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One Last Wander Through Lisboa

We decided to take it easy on our final day in Lisboa.

After seven weeks of traveling, sightseeing, walking, trains, planes, taxis, and more cobblestones than I ever need to see again, no one was in a hurry. We let Kiya sleep until 11:00 and enjoyed a slow morning at the apartment.

Once everyone was awake and ready, we headed out to revisit a few shops we’d discovered a couple of days earlier. There were several things that had intrigued us, and this was our last chance to go back and get them.

I had one particular mission.

I wanted to find a little cloth Portuguese rooster keychain. They are so cute and colorful, and every time I see one, it reminds me of Heihei, the crazy chicken from the movie Moana.

The Rooster of Barcelos is everywhere in Portugal. According to legend, a man wrongly accused of a crime declared that a roasted rooster would crow to prove his innocence—and it did. The colorful rooster eventually became a Portuguese symbol of good luck, honesty, justice, and faith. Today you can find versions of him on just about everything.

And speaking of finding something on everything…

Sardines.

Lisboa loves its sardines.

You can find sardine shirts, jewelry, bags, artwork, souvenirs, and, of course, actual sardines packaged in some of the most beautiful tins I’ve ever seen.

We returned to a sardine shop we’d visited earlier in our stay. When we left the first time, I had told the woman working there that we’d be back.

As soon as I walked through the door, she recognized me.

“You did come back!”

I did!

I bought a pair of sardine earrings, and I couldn’t resist bringing home one of the beautifully designed tins. The artwork is so colorful and detailed that the tin itself feels like a souvenir.

From there, we wandered through several more shops and eventually made our way onto one of the busier boulevards.

Suddenly there were people everywhere.

It honestly felt like a cruise ship had pulled into port and unloaded every passenger at once. After several days of relatively easy wandering, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by crowds.

We escaped down a little side street and accidentally stumbled upon an open-air market.

Those unexpected finds have been some of my favorite parts of this trip.

One vendor was selling handmade aluminum jewelry, and naturally we had to stop. We ended up buying rings, earrings, and a necklace.

As you already know, Kiya has fallen in love with her fabulous orange, diamond-studded sunglasses. Mom had been searching for an eyeglass strap for her, and today she finally found one.

Even better—it matched Kiya’s sunglasses.

Perfect.

There was also one food stop we knew we had to repeat.

Earlier in our stay we’d discovered a café serving a delicious fruit bowl in orange juice and honey. It had been so good that we made a point of going back.

It was just as yummy the second time.

Then we had another important repeat destination—the Time Out Market.

There was really only one reason we needed to go back.

Those pork al pastor tacos.

We’d been thinking about them since we ate there the first time, so we ordered another round.

Yep.

Just as yummy the second time too.

After lunch, we slowly wandered back toward the apartment. There was no need to squeeze in another attraction or race across the city. We had seen so much of Lisboa over the past several days, and it felt good to simply enjoy one final walk through the streets.

Then came the familiar ritual we’ve repeated over and over during this trip.

Packing.

Once again, we spread everything out and began figuring out how to fit our clothes, souvenirs, scarves, earrings, artwork, and all the other little treasures we’ve collected into our suitcases.

This time, though, something was different.

When I packed for this seven-week adventure, one of my biggest worries was making sure we had enough of Kiya’s prescription formula, medications, pull-ups, wipes, and medical supplies. Running out of something she needed while we were traveling through Europe wasn’t an option, so I intentionally overpacked.

And I definitely overpacked the formula and pull-ups.

Some of those will be staying behind in Lisboa. I’m going to contact the apartment manager and see if they can be donated to a care center or another organization that can put them to good use rather than throwing them away.

Looking at what remains, though, I feel pretty good about my planning.

I packed almost exactly the right amount of medication and wipes for seven weeks of travel. Considering how much thought, calculating, weighing, and worrying went into those medical bags before we ever left Montana, that’s a pretty satisfying feeling.

Tomorrow morning our ride will arrive at 8:00 a.m. to take us to the airport.

We’ll fly from Lisboa back to Dublin, bringing us full circle to the city where our European adventure began seven weeks ago.

The suitcases are a little more battered.

They’re definitely filled with more souvenirs.

We’re a lot more tired.

And we have seven weeks’ worth of incredible memories packed in with everything else.

Tomorrow, we begin the journey toward home.

Lisbon: One Forgotten Suitcase, One Missing Pillow, and Our Final Country

On to Lisbon!

We loaded up our mountain of luggage and were happily on our way to the Madrid airport when the phone rang.

We had left a suitcase behind.

And, of course, it wasn’t just any suitcase. It was Kiya’s.

Around we went in the taxi, back to the apartment, where we grabbed the forgotten suitcase, loaded it up, and started for the airport again. Our little detour put us about half an hour behind schedule.

Once we arrived at the airport and started unloading everything, we realized something else was missing.

Kiya’s brand-new pillow.

Seriously?

I quickly sent Angel a message to let him know we had left it behind. Once again, he proved what an amazing host he was. He was incredibly gracious and found a way to package the pillow up and mail it all the way back home for us.

Kiya doesn’t know it yet, but her new pillow will be waiting for her when we finally arrive home in Montana. After seven weeks of traveling, I think she is going to be very happy to walk into the house and discover that her pillow made its own journey home from Madrid!

Gabe stayed with us at the airport until it was time for us to head toward our boarding area. Then came the hard part—saying goodbye. He went off to find his own gate and wait for his flight back to the United States, while Mom, Kiya, and I hurried to find our gate for Lisbon.

We had already missed our priority boarding.

Earlier, we had specifically asked the young man at the check-in counter whether we needed to put any special tags on Kiya’s medical suitcases or her transport chair. He told us we were fine.

Apparently, we were not fine.

When we arrived at the gate, there was quite the hubbub over Kiya’s transport chair. No one seemed to know what to do because it hadn’t been marked that she needed the chair taken all the way to the plane.

So there we stood off to the side while practically the entire plane boarded without us.

Finally, an assistance supervisor arrived and escorted us down to the plane.

By this point, Kiya was sound asleep.

I picked her up and carried her down the aisle, trying not to whack anyone with Kiya, my purse, or my backpack as I maneuvered past all the already-seated passengers.

The crew decided her transport chair wouldn’t fit in the cabin and would need to be checked. We hefted her medical suitcases into the overhead bins, settled Kiya into her seat, and finally sat down ourselves.

We departed Madrid at 10:25 a.m.

We arrived in Lisbon at 10:41 a.m.

Now that’s a fast flight!

Of course, there is a one-hour time difference between Madrid and Lisbon, but seeing those times still made us laugh.

The flight itself was wonderfully uneventful, which was exactly what we needed.

We had arranged for a transfer to pick us up when we arrived in Lisbon—or at least we thought we had.

Before arriving, our apartment management company had contacted me about paying the required tourist tax. I had already made the payment through PayPal. Apparently, however, €2.56 had been deducted somewhere in the transaction, leaving our payment short.

Because of €2.56, they wouldn’t finish processing our apartment check-in.

They also hadn’t arranged our transfer.

So there I was at the Lisbon airport, on the phone with management for nearly 30 minutes, trying to figure out how a €2.56 shortage was keeping us from both our apartment and our ride.

At one point, it sounded as though they weren’t even going to allow us to stay because the tourist tax hadn’t been paid in full before our arrival.

I sent screenshots showing the payment I had already made, explained the situation over and over, and eventually paid the remaining €2.56.

Finally, everything was approved.

They arranged transportation to their management office, where we could store our luggage until the apartment was ready.

We quickly discovered something about Lisbon.

It has hills.

Lots and lots of hills.

And naturally, the management office was up one of them.

Once we dropped off our luggage, we decided the best thing to do was find somewhere to sit, eat, and regroup.

We found a cute brunch restaurant and ordered a meal that included an açaí bowl, mini caramel pancakes, and a ham-and-cheese sandwich.

Everything was delicious.

There was only one problem.

Both the açaí bowl and caramel pancakes came covered in coconut.

I do not like coconut.

Apparently, our waitress noticed me carefully picking every little piece of coconut off my food. Without me even asking, she brought over a little fruit pancake without coconut—on the house.

It was such a small act of kindness, but after the morning we’d had, it meant a lot.

After brunch, we wandered up and down the surrounding streets for a few blocks. Lisbon immediately felt different from Madrid. The streets were narrow, the buildings colorful, and there seemed to be something interesting around every corner.

Eventually, we decided we’d had enough wandering and would simply return to the management office and wait.

Wouldn’t you know it?

Just as we arrived, we were told our apartment was ready.

We ordered another ride and set off across Lisbon.

Driving through the city was an experience in itself. Some of the streets are unbelievably narrow, and we were in a fairly large vehicle. There were moments when I wasn’t entirely sure we were going to fit!

Eventually we arrived, figured out all the door codes, and stepped inside.

What a relief.

The apartment was lovely, spacious, comfortable, and—most importantly—cool!

We were only about two blocks from the Tagus River and very close to the Time Out Market and several historic areas of Lisbon. It was going to be a wonderful location for exploring our final city.

The temperature change was also amazing. We had left Madrid at around 102°F and arrived in Lisbon to temperatures around 78°F.

What a difference!

We spent some time unpacking, figuring out the apartment, and simply relaxing.

Eventually we ventured back outside to explore the neighborhood, find somewhere for dinner, and pick up groceries.

Right on our corner we discovered a wonderful little bakery, so naturally we stopped and bought breakfast for the next morning.

Then we found a Mexican restaurant for dinner, picked up a few groceries, and headed back to the apartment for the night.

And can I just say how wonderful our beds felt?

In Madrid, Gabe and I each had extremely narrow single beds. They were the kind where you picked one sleeping position and stayed there all night because rolling over came with the very real possibility of landing on the floor.

Now I could actually spread out!

Kiya was also happily reunited with Mom for sleeping arrangements. She had slept with Mary in Madrid and wasn’t particularly thrilled about the arrangement, but she suffered through it.

LOL.

After a forgotten suitcase, a missing pillow, airport confusion, wheelchair drama, a €2.56 tourist-tax crisis, and hauling our belongings through yet another city, we were finally settled into Lisbon.

Our last first country.

Our last first city.

The final chapter of our seven-week European adventure had officially begun.

One Last Day on the Mediterranean

Knowing it would be our last full day in La Grande-Motte, we decided to head to the beach a little earlier before the afternoon heat became overwhelming.

The waves and uneven sand had made Mom’s knee more sore over the previous couple of days, so we agreed to take things a little easier. Instead of returning to the deeper bay, we went back to the wonderfully shallow beach where the water stretched far from shore.

It turned out to be the perfect choice.

Kiya settled happily into her beach chair with the gentle waves washing over her legs, completely content to splash, play, and enjoy the Mediterranean. Watching her smile was all any of us needed.

I spent much of the morning simply floating in the sea.

One thing that surprised me was just how salty the Mediterranean was. The water made you incredibly buoyant, and it felt almost effortless to float with the gentle rhythm of the waves. It was peaceful, relaxing, and exactly what I needed after weeks of constant sightseeing.

Gabe, however, had reached his limit with sand.

Fine Mediterranean sand has an amazing ability to get absolutely everywhere, and after several beach days he decided he’d had enough. While we relaxed by the water, he set off to explore town, browse the shops, and pick up a few souvenirs to take home.

Eventually the midday sun reminded us it was time to head back.

The heat along the Mediterranean was relentless. Even sitting under the beach umbrella, we could feel the sun draining our energy. We became diligent about applying sunscreen throughout the day, especially for Kiya, making sure she stayed protected from the intense southern French sunshine.

Back at the apartment it was the now-familiar routine: shake as much sand off as possible, head straight for the shower, rinse out swimsuits, and enjoy a little time in the wonderfully cool air conditioning while escaping the hottest part of the afternoon.

That evening we enjoyed one last dinner together before returning to the apartment to pack our suitcases.

Our wonderful driver would be picking us up the next morning to take us to the train station, and another chapter of our European adventure would begin.

Looking back, La Grande-Motte was exactly what we needed.

After weeks of museums, castles, trains, and miles upon miles of walking, it offered us a chance to slow down. We traded sightseeing for sunshine, beaches, and long evenings along the boardwalk. It was peaceful, relaxed, and refreshingly different from the larger cities we had visited.

The Mediterranean sun was certainly exhausting—far more intense than we had expected—but the slower pace, beautiful beaches, warm sea, and precious time spent together made it the perfect place to catch our breath before continuing on to the final leg of our journey.

Sunshine, Sand, and Slowing Down in La Grande-Motte

After our incredible time in Paris, we boarded the train for La Grande-Motte in southern France. The ride itself was wonderful. We picked up lunch from the café car and spent the journey watching the scenery change from the bustling city to vineyards, rolling countryside, and eventually the Mediterranean coast.

Our arrival, however, came with a bit of unexpected drama.

As soon as we stepped off the train, we were given a lecture by one of the station employees. We were told we had brought too much luggage, that we hadn’t waited for assistance to leave the train, and that railway workers shouldn’t have to move heavy suitcases.

I politely—but firmly—explained that I hadn’t asked anyone to move our luggage. I was perfectly capable of handling it myself and had been doing exactly that. We eventually agreed to disagree and went our separate ways.

Thankfully, the rest of the day only got better.

Our driver was absolutely wonderful. He not only drove us to our apartment, but spoke with the owners to determine the best place to unload our luggage. Then he carried everything upstairs and helped us get settled before wishing us a wonderful stay.

When we opened the apartment door, we couldn’t stop smiling.

It was beautiful.

Even better, it was wonderfully cool after the summer heat we had been experiencing. The balcony overlooked the Mediterranean, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. It instantly felt like a place where we could slow down, relax, and simply enjoy being together.

Unfortunately, my faithful suitcase had finally reached the end of its journey. Somewhere between Paris and La Grande-Motte, two of its wheels broke completely off. It had survived airports, train stations, cobblestone streets, and countless miles of walking, but it had finally given up.

Our gracious host, Marie, came to the rescue. She helped me find a nearby store that sold luggage, something that wasn’t necessarily easy in a smaller seaside town.

La Grande-Motte couldn’t have been more different from Paris. If Paris is like New York City, then La Grande-Motte reminded me of spending summer at Flathead Lake back home. It has a relaxed atmosphere where everyone seems to slow down and enjoy life. The town is known for its unique pyramid-shaped apartment buildings, designed in the 1960s to resemble modern sandcastles rising above the coastline. Wide walking paths, palm trees, marinas, and miles of sandy beaches give it an entirely different feel from the historic cities we had been visiting.

While shopping for my new suitcase, I wandered through several little boutiques. I found Kiya a bright yellow top with matching pants, along with an adorable shorts romper.

As many of you already know…

She absolutely loved the yellow outfit.

She wore it for the next four days straight.

I also discovered the cutest little grocery store. It couldn’t have been much bigger than our living room and kitchen at home, but somehow it had everything we needed. Before heading back to the apartment, I stopped at a neighborhood pizza shop and picked up dinner.

That first evening we simply sat on the balcony, enjoyed the view, and appreciated having nowhere we absolutely had to be.

It was exactly what we needed.

The following morning, the three of us wandered through town and made our way to the beach. Small shops lined nearly every street, making it impossible not to stop and browse. We found a boutique with dresses that actually fit both Mom and me—a rare enough occurrence that we each bought one.

Eventually we reached the beach.

Kiya immediately settled into the shallow water, happily splashing and playing. The bay was incredibly gradual. I could walk nearly twenty feet from shore, and the water still wasn’t above my upper thighs. The day was one of the few overcast ones we experienced during our trip, making the water feel just a little chilly, but it was still beautiful.

On our walk back we found both a bakery and a wonderful little sorbet shop. Somehow Europe always seems to know exactly when you need ice cream.

We couldn’t stay out too long because someone very special was arriving.

Our son, Gabe, was flying in to spend a few days with us.

We returned to the apartment and decided to wait outside rather than risk missing him. Five minutes later, there he was, walking toward us.

It was so wonderful to see him.

After getting him settled into the apartment and catching up on everything that had happened since we left Montana, we headed down to the boardwalk for dinner. We found a terrific restaurant overlooking the beach, enjoyed a leisurely meal together, and then called it an early night.

The next morning Mom walked down to the neighborhood bakery and returned with fresh pastries for breakfast.

Then it was time for another beach day.

This time we explored a neighboring bay, and the water was noticeably warmer. Once again, the shoreline stretched far into the sea. You could walk a surprising distance before the water finally reached shoulder height.

We spent several wonderful hours swimming, floating, and simply enjoying the Mediterranean.

Earlier that morning I had purchased a few beach chairs, and thankfully our apartment came equipped with a large beach umbrella. Together they made for a perfect setup.

The sand, however, was unlike anything I had experienced before.

It was unbelievably fine.

It found its way into everything.

By the time we returned to the apartment, all of us practically had to strip down outside before heading straight for the shower. Swimsuits immediately went into the wash while we escaped into the wonderful air conditioning during the hottest part of the afternoon.

Later that evening Gabe wanted to walk along the beach at sunset.

We happily joined him.

As darkness settled in, the entire boardwalk transformed into a bustling evening craft market. Booth after booth featured handmade jewelry, artwork, clothing, pottery, soaps, and local crafts. Gabe wanted to continue working on some beach-inspired artwork he had started earlier, while I wandered from booth to booth admiring the incredible talents of the local artists.

Eventually we made our way back to our beautiful apartment, grateful once again for the cool air conditioning, the peaceful view, and another unforgettable day on the Mediterranean.

Friendship Force, Flowers, and a Royal Estate

Our first evening on the Isle of Wight was a wonderful introduction to island life. Our Friendship Force hosts, Alan and Pauline, welcomed us into their home with incredible hospitality. Before we had even settled in, Alan made a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up bread, cereal, milk, butter, and other breakfast essentials so we would have everything we needed for the next morning. It was such a thoughtful gesture and made us feel right at home.

We made plans to meet Alan and Pauline the following afternoon at Osborne House, along with another Friendship Force friend, Sonja, who only had that afternoon available to visit with us. We let Kiya sleep in before setting off to explore the town. Since we were staying just two blocks from the main shopping street, we spent the morning wandering through the charming shops and enjoying the relaxed pace of the Isle of Wight.

Our only hiccup came when it was time to catch a taxi. We quickly discovered that our international phone plan wasn’t working, leaving us unable to call a taxi company. Most taxi stands simply displayed a phone number to arrange a pickup. After a bit of scrambling, I was finally able to download a local taxi app and request a ride. Unfortunately, we arrived at Osborne House nearly an hour later than planned, but we were determined to connect with Sonja since it was our only opportunity to spend time together.

After meeting up, we enjoyed lunch before touring the magnificent Osborne House. Built between 1845 and 1851, Osborne House was the beloved summer residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Designed in the style of an Italian Renaissance villa, it became the place where the royal family could escape the formality of court life and enjoy time together. Queen Victoria loved the estate so much that she famously wrote, “It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot.”

The estate is truly grand, surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and overlooking the Solent. What impressed me most was learning that much of what you see inside is original, giving visitors an authentic glimpse into royal family life during the Victorian era.

One of the most fascinating discoveries was that even the royal family made practical financial decisions while creating such an elegant home. Many of the grand marble columns and decorative features are actually expertly painted plaster designed to resemble expensive marble. The spectacular Durbar Room ceiling, with its intricate decorative work, was crafted from lightweight plaster of Paris rather than heavier materials to reduce the structural load on the building. Throughout the house are beautiful marble statues, but only one is genuine—the statue of Venus standing beneath a seashell canopy. The others are carefully crafted replicas. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would visit museums such as the Louvre in Paris, select sculptures they admired, and commission high-quality reproductions for Osborne House. It was a fascinating reminder that beauty and practicality often went hand in hand, even in a royal residence.

After our tour, we returned to Alan and Pauline’s home for an incredible home-cooked dinner. We spent the evening visiting, laughing, and enjoying their beautiful backyard garden. The flowers were in full bloom, and I couldn’t resist taking dozens of photographs. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day filled with history, friendship, and warm hospitality.

Before saying goodnight, we made plans for another adventure together the following day—a visit to the Isle of Wight’s famous Model Village.

This was her sons birthday present while in his teens.

Canals, Countryside, and Clarkson’s Farm

Our final full day with Alan and Moira was spent enjoying one of Britain’s most iconic experiences—a leisurely cruise on a narrowboat along the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Llangollen canal. Alan and Moira had rented the boat for the day, and we were joined by their son, Adrian, his daughter, Edie, and Eva, another granddaughter, making it a wonderful family outing.

Built by renowned engineer Thomas Telford and completed in 1805, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the highest navigable aqueduct in the world, standing 126 feet (38 meters) above the River Dee. Stretching over 1,000 feet long, it carries both narrowboats and pedestrians high above the valley below. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and is considered one of the greatest achievements of the Industrial Revolution.

It took a little while to get everyone aboard and go through the safety instructions, although Alan already knew how to operate a canal boat. Before long we encountered our first adventure—a true boat traffic jam! Canoe tours, boats returning to the marina, and our boat all trying to pass through the same narrow stretch created quite the bottleneck. We moored for a short while as everyone worked together to figure out the best way to maneuver around one another. There was plenty of smiling, waving, and patient waiting, reminding us that canal life moves at its own peaceful pace.

Once underway, the canal became incredibly tranquil. We slowly glided through the lush green countryside with birds singing overhead while ducks and graceful swans floated alongside us. It was easy to forget about schedules and simply enjoy the beauty surrounding us. Moira had packed a wonderful picnic lunch, which we enjoyed aboard as we drifted through the Welsh countryside.

After lunch, Mom and I walked across the magnificent Chirk Aqueduct, not realizing until we reached the opposite end that we had actually walked from Wales into England! The Chirk Aqueduct is a 70 foot (21 m) high and 710 foot (220 m) long navigable aqueduct that carries what is now the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley near Chirk, on the England-Wales border, spanning two countries.

Standing on the narrow footpath with nothing but a railing separating us from the dramatic drop below was both exhilarating and unforgettable. The views across the valley were breathtaking, and I captured a couple of photographs that I already know will be framed when we get home.

We spent nearly six hours on the canal, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., before cooling off with some well-earned ice cream. Afterward we returned to Alan and Moira’s home for dinner and spent the evening packing for the next leg of our adventure.

The following morning a hired driver picked us up for our journey from Manchester to Southampton. We had originally planned to travel by train, but engineering work had closed the line we needed. Our only rail option would have required traveling all the way to London before heading back south to Southampton, so hiring a driver made much more sense.

Since we were traveling by road, I asked if we could drive through the beautiful Cotswolds and stop at Diddly Squat Farm Shop, made famous by Jeremy Clarkson’s television series Clarkson’s Farm. The farm shop has become an unexpected tourist destination, selling produce and products made on the farm, including milk, cheese, honey, jams, sauces, beer, cider, and souvenirs. I wasn’t sure we would even make it into the parking lot, let alone inside the shop.

When we arrived, the queue stretched well beyond the entrance. I quickly realized there was no way we would get inside during the hour we had allowed. Our driver suggested speaking with the staff about Kiya’s wheelchair. After showing our Montana disability parking placard, they kindly allowed us to enter through the accessible queue. We were incredibly grateful for their understanding.

While waiting inside, a young man—probably around 18 or 20 years old—stood in front of me with an armful of products. He had grabbed nearly one of everything: milk, cheese, pasta sauce, crisps, and more. At one point he apologized for taking so long. I smiled and told him, “No need to apologize. You may only get here once, so make the most of it.” His excitement was contagious, and it perfectly captured how special the experience felt for so many visitors. We picked up a few souvenirs, snapped some photos, and continued our journey.

Along the drive we also passed through the historic city of Oxford, home to the world-famous University of Oxford, whose colleges have educated scholars, scientists, writers, and world leaders for nearly a thousand years. Even from the car, the city’s beautiful stone buildings and historic architecture were impressive.

We arrived in Southampton with plenty of time to grab a coffee and relax before boarding the ferry. Soon we were crossing the Solent toward the Isle of Wight, excited to begin another chapter of our adventure.

From Train Delays to Telescopes: A Day at Jodrell Bank

We arrived in Manchester in the middle of a heatwave, and the weather certainly made itself known. Our train journey was delayed because the rails had become so hot that trains were required to travel at a much slower speed for safety. It was an unusual reminder of how extreme temperatures can affect transportation.

Our arrival at Edinburgh Haymarket added a bit more excitement to the day. We had arranged assistance to get off the train with Kiya, but when we arrived no one was there. A glitch in the computer system had failed to notify the station staff that we needed assistance. What followed was an unforgettable exchange as the train conductor loudly accused the station employee of abandoning the train, while the station employee insisted they had never received the notification. After about five minutes of spirited debate, cooler heads prevailed, we safely made it off the train, and continued on our way. By then the train’s air conditioning had been overwhelmed by the heat, and we all stepped off looking like we had our own “train glow.”

Moira met us at the station with taxis waiting to take us back to her home. It was wonderful to finally relax, enjoy the cool breeze flowing through the house, and catch up over a lovely home-cooked dinner after a long day of travel.

The following day we visited Jodrell Bank Observatory, one of the world’s leading centers for radio astronomy and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Established in 1945 by Sir Bernard Lovell, Jodrell Bank has played a vital role in scientific discovery for decades. Its famous Lovell Telescope, completed in 1957, was the largest steerable radio telescope in the world at the time and remains one of Britain’s greatest engineering achievements. The telescope has tracked spacecraft, studied pulsars, quasars, and distant galaxies, and even helped monitor early space missions during the Space Race. Standing beneath it gives you a true appreciation for both the scale of the universe and the ingenuity required to explore it.

We wandered the beautiful grounds, enjoying a picnic lunch in the café, where the air conditioning was a welcome relief from the heat. They kindly allowed us to enjoy our picnic inside, which we greatly appreciated. We then explored the interactive Discovery Centre, filled with hands-on exhibits explaining radio astronomy, the search for extraterrestrial life, black holes, and the evolution of our universe. It was fascinating and engaging for visitors of all ages.

After lunch, Mom and I walked up to the Lovell Telescope. While we were standing there, we watched it move three separate times. First the massive base slowly rotated, then the enormous dish tilted, and finally both moved together. What amazed us most wasn’t the movement itself, but how incredibly quiet it was. I had expected loud clunks, grinding gears, and mechanical noises, yet this 3,200-ton structure glided almost silently into position. Watching such a gigantic machine move with such grace was one of the highlights of the day.

We finished the afternoon with a scenic drive through the Cheshire countryside before enjoying dinner at The Barn Owl Inn right along side a canal. Between the fascinating science, peaceful countryside, wonderful company, and delicious meal, it was the perfect way to spend another memorable day in England.

A Perfect Day in St Andrews and Designing Our Own Islander Bags

Today we took the train from Dundee to the beautiful coastal town of St Andrews, just a short ride away. Best known as the “Home of Golf,” St Andrews is one of Scotland’s oldest and most historic towns. It is home to the world-famous Old Course, where golf has been played for over 600 years, and to the prestigious University of St Andrews, founded in 1413. It is also where Prince William and Catherine Middleton first met while attending university. Beyond golf, St Andrews is filled with medieval streets, charming shops, ancient ruins, beautiful beaches, and a relaxed seaside atmosphere.

Our wonderful taxi driver, Adam, met us at the station and drove us into town. He was absolutely perfect for us. From the moment we climbed into his taxi, we were chatting and laughing like old friends who had known each other for years. It is amazing how quickly genuine kindness can make a place feel like home. Before dropping us off, Adam assured us he would return later to take us back to the train station. Having transportation arranged made the entire day completely stress-free.

Our main adventure was visiting the Islander workshop to design our very own Harris Tweed bags. Islander is a Scottish company that creates customizable handbags and accessories handcrafted with authentic Harris Tweed—a beautiful wool fabric handwoven by islanders in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Every bag is individually designed by the customer, allowing you to choose the body, flap, straps, handles, and hardware to create something completely unique. We choose the St. Andrew’s shop as we figured it would be quieter than the shops in Edinburgh. Boy, was I correct. Besides us there was one other person making a bag.

The moment we walked through the door, Kiya knew exactly what she wanted to do. While Mom and I began the difficult task of choosing colors and styles, Kiya happily settled in to watch one of her movies. It was the perfect outing for her.

Choosing our bags was much harder than we expected! There were so many gorgeous fabrics, leather colors, straps, handles, and hardware combinations that it almost became overwhelming—in the best possible way. I really wish I had taken a picture of the enormous display wall filled with every imaginable color and pattern. I’ve included a few photos from the internet because they give a much better idea of just how many options there were.

We started by selecting the style of bag we wanted before moving on to choosing the Harris Tweed fabric for the body. Next came the leather flap, handles, shoulder strap, and all the finishing touches. Piece by piece, our bags slowly came together into something that was uniquely ours.

It was such a fun experience—not simply buying a souvenir, but creating one that will always remind us of Scotland. If I had more room in my suitcase, I probably would have made several more!

After finishing our bags, we enjoyed lunch and spent the afternoon wandering through the charming streets of St Andrews. The town has such a relaxed pace, with beautiful stone buildings, colorful storefronts, and little shops around every corner. It felt like the kind of place where you could spend days simply exploring.

At the end of the afternoon, true to his word, Adam returned to pick us up and drive us back to the train station. It was one of those wonderfully simple days—good conversation, creative fun, beautiful scenery, and time spent together. Days like this often become the ones you remember most.

Kiya had an absolutely perfect day, and honestly, so did we.