Jordan once told me that if your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough. And not only do you need to be brave enough to dream them, you have to chase them!
It was at a wobbly high top table at the Hunter Museum that my dream took flight. I’d been traveling for years, but always under the protection of those that had been doing it longer. It was safe. I’d seen a lot of my bucket list, but always felt I was barely scratching the surface. I had the instagram-worthy photos, but beyond that and a superficial story or two, my pockets were empty. What I craved was depth. Relationships. Real conversations–and an honest look at the places I was seeing beyond their touristy curb appeal–the good and the bad. After years of long lines and sparkly gift shops, I was ready for something more authentic. I didn’t know if other people craved these experiences the same way I did, but it was through tears that Jordan grabbed my hand and told me he believed in my dream.
We started small–mostly with people who’s trust I hadn’t completely earned on my own–people who had traveled with me via big box tour companies in the past, but who thought I might be onto something. It’s been an evolution, but one that’s brought me some of the most thought-provoking conversations, deeply-rooted friendships, often with people that started out as total strangers, and made me see just how serendipitous and small our world truly is.
We just returned from Scotland and Northern Ireland after three long years of holding our breath–waiting and hoping. I don’t know if three years of deprivation made this a more intense experience, or if we’ve just figured out the formula, but I think those that walked this journey with us would agree–it awoke something in our souls that had been lying dormant, something I’ll do my best to share with you through Brooke’s beautiful photos. They tell the story more beautifully than any words could relay and give you a glimpse into the realization of my dream coming true.
day 1 - Belfast
Nothing gives you a more honest assessment of what a place is truly like than its food and beer scene, so we dove headfirst into our day at St. George’s Market with Belfast natives Ali and Rosie. I remember being overcome with an odd sense of nostalgia for this place I’d never been before. The energy and warmth of the market reminded me of Sunday afternoons wandering through the Chattanooga Market, and yet, here we were a world away, and amazingly, the only foreigners in sight. It was filled with young families, Irish hipsters, older couples, and everyone in between. We tasted olives and freshly ground coffee from local producers, wandering through stalls of eclectic arts and crafts, and being serenaded by Belfast’s finest musicians. After our morning at the market, we continued our gastronomic adventure by visiting a local corner pub and sipping on one of Armagh’s finest ciders. We sampled traditionally made champ, a northern Ireland staple, similar to mashed potatoes, and yet entirely different. We then had the best seafood chowder that side of the Atlantic, washing it all down with a refreshing pint of Guinness. We all agreed that something about Guinness straight from the tap hits differently in Belfast. Even the beer skeptics seemed to lose themselves in the magic of the moment. We filed into local pubs, craft breweries, and architecturally astounding speakeasies that were steeped in local history, filled to the brim with Belfasters, and frozen in time. It was a sensory experience and an incredible way to jump headfirst into the heart of Belfast.
day 2 - Antrim Coast
The next day we ventured up along the Antrim coast with a stop at the ruins of Dunluce Castle. It was a rainy, blustery day, and some of my favorite travelers' photos and videos have come from the epic wind battles that were fought at Dunluce. It was cold and rainy, but breathtaking. That afternoon we explored the Giant’s Causeway and marveled at the stunning basalt columns that jut out of the sea. Legend has it that this area was once home to a giant named Finn McCool who tore up the coastline and hurled pieces of them into the sea when another giant threatened Ireland. On our way back home we stopped at the iconic Dark Hedges–a beech tree-lined path with gnarled and winding limbs hanging ominously over the roadway.
My favorite memory from this day happened quite by accident. We had our dinner that evening at the Crown Liquor Saloon, a truly remarkable pub in the heart of Belfast. Covered in ornate wooden carvings, impressive stained-glass windows, and little private booths, this place is an architectural masterpiece. A few of us that showed up early were able to grab one of the private Peaky Blinders-style booths and the snapshot I carry with me in my brain of that evening is one I’ll never forget. The beer was flowing and the conversation was rich, and hilarious, and the whole evening had a truly dream-like quality to it.
day 3 - High Airyolland Farm + Edinburgh
Before we knew it our time in Northern Ireland was over and we hopped a ferry to Scotland. We spent the day with Neale and Janet at the High Airyolland Farm. The McQuistan’s have been farming this land for centuries raising Highland “Coos” and lambs. Their homegrown operation “Kitchen, Coos, and Ewes” was quite literally one of the most authentic and genuine experiences I’ve ever had traveling. Neale drove us out to the farm and let us feed, brush and play with his “Wee Coos,” before filling our bellies with Janet’s amazing pastries and making us feel like we were leaving their home two friends-richer. They even helped us ring in Mason’s 18th birthday with a little cake Janet had prepared for him.
That night, Mason’s dad Jay pulled off the most epic surprise by waltzing into the lobby unannounced to spend his birthday with him, after weeks of apologizing that a work obligation would be keeping them apart this year. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
day 4 - Edinburgh
On this day we explored Edinburgh on foot with Gains, born and raised in Edinburgh. Gains made the city come to life, ironically by narrating the tales of the many people who died here–There was Half-Hangit Maggie, the Scotswoman who survived her own hanging–cementing herself eternally in Scottish lore–There was Old John Gray, caretaker and nightwatchman of Greyfriars Kirkyard, buried just inside the gate of the place he lived to protect, and whose grave was adorably visited by his little Scottish Terrier, Bobby, for 14 loyal years–there were weathered graves lending inspiration to J.K. Rowling with their mysterious McGonagalls and Tom Riddles whose real-life stories have been lost in time, living now only in the wizarding world of Harry Potter–there were cages covering graves as a reminder of darker times, when grave robbing was a means of acquiring cadavers for barber/surgeons in the early days of understanding modern medicine and human anatomy. Edinburgh is incapable of leaving you anything less than mesmerized by her many secrets.
day 5 - Dalwhinnie Distillery + Loch Ness
This morning we departed Edinburgh for Inverness by way of the beautiful Cairngorm National Forest, through lochs and mountains and some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable. As if it couldn’t be any more magical, it started to softly snow, covering the already rugged landscape with a blanket of white. Reindeer roam free through this park and we were lucky enough to spot a few on the drive in.
We spent the afternoon touring Dalwhinnie Distillery, producer of world famous Dalwhinnie single malt Scotch whisky. The name Dalwhinnie means “meeting place” in gaelic, and is a nod to the cattle drovers routes that coincided with the distillery's current location. We took a lovely tour of their facility with local distiller, Janet, who walked us through the entire distilling process from start to finish, explaining that in order to qualify as a single malt Scotch, the whisky must be distilled at a single distillery using a pot still distillation process and incorporating only three ingredients–malted barley, yeast and water. The grand finale came with a private tasting and chocolate pairing of three of Dalwhinnie’s most famous whiskies. It was fascinating how much more than a beverage this is to the locals who make it–a lot of love and pride goes into every barrel.
We left the distillery a little warmer than we arrived and we made our way to Loch Ness to look for the elusive monster that is said to lurk beneath the dark waters. Sadly, we didn’t spot her, but Brandon and Erich, hardcore Utah natives who “don’t feel the cold,” decided to take a dip in the loch, producing many hilarious jabs that continued throughout the trip, and earning Brandon the nickname “Nessie.”
day 6 - Isle of Skye
From Inverness we made our way to the Isle of Skye and stopped at one of Scotland’s most photographed castles, Eilean Donan. We were taken through the castle by a grumpy, yet endearing kilted guide with very strong feelings about photographing the castle from the inside–hence all our photos consisting solely of the castle’s lovely exterior. The inside of the castle has been recreated to its former glory with each room having exhibits of life as it would’ve been when it was restored most recently in 1932.
From the castle we made our way to the Isle of Skye, where I’d planned a little surprise for everyone. Without their knowledge, I’d arranged for a professional piper, Dougie, to meet us in the Scottish Highlands and give us a private bagpiping performance. Dougie was born and raised on the Sutherland East Coast and has been playing the pipes since childhood. He joined the Scots Guard and served for 7 years, during which he played for Her Majesty, the Queen of England in Windsor Castle. Dougie completely caught everyone by surprise and brought us to tears with his amazing talents. He was kind of enough to tell us about the significance of the colors of his tartan, explaining each piece and its purpose–including “where to put your porridge.” Besides a local couple who had an impeccable gnack for timing their wedding photos and a few sheep hopping through the hills, we had the place to ourselves and it went down as one of the most serene moments we’ve had on tour to date, with one traveler boasting this had taken the top spot for her favorite travel memories of all time.
Day 7 - Jacobite Steam Train
Our final day in Scotland we explored the charming fishing village of Mallaig before boarding the Jacobite Steam train, made famous in Harry Potter as “Hogwarts Express.” A little lady pummeled her way through the train with a trolley full of Bertie Botts Beans and Chocolate Frogs shouting, “Anything from the trolley dear?” As the train chugged through the tunnels, steam and coal would fly in through the windows of the train, causing everyone to frantically reach for the windows. The most memorable moment of the ride was riding along the Glenfinnan Viaduct–a railway viaduct overlooking Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Monument. Those that were brave enough to lean out the window were rewarded with a view right out of a storybook. While the train disappointingly dropped us off at the station, and not Hogwarts, we sure had an amazing time pretending.
The most meaningful connection we made on the tour was undoubtedly with our driver Tony, affectionately known as Tony Chocoloney, and his cousin Kevin–who hilariously narrated our tour, answered our endless questions about history, wildlife, and politics, sang us irish drinking songs, and earned a spot in both our travel family and our hearts. On our last day together, Angela treated us to a dramatic reading of inside jokes she had collected throughout the trip, which helped us laugh through the tears of saying goodbye to these two amazing friends. It was comforting to know that even though we had to say goodbye for now, we had formed friends for life across the pond.
There’s a collective bond that comes with sharing meaningful experiences together. Many of us started out as strangers, but I can honestly say we are leaving the best of friends. Travel has a way of doing that, and I’m so appreciative to those of you that took this journey with me. You took a leap of faith in joining me on this adventure, and I hope you are leaving, like me, full of the best memories imaginable. The dream doesn’t work without each of you—thank you for being the living, breathing embodiment of my dream coming true.