A week of travels in Scotland

What is my hair doing? I should really learn to brush my hair before I turn the camera on. Welcome to the vlog guys. I thought I'd pick up the camera today because this week I am actually going on a wee trip so I thought I would take you guys along with me. So it's Monday today but tomorrow I am going to be going to Oban which is a smallish town on the west coast of Scotland in the Highlands and I'm meeting my mum there. She's travelling over from the Isle of Arran, that's where my family live and we're going to have a couple of nights in Oban and just hang out because we neither of us really know Oban very well. I've only ever driven through it once or twice, I've never actually stopped and it's got a few cute little shops and it's just a nice place to potter around and explore and my mum has been wanting, well we've both been wanting to do a wee trip together because I can't remember the last time we did something like that so I thought that would be really sweet. And then after that I'm going to be going home with her to the Isle of Arran and to see the rest of my family and all the pets of course so I thought I would just take you along with me and show you a little bit of Scotland because I know you guys like to see this area. I thought it'd be a fun vlog to film and now I am going to be getting on with some packing so I thought I would show you guys how I do that and chat about my packing essentials and things like that because I love watching people pack their trips away. So I just need to get my bags together and we can start packing. I had to make myself a wee cup of tea because I've been procrastinating from packing because I find it tedious but anyway. I've got everything out so I thought I would show you roughly what I'm going to be taking with me. In terms of bags I've got this wee suitcase here um that usually does like most of my clothes at least now we're in the springtime I won't be taking like a huge amount of layers so that should fit clothes and some of my toiletries in there. I'll probably take my big rucksack just because I'm taking you with me so I'll have my tripods and stuff. I probably might take my smaller one just loose because I tend to take this when I'm out and about and I'll be doing some hiking and stuff when I'm on our own so I might like to have that option. I'm a bit like that I like to be like quite minimal in life but when it comes to packing I've found I'm not that good at being that. I'm okay but because I've got the car I'm like I can shove everything in although my mum's also not a packer so I have to bear that in mind because I've got my big car but yeah this is this will basically do the rest of my stuff like my filming stuff my laptop and my books which I'll go on to in a minute and then I always take a straight bag with me because I always need one um in life so this is the sort of thing that I can wear around when I'm going around Oban or potentially depending on what I need to take with me. This so this is like my really handy little like handbag I think they're quite trendy I had no idea they were I just saw my friend with this style of bag and I was like that's really useful actually I mainly use it as my dog walking bag but it's also a great like kind of like cross body uh for when you're sort of going in and out of shops depending on what I need to take with me um I'll have these I usually take this in here anyway and that works nicely and then I think I'll show you my should I show you my clothes I'll show you my clothes and so this is the bulk of what I'm taking with me a few things I've not added like I've got some stuff that I've washed that is drying like my underwear that you probably didn't want to see but yeah in terms of layers I'm gonna be taking just this like cropped uh sweater which is like part of my merchandise I have two of these with different designs I wear them all the time so I'll be taking that I'll be taking my like fleece this is my this is great for hiking it's like midway my hoodie from Organic Basics that I live in now and it's great for over hit this if it's a bit chilly or just to wear by itself and then one knit that's also slightly cropped because that's good in itself but it's also quite good to go over this so I have like multiple air options because it's still Scotland in April so it is still cold I'm only taking one extra pair of leggings which might be a risk but there is a washing machine at my parents so it should be fine and then I'll be taking two kind of nicer things so this is like a pinafore here and then a dress here that I'll probably it will be layering over the leggings because again it's not that warm but it's nice maybe to go in about out about open to have some options and then I've just got some range of just plain t-shirts long sleeved just a little short sleeved I think I've got five five t-shirts there and then I've got um just a sports bra with a t-shirt too if I want to do some workouts because I've been quite consistent recently so it'd be quite nice to continue or at least just do some yoga when I'm away and then coat wise I probably still need my warm coat and then I've got waterproof coat waterproof trousers and then gloves um hat and buff um and then shoes I've just got these out for now I haven't actually worn my Birkenstocks yet this year but it is to be quite mild so I'm maybe being a bit optimistic but I like to potter around in these where my parents live and then I obviously need to throw my walking boots in with that and I'll probably wear my Vivaya trainers we're just going about open because they're super comfy in terms of other bits and bobs so I haven't got all my toiletries out yet because obviously I'll be using some of them but I will be taking my wild deodorant which I love and they've also come out with a um lip balm their own lip balm now which is lovely because while do all their stuff is like refillable so you get a metal case of something and then you get um refills of deodorants and they also do like shower gels and stuff so this is one of my new favourite items I love it a brush of course I debated not taking makeup if I was just going to our and I probably wouldn't bother but because we are going to be and about a little bit more so it'd be nice to have the option so I've just got like a very minimal maybe because it's pretty much all my makeup in here I've just sort of squeezed it all in it's pretty much all for merit I've just got like a concealer stick um blusher like blending blending brush and a lipstick in there and that's all I will wear and then obviously a makeup remover and I've got like some reusable um pad things in there to remove my makeup and then skincare wise I've just got a hair back headband to keep my hair back and then I've got in here a cleanser and a moisturiser from subtract they do like um solid skincare products which is why I put them in this I did do a vlog where I went through a little bit of my skincare routine so I'll link that down below if you want to hear more about that electronics I'm going to be filming so obviously my camera and the tripod that you're sat on and then I just got this nifty wee tripod when I'm out and about spare camera spare camera spare battery and my like mic that's also on top of the camera mic what is this called this thing buff I don't know that thing and then I have my laptop because I will be working a bit that's part of being self-employed um I'm never really off work um but I can be flexible with it and can work remotely so I've just got some chargers on here for all my bits as well I'm taking my binoculars which are gathering a bit of dust um if you didn't know I used to work for the RSPB as a wildlife conservationist but I've got the habit of taking my binoculars out and about with me but whenever I go to Arran I try and take them because then you get some like close-up views of all the seabirds and then in terms of like entertainment um books is always where I fall down when it comes to packing minimally I mean four books for six days might seem a lot because it is but I know what I'm like and I read a lot when I go go away so I'm taking this one at the moment because this is what I'm reading I'm really really enjoying it I'll be doing a full review as always for all my sub stack numbers of everything I read so if you're not on my sub stack the link is always in my description if you want to check it out but this is a really easy read so I'll probably finish it in the next couple of days that's my ongoing fiction and then I've got my ongoing non-fiction that you guys if you saw my book shopping vlog in Inverness saw I picked this one up um so yeah I'm about halfway through that so you know a good chunk of the way through and then I was like this one's like a mystery type thing um that I think I mentioned in my getting ready for spring vlog in terms of like my reading reading this for spring and then I also showed you this when I went to Inverness did my book shopping uh this library book here it's like a more historical historical romance so depending on what I'm in the mood for and you know I might end up finishing quite a few of these books I like to have I like to have options and then almost there I take a little notebook with me everywhere for like writing ideas anything that comes into my head this was gorgeous my mum gave this to me I think for my birthday it's like um Anne of Green Gables like croaks and stuff on it it's beautiful I never want to finish it because I want to keep it forever and then I've got my sort of nature notebook I talked about nature journaling again on my sub stack and this is my one that I'm working on at the moment again I just slip that in my bag whenever I'm out walking and I can do a bit of writing and then I thought I would take my watercolour pad and paints because I've been doing a bit more watercolouring recently and this is a nice little one I got it from um Windsor and Newton because I believe they are a good watercolour book I'm falling out some really nice colours it's like a little travel set but I do have spare extra like paint brushes in there as well and like pencil and pen and then I always take reusable sort of drink things with me so I've got to have my tea glass you guys have seen this a million times you've seen me out and about that's the one I always take and then I take two water bottles with me this is my kind of one I don't usually drink out of glasses I tend to always drink out of a water bottle um so this is the one for around the house and this is the one that I pack. Sky what are you doing? Sky's like um are packing me? I'm not taking Sky she's staying with her dad so she's like why are you packing why are you packing without me? Sky I know I'm gonna miss you so yeah I think that's pretty much everything that I'm gonna be taking with me and I'll probably check in with you guys I'm on my way to Oban tomorrow so I'm on route to Oban I've just stopped at Fort William for a quick pea spot pea spot pea stop because I just chugged this whole smoothie um so that was needed and yeah it's a beautiful day I'm hoping it's gonna stay sunny I think it is actually meant to be quite nice and open today I'm less sure about the next couple of days but that's fine we'll always have our waterproofs with us and it's really lovely to actually drive out west I don't do it that often but it is lovely like I think I would say the west coast in particular is probably the most picturesque um but then at the same time the Cairngorms where I live has like beautiful hills and the forest in particular the pine forest in the Cairngorms are just stunning but it's nice to get a bit of variety um but yeah I think I'm about an hour away and I'm better go because I'm actually running a little bit late my mum's always hurting so I'll check in with you guys in a bit so we've made it to our Airbnb so I thought I'd give you a wee tour so this is the front of the cottage here it's just started to rain has been beautiful sunshine it's very cute I will just take you around the back and then when you come in coming into the kitchen it's really sweetly decorated um it's got kind of like a nautical theme but it's really like clean and tidy really nice size kitchen kind of got everything you want you know we've got sometimes I think in Airbnbs you don't get ovens microwaves etc but we've got everything you would need especially if you're for a longer stay because there's um even a washing machine so we're only here for a couple of nights though and then I'll take you through to the rather large living room considering it's not a massive space you've got a few you can hear that noise it's the boiler my mum's having a bath a few nice bits of like decorations in here it's just really really cozy this is all the living space we've even got a wood burner so we'll be putting that on later because there was a wee nip in the air and I just love the way she's she's decorated it in here and it's all on one level my mum has very kindly given me the double which has never happened um I'm quite chuffed with that it's all really nice and bright as well considering it's got a bit of a dull day got a nice and nice wardrobe there got a sweet view out in the garden I love it's a bit rugged and wild and we're really close to town as well it's like 15 minute walk walk into town so it's just ideal through the hallway and then just got a twin twin room in here um that my mum will be staying in and then there is a bathroom in there but obviously my mum is having a bath so I won't be showing you guys that so yeah really chuffed with this airbnb I think we both like to be slightly out in like a rural area but it's an easy shooting distance to the town so that's nice we had a really nice afternoon my dad was here for a bit and we went for a coffee I can't remember the place I'll link it I'll put the name on screen of where it was but um as you know I'm not much of a coffee drinker but you can choose your own bean um so that's quite good they're like well really known for their coffee I just had tea which was also lovely and a vegan flapjack which was very nice and we just had a quick look around town but we're mostly going to do that tomorrow um so I'll get some more clips to show you guys I think it's to be okay weather I think maybe a wee bit showery and then we might find somewhere for a walk um and yeah just we're very much in the mood to just like chill out so I'm gonna make us some dinner this after this evening probably gonna make winter M&S uh splashed out a few bits I think I'm gonna make um us some gnocchi with like nice tomato and basil sauce and throw some mushrooms or something in there so really really easy and we got a nice uh garlic flatbread as so yeah I'm just gonna have a nice cozy evening quick outfit of the day I'm wearing my crop sweater merchandise wee cross body bag I'll have my tote in here and then this dress from sea salt over leggings and my vivaya trainers because I've always been told that things will unfold if you keep on waiting but then you came along and proved me wrong I was so mistaken because you glue all the pieces back together yeah you you take all my wrongs and make them better yeah you you're making me wanna try a tea cake but there's no butter so I'm gonna have to try I was never the one to give up the ghost no I was so stuck I kept on playing my part wanted to give up because nothing was changing but with you it's so clear and now that you're here I see colors in every spectrum guess I finally learned my lesson because you glue all the pieces back together yeah you you take all my wrongs and make them better yeah you you're making me wanna try forever I feel so free oh my sweet baby to myself and I'm thinking out loud we won't need nothing else for the rest of our time and I know it so well I will always be back from open and I thought I would just show you a few little bits I bought the first one is this gorgeous bag here from water stones it's like a canvas bag totes that I've been eyeing up for probably a year and I decided to treat myself to it because it's a really nice thick material and great if you're a book buyer like me it's just been perfect to take out with me I got this really sweet little bookmark and it's like a wooden bookmark there and then I got a couple of cards so I actually got this one for my partner because he's like loves kayaking canoeing and stuff thought that was really nice we got both these from a really cute little boutique I've forgotten the name of obviously but I'll put that on screen and then I also got this little puffin one because I thought that would be quite nice to do a little journal page about my time in Oban and then finally I got this chocolate from the Oban chocolate company and this one is the mint one mint dark chocolate and there's a few different vegan ones I wouldn't say there was a huge number and it was all dark chocolate so there was no like vegan milk chocolate but it looks pretty yummy so I'm excited to stick into this this evening we were in Oban for about five hours which is ridiculous considering it's not very big but we had plenty to do and we were just pottering so we're both gonna have a cup of tea now and just chill out this evening good morning from the beautiful Isle of Arran it's lovely morning it's completely still there's like no waves at all on the beach and I've come down early because I didn't get down yesterday we arrived and it was very heavy rain I barely vlogged yesterday sorry we just basically went to Oban for a wee coffee in the morning had a little mooch around and then just headed home um but yeah this morning I was like I've not been down the beach yet so I've absolutely been craving spending time by the sea that's the downside to living where I live in the Cairngorms is we're pretty landlocked so I don't get to see that often but obviously my family living on Arran is a great excuse to come and potter around beaches so yeah I just sort of got up today and I was like right I'm just gonna get dressed and get out so it's absolutely beautiful um I think we'll have nice weather for the rest of the week as well so that would be really nice but um yeah I thought I'd take you on a wee stroll um before going home later having my first cup of tea of the day which I'm looking forward to and spending some time with the family so I'm back at the tiny home now as you can see I didn't vlog a huge amount more at the weekend because I wanted to focus on spending time with my family but I really hope you enjoyed this week of travels thank you very much for watching guys and I will see you next time