SCOTLAND HERE WE COME!

My husbands family come from Scotland. My maternal grandfathers side hail from Scotland as well. In our DNA breakdown we both have a high amount of Scottish running through our veins. What better way to celebrate our heritage than to take a trip and see where the magic happened!!??

WE ARE OLD

It is true….we are getting old. I have to say it out loud, or it doesn’t seem quite real. This year DH and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. A QUARTER OF A CENTURY!! Next year this same man will turn the BIG 5-0!! I am almost choking as I type out those words!

I approached my husband and said “You are turning 50 and we need to celebrate. Where is somewhere that you would like to visit. Just you and I, this is YOUR big birthday trip, and I will make it happen!”

The old man thought it over and got back to me with his response. “I think I would like to go to Scotland”.

Scotland it is! So how does one plan for a trip to Scotland (Or anywhere for that matter), and how do I make it memorable? I have never been to Scotland. Now, I am a pro when it comes to planning vacations here in the USA, but Europe?? so out of my depth over here. I have always had a group, or a friend living abroad…that took a lot of the work and thinking out of it. But this time we are on our own!

As I started to plan I realized it was easier than I was making it out to be.

So follow me to see how I plan a trip, and maybe it will encourage you to make that step for yourself!

FIRST THINGS FIRST!

First you need to decide WHEN you want to go. Take into consideration some of the following

• Off season vs Peak Season– Off season is definitely more affordable, and you will see less crowds. You may be taking a gamble with weather, seasonal closures, reduced hours, reduced daylight etc. Peak season tends to have more favorable weather and sightseeing conditions, but you are forced to deal with more people and typically higher costs. Make sure you google any festivals or events that may cause a surge in population or costs and decrease the supply of hotels and BnB/s etc. If that’s not your vibe, find a better time to go.
• Weather– Do you want to go when it is warmer, or are you OK with cooler temps? What about rain/snow/sleet/wind/monsoon etc? Google typical weather conditions and you will find plenty of information . Think about what you want to do and see. How will you feel if it is cold, wet or even on the flip side, brutally hot.
• Transportation– How do you want to get around? Will you need to rent a car, or will you have plenty of public transportation? If you are staying in the city, you can probably rely on public transportation. If you want to venture out and about, you may need to research the bus and train schedules and determine if renting a car might be easier. Scotland has great public transportation, and almost everything we want to do and see can be reached via train and bus. (Plus I dont know how I feel driving on the opposite side of the car on the opposite side of the road!!)

DO YOUR RESEARCH!

The absolute FIRST thing I did was purchase a guide book!! I went with Rick Steves, as I have watched his show for years and love his travelogues and approach to seeing as much as possible with the amount of time you have.

Another good resource is Pinterest! There are also travel blogs and you can follow the hashtag Scotland(or whatever country) on IG.

I also went onto our Family Trees and looked at my ancestors and saw where they lived and died. Using that info I looked on Google Earth and Google Maps to see if there was anything interesting or available to see!

You can Look up any local history , town archives etc. You may be able to find where your ancestors lived, or worked, went to church, owned land or more! Are they buried in a local cemetery that you can visit?

DRAFT THAT ITINERARY!

MAKE A LIST!!! Armed with all your acquired knowledge and ideas, make a list of things you MUST do and see, and things, although are not imperative, would be nice to add. From there you can start doing a rough draft itinerary.

Figure out the length of stay required to do your bare-bones basic MUSTS. Be realistic in your expectations and timelines and travel time. Do you REALLY need all day in one area or park or castle? probably not. So what can you add to see more?

I made 2 itineraries. A short list with my bare basic essentials, and then a long list with the “want to but wouldnt kill me if I missed it”. As I researched I realized I was able to add things from my long list to make a balanced trip! I now have a perfect itinerary that we are both happy with.

THEN I took it one step further. Sometimes it is cheaper to fly into Glasgow than it is Edinburgh. So I made 2 itineraries, exactly the same. The difference is one trip starts in Glasgow, and the other itinerary starts in Edinburgh! No matter the tickets I purchase, I have a trip that is well planned .

PASSPORTS/VISAS/TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

If you are traveling to a different country you will need a passport of visa. Make sure your travel documents are up to date and current . You will want to have at least 6 months before passport expiration when your trip takes place. We had to renew our passports, as ours had expired 2 years ago. Thankfully, we were able to do everything by mail. All we had to do was print out the paperwork, sign, send in photos and a check for the fees. I forgot how expensive it is to renew a passport!

If you are going somewhere foreign that uses a different currency, contact your bank. Find out if you can get some of that cash before you leave. DO NOT USE CURRENCY EXCHANGE AT THE AIRPORT!! You will pay an arm and a leg in their fees (I learned the hard way). Your own bank will be able to order it for you at a much better exchange rate! I recommend taking at least 200$ in local currency with you to start, and you can then use ATM’s or credit cards.

Don’t exchange too much ahead of time. It isnt always easy to change back once your trip is done.

Be aware of any foreign transaction fees your bank or credit card company will impose for using your card abroad.

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel or BnB? What amenities are important? will you need a laundry facility because you are a minimal packer? Or do you take everything and the kitchen sink “just in case”? what is your price point? when will you arrive and when will you check out? Is it just a bed to sleep, or is the ambiance super important to you? Do you need your own private bathroom, or can you share one down the hall with Fred from Germany and Suzy from Sweden? These questions will help you determine the best lodging accomodations.

Thank goodness for the internet!! There are MANY great sites that can help you find the best accommodations for the best prices. There are many hotels that will allow you to reserve with a credit card and you dont have to pay until you check in. Or if you do pay in advance you have until a certain time to cancel with no penalty. Use that to your advantage and book away!

DOUBLE CHECK THOSE PRICES!

My best travel tip is this: always double check prices before you leave! About 2 weeks before I travel anywhere I go through and check hotel and rental car prices again. If they are cheaper, I will always rebook and cancel old reservations. A few years ago I saved 800 dollars by doing this! It takes a little extra time, but well worth it . Especially if your hotel now costs 80 dollars a night instead of 115, or your rental car is now 300 instead of 550.

GET EXCITED AND GET PREPARED!

It is OK to be excited for a trip! Imagine what you will eat. What you will see. Be realistic in how much you will be walking. If you have to buy hiking boots, make sure you spend a few months ahead of time breaking them in! New shoes on a trip is a fantastic way to ruin a good time.

will you need a passport holder or a money belt? how is your luggage? Will you need new clothes? How is your camera? Will you nee a new one, or will the camera on your cellphone work? will you have international cell coverage for texting or calling? GPS? Spend this time researching and taking care of those items on your list. I would even go so far as to say make a trial pack of the suitcase or backpack you will be taking. Can you fit everything you need? will you have room for souvenirs? What do you need to change?

Do you know someone who has traveled to the place you will be going? Can they give you any tips, hints, suggestions?

By making the extra effort ahead of time, the stress of packing and traveling will be much less when it is go-time!

And last but not least, breathe and enjoy. You got this.

Now shine up that passport and go book yourself that trip!