United Kingdom: an unexpected journey.

It was never my intention (at least from the outset) to travel to the U.K. during this journey. However fate would unexpectedly lead me there, and I couldn’t have been happier that it did. 

Because of US citizens visa limitations in the Schengen area (only 90 days in a 180 period to be exact) I was forced to leave the zone and spend my time elsewhere. Also for those who don’t know the Schengen area is basically all of Europe barring the U.K. and most of the Balkan region. I settled on traveling to the U.K., as I had always had an interest in visiting Scotland. I quickly found that not only would I love Scotland, but so too the city on the River Thames, London. 
As my usual M.O. goes I entered the U.K. and utilized the awesome resource known as Couchsurfing where I would meet my host and eventual friend Peter. Unfortunately of the whole two and a half weeks we spent together we didn’t take one damn picture. Peter if you’re reading this…WTF? Well anyways roaming the streets of London you quickly realize the history that pours out of every inch, along the sidewalks, down the river, over the stone buildings, and engulfing that beautiful old clock Big Ben. Everywhere in the city feels like somewhere. Again I had no intentions of seeing this city so I didn’t really know what to expect other than Big Ben, brexit, cheeky blokes, and fish and chips. Damn it was so much more. So much beauty, excitement, chaos, culture, and well shit…everything. At least that’s how it felt when I didn’t really know what to expect. But after about a week it was time to head north for the reason that brought be to this pocket of the earth in the first place…Scotland. 

Ahhh fish and chips. Delish

Buckingham Palace

They tried to make me pay for this damn picture. I did not pay for this picture.

I had been constantly moving from place to place for a month and a half before finally making it to Scotland so I was a bit tired and needed to recharge the batteries. I had the idea in mind that I would find work or volunteer for around a month to add some quasi stability to my traveling. That’s where I found The Byre at Inchyra through Workaway’s network. It was my intention to use the next few weeks in the estate to slow down a bit, gather myself, and plan my next moves. Little did I know the next three and a half weeks would become one of the most fulfilling and fun experiences of my travels so far. 
From the moment I was picked up and the first day on the job the next morning I felt the warmth and hospitality of everyone on the estate. Maybe it was because of their previous experience with volunteers or just their welcoming character, but they sure knew how to make a newcomer feel a part of the team. 
Not only did I get the warm welcome of everyone at Inchyra the following morning, but I was able to get the first real glimpse as to the immense beauty of the property I was to dedicate my time to. 
The property sits on hundreds of acres of Scottish country side. Centuries old trees populate acres of rolling green hills and grazing land for sheep, highland cows, horses, and even some chickens. The buildings on the estate were constructed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries but the property holds a piece of man made history dating back three millennia, an ancient Celtic burial mound. Yea it was quite a trip working around that thing. 
The property is big so there was always something to be done. The type of work to be done varied constantly and our efforts were either dictated by the weather or what was most time sensitive. With a place as unique and beautiful as Inchyra it is a much sought after venue from everything from wedding to concerts to anything in between. 
During my stay my efforts included gardening, staining tables (many tables), feeding the chickens, cleaning the coops, feeding the highland cows, feeding the horses, leaf blowing, lots of leaf blowing, chopping wood, setting up electric fences (which proved to be ineffective on a very cunning Shetland pony by the name of Jason), feeding Jason, harvesting eggs, harvesting apples, harvesting carrots, starting bonfires (one of my favorites), and well anything else that was needed to be done. 
Aside from it’s downright beauty and the history that surrounded it I could not have asked for a better team to work with. It was a big family and the volunteers were part of it. Over the next three and a half weeks Inchyra began to feel like a home. Not because I was staying there longer than many of my other stops, but because of the people I had come to grow so fond of. I adore my time at the Inchyra Estate. I adore all of you beautiful people I got to know and work with there, and I adore it in all of its unexpected fulfillment. So I must say thank you for the memories. 

Looking down on the estate from up on one of the hills

The team! Well a good portion of them.

Concert at the Byre at Inchyra. Such a cool venue

Meeting an old friend for a weekend in Edinburgh…and a king

Country roads around the estate

Oh did I mention I made it to one of my must sees in life, the Scottish Highlands? I may have mentioned it in a previous post. Give it a gander. 
After my time concluded on the estate it was time to finish things where they started, back in London. However this time there would be some added excitement to the London madness. It was time to reunite with one of my best friends because he missed me so damn much he had to come see me. And of course Peter, because he’s so awesome took both me and Drake in for over a week. The first three days are better left to just a couple words because mom you’re probably reading this. But let’s just say we had one hell of a time. One for the books and memories to cherish. Whether he knew it or not it meant a lot to me have my friend visit me. Everyday has been a dream since I left. I’m doing the one thing I love more than anything, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss home from time to time. It doesn’t mean I don’t miss my family and my friends. It was good to see a familiar face. Especially one of my best friends. It was good Drake. 

The boy is in town

The Bar Locks. Only Drake and I will ever know. This place rocks

He didn’t like the hand in the face.

My final night in London I decided to walk back to Peters instead of take the tube to walk the River Thames one last time. I looked at the Tower Bridge and couldn’t help wanting to pinch myself. Was I really here? Yes I was. Unexpectedly, but I was. 
-roamthegiant  

Check out the video here: Roam in the U.K.

My final night. Tower Bridge