Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

Fire roaring above our heads as our feet slowly lift off the ground, my body is suddenly filled with a rush of excitement & anticipation only to be balanced by an overwhelming sense of calming relaxation. Lost in the dream that is reality, I can feel the edge of a wicker basket under my hands as I lean (ever so slightly) over the side and watch as we float away. Blades of grass disappearing into a solid green mass, we leave life on the ground, letting it shrink into the perfect screen setting for a computer game. Freeway sound drifting away below us, we find ourselves under the warmth of a roaring fire without even the sound of the wind, watching the world thrive below us, pure bliss.

There is no feeling in the world like it! Like what? Like a hot air balloon ride!

Blindfolded for an hour long car journey, I was confused to find myself in an empty parking lot next to an empty field at half past 6 in the morning. It wasn't until I saw a suburban and trailer pull up and a massive wicker basket get pulled out the back that I realized what it was we were going to be doing. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of being able to float off into a sparkling blue diamond sky and dance on the clouds. Although growing up I learned that there was no way to do a pirouette on those fluffy white blobs in the sky, the mystery and magic of a hot air balloon has always intrigued me, and seeing that basket appear and those first massive bursts of fire rocket into the air, I might as well have been dancing on the clouds.

Floating over the suburbs of Austin, past the cows and bison in the fields, we went off towards Taylor, Texas. It could not have been a more peaceful and relaxing experience and though my heart felt as if it could race out of my chest, it was not from anxiety but excitement! Despite the early morning chill in the air, the fire above us kept us warm, and provided a calming sense of confidence with its roar. Floating along, it was simply breathtaking watching the Austin skyline disappear off in to the distance as we traveled with the wind from Round Rock to Taylor, making the hour in the air go by all too fast. Braced for a landing that was much harder than I had anticipated, I was still so elated from the journey that I barely felt the basket smash against the ground before tipping quickly onto its side and getting dragged across a field. Clambering out of that basket my mind and heart were still high in the air and I felt as though I were still lost in a dream.

Traveling with "Lighter-Than-Airlines,"  Austin Aeronauts, Inc.  is hands down the best way to experience the sky. Our pilot David Smuck was an incredibly kind, intelligent, and friendly man who inspired confidence in his passengers with his wealth of hot air balloon knowledge and experience. Letting the wind take us up up & away, he controlled out elevation to take us on a stunning 12 mile long aerial adventure. After a surprisingly pleasant & exhilarating landing we were collected and taken back to where we first set off for champagne, croissants, and an initiation ceremony to the hot air balloon community. The whole experience was thought out to the final detail resulting in a day I will never forget. Simply put, flying in a hot air balloon with Austin Aeronauts is without a doubt the most amazing experience I have ever had!

Starting to inflate the balloon with a fan

Final prep stage before full thrusters!

Holding the balloon open as it inflates

Fire roaring in final prep for lift off.

Balloon upright and ready to go!

Sunrise from the balloon

Hot Air Balloon reflection in a creek below

Just after landing... (That is how the balloon landed!)

Hiking along the Speyside Way (Glenlivet-Aberlour)

Day 1:

Getting dropped off at Glenlivet on a dry but ominously grey day with just enough blue sky to patch a sailors trousers, we hiked back towards Ballindalloch along the Speyside Way Tomintoul Spur. The Speyside Way follows  the River Spey however, if you fancy a detour there are several spurs you can fork off on. This particular 17 mile spur takes you along the River Avon to the River Livet past the Glenlivet distillery and on to Tomintoul. The Tomintoul spur is mostly uphill and was by far the most challenging (and rewarding) leg of the trip.

Luckily for us there was a diversion and after hiking along it a good ways, we managed to get a little lost. Going into full adventure mode we backtracked and eventually managed to find our way back to the trail, coming across a helpful map to show us where we were and how to better navigate the area. Comparing the map of the Glenlivet Estate to our Speyside Way hiking map, we figured out how to get to the farm that would lead us to the deceptively large Hill of Deskie.

As we hiked up the Hill of Deskie we watched the Glenlivet distillery shrink behind us, eventually disappearing completely into the distance just as we rounded the top of the hill. Prepared for rain that never came, we were pleased to be in our waterproofs as the grass damp with dew soaked our bottom halves. The only life we saw along the trail was the occasional herd of cows meandering away while maintaining a watchful eye as we traveled through their land.

Luckily for us the portion of the trail that we hiked (in addition to the extra mileage required to reach the B&B) was 11 miles instead of the 20 it would have been had we hiked in from Tomintoul. Checking in to the Woodville B&B long after night fall, we showered and fell into bed having completed our first day. I wouldn't necessarily say the Woodville B&B is the ideal place to stay if you are travelling on foot as it is off the A95 at the top of a hill. However, the cheerful owner, heavenly bed, gorgeous en-suite rooms, scrumptious breakfast, and stunning setting, made it our favorite B&B of the whole trip making it well worth the extra effort we had to take to get there.

Day 2:

Up early to be greeted by stunning blue skies, we set off from our Bed & Breakfast well fed & rested to tackle our second and longest day. We cut through the fields, straight down from our B&B towards the Speyside Way where we  began our 17 mile journey towards Craigellachie. If one were to simply follow the trail to Craigellachie, it is about a 12 mile walk, however with the detours we had planned we were looking forward to the extra 5. Walking along the trail you are following the road upon which the old rail road tracks used to lie. Once again not passing a single soul, we made our way down the trail in total tranquility, taking in the birds song and the rustling of the wind in the trees. Every so often we would cross over an old bridge and as we walked we could see the river rushing below us through the gaps in between the boards. We eventually turned off the trail and made our way up the B9138 towards Marypark turning on the A95 to visit the Glenfarclas Distillery.

An old copper still glowing in the daylight draws you in towards this stunning little distillery. Tucked away in wide open fields far from the road and protected by the Glenfarclas Woods, it appeared as if it were the set of an old film. Walking through the front doors of the visitors center, we were disappointed to learn that we had unfortunately barely just missed the tour. However, all was not lost as we were able to have a tasting to sample the full range of flavors found in the 10 through 30 year old whiskies. It was here that I learnt that Glenfarclas, a 175 year old family run distillery, produces my favorite dram of whisky, the incredibly smooth Glenfarclas 21. Yet despite my pallate's protests we had to head on from Glenfarclas and kick it in to double time in order to make it to Aberlour in time for our tour.

Hiking up the A95 is not ideal, and had we had the time to head back to the Speyside Way and hike along the trail we happily would have. However, on a deadline with the clock counting down to our tour, we legged it down the A95 at a pace of 4 miles an hour arriving at Aberlour a little under an hour and a half later with 10 minutes to spare.

Our tour of Aberlour Distillery was top notch and by the time we left we were several drams in and desperate for a hot meal meaning the only answer was to wander down to the Mash Tun in the hopes of getting a table for dinner. Dinner at the Mash Tun is a must in Aberlour. It is true one is not spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out in Aberlour but the choices available to you will totally spoil you! The Mash Tun is a renowned whisky bar with a brilliant menu and a wide range of drams. Luckily for us, we arrived an hour before food was served and were fortunate enough to snag the only table which hadn't been pre-booked. It is always fun watching locals mingle with tourists, so we sat and people watched as we sampled a few more drams of whisky before dinner. By the time dinner was served the whisky had warmed us to our bones and we devoured our delectable meals in an instant. You can not go wrong when picking out a savory dish at the Mash Tun. (As a bit of a sticky toffee pudding connoisseur, I must admit I was slightly disappointed with their sticky toffee but everything else was to die for!)

Speyside Way Malt Whisky Trail - Plan Your Trip Today!

There is no better way to dive into the world of Single Malt Whisky then to embark on a distillery adventure marathon along the Speyside Way Malt Whisky Trail. If one were so fortunate as to have unlimited time & money, one could easily visit all of the distilleries along the trail. However, with the number of distilleries spotted across Speyside, if you are the average walker with a deadline, you will have to make some tough choices & decide which distilleries are going to the make the cask.

There are many companies you can have organize your walk. They book your B&Bs, organize your baggage transfer, and provide you with maps and timelines (Check out Macs Adventure or Absolute Escapes). You still have to book & pay for all of the distillery tours but the logistics are all organized for you.  However, as I am a person who gets a kick out of planning trips my own way, I decided it would be best if we carried our bags along the way and saved some money.


Not having enough time to hike the entire trail,
the way  I wanted to, I chose a specific section of the trail based on the distilleries within it and planned our hike accordingly. Typically the trail is hiked from North to South as the terrain becomes more challenging as you work your way south towards the hills. However, with the distilleries we wanted to visit, the time we had available, and the tempting Whisky Festival at the end of our week, we decided to travel it in reverse working our way North. With the basics figured out we finally had it sussed, we deciding to hike from Glenlivet to Strathisla along the Speyside Way Malt Whisky Trail for 4 days, our goal was to stop at as many distilleries as possible on the way.

In pursuit of the ultimate Speyside distilleries experience, I got hard at work to plan accordingly, doing the maths and making the calls to determine what the best plan of action would be. The key to planning your own whisky hike is using the official Speyside Way Trail Map as a guide (be sure to buy the Harvey Map). This is the only way to accurately gauge your planned mileage for each day and book your accommodation (or pick your campsites) and distillery tours accordingly. Just don't forget to be generous with your time. Sitting at a desk planning a trip, it is easy to become over zealous with your estimated mileage and pace, making it challenging for you to actually enjoy the trail as you are constantly rushing to make it to the next scheduled tour.

Once the distilleries had been selected, I booked the Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs), and then booked our tours with the distilleries. Luckily for us, three weeks out, the only tour that was fully booked was Balvenie, and now the only challenge would be putting in the miles to make it to each distillery in time for our tours!

Top 5 Tips for Exploring London (Affordably)

As a Brit, I know I am biased, but London truly is my favorite of the large metropolitan cities (with Paris following in at a very close second). London is so rich in history and culture I could happily just wander the streets with a smile on my face the whole time as I take it all in.

When convincing someone to visit London, one of my biggest selling points is that the public transportation is so good and the roads are so well signposted that it is a safe and easy city for anyone capable of reading a map to navigate.

Whether you have never traveled before or you have circumnavigated the globe countless times over, London needs to be on your tourist destination checklist.  Yet with that being said, there is no denying that while London has an endless possibility of things to do and see it is not renowned for being the world's most inexpensive city. So I have written for you this list of my top 5 tips for exploring London affordably to help you visit this glorious city within whatever budget you may be able to afford. (For tips on getting to London on a budget check out my tips for traveling without  breaking the bank)

Travel Using Either Big Bus Tours or the London Underground

• London in deceptively large and with everything there is to see it is easy to "over walk" yourself and end up exhausted, so do yourself a favor and take advantage of the public transportation!
• Hop on & hop off: A Big Bus Tour is a fantastic way to be a tourist in London because not only do you get interesting information along the way but one ticket will get you around the whole city as you can hop on & off the bus as often as you please.
• Looking for a fast way to get across the city? Grab a tube map and buy a day travel card and navigate the Underground lines for a fast and efficient way to get around the city.

Take Advantage of the Free Public Attractions!

• London offers countless free museum exhibitions across the city with fascinating things to see. Visit the National Gallery which boasts a stunning display of priceless works of art or head over to the British Museum and view a snapshot of our world's history through the astonishing artifacts housed there.
• London is a city with many old traditions which you can witness during your adventures. If you wander through Green Park to Buckingham Palace you may be able to witness my favorite age old tradition, the changing of the guard.
• For a full list of free attractions check out VisitLondon.com 

Get Up Early and Book Your Tickets in Advance!

• If you want to visit a popular museum that charges a fee, such as the Tower of London or the National Maritime Museum (which are both well worth the visit), book your tickets in advance! The lines grow long quickly and you can end up spending more time in line then at your destination. Skip the queue and beat the crowds for an overall improved experience.
• Hoping to see one of the many fabulous London productions in or around the West End? Book your tickets as early as possible, look on LastMinute.com or Timeout.com for some great last minute deals on theater tickets. 

Make a Plan...

• It would be easy to spend a week in London and still not see and do everything on your list. So make a loose plan to decide what you want to see and when so you can book whatever tickets you need to in advance.
• Some attractions need a whole day and others you can group together. The Tower of London or the National Maritime Museum really are full day excursions. The Victoria & Albert Museum on the other hand, is right next to the Natural History and the Science museum (all of which are free admissions), so if you are interested in visiting them all, you could plan to visit them on the same day or stay close by and spend a full day in each one. 

Dedicate some Time to Relaxation and Enjoy one of the Many Parks!

• When the weather is nice take the time to relax in one of London's beautiful parks. Stop in a Tesco Express,  M&S Simply Food or a corner-shop Waitrose to buy some lunch, and enjoy a picnic on the lawn. Sit back, relax, and enjoy people watching in one of the world's busiest cities. 

Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival

Having hiked 55 miles with the goal of ending up in Dufftown in time for the Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival, we were excited to find ourselves arriving in a festive little town bubbling with character.

The festival consists of an extensive list of exclusive activities for Scotch lovers from all walks of life to attend. From a tour of Glenfarclas featuring 7 whiskies from 7 decades to behind the scenes tours of the Speyside Cooperage, attendees are spoiled for choice (provided they can cough up the dough).

The Whisky Shop got the festivities rolling with a whisky tasting event to get the palate warmed up and the nose tuned to perfection. The Big Dram, aptly named for the 700ml dram poured right at the start, was lead by the owner of the Whisky Shop himself, whisky connoisseur Mike Lord. Lord is not only funny and intriguing but an absolute genius when it comes to Malt Whisky. Myself not the biggest whisky drinker in the world, I was expecting to get a bit of an education but I was so drawn in by the history and delicacies of each whisky it surprised me.

A huge success to start off the festival, we left warm and buzzing with excitement. Heading straight to the Stuart Arms with a new friend we had met at The Big Dram, we devoured some scrumptious fish & chips and called it a night.

Having slept like a dream at our quaint B&B Fournet House, we woke up to a mouthwatering breakfast to prepare us for our second and (sadly for us) last day of the festival. Having tasted a delicious dram of Mortlach at The Big Dram the night before our excitement to visit the Mortlach distillery was palpable. Mortlach Distillery is generally closed to the public, however for the lucky few that manage to make their way to Dufftown for the Autumn festival, there is an opportunity to have a guided tour complete with an uncommon dram to finish it off.

This exclusive tour of Mortlach was by far the best of all the tours on our trip. Each distillery has its own unique quirks and nuances but Mortlach had several features that made it unlike any other. One of the key tools required for making whisky is a still. Each batch of wort goes first through a wash still and then a spirit still before it can be put into casks to transform into whisky. A key reason why each distillery's whisky tastes so differently is because they all have specifically shaped stills. The wash stills are all identical and the spirit stills are all identical creating a consistent and unique base to their whisky. Mortlach however, has three wash stills and three spirit stills all of which are a different shape and size that work together to make their whisky, giving their new spirit an incredible depth of body and flavor.

Visiting a distillery and touring the grounds, warehouses, and production facilities introduces you to the soul of their whisky and helps you to understand the personality of the dram. Touring Mortlach was like getting to meet a celebrity and finally understanding what makes them who they are. This is the real charm of the Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival. It is about being introduced both to the whiskies that you love and the whiskies you have never met before in order to understand what makes them who they are and appreciate the flavors as they roll across your tongue.

With Love, From London

There is nothing quite so inspiring as wandering through London in the early hours of a Sunday morning as the city slowly come to life. In that first golden hour, as the majority are still recovering from their Saturday night shenanigans, one can find a tranquil escape wandering along the cobblestones and tarmac.

There is never a dull moment in London. The vibrant city feeds on the life buzzing within it, which is one reason why the quiet moments are likely to hold the most promise of excitement, for it is within these moments that the unexpected can and will occur.

Exiting Westminster Station to the stunning backdrop of the nation's most iconic image contains an element of magic in and of itself. The beautiful clear blue sky speckled with the occasional flirtatious cloud created an idyllic setting to take in the grandeur of the Palace of Westminster with its unforgettable Elizabeth Tower which holds Big Ben.

Yet the view, despite all its glory, was not the highlight of the moment. Walking towards Westminster bridge in order to cross over towards the London Eye, we noticed a commotion on the other side of the road. A massive Panavision crane was in motion focusing on a crowd moving on cue. We stood and watched as Rebecca Ferguson filmed a mini scene for Mission Impossible 5 in awe at the process unfolding before us. Though strangely surreal it was thrilling to watch this small frame of filming take place and it took us quite some time to pluck up the courage to give up hope of watching the next frame occur and walk away from the recurring scene before us.

Walking on past the London Eye and crossing back over the Thames on the Millennium bridge, we watched the street vendors prepare to open for the day and the taxis begin to prowl. Passing the old home of Scotland Yard, we eventually found ourselves at Trafalgar Square where police were holding back traffic for an approaching military parade. Brass band trumpeting away at full force they marched towards us from Buckingham Palace passing through Admiralty Arch and disappearing off down the road.

Passing under Admiralty Arch, we were soon in the heart of St. James' Park and tummies rumbling ready for breakfast we were happy to find we weren't far from one of my favorite stops. Just nest to the waterfowl pond, sits a little restaurant called Inn the Park. Here we sat down for some heart warming tea and a scrumptious breakfast which disappeared quickly. Sitting outside, admiring the fountain and watching the number of people in the park quickly multiply we  finished off our drinks and headed back into the busy city of London we know so well.

London is a magical city which is heaving with people 85% of the time, so if you find yourself lucky enough to be exploring London, make the effort to wake up early on a Sunday morning to experience the city in its true glory and maybe even experience some of the unexpected magic that will undoubtedly occur.