Fort William, Cow Hill, and The Wildcat

We woke up to a blue sky. It was a bit chilly but otherwise the perfect day for a hike. Our original plan was to hike up Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. However, for assorted reasons, we couldn’t have a whole a day in Fort William. We, therefore, decided to hike to … Continue reading / view photos Fort William, Cow Hill, and The Wildcat

Stornoway, Unilever, and a German frigate

We had the morning to look around Stornoway before leaving Lewis and Harris to take the ferry back to the Scottish mainland. We started at Lews Castle. It was built by James Matheson in 1847 and then bought by William Lever (Lord Leverhulme). These two Victorians had a noteworthy influence on the island. In 1844, … Continue reading / view photos Stornoway, Unilever, and a German frigate

The Butt of Lewis and Dùn Èistean

Cath was feeling under the weather for our final full day on Lewis and Harris, but she told us of a scenic walk at the northern end of the island, taking in the Butt of Lewis. It was a short walk, about 6km, but the 50-70kph winds made it seem longer. During the walk, we … Continue reading / view photos The Butt of Lewis and Dùn Èistean

Deers, cows, and Harris Tweed

We were back on the road again, being driven around our friend in Lewis and Harris. Two items were on the agenda for the day: a shopping trip to Tarbert (where we had landed a couple of days ago) and a hike. We first went to a shop selling Harris Tweed, which the island is … Continue reading / view photos Deers, cows, and Harris Tweed

Bothies, brochs, and standing stones

We were lucky to be staying with Cath, who lives on the island of Harris and Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. For our first full day, Cath drove us around the island. It was beautiful and I kept wanting to get out of the car to take photos. I was happy when we did a … Continue reading / view photos Bothies, brochs, and standing stones

Old Man of Storr and Fairy Glen

When I woke up after our first day in Scotland, I stepped out of the shepherd’s hut in Broadford and was greeted with this beautiful sight: Before sailing to the Outer Hebrides, we had two places we wanted to visit on our drive to the ferry port. The first place was the Old Man of … Continue reading / view photos Old Man of Storr and Fairy Glen

Isle of Skye

Going to experience the breathtaking beauty of Scotland is becoming an annual event. Two years ago, we went to a deserted island, Shuna. Last year, we went to the stunning West Highlands, starting in Kingussie. And this year, we’re exploring the Isle of Skye and Outer Hebrides. As usual, we took the sleeper train from … Continue reading / view photos Isle of Skye

East Asia itinerary

My trip to East Asia lasted three months. In the region, I travelled about 15,000km. It started in Tokyo from where I went to Kyoto and Hiroshima. Taiwan was next and it was a very pleasant surprise. I had little knowledge of the country and zero expectations. I visited Taipei, Taichung, Chiayi, Fenqihu, Alishan, Kaohsiung, … Continue reading / view photos East Asia itinerary

Dogs in strollers

In East Asia, especially Japan, it seems that there are more dogs in strollers, being carried, or on a motorbike than walking on their own four feet. I’m not sure how the pram/stroller thing started. Do they exercise the dogs so little that they can no longer go for walks and must be carried around? … Continue reading / view photos Dogs in strollers

Farewell East Asia

My last day in Tokyo was spent shopping. It was wet and I was rushing around going from one part of the city to another, sometimes doubling back when I didn’t find what I wanted in a place. It was like musical chairs, wondering where I’d end up at the end of the day. Sometimes, … Continue reading / view photos Farewell East Asia