Be happy while you're living.......

......for you're a long time dead
Scottish Proverb

I thought that was a fitting title for this entry, not only because it is so, so true, but also because I've just been having a happy ol' time living it up in Scotland!

My fabulous Da, and I headed off to Glasgow last Sunday and spent a fantastic week traipsing around the country. We stayed in Glasgow with Da's friends Carol and Stuart for a few days and then we hired a car and headed off for a little adventure. We drove along Loch Lomond and Loch Ness, although much to my disappointment, there were no Nessis sightings! It was a glorious drive, with the mountains still capped with snow, and the water was so clear they were like mirrors.

One of my highlights was the morning spent at Cullodden Moor. This was the sight of the last battle fought on British soil in 1746 between Bonnie Prince Charlie and the English. 1500 Scots were slaughtered during this battle which lasted 15 minutes, and the visit was very emotional for me, especially seeing my own clan names (MacKay and Johnston) there. The romantic in me was delighted to be there because of the book 'Crosstitch' by Diana Gabaldon. Anyone who's read this book will remember that the lead character, Jamie Fraser, fought in Culloden.

Me at Culloden Moor

My favourite Shakespeare play is MacBeth, so another highlight was going to Cawdor and managing to glimpse Cawdor Castle through the trees.

Screw your courage to the sticking place (Lady Macbeth)

We also went to Stirling Castle, The William Wallace Monument (of Braveheart fame), Alloway - the home town of the poet Robbie Burns, Fort William, which was the location of the start of the last Scottish uprising against the English, and Balquihidder, to see Rob Roy's grave.

Thanks to my Da for a fab time!

Stay tuned for my next installment - Poland!

Hi there, I'm Jess....

Laughing's my favourite

...You might remember me from epic adventure tales such as Jess's adventures in Carcassonne, Ireland, London, Ireland, Paris, Ireland, Amsterdam, Ireland, New York, and of course, who could forget Ireland?

So, I was lying awake in bed the other night having a good old worry about things of absolutely no consequence and I started thinking about the emails that I have been writing since I left Australia in May 2008. And how obscenely long they are. And how they must drive people absolutely mental. And how they probably end up in most people's deleted files. So I have come up with a little stoke of guenius (if I may say so).

'I know!'
I thought whilst lying there.
'I shall start my very own blog for people to view as often or rarley as they like'.
See.....what a thinker I am. Mum and Da, be proud.

So, welcome to my blog. If it interests you, I will be making some incredibly exciting entries in the next 3 months. Titles may include:

• Jess in Poland hanging out with Polish people.


• Jess in Copenhagen stalking the memory of her idol, Hans Christian Anderson..
  
• Jess in Wales traveling to a lot of places with long unpronouncable names...

And of course, possibly the most exciting of all:

• Jess goes insane and decides it's a fabulous idea to walk across Spain for 6 weeks.

Stay tuned......

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In Super Exciting news, in only 5 sleeps, my main man, The Da will be setting foot in my very own home away from home, Killarney! I am wet-my-pants excited about it, and can't wait to introduce him to my new friends. Then, we will jet off to Glasgow and spend a week together road tripping around Scotland. Unreal!!!

Tequila anyone??