A short detour… home

"It's a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realise what's changed, is you."

- Eric Roth

That's what I always thought coming home would be like at the end of this adventure. Except this time it's not… not at all. 

About a week and a half ago my sister and I found out our beautiful Nan wasn't doing so great and had been moved into palliative care. Making the decision to book flights straight home wasn't hard at all. We booked flights for a few days later from Dublin to Brisbane; home.

We found out 2 days before we left Dublin that our Nan passed away.

Somehow I got way too lucky with having to sit next to no one for the 7, 13 and 1 hour flights home and the next thing I knew, I was back in my messy bedroom with the same unorganised shit I left everywhere before I went away. And I had my whole family around me. Everyone was full of sadness but so much love. 

We farewelled Nan at a heartbreaking but perfect service and it all ended up happening just way too fast.

Fast forward one week since the funeral… and it feels kind of empty here. I love being home and having familiar faces and having my mum around- don't get me wrong… but I still feel as unmotivated and uninspired here as I did when I left 2 months ago. 

I'm going to start being on the look out for any nice priced flight back to Edinburgh and hopefully I can return there alone and find a half cool job in a cafe or bar or something. 

Until then, I'm going to edit the rest of my pictures, catch up with my wonderful friends over delicious food and hang out at Kingscliff at our holiday van.

Orkney Cliffs

These cliffs get their own post because they were literally my favourite part of the trip. We travelled along the coast line of northern Scotland into The Orkney Islands and stopped at some cliffs along the way. I think we only had about 45 minutes there and I think everyone agreed we could've spent hours exploring the incredible landscapes.
I'm talking never ending views of lush green grass, sandstone layered rocks and cliffs, bright blue oceans all merged together into some kind of magical, fresh aired land. 
No real walking tracks, no barriers or information boards or other touristy shit- just land to explore.

It's so hard to word things correctly in order to give the place justice… so maybe pictures will help:

Scotland: Days 2… or 3… and 4?

It is the best feeling to be running around these amazing countries with my camera and no pressure of performance or being graded for them, paid for them or used for them. Absolutely no worries about photography "rules" and I love it. It has brought me back to where I am supposed to be with photography - taking pictures where and when I want and becoming excited to get home and filter through them and then share them on the internet! 

I was really trying to post these pictures in 2 day intervals but I've just decided it's super freakin' confusing and I think these ones are from days 2 and 3… 
I will caption the ones I can!

I have sent a message to one of our tour friends to try and get the name of this place - it was beautiful! Cliffs with birds nesting in the crevices and long fields of grass. Apostles similar to the ones on the Great Ocean Road as well were in the water but I'm not sure the name of it!

Such heaven

The town of John O'Groats - a small fishing village where the ferry arrives. Absolute peace here.

We then caught the ferry from the mainland of Scotland to The Orkney Islands

I just love the inquisitive nature of a child on an adventure.

Okay… this place really got me good. It had been a long day with a lot of stops and after a while- one ruined castle looks a whole like the next ruined castle you see. So they told us we'd be stopping at an  old Italian Chapel and not much else. I was tempted to even give it a pass… but when I went inside instantly owed myself a flick to the forehead because I had walked into a wonderland of some of the most beautiful art I've ever seen. The chapel was created in 1940 by the Italian POW's after their status was changed and the Italian POW's were given proper work and pay. They requested a place of worship and this was built. Domenico Chiocchetti, the instigator of the chapel has since visited from Italy to help with a restoration project for the chapel. He then wrote a letter to the people of Orkney saying, "The chapel is yours- for you to love and preserve. I take with me to Italy the remembrance of your kindness and wonderful hospitality. I thank the authorities of Kirkwall and all those directly or indirectly have collaborated for the success of this work and for having given me the chance to see again the little chapel of Lambholm where I, in leaving, leave a part of my heart."
Aw Gosh, so lovely.

I think one of the most impressive paintings I've seen in a long long time. Fell in love with this.

Here we head to Skara Brae - dating from the late Neolithic period and inhabited between 3,200BC and 2,200BC. This is a stone village made up of 8 dwellings linked together by a series of low alleyways. It is full of old building techniques and still contains furniture. When the people of this village left, all belongings and tools were left behind which brings curiosity as to why a village of people would so suddenly leave their homes without any of their well earned belongings. Possibilities thrown around were the plague or an ambush. 

Our Tour Guide Chris - I wouldn't recommend anything unless I was being honest about it… and this tour through Haggis Tours with Chris as a guide was great. Such a nice guy with so much knowledge and tales to share.

Baby Bonnet Georgia

Fun Fact: Tourist destinations including Thailand have been found using pictures of beaches from SCOTLAND in their advertising for tourism. I wouldn't have believed it until I saw it for myself!