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TraveLynn Tales: a year around the world

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By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

Just the words, “world travel” sound romantic. What’s it like to really chuck it all and travel around the world for a year? After visiting over a dozen countries on a shoestring-budget, I thought I’d do a little visual re-cap of some of the highlights.

 

First stop on my world travel adventure — Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, where I took a leap of faith as well as a leap in the ocean, and later frolicked with rock wallabies, felt the spiritual draw of Uluru, soaked up the sun on Sydney’s beaches and toured the famous opera house. From the capitol, Canberra, to Melbourne to Tasmania, I not only explored all the scenic beauty Australia has to offer, but the beauty and hospitality of the people as well, couch surfing with wonderful souls who opened their homes to me (too many on this journey to name in one blog).

 

Sad to leave the land of Oz, I was at the same time excited to check out the natural beauty of New Zealand’s South Island, from fjords to waterfalls, helicopters and glaciers and swimming with dolphins — to tracks and tramping to wine. It was sensory-overload in every aspect.

 

After all that adventure, it was time to slow down with a 10-day silent meditation retreat in Thailand, focusing on breathing and letting thoughts float by (world travel isn’t all about constantly moving). Other treats lay in store in Thailand as well, like cooking class, night market shopping and even swimming with elephants.

 

From there, a swing through Cambodia to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world and with the help of a generous friend, to buy a tuk tuk for a young man struggling to start his own business.

 

Japan has long been on my list, and exceeded any dreams of what this locale would bring. From the bustle of Tokyo, to a ryokan in cherry blossom-filled mountains near snow monkeys soaking in hot springs — to historic, temple and shrine-filled Kyoto and out to the hush of Arashiyama’s bamboo-forest, Japan was a feast for the senses.

 

As hard as it was leaving Japan, Croatia was calling, with historic cities like Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, and Zadar — crystalline waters of National Parks Plitvice and Krka, and scenic islands to hop — Mljet, Korcula, Brac, Hvar, and hundreds more, all set like gems in the vast blue ocean, the colors of which are hard to describe. I even managed to slip in a day trip to Montenegro.

 

Farewell, Croatia meant hello, Slovenia and fairytale Bled, with its island and church and jade-colored lake — and of course, what fairytale would be complete without castle, knights and dancing ladies?

 

Only thoughts of Italy, Venice and gelato, could pry me away from Slovenia. Who can resist singing gondoliers, carnival masks, bridge-stitched canals and Italian wine? Italy also brought the Amalfi coast, Isle of Capri, historic Pompeii, Rome and the Cinque Terra.

 

France included not only couch surfing in Paris and tangoing in front of the Eiffel Tower, but a free private tour on the top of Notre Dame amidst a city full of art and architecture. Loire Valley is filled with castles and I managed to explore several, including Chenonceau, Villandry, Cheverny, and Chambord. Although I didn’t meet a prince, I did get rescued by a fairy godmother, but that’s another story.

 

In the South of France, amidst fields of sunflowers, I sat for a couple of weeks. My first housesit for two little poodles (and a lazy tortoise) gave me use of my own private pool. Spain also lay waiting on my world travels — beautiful Barcelona, infused with the influence of Gaudi, including Parc Guell and Sagrada Familia, and tapas and flamenco rounded out the experience.

 

After months of sun and following summer, it was time to head someplace cool, so I hopped a flight to the emerald isle of Ireland where for a few days in Dublin, I discovered the joys of craic (Irish fun, including music and liquid refreshment) and was even turned temporarily into a leprechaun. Renting a car was the only way to get around on the backroads, so I headed off on the Wild Atlantic Way, through fields of green in every shade, along coast, past grazing sheep, through rainbow villages and castles and Celtic ruins.

 

In time for my second housesit, I flew to Scotland, where first I sampled the magnificent city of Edinburgh, then headed to Fort William to care for a feisty border collie and hike the highlands, while housesitting in a Victorian manse on a hill overlooking a loch.

 

From one dog sit to another to another, I was dropped into Dickens, in a little village called Corsham, where I walked much more slowly with my 15-year-old charge and also fed a visiting peacock named Kevin. A day to cruise through Bath led to four days in lovely London, full of museums, parks and markets.

 

Rounding out my year of world travel was yet another dog sit in Hove in the south of England, for two lively little dachshunds and walks on Brighton’s promenade. All in all, it was an amazing journey — this just scratches the surface.

 

When my year was over, not ready to return to the States, I spent six months in Thailand writing about my adventures. I’m now wintering in Mexico!

 

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50+ wanderer whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.

 

“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eclectic Edinburgh

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By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

How do you know when you’ve landed in Scotland? The men are in skirts, of course! Kilts, to be more accurate.

 

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, was my first stop, with its beautiful medieval Old Town and elegant Royal Mile. The cobblestone streets are lined with shops selling everything in plaid — kilts, scarves, purses, postcards, mugs and key rings, as well as other Scottish paraphernalia.

 

The Royal Mile is crowned at the top with Edinburgh Castle, protecting Scotland’s crown jewels and Stone of Destiny, surrounded by a sweeping view of the city, and anchored at the bottom by Holyrood Palace.

 

In between are the Closes, or Wynds — narrow lanes and alleyways where residents used to live. They were named after the most prominent citizens or businesses, and it was highly unusual for one to be named after a woman. Mary King’s Close is underground, the city was built up over it, and it’s open to the public for tours, if you dare — urban legends tell of hauntings from plague victims and things that go bump in the night. It’s an eerie but fun way to learn of some of Edinburgh’s history.

 

image-175-1024x768Musicians play their bagpipes on the streets, haunting music swirling amongst the beautiful old buildings, and neighborhoods like Grassmarket house hostels and kilt makers, bookstores and gift shops plus plenty of pubs, many with colorful histories. Have no fear if you’re a foodie, there are plenty of places to eat as well as drink.

 

It was such a lovely day, I decided to climb Arthur’s Seat, a nearby extinct volcano with incredible views from the top. “It’s not as hard as it looks,” people told me. It appeared daunting, but I gave it a go. I counted around 900 uneven stone steps, and when the steps ended, there was a dirt path, then it was pretty much rock climbing. I saw moms with little kids, and people in their 70s, so I figured I should be able to do it too. Happily, I had my hiking boots on.

 

I thought I was at the top, only to find another steeper bit to climb. But I made it — 360 degree views, with all of Edinburgh as well as the sea spread below me. The crystal clear day was perfectly still.

 

“It’s usually windy up here,” a woman told me, “you’re lucky.” Yes, I am.

 

image-227-1024x768There’s so much to do in Edinburgh, but of course Scotland is known for its whisky, so why not check out the Whisky Experience? You’re sent off on a Disney-like ride in a barrel where a “ghost” hologram tells you about the three ingredients of whisky — water, malted barley and yeast, and how it’s fermented and distilled and aged in barrels, much like wine. We got to scratch and sniff a card that showed the scents of the four different Scottish whiskey regions — Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside and Islay, which correspond to the flavors of citrus, vanilla, banana and smoke. Then the best part, taste-testing! Plus there’s a sweep through the world’s largest whisky collection, with more than 3,600 bottles.

 

The National Gallery, with free admission, is full of religious, allegorical and impressionist paintings or if you’re more into writing than art, Edinburgh is known for it’s fair share of authors, including  Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott, and you can learn about them in the Writer’s Museum.

 

Or you can even go on a literary pub crawl and combine the spirit of history with spirits of a more liquid nature. Your hosts, actors in character, will lead you on an informative romp through several lively night spots.

 

image-197-1024x768More appropriate for the younger set — you can stop for a coffee or cocoa at the place where J.K. Rowling penned much of her first Harry Potter book.

 

As an alternative to expensive hotels and preferring a more local experience, I’d booked an Air B&B with a lovely couple a short bus ride out of the city in an area called Portobello, where I had the best of both worlds — close to the city center, but a block from the beach, and Scotland was experiencing some unseasonably warm early fall weather.

 

What do you do when your hosts invite you to a real Scottish meal of Haggis and you’ve discovered on a tea towel in town what’s in it? You suck it up and try it, of course, and I have to say, it was really quite tasty, along with the neeps (mashed turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes), although I tried not to think of the ingredients.

 

One day my host wasn’t busy and accompanied me for an afternoon. She’d packed a picnic, which we shared on a bench in a park overlooking the city, then walked through town to the botanic gardens to view an art exhibit and strolled towards home along Leith canal, the clouds and blue sky reflected in the water, with ducks and swans gliding by, a lovely last day in historic, eclectic Edinburgh.

 

Lest you be disappointed, having perhaps heard of incessant Edinburgh drizzle, I did manage to experience one day of gray, gloomy skies and damp weather, so I’ll leave you with this, a perhaps more common view of this fabulous historic city.

 

image-218-1024x768About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.

 

“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

House-sitting in the Highlands with Hamish

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By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

Castles in the sky, or at least close — my house sit in Fort William, in the Highlands of Scotland, came in the form of a Victorian manse, complete with a lively companion.

 

The Highlands have long been high on my list, and I had two weeks to enjoy the fall with free accommodations in exchange for keeping an eye on this lovely home and entertaining my new furry friend, Hamish. Little did I know that he had 100 times my energy and would keep me on my toes about 14 hours a day. A Border Collie blend, Hamish loves to chase balls, from the crack of dawn (over 50 throws before breakfast) until late at night, with enough zest to knock the stuffing out of both the balls and me.

 

11Luckily, there was a jacuzzi with a view for some recuperation! The hot water and jets felt heavenly on my sore muscles — both throwing arms as well as legs from hiking.

 

When he was not chasing balls, Hamish loved to show me all of the surrounding hikes. The Scottish Highlands are rugged and gorgeous on both sunny and rainy days, and if you’re lucky like I was, you may get both at once, and end up with a rainbow.

 

But first, before going exploring I had to learn how to drive. True, I’d been driving since I was 16, so with decades of experience you wouldn’t think of it as a problem. But upon my arrival, I learned that all of our dog walks — twice a day — started well beyond walking distance. Hamish isn’t comfortable walking in town; he was recently re-homed and has a few “issues,” such as fear of thunder and cars, and a fondness for chasing sheep.

 

“You have use of our car to take him on his walks,” the homeowners told me, and showed me their big SUV, with, oh God help me, a stick shift. I have to say, this was the most terrifying time on my entire around the world trip — a stick shift, which I haven’t driven in years in a big SUV, the owner’s pride and joy, on many a steep hill on the left side of the road with double lane roundabouts. My heart pounded and I broke out in a sweat. I fessed up to my lack of skills, but they were kind and took me out in the countryside for some lessons.

 

27Once I had the hang of it, I appreciated the luxury of such a nice car with navigation that gave me verbal directions, since Hamish wasn’t much help in that department. We climbed through woods by rushing waterfalls in Glen Nevis over lush moss, past fields of heather and wildflowers. We crossed rushing rivers, and hiked partway up Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the British Isles. Hamish even knows how to climb over stiles, smart dog.

 

And speaking of smart, Hamish also knows how to ride the ski resort lift; he showed me how to board the gondola for drop-dead gorgeous views. His owners were kind enough to buy me a pass so we could go hiking on top, one of our favorite spots.

 

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’d appreciate the hike near Glenfinnan, up to see the bridge where Harry’s train took him to Hogwarts. We even timed it right to see the old steam train, its whistle blowing as it chugged by below us. And there was lunch in an old parked dining car, where the service was up to Hamish’s standards — they brought him a bowl of water and treated him like an honored guest. Many movies have been filmed in or around Fort William, including scenes from Braveheart.

 

If you’re more of a beach person than mountain, you’ll still enjoy heading to the Highlands. A short but scenic drive will take you to the shore and one of Hamish’s favorite places. He’s not afraid of cold water and lunged into the sea to chase ball after ball, splashing spray up into his sand-covered muzzle.

17

Warm, sunny days alternated with cold rain, but still we hiked twice a day and discovered that we didn’t melt. With a rain jacket for me, and fur coat for Hamish, we shook off the drops and enjoyed the peace and solitude of being the only ones out. Fort William is the start/finish of both the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way, if you’re into long-distance walking or cycling.

 

The quaint town of Fort William has plenty of pubs and if you’re a hiker, plenty of shopping with no shortage of outfitters. Warm, cosy coffeehouses offer shelter, where I could take a short break from my charge — the house was just up the hill, so I could also take a rest from driving.

 

They say in the Highlands the midges are worse than mosquitoes, but I didn’t have a chance to find out — apparently in September, I had just missed midge season, barely by a smidge.

 

The house on the hill had magnificent views, overlooking Loch Linnhe and Fort William. With a turret and rooftop garden, sunken tub inside and jacuzzi out back, a fireplace with lots of wood ready to keep me warm, a library of DVDs, a wine cellar and whiskey cupboard (with permission to sample) and a grand kitchen in which to cook my stew, I was a pretty happy camper. Yes, I was kept on my toes as Hamish isn’t one to rest, but house-sitting in the Highlands was a heavenly haven, and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.

 

32About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.

 

“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

Sharing a Castle with a Ghost

Senior Living, Travel, ,

Retirement Living and Travel

Part 2, 1982

don_uppIn my last article, I said I would next write about our trips in retirement. Well maybe not after all. Before retirement, there was the trip to Scotland in 1982 that set the traveling stage for us. It was key to determining if we really could afford to jump off the deep end and go places. It all started with an Ann Arbor photo instructor inviting us to attend a meeting about an opportunity  to go to Scotland and live in a castle for a week. My wife, Jan, is an established watercolor artist, and the instructor wanted to have her comments on the fine art aspects of images there.

Penkill Castle in Scotland became home for the Upps for one week.
Penkill Castle in Scotland

Our first impulse was No way! The cost for the two of us seemed astronomical.  But the next week, Thanksgiving week in 1981, we were talking with our 35-year-old neighbor across the street while she was raking leaves. She told u s she was going into the hospital for exploratory surgery, but did not think it was anything serious. It turned out to be advance cancer and she passed away just after Christmas.

That got us thinking about how quickly something can change in your life. We looked at our finances (we had a daughter in college and one in high school, plus  we had the usual home mortgage and car loans. And my wife was enrolled in the fine arts program at Grand Valley College). But we had enough insurance to cover all that, plus we were healthy. So we said “Yes!” In the spring, off we flew to Scotland.

The infamous Loc Ness on a cloudy day.
The infamous Loc Ness on a cloudy day.

Since we were spending most of the money on air fare, we went a week early, rented a car, and did some sight seeing. Loc Ness was of course on the agenda. The day we were there, it was gray and blustery. If you looked out over the water, it would not take much to convince yourself that something big and snake-like was out there.

In 1692, the Massacre at Glencoe took place here. It was a violent dispute between the Campbells and the MacDonalds.
In 1692, the Massacre at Glencoe took place in this beautiful glen. History claims different versions of why the Campbells clan slayed members of the MacDonalds clan.

One of the really spooky places we stopped was where the Massacre at Glencoe took place in 1692. Scottish history claims one Scottish clan, the Campbells, slayed another Scottish clan, the MacDonalds for not pledging their allegiance to the newly appointed King William. The ground here was soft and spongy, and it felt like one could be swallowed up. We found out later that only 38 MacDonalds were killed but over 300 were led to safety by Captain MacDonald. Ill feelings between the two clans still exists today.

We spent our nights at bed and breakfasts which are plentiful in Scotland. At one of them, we were so far north we could take photos at midnight because it was so bright.

After a week of our own sightseeing, we met our group at Penkill Castle, in Ayshire near Girvan. Built in the 16th century, it was, at the time we were there, considered to be the second longest inhabited castle in the United Kingdom. Our group was small: my wife and I, another couple, the photography instructor and the laird of the castle, Elton Eckstand of Detroit. Around 1848, the castle had been a popular rendezvous for the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood of painters, poets and critics trying to reform art at that time. As a result, many castle walls had paintings and murals of their work. One is buried on the castle grounds.

The Upps shared a bedroom with a former resident at Penkill Castle
The Upps shared a bedroom with a former resident at Penkill Castle.

Because the castle was built in the 15th century, there is no central heat. Each bedroom and bathroom has its own fireplace. It wasn’t until the last night of our visit that my wife asked for a fire in our bathroom!

One evening, as we were getting ready for bed, we heard a very faint voice calling out “Albert.” The next morning, at breakfast, we were told that was the name of one of the previous owners that had met a very untimely death. Apparently former guests of that bedroom said they heard the voice as well. (That was the same night that the castle houseboys clipped a rose blossom from a hundred-plus-year-old rose bush on my wife’s pillow. A nice touch!)

Evening entertainment at the castle focused on Scottish culture.
Evening entertainment at the castle focused on Scottish culture.

Each evening after dinner, we were entertained by local dancers, singers, bag pipers and, one night, by the ceremony of the haggis. The tradition of the haggis is based on the first lamb or sheep to be slaughtered for the season. All the parts that cannot be stored (mostly the organs) are chopped up, mixed with oatmeal, and roasted in a sheep’s stomach. A person in full kilts recites a poem by Robert Burns dedicated to the haggis, and cuts it open. After that, two men in kilts did the dance of the spinning sabers.

The castle was our home base for exploration. One of our trips was to Ailsa Craig, a solid granite island. The granite from here is the official source of all Olympic curling stones. It is now a nature preserve, and so granite can only be quarried every 20 or 25 years. Around noon, we always tried to get to the woolen goods store – they served the best lemon meringue pie in all of Scotland!

Ailsa Craig, a solid granite island is the official source of all Olympic curling stones.
Ailsa Craig, a solid granite island is the official source of all Olympic curling stones.

While we were in Scotland, we became curious as to why so many ruins had no roofs. We learned that in the UK, if a building has three walls and a roof, it is taxed as habitable. No roof, no tax. Many of the original buildings had lead roofs and much of the lead was also taken for use in WW1.

At the end of the week, we all went our separate ways. I flew home, and Jan went to London, where she and another Grand Valley student attended Richmond College to complete some fine arts work. She then went on to Stonehenge, the Isle of Wight, and to Brighton. There, she was able to meet the sister of our Swedish exchange student who was coming to live with us the following fall. The timing could not have been better for us taking the trip to Scotland after all.