolate, wandering City Centre, seeing The Secret Life of Walter Mitty which is a phenomenal film, and ending up drinking a dram of whisky at the local pub before heading home to watch telly until the clock struck 12. I wasn't upset about missing New Years at home because we usually don't do anything extravagantly special - with the exception of the occasional gathering at the Rojahn's house! But I ended my night here feeling happy.

Perhaps it's because Scotland feels like home. Perhaps it's because I know I'll get to spend the majority of my year here and perhaps it's also because despite the fact that I'm so used to figuring out the next year of my life the December before it happens, and that for the first time in four years I don't know what's going to happen and I'm oddly excited for the possibilities to come, and for the possibility of a job here, or anywhere.

And perhaps it's also because this is a year of exploring. To Ireland, back to England for the first time since 2005 but to a new location (Liverpool!) and to many other new places.

Cheers to a good year, and I hope everyone else had a good holiday season.