We left Paris before the sun had even risen. I already felt a strong sense of sadness towards leaving the family. We caught our train, our flight and watched the patchwork of the english countryside beneath us as we landed in London.
I will always have a soft spot for England, it was the very first country I ever explored overseas. We stayed in an old hostel in the very centre, it was bustling with travellers from all over the world. We spent most of the time in the big city just exploring by foot. I took Aaron to my favourite little old art house cinema in Leicester Square and we got to see Moonrise Kingdom which was so dream-like. Wes Anderson inspires me to create in such a poetic way. I got to ride an old vintage carousel overlooking the river. We watched the sunset, the clouds slowly fading from pink. We left on a midnight train to Northern England to pick up the van, soon to be our new 'home'. I love the way night trains make you feel, so alive while the world around you is at peace sleeping.
We travelled in the van for three days. We explored the villages along the way to the Scottish Highlands, we slept overlooking mountains and Lochs, cuddling up at night to keep warm, cooking wholesome meals overlooking fields and stopping to read when we were tired. On the third day on leaving Loch Lamond and arriving in Glencoe the van broke down on a very dangerous curve on the highway. After Aaron spent a long time flagging people down beneath the cold icey rain a lovely german couple drove us to a nearby inn and we were able to get it towed, only to be told the problem was terminal and the engine needed replacing. It felt ridiculous to be told that, we had driven the van for a total of 6 hours and owned her for three days and now she is going to be used for scrap metal.
We were only just getting used to exploring the roads and living with such freedom for exploration. The intriguing manner of the situation was breaking down in such an old village filled with so much history. We have been staying in a cosy little B&B for the last few days and are leaving tomorrow to stay for a week at a little independent hostel nearby at the seaside. Life is so captivating, the adventure we had established was not meant to be. Off to explore the great infinite abyss by foot.
