We explored our way around the city, fitting in as many sites as we could. Edinburgh castle and the royal mile, as well as Scott's monument and st Giles Cathedral.

We thought we'd finish the night off with a couple of beers and a feed at the hostel but that quickly changed as our roommates dragged us out to explore the Edinburgh nightlife. Sore heads this morning.

This morning we're on our way to the royal Edinburgh show!

It was there that we met up with a lovely couple named Gordon and Leslie who were kind enough to take us in and treat us to dinner and a bed at their beautiful farm house in saint Monans.

Today we borrowed their car and took a trip out to St Andrews where we visited the renowned Old Golf Course and toured the St Andrews Castle as well as the old mines that lie beneath.

After once again being treated to dinner, Gordon decided to take Jackson and myself up amongst the crops with wine glass in hand to view the most beautiful sunset at 10.30pm!!

Tomorrow we head towards the Scottish highlands with the little Toyota Corolla that Leslie and Gordon were kind enough to lend us for the next week. Let's hope we don't get lost..... or then again, maybe that's the point!

It was all about the journey not the destination as the views on the trip went unrivalled to just about anything we had seen before.

When we eventually did reach the destination, it didn’t disappoint either. A lodge right on the bank of Loch Ness was the accomodation for the night. We spent it by a fire and playing pool with some Germans, drinking some of their finest Scotch whisky.

Eileen Donan Castle

Climbing waterfalls

Highland cow farm

Eventually we did reach the Isle of Skye via a bridge that ran from the Kyle of Lochalsh. We threw on our walking shoes and went up the biggest hill we could find. The hiking destination was called the Old Man of Storr and the views didn't dissapoint.

Today we move back down south towards the Trossachs

Our drive finished in a small town called Crianlarich in the north of the Trossachs. A town which serves as a stopover for hikers partaking in the West Highland Way. A gruelling 5 to 7 day hike from Glasgow to Fort William. We took our own little hike through a pine forest nearby and finished off with a beer on the house at the local tavern. Still unsure as to why it was on the house... perhaps we exagggerated the size of the hike we had done 🤔

In the morning we took another nice drive along Loch Lomond heading south. We stopped at a little village called Luss where we searched through the graveyard for potential ancestors.

Another stop in Stirling to explore the castle and the history that accompanies it. It was a really eye opening experience and we learnt so much about the true nature of Scotland that existed hundreds of years ago.

Now we are back at our home away from home at Stenton Farm. A couple nights here and then we will be on our way to meet up with the latecomers in London.

PS. We're going to miss little Bobbin

It was here we were exposed to one of the downfalls of the spectacular city. With such a number of unbelievable attractions, there is always some people who want to take advantage of the presence of tourists. As we approached the cathedral we were cornered by a number of men with strings who grabbed our arms and tried to bind the string around our wrist. We managed to break free but not without a sufficent amount of force. We later learned that this is a tactic employed for a number of reasons. Firstly, once they bind this string around your wrist they then demand payment of it. Secondly, the other couple of men take advantage of the distraction and attempt to pickpocket you. It was a bit of an eye-opener coming from the UK and we have all changed our alertness accordingly.

The second day was a busy one. We made our way down to the Seine River and did a huge amount of walking in an attempt to fit in as many attractions as we could. I'll tell you what, the Parisians have gone for quantity as well as quality in this aspect. I think we did pretty well.

All that walking, wasn't without a few pit-stops. We took our breaks as a chance to eat like kings. There's only one way to do it in Paris 😉

It is unlikely to be the last we see of Paris as there's a good chance we will be back in a few weeks time but for now it's goodbye.... or should i say 'Au Revoir'. We're off to Bordeaux tomorrow.

When discovering that Bordeaux is the home of wine, we couldn't pass up the oppurtunity to go the the world's largest wine mueseum, La Citè Du Vin. The experience was completed with a complimentary wine tasting overlooking the city.... Needless to say, we have embraced French wine culture.

The city itself is as elegant as it gets. Just as beautiful as Paris but without all the hustle and bustle of tourists. It has been the perfect way for us to explore France as the locals do.

A home cooked meal from our resident Masterchef Jackson to close out our Bordeaux experience and we were on our way to Spain.

We took a stop in Toulouse to break the trip up which proved to be potentially not the greatest idea considering it's around 38 degrees here! Still we did our best to see as much as we could and once again had some more French cuisine that would put a tear in Gordon Ramsay's eye. It turned out to be a worthwhile stopover, even in the heat, because after all, how can you beat that sunset?

Barcelona, bright and early tomorrow morning!

We spent our first afternoon in the Gothic Quarter. We discovered that Barcelona is very distinctly built into districts which very accurately represent the time period that they were established. The Gothic Quarter is filled with ancient roman architecture from around 500AC. Walking through felt like a journey back in time. From the cathedrals to the streets itself, it felt like we had stepped right out of a time machine.

Afternoons and nights were spent people watching on the beach with a beer in hand and plenty of tapas on the table. It didn't bother the girls on the beach whether they wore a top or not and to be completely honest, it didn't bother us too much either.

Our second day was spent following in the footsteps of Antoni Gaudi, a world famous architect of the late 1800's/early 1900's. We made our way through countless of his masterpieces spread throughout the city.

Casa Batllo

Casa Mila

Parc Guell

None more iconic than La Sagrada Familia. Construction started in the late 1800s and almost 150 years later it is still being built. Photos do not do it justice. The size, the structure and the intricacy of the finer details add up to one breathtaking building.

La Sagrada Familia

Our last night was a big fiesta in one of the biggest clubs in the city and now I think we are all in need of a siesta. Not sure if we'll get it. We're on our way to Nice in the French Riviera to meet up with the girls. Could be another long night installed. It's sad to say adios to Barcelona but as they say 'places to be, people to see'. Until next time 🤙

The train ride into the French Riviera was as panoramic as it comes and the location itself was as luxurious as it comes. The new town was fresh and vibrant and the old town was classic and historical. Performers roamed the streets creating background music every step we took.

It was the perfect spot to settle down for a bit and meet up with the girls but now we have moved on and are having a little taste of Italy. Milan is our home for a day or two.

On our first day we explored the Sforza Castle, a 14th century castle, something we didn't exactly expect to see in a city like Milan.

In our second day it was all about the Duomo Di Milano Cathedral, the largest cathedral in Italy and the fourth largest in the world. It took around six centuries to make and the result was something truly spectacular.

We purchased a ticket to enter the cathedral but also to climb to the top of it. It was a hike but well worth it. From here we could admire each of the 3400 statues that sit upon its exterior.

The interior was a marvel in its own right. The Columns were enormous and the stained glass windows were unbelievably intricate. We couldn't begin to guess how long each panel would have taken to create.

We will be back in Italy again in a couple weeks or so but for now we say goodbye as we gain a little more altitude. We're up into the Swiss alps!