My nine weeks abroad!

I know this isn't following my blog theme (again) but I've had so much interest in my trip to the UK and Ireland that I thought I'd share some of my travel highlights, including my itinerary!

My trip started with a 6-week internship at the CBC London, England bureau. While working and living in London for that time, I was able to get a pretty good sense of the city. Still, what I saw in my 6-weeks makes up just the smallest fraction of London. The city is so massive, the best way to describe it is a thousand little cities all combines into one. Each borough is uniquely different in it's own way, and boasts it's own array of entertainment for the intrigued traveller.

Some of my favourite areas of the city were:

1. Notting Hill

This is an area I got to know quite well, as I was living here for the entirety of my 6-week internship. I 100% recommend heading to this area if you're planning a trip to the city. If you're a fan of the movie "Notting Hill", then this area definitely won't disappoint. It's packed full of walk-up style victorians, each charming in their own way. I was here in the spring/early summer, and the gardens were absolutely amazing. It's also a close walk to the famous Portobello Road, which has one of the most popular weekend markets in the city. The area is also a short walk to one of the most spectacular parks in the city, Hyde Park.

2. Hampstead

Traditional English townhouses in the London borough of Hampstead Heath.

Hampstead is considered quite an affluent area, with lots of academics, artist and hollywood stars. The area is full of beauty and charm, and borders Hampstead Heath: one of London's most popular open spaces. It boasts tons of trails and has one of the most spectacular views as it sits at one of the highest points in the whole city. The park is also home to the beautiful Kenwood House, a former stately residence, made popular for its use in movies and tv shows. Hampstead village is also in the area, and is great for boutique shopping and good eats.

3. Brixton

Pop Brixton, a popular food and drink venue in Brixton, London.

Although I didn't get to spend too much time in this area, I spent some time at a cool place called 'Pop Brixton' that I would totally recommend to anyone visiting London. It's pretty much a community within a community, created with old shipping crates. The crates have been turned into trendy mini bars and restaurants, while the inner courtyard in full of veggie gardens, string lights, and friendly locals hanging out after work.

4. Camden Town

Amy Winehouse commemoration statue in Camden Town.

Camden Town is an eclectic neighbourhood well-known for it's market (Camden Market), counter-culture vibes, and nightlife. I spent a couple days in the area, getting to know some of the local venues and eateries. One of the reasons I wanted to visit the area was to see the Amy Winehouse statue. Located in Stables Market in Camden Town, the bronze replica statue attracts fans and visitors from all over.

If you're in the area, check out Poppie's, a local eatery renowned for their fish and chips.

5. Oxford Circus

The famous Union Jack Bunting lining Regent Street.

Oxford Circus is where I spent majority of my time during the weekdays. The office I was working out of as a journalism intern was right in the centre of this busy area! Despite the craziness or rush-hour traffic and the constant throng of tourists, I loved being in the centre of all of it.

The main streets in the area like Oxford and Regent offer some of the best shopping in all of London. Take a short walk down a side street off of the main-drag and you'll find an eclectic mix of coffee shops, bars and restaurants and locally-owned boutiques. Be sure to stop and snap a pic of the famous bunting lining Regent Street.

*Close by you'll find Soho: an energetic cluster of streets boasting some of the best cocktail bars and restaurants in all of London. I recommend Cahoots, a 1940's style bar located in Soho's Kingly Court, offering live entertainment, and amazing cocktails set in London's 'underground'.

Weeks 1-6 were spent working/touring around London and surrounding Towns. The remaining 3 weeks I spent touring Scotland and Ireland, two countries I've come to love dearly. I've included some of the highlights from touring those countries below:

Scotland:

After my six weeks in London, I hopped on a plane headed for Edinburgh. Scotland has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. My childhood and early adolescence spent Highland dancing definitely instilled a passion for Scottish culture in me, and a need to one day explore the place I had learned so much about.

Edinburgh Castle: a 12th-century fortress that dominates the Edinburgh skyline, perched a-top Castle Rock.

Edinburgh was simply amazing. So historically rich, and beautifully preserved. Walking the streets of the Royal Mile and exploring the old town make you feel as though you really are 400 years back.

Some of my favourite things I did were:

-ghost walk tour

-Jolly Botanist (Gin Bar, HIGHLY recommend)

-Arthur's Seat hike

-National Museum of Scotland

-Calton Hill

-Walk up and down Victoria Street (the street Harry Potter's Diagon Alley was inspired by)

St. Andrews

A view of St. Andrews Castle, a popular ruin outside of Edinburgh.

I spent a day in the historic small-town of St. Andrews. Located about an hour outside of Edinburgh on Scotland's east coast, this pretty sea-side town is known for it's breathtaking ruins and beautiful college campus. I also ate the BEST scone of my life here at a quaint little tea-shop called "Gorgeous".

The Highlands

The famous view of Glen Coe area, in the Scottish Highlands.

I saw a lot of amazing places during my 9-weeks abroad, but if I had to pick a favourite area I would say without a doubt, the Highlands.

I took a three-day bus tour with Haggis Adventures into the Highlands visiting a number of places from Glen Coe to Isle of Skye. Although we packed a ton into those 3 days, I left feeling like it wasn't nearly enough for me. Our bus driver/tour guide was what you call a "true highlander", with a thick rolling accent and a full-vocabulary of Gaelic which he made his mission to teach us during our time on the bus.

We stayed two nights in a little village called Fort Augustus, in the small parish of Boleskine and Abertarff. The settlement lies directly at the south-west end of Loch Ness, and is astoundingly beautiful. I found the locals to be extremely welcoming and eager to teach us about their highland ways of life.

I'm already planning my return to Scotland, and hoping to do a hiking tour through the famous West Highland Way.

Oban

View of the village of Oban, from McCaig's tower.

My friend and I spent a weekend in the quaint seaside village of Oban, Scotland. The town serves as a western port and is a popular gateway to the Hebridean islands. Known for it's many surrounding ruins, famous whisky distillery and mouth-watering seafood dishes, Oban quickly took a top place in my UK favourites.

Though we only spent about 35 hours there, we were able to pack in tons of sites and get a true feel for the way of life in the bustling sea-side village.

The most incredible seafood platter, bought at the warf.

If your planning on checking out Oban, here are my suggestions:

-take the steep walk up to McCaig's tower, and enjoy the view of the town/sea from the top

-Check out Dunollie Castle, a ruin within walking distance from the town

-walk around the little shops in the downtown district

-walk to Ganavan Sands, and spend some time on the beach

-pick up a fresh seafood platter from the Oban Seafood Hut, and sit at the communal table with the locals and other tourists

-Oban Distillery (we actually didn't have time for a tour, but I've been told it serves some of the finest whisky in all of the UK)

-visit some of the Hebrides Islands (we went to Kerrera, a short ferry ride over from the mainland)

-there are a lot of seals in and around this area, for a pretty fair price you can book a boat to see them up-close

*We stayed at a hostel called Oban Backpackers

Ireland

The famous Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin, built in 1816.

I finished off my trip in beautiful, bustling, Dublin. Unfortunately I only had four days in Ireland, so I set out to make the most of them. I stayed at a great hostel called, the Time's Hostel, in a 10-bed mixed-dorm room. I met some incredible people that I ended up doing a lot with in my short visit.

Some of my favourite experiences were:

-walking tour: this 2.5 hour tour is a great mini history lesson of Dublin and the people who shaped it. I had a great tour guide who took the time afterwards to write me a list of all his favourite "local" places in the city

-Guinness Storehouse Tour: This is a MUST for any beer nut that visits Dublin. I should warn you first, set aside a good three hours because it's not the kind of thing you can rush through. The ticket is a little pricy, but includes the opportunity to learn how to pour your own Guinness, and enjoy the classic Irish brew overlooking the city in the "zero gravity" room.

-Join a pub crawl: If you're a solo traveller (like I was), this is the perfect way to meet people and check out some of the best bars in downtown Dublin.

-Visit Whelans: If you're a fan of the movie P.S. I Love You, then you need to visit Whelans. This bar is famous for it's scene in the movie, and boasts an array of various rooms and events at all times of the night.

-Visit Howth: a short train ride away, you can find this beautiful seaside town. I spent the day there with a few friends, hiking around the peninsula and trying out their local dishes.

View of the sea from the Howth cliff-top trail.