Dream Now…Travel Later

Friday 1st May 2020

“And the people stayed home, and read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still…”

What if the universe is trying to slow us down? To say “stay home, let the earth breathe a little, let it recover”.

To take a step back and realise the impact we really do make on earth.

**Moine Thrust Knockan Crag, Inverpolly**

We aren’t as in control as we seem to think. A virus can come and go, wipe us all out but the earth will still be here…We need to listen to the universe.

It feels like the Universe has just sent us to the naughty step for us to think about what we have done…how can we change and do things differently.

For now, traffic is gone. The air seems cleaner. There seems to be less pollution. The world appears quieter. Wild life returns. The stars seem to shine brighter. Money doesn’t seem to make the world go round. We now have time to stop, appreciate what we have, value the ones closest to us and reset the button for humanity.

Though travel is off the table for much of the global population at the moment, soon we will have our freedom back and we will look at this as a dark page in our history, but also, as one big lesson to learn from…that is my hope.

As the borders closed around the world due to COVID-19, I started to think of the destinations I had planned this year but would not reach, and also about the places I’d still like to go and some of the places I have been lucky enough to have visited in the past.

**Iceland’s Icebergs – Climate Change Is Real**

As a girl I had big dreams. I wanted to, and still want to be part of big changes that can help make our world a better place to live in. I strive to create opportunities for myself, and travelling is one of the ways I do it.

It was here on this sunrise hike in the middle of the Himalayas right at this spot that I had ‘a some kind of wonderful moment’, something that will probably never happen again, one that I will never be able to explain or articulate but the feeling that overwhelmed me was inspiring, peaceful and calming. It touched me to the core and it will stay with me forever

In my daily life I also try to create opportunities for others, to enable them to make better life choices by providing educational opportunities outside of a ‘normal’ classroom environment, sometimes using the natural world to encourage and motivate young people and families that I work with. Promoting active learning through a see, do, get model, to instigate change.

I try to inspire others at times with tales from my travelling adventures, whether that be my family, friends, colleagues or strangers…travelling does that to you, it turns you into a story teller.

**The beautiful children of the Himalayas** **who walk for miles to get to school in tough conditions, including altitude…they know how important Education is in its broadest sense!**

I look to the future with a spirit of optimism and perseverance. From far-flung continents, to the near-by boltholes, I dream of visiting and supporting – just as soon as its safe to hit the road again.

**Flying into Lukla to the ‘Worlds Most Dangerous Airport’ and feeling** **terrified, excited, anxious and overwhelmed…never or will** **I ever witness anything quite like this in my life again**

When this is all over, we can live our adventures in the outdoors, stronger and more than ever before. I’m already aching to travel again, to feel that buzz…to meet new people…to experience different cultures…to see nature…to get lost…to truly socially isolate…on my terms!

Adventures faraway may be off the cards for now, but we can still dream about them!

**Death Valley**, **California and it’s unique landscapes**

And it’s still possible to have small adventures close to home whilst complying with the rules of course! And that I continue to do. Sometimes you don’t have to travel far to experience beauty.

**Views from Benarty Hill, across Loch Leven towards Scotlandwell and the Bishop Hill**

During this time I have also been drawn back to reading past blogs I have written, as-well as looking through photo albums from pictures of my travels. I have even started that ‘scrap book’, or a ‘treasure book’ as I’d prefer it to be called, which I had been meaning to do for years.

I am continually drawn to my time spent in the Himalayas where I left a piece of my heart and where I plan to return to one day…some day…I know I will.

It is a place where I made so many memories and where I’ll be forever grateful for opening my eyes and my heart. For me a very special place I will always remember.

**Himalayas – Everest Base Camp Trek** **– and that famous bridge!**

Other great memories are of times spent in the Grand Canyon. This had been in my dreams for years and after driving for miles on our epic West Coast Of America road trip, I finally witnessed her, I was speechless, awestruck.

**The Grand Canyon – I had to be pulled away reluctantly from this very spot**

The vastness, depth and colour was truly unique, something so wonderful, a sight to behold.

Witnessing this natural wonder from the air opened my eyes further. Then hiking deep down into it truly put the grandeur of Mother Nature into perspective.

California’s Yosemite National Park, was another spectacular moment which words cannot describe I guess.

Breathtaking and beautiful wouldn’t even hit the mark, but a visit here would not disappoint, even although we never got to see a bear!

Dramatic landscapes, diverse outdoor pursuits, and the opportunity to simply escape.

This park offered granite walls more than twice the size of the Empire State Building, it’s one of the wonders of the natural world.

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike,” wrote John Muir in his beloved 1912 book The Yosemite…he got that one right.

Then there was the richness of the Patagonia landscape, exotic, wild, with infinite beauty, a totally unspoiled wilderness of mountains, fjords, glaciers, forests and stepps.

**5 days wild camping in the wilderness** **– could it get any better**

Travelling in one of the most remote and deserted places I have ever been to and loving every minute of its untamed wilderness, I could have stayed there forever.

Fitz Roy – remembering that moment 5 hours previous to this picture being taken whereby I cried for joy when Fitz Roy finally appeared from behind the clouds, I was overwhelmed. After being in El Chalten for 4 days and thinking we weren’t going to get that view then witnessing this on our last day was magnificent! **Then forcing Andy to walk for a further 1.5 hours to get this view when we had been walking since 4am – he was not impressed – but I was with this picture and this view!**

Experiencing one of my favourite ‘towns’ El Chalten, that funky, hippy, chilled out place, that was so laid back, just my kind of thing. The scenery was stunning and it was here where we got to experience our first gaucho rodeo and the skills of these horse riders were ridiculous and on wild horses **as-well!**

And then of course my treasured memories of journeys here in my beloved Scotland, some of the best journeys I’ve ever had, as beautiful as you can ever imagine.

**Rothiemurchus Forest – One of the glories of wild Scotland**

The wild landscapes that the Scottish Highlands and Islands offer are the ultimate escape for me.

**Sunset on Ben Nevis** **with no-one around just us**

I love exploring my country, finding another piece I have yet to discover.

**Isle of Skye, Loch Coruisk & The Cullens with ‘woman’s best friend**‘ **my dog Brogan**

From towering mountains, glittering lochs, dense woodlands and miles upon miles of golden beaches, Scotlands landscapes really do take my breath away.

It’s where I go for genuine solitude.

**Cairngorms National park – Cairn Lochin via Fiacaill Ridge**

**Glen Coe – I will never tire of watching a sunset**

Playing on the many mountains, wild camping under the stars, midnight hiking, I miss it all and cannot wait to get back out there. Its where I am most happy.

Cairngorms National Park – Weekend Wild Camping & Munro Bagging

As I have travelled I have met and established connections with people from all over the world.

Meeting interesting people along the way is all part of the journey.

I’ve made many new and meaningful friendships. Meeting others similar to myself, who have more or less the same kind of mindset, similar interests, enjoy doing things together whilst embracing each other’s differences and similarities.

**Conquering Mount Elbrus** with these guys – an absolute pleasure! Most of us had met on the EBC Trek, some only met for the Elbrus challenge but we have continued to keep in touch, creating adventures and even meeting up on zoom in this lockdown to future plan, catch up and continue our friendships

Travel has made me tolerent, appreciative, and has shown me diversity of cultures, customs and traditions.

***Prayer Wheel In Nepal*** **– passing by and spinning so many of these as we hiked to EBC**

At times it has touched my soul. It has connected me with nature, wildlife and people. It has amazed me, energised, simplified and magnitised. It has tantalised my senses, soothed my spirit and boggled my mind. It has humbled me.

Two local boys I met on my journey after returning to Lukla from EBC and giving them the last of my colouring pencils and paper that I had carried all the way up and down the mountain to give to local children. **They were so excited at receiving these basic supplies..it touched my heart…a real feel good moment**

Sometimes our travel journeys have not always been easy, but it’s these thrills, challenges and adventures which make me love travelling even more so…I always feel a sense of satisfaction on completion and then there’s that whole need to go again.

Feeling absolutely done in and still having at least another 9 hours to endure having already been climbing for over 8 hours with no sleep the previous night as we started our climb at 12.30 am. Eating little food as altitude had given me stomach problems which gave me all sorts of other problems!!! Heat exhaustion as the sun beated down on us but needing to layer up as conditions were so extreme – here I’m trying to hide from the sun and get a moments respite, all sorts going through my head. Nearing the end of this climb thinking my body cannot take anymore, pushing my body to extremes I never thought it could achieve and being rewarded for my efforts – that’s the reason why I do it – that complete satisfaction at the end of it, even if it is madness!

**Everest Base Camp** **– The Khumbu Glacier.**
**Witnessing this and standing there in that spot thinking about the greats that had been there before me and those that have still to come**

**Feelings of elation at reaching my destination – EBC**

**Reaching my limits on Mount Elbrus and coming out stronger than before**

I cannot wait until the world is open again so I can appreciate her even more….until then I dream.

“To move, to breath, to fly, to float, to gain all while you give. To roam the roads of lands remote, to travel is to live”, Hans Christian Anderson

Stay strong. Stay healthy. Have discipline. Think of others.

Be kind to mankind, to nature and to our planet.

Listen to her!

4 Comments Add yours

t1cfan says:

May 2, 2020 at 10:33 am

Some great photos there, Mary.

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1. marysoutdooradventures says:
  
  May 2, 2020 at 12:07 pm
  
  Hey thanks Mike…probably a bit like yourself…I have so many photos…trying to decide which ones to use was the difficult part! Some beautiful local ones though 💙…hope your taking some of this time to keep up with your own blogs 😘
  
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Theresa Skelhorn says:

May 2, 2020 at 11:37 am

Hi Mary amazing pictures we live in such a beautiful world. We have been stopped in our tracks to some extent and limited in the things we can do. I certainly appreciate being able to get out every day for a walk no matter what the weather is doing I am not sure how I would feel if I couldn’t do that. Theresa x

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1. marysoutdooradventures says:
  
  May 2, 2020 at 12:12 pm
  
  Hi there…times like these certainly do make you appreciate the amazing world we live in and something we all take for granted! It’s certainly beautiful and when you take the time to look around it’s rewarding! Like you I have been out everyday, mostly in the evenings as still working…but I need that time….it’s what keeps me sane! Hopefully after all this is gone more people will appreciate each other and the world we live in 🙏…glad to hear you are still getting out in the fresh air and your safe and well…😘🤗
  
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