Can’t believe it’s Hogmanay already.

This holiday has gone so quickly, probably because of all the running!!

I’ve now ran 45kms since Christmas Eve.

I can’t believe it.

I don’t know where it came from.

I don’t know why I chose to do it.

Yet I have loved it.

Not every minute of it…..obviously… but it’s become a bit on an addiction!

I’m done now.

Until Saturday anyway.

This is my current reality.

This morning I woke at 6 and dozed on and off until 7.45am.

We were meeting to complete our last run of the year and heading to Irvine Beach.

There were 4 of us today. Caryn, Elly, Lynsey and myself.

The weather wasn’t as good as we hoped. It was damp and very windy. But beautiful. 🤩

The reflections are lovely.

Now this is Lynsey…… you all think I’m crazy with all this running but this is her completing 750 miles running for 2025!

How amazing is that?!? What an achievement.

I am so grateful to Lynsey, Rachel and Claire for always being available to help with my running. There is always one of us running a Wednesday and a Saturday.

They make it easy for me. They meet outside my house.

Running isn’t easy but the feeling afterwards is just the best feeling in the world.

I am very proud of myself for running at a time when it would be easy to lounge about and just keep eating.

The lovely weather has definitely helped.

And we are done for 2025… another 6.15kms.

We went to Gro Coffee for a takeaway latte to celebrate!

I took photos of the cakes but, after all that exercise, I didn’t fancy one.

This was the lovely fireplace in Gro!

Congratulations Lynsey!!

A well deserved cuppa!

Craig is making bacon rolls for us.

Today will be a lazy day I think.

I’ve hit the wall… 😆

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reads my blog.

I know most people dip in and out but the ere are some people are there every single day.

That’s commitment!

I’m coming up to 6 years of writing this on the daily.

I’m still not certain how The Rambling Sloth fits with Her Travel Circle but I’m sure that will come.

For now I’d like to wish you all a calm and peaceful New Year.

2026 won’t be better than 2025. There will be highs and lows, we accept that now.

It’s all about how we navigate it.

Happy New Year when it comes.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

What a wonderful morning!!

I didn’t sleep well last night. Maybe too much caffeine…. Not sure but my mind was on alert all night and I felt like I never slept and yet I actually know I must have.

I headed out with the dogs at 6.3am.

It was so dark. It was so calm. So lovely. So special. So very cold.

I feel like I could feel the calm just looking back at those photos.

Then I got home… emptied the dishwasher and picked up the Pirex jug and it EXPLODED in my hand. Literally into a million pieces.

It was everywhere. Shattered glass.

In the dog water bowl, the cupboard, ALL over the floor and thankfully only two tiny pieces in my hand.

It was 7.15am and I was meeting Lynsey at 7.30am and I had to scrape the very frozen car first….. so I was late. 🫣😆

Lynsey and I started our run about 7.40am and the sky was just starting to get light.

It was cold and beautiful. Just the plod of our feet on the tarmac.

These were just logs but it looks like a cat I. The sunrise.

I love this one.

This is us half way.

The clouds were amazing and all along we pointed things out to each other… different colours, shapes and patterns.

And just as the sun is rising, we are done.

I ran 10kms for the first time in a year and a half and it wasn’t hard. I loved almost every minute of it.

So proud of my running just now and I love it.

My hi vis jacket looks pink…. I am so glad of the rest.

It’s now 9.04am.

I’m meeting Lea at 9.30am….. I have to drive home… showe, dry my hair, dress and drive 30 minutes to get to Silverburn Shopping Centre.

I was going to be late.

I got ready in under 15 minutes…. It’s amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it.

We had a lovely Starbucks and catch up.

I got home at 1 ish, made 4 dog behaviour calls and booked two.

Played with the dogs outside and settled back down to watch Broadchurch.

And did a Her Travel Circle post.

I’m shattered but I’m so chuffed with the 10k!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

We woke early and both feel back to sleep. This is the first day I haven’t run since Christmas Eve…. I missed it but I was very glad of the rest. Gayle says she is going to have to unfollow me as I’m far too energetic. 😆😆

I picked Gayle up at 8.50 and we headed out to Largs as I had the Optician at 9.35.

I need new glasses…. I knew that was coming.

I didn’t try any glasses on but Gayle and I went for breakfast at Perk Largs. I had a lovely veggie haggis and tattie scone roll with a coconut milk latte. It was really good.

We then went back into SpecSavers and met Evelyn and another lovely couple all from near us! It was like a Beith day out!!

I’ve narrowed down the glasses, I took photos of the ones I prefer although the pics don’t do them justice at all. I’ll head back with Craig sometime to pick some. I have varifocals so they are not cheap. 🫣

I have photos of me wearing them but I look like a convict 🫣😆

It was a lovely calm and clear morning!

We had to head home at the back of 12 and I got to see Gayle’s lovely new house!

I came home and don’t know where the afternoon went…. I stuck my comfies on and Craig and I watched The Women in Cabin 10 on Netflix which was really good.

We’re having a roast beef dinner tonight, I put the beef in the slow cooker before I left this morning… check me!

Love this pic of Bhru lying in her bed watching tv. Cutie.

It’s been a lovely lazy afternoon.

I’m tired!!

Hope you’re enjoy Twixmas.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I am shattered!

After 3 full days of socialising, my social battery is drained.

I’ve had a lovely Christmas.

I’ve not felt Christmassy at all really, that’s part of if has passed on a bit of a blur, but I have loved catching up with family and friends. I’ve loved getting as dressed up as I manage to get these days. I’ve loved wearing a bit of makeup and making an effort with my hair. I’ve loved it all.

I’ve loved all the running that I’ve done. I’m now up at 29kms since Christmas Eve! I seem obsessed.

And now I have hit a wall.

I sit here next to the Christmas tree in my new tartan jammies .

I have Christmas wax melts in all the burners and the house smells lovely.

I’ve put all my presents away.

The dogs are shattered after their walk.

The house is cleaner after I’ve cleared out my clothes and got two bags for charity.

So I woke at 6.50 and was running at 7.15am with Blair and Lynsey today. Lynsey wanted to run a 10k and Blair’s is more than capable of doing that too. I planned to turn at 2.5k and head back to Lynsey’s house…. And yet it kept going.

I slowed and hung back for a bit which meant I could take photos…. Obviously.

Those wee lights are the girls running back to me!

I ran for 4.5kms so that I could get a breather before they turned back around.

The cloud is my breath!!!

Running along the main road.

A beautiful sunrise.

And we’re done. 10kms for the girls and 9kms for me.

I honestly can’t believe how much I have run these holidays. I’m so proud of myself for doing it.

I did lose one of my running gloves though. I was gutted!

I came home and did a poo pick in the garden (🤮) then took the puppers up the hill…. The sun was just coming up.

Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 flag in the sky!

It was a lovely walk.

I then did some stretching I. The garden and spotted this little robin….. we always say that it’s Khaleesi come to play.

After my shower I decided to drive the running route and look for my glove!!! I found it!!

I’m so chuffed!!

I cleared out all my clothes again, tidied up the house and sat down or collapsed in a heap more like.

We had a lovely day yesterday at Craig’s bother and sister in laws up in Alloa.

The have 3 lovely Shelties and my in laws Chihuahua was also there so we left ours and home being let out by our neighbours.

Willow.

Astrid.

Cassie.

Cookie!

With my lovely mother in law!

Craig with her brother, sister and mum. I got some lovely family photos!

The two sis in laws!

Another lovely day out. We’ve been so very lucky being waited on hand and foot by all our lovely family and friends.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the festive season and if you haven’t, I hope you’ve enjoyed find some peace now that this part is over. I’m cuddled up with Freya now and all is well with the world.

I’m feeling the love just now.

Stay safe everyone.♥️♥️♥️

Didn’t sleep quite as well last night, it’s all this high living!

We were running again today at 8.30am and this is the best photo of sunrise that I got.

Turns out I’m not as bouncy a runner under the dark grey as I am under a bright blue sky!

Rachel and I show off our new running jackets!

I had heavy legs but it was a great run this morning. That’s 20kms in the last 4 days!!

I forgot to talk about one of my favourite Christmas pressies this year.

The lovely Aileen, who reads this blog, was going to Iceland 🇮🇸, at the start of December, and I asked if she would pick up some of my favourite socks, ever, in the history of favourite socks.

I hummed and hawed about asking her as I didn’t want anyone to have to go out their way but I’m so glad I asked her. 🥳🥳🥳

I can’t wait to wear them.

These are a pair I had previously!

I’m sitting under Craig’s blanket. I’ve had a shower and washed my hair but I’m tired.

We’re back out at 2pm to go to Craig’s brother’s today!

So let me tell you about yesterday.

I had a really lovely day with my side of the family. We don’t get together often enough and we were able to take the puppers with us too!

Watching dad to get the car ready for a roadtrip!

And we’re all secured and on our way!

Just before we let them out…. Bless them! 😆

Getting their pep talk about being good girls!

After a bit of excitement, all is calm. The Christmas tree is lovely!

Couldn’t resist a wee pose!

We had canapés and did presents . Mum and dad are unwrapping a joint present.

Christmas hat selfie with mum.

The girls having their dinner.

While we had ours.

With a wee pose in the garden!

I love this one!

Me and my wee bro!

Table selfie!

Dinner was amazing! My brother and sis in law are both excellent cooks. This limoncello and raspberry trifle was exquisite.

Tired girls!

I took so many photos of the men….. dad has a bottle of whisky he got when he was 50!! They planned a video of opening it so they could send it to Dad’s friends, the ones who bought it.

It was lovely to watch.

My clever nephew plays the bagpipes. He was the music backdrop to the whisky opening. It was magical! I’m so very proud of the person he has become. I’ve not spent enough time with any of them over the last few years. Ten or twenty years even.

I watched on with so much love. (Jeez that brought tears…. Lovely tears!)

We had laughs, we had giggles, we shared the most lovely day…. Yeah I know I hear myself. Where has the other Julie gone?!?

I took so many photos of them. I don’t normally share them on here but I hope they don’t mind.

So the very old Balvenie whisky had corked!!

Craig looked up the internet and this is dad blowing into a plastic bag to try and and pull the cork out of the bottle. He got wee bits out but not the main cork!

Next step operation draining into a jug and cleaning out the bottle, and refilling. That worked.

And just like that it’s time to head home.

My word for December is Happiness and all of these lovely get togethers are bringing me lots of happiness this year. Normally I’d be so stressed having to pack everything and feeling like I’d HAD to go somewhere and having to take the dogs was next level.

I’m so happy that this year has been different.

However this is the reality right now.

I’m so sleepy…..

Only another hour and a half and we’re off out again!

Have a lovely 27th.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I’m putting this out early so I can enjoy my day again.

I woke at 6 and again at 8am. We stayed in bed until after 9 being used as trampolines by the puppers!

I ran with Lynsey at 9.30am.

I have run just over 5kms every day since Christmas Eve and I’m so chuffed with myself.

I’m obviously a fair weather runner. I love being out in the fresh air, having a chat and running off my excesses!!

It’s a beautiful morning!!

Wore my new jammies to bed and my new socks out for a run!

That’s me hi vis-ing in the kitchen!!

Awwww I am buzzing, I love my new gear, I’m loving running. I’m loving life!!

The sunshine always helps!!

And now we’re off to my brother and sister in law for the day so I’ll tell you about yesterday!

We got ready and went into the village pub to see everyone.

The running girls scrub up no half bad eh?!

We stayed in the pub for a few hours and then we were invited upstairs for Christmas dinner.

The rest of the photos are thanks to Rachel two doors down… my photographer for the day as I seemed to forget to take photos.

We had a lovely day and didn’t finish dessert until 11pm!!!

It was a lovely day, so incredibly lovely to be invited and to have such an amazing spread!

I was really pleased with my outfit choice too.

It’s not often I make an effort.

The moon and sunset were stunning.

A really wonderful Christmas Day!

Now back to Boxing Day with my family. Will share that tomorrow!

Have a lovely day!

Stay safe everyone 🎄🎅🏼🤶🏼

Merry Christmas to you all.

It’s 12.30pm and I’m writing this now so I can relax and be present in the rest of my day.

I am feeling the love and have had a lovely Christmas so far.

It started at 7.45am with another 5km run with Rachel two doors down!!

Yes I am now that person who goes for a 5km run on Christmas Day…. It would appear…. 🫣😆

It’s another beautiful morning but very frosty, so we had to take care!

I love that this tree is airbrushed by all the trucks that drive this road…. We don’t see a single car today.

We ran 5.17kms and I’m soooooo chuffed we did.

Then we walked up the hill with Nacho and Rachel.

Christmas Day sunrise 2025!

Nacho is rocking his Christmas jumper!

Bhru’s not so sure 😆😆😆

The light is just amazing!

I’m so cold by the time I get in the shower.

Craig made sourdough cheese toastie for breakfast and we opened our presents with the puppers!

How good is this selection box?!?

I got one of the new travel pillows…. This one is really good!

I also got a fully hi vis running jacket!!

I finally finished Craig’s 50th birthday blanket…. 6 months later! He’s loving it.

My neighbours know me so well….. jammies from Holly next door!

Jammies from Claire too! Matches the slippers that she got me for my birthday!

This is what I actually look like!! 😆 lovely mug from Holly too. We got way too much!

Cheers everyone! 🎄🎅🏼🤶🏼

Hope you all have a lovely rest of day.

Stay safe everyone 🎄🎅🏼🤶🏼

I am feeling the love today.

I’m not massively Christmassy as, despite helping in the little gift shop, it’s crept up on me!

I am definitely feeling the love.

I slept like a log and was so grateful to wake at 7.10am!!!

We did have a strange thing in the night where we thought someone was trying to get into our house and Craig got dressed and headed downstairs with a baseball bat!! Do not mess with Craig on a dark night. We’ve no idea what it was but thankfully we both fell back to sleep.

We had the most beautiful Christmas Eve sunrise run this morning.

There were 5 of us to start but poor Blair brought one of her trainers and her husband’s trainers so had to miss out. We got a photo at the start.

Three runners on the brow of the hill!!

Shoogly action shot!

I love this last one. Honestly had the loveliest run and told the girls how much it meant that we all ran together so consistently.

Quick shower and ready for the little gift shop!

It was so busy and I was so happy for Gayle. It honestly never stopped. Lovely people coming in right up until 3pm!!

Gayle brought me in a Curiosity Hot Chocolate… lovey!

The sun is lovely when we leave the shop!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.

We’re having a lovely roast chicken dinner tonight, just the two of us.

Thank you to everyone who follows my daily blog. It means the world to me.

Stay safe everyone 🎄🎅🏼🤶🏼

I didn’t sleep well last night night. I woke at 11pm and then again at 3am…. Wide. Awake.

I’m not sure if I fell back to sleep but I felt shattered a lot of the day. It could be that I’m eating far too much sugar just now and I’m wired to the moon!!

So today was my last morning at Tartan for about 2 weeks! HOLIDAYS! 🎄🎅🏼🤶🏼🎄

It went really quickly.

I popped home and had a bagel and headed to the little gift shop to help Gayle. It was really busy! Not surprising.

I got a lovely surprise gift from Melanie in Italy, arranged through the little gift shop!

I think it might be one of my favourite ceramic houses.

So generous and so kind!!

I’m shattered by the end of the day but it’s been fun and I’ve enjoyed it.

Just a quickie tonight!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I’ve had a really good day today.

I’ve not slept great the last few nights and I was up and down a few times in the night.

We managed to get the Tartan Campers booking system onto the webpage that. I most certainly didn’t do it all but I’m really chuffed at what I’ve learned in these last few weeks. I’m proud of what I’ve figured out. They all say pride comes before a fall, now why did I have to go and say that old fashioned saying… that’s not true. It’s just words.

It was quite a nice day today. It definitely lifts your spirits when it’s not dark and dingy all day.

Today is just as dark as the longest day but tomorrow we have a minute of extra light!!

In Her Travel Circle news we have a lovely lady out in Barcelona for 7 nights with free accommodation! I’m so pleased!

Oh and I’ve got the most amazing top tip for drying washing that I just found this weekend… (turns out a guy at work knew it too so I’ve not invented it…..

Put the drying rack next to a radiator and cover it with a sheet or in my case, duvet cover. Put one side of the sheet over the radiator so the heat goes up and creates a warm pocket for everything else on the rack to dry…. It fascinated me. I only did it to try and dry the duvet cover faster and had no idea that it would create a wee hot box!!!

Hours of fun…. Even dragged Craig to shove his hand into the hot box see how hot is was 😆😆😆😆

Star safe everyone 🎄🎅🏼🤶🏼

Considering this is the darkest day of the year in Scotland, it’s been surprisingly light. I feel rested and relaxed and yet I’ve achieved everything I hoped to this weekend.

I woke at 4am.

4am. Wide awake.

I got up at 5am and lay on the couch and watched a few episodes of Emily In Paris.

I stated wrapping up Christmas presents.

I got the puppers up for a sunrise photoshoot.

This is 9am.

Since the latest iPhone update, my portrait photos are long and thin and my landscape are so narrow. I don’t like it. (Am I that age now that I don’t like change? 😆😆)

We wrapped presents until just before lunch and took the dogs out for a walk to deliver the village Christmas cards.

Why is it I hate going right up to people’s front doors?! I dread the Christmas card delivery and yet this year I took it in my anti depressant controlled stride.

I took these at 3.55pm.

And now we’re on the countdown to flip flops weather!!!

What a lovely weekend, I’ve enjoyed being home and finally getting ready for Christmas.

I feel very relaxed and only have two days left at work. And then I’m off for a million years 😆 or so it seems, until 5th January.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I have done so much today.

I woke at 5.30am and lay in bed for a bit, determined to have a lie in! 😆

I was out with the dogs by 6.30am.

They had their wee lights on.

It was pitch black!

I then ran 5k with Lynsey and Rachel at 7.15. I had heavy legs again but I really enjoyed it!

I came home and stripped the bed so we have clean bed tonight woo hoo!

I hoovered the stairs, then had a shower and got ready for the little gift shop! we had a lovely morning!

It was beautiful and sunny when we left at 1pm.

Back home and I FaceTimed my friend Helen while I had lunch. Great to catch up!

Then I hoovered the downstairs of the house, I tidied the kitchen, got all the Christmas presents out and put them on dining table so I can see what I have.

I then did some crochet… tho Bhru wanted me to stop! I spoke to Mum on the phone and she’s still doing well.

Then I wrote out Christmas cards.

I watched the first few episodes of Emily In Paris while I wrote the cards.

And now I’m writing the blog.

What a productive day!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s been a quick day!

I was helping at the little gift shop today and it was really busy.

I nipped out for Reiki at 1.15 with Fiona at the Healing Hut. So lovely, so relaxing.

The sooner I learn to accept that I live with anxiety then the less I will keep resisting it. I need to find ways to deal with it when it comes on. I know all that but I do give myself a hard time when anxiety is bad. I feel less than, angry with myself, disappointed that I’m not stronger.

The sooner I accept the way I am the better.

I’m on it.

So I’m now relaxing by the Christmas trees I’ve got so much to do but it will have to wait yet another day.

Stau safe wveryone ♥️♥️♥️

I’ve had a really good day at work today.

Working on something g new and trying to figure out how to do it.

I’m really chuffed with what I’ve learned today.

It’s been torrential rain and I had to fly home to get my Christmas nails done at 4.45pm.

They match my jammies!!

I love having my hands painted but usually find it takes my nails until June to recover!!

I’d love to have this done all the time but they drive me mad when they grow off.

Wonder why I did it eh?!? 🫣😆

Toes are the same but no one will see them 😆😆

There’s so much surface water on the roads tonight. Lots of flooding.

I had a call with the doctors today to talk about my anxiety attacks. They are prescribing me something to take when one comes on but I will do everything I can to fix it without meds. The doctor will also refer me for CBT. She says this will help get to the root cause of the anxiety.

Think that’s all for today!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Jeez my first run back (with Lynsey) after a week off and a weekend climbing hills in Granada!

My legs were so heavy.

The weather was pretty wet and windy but half the battle is getting out in it. Once you’re out, it’s not that bad.

These are the 2 village Christmas trees!

I’m so glad I did it. it’s good to get back into it.

Work was busy again today and passed quickly.

I popped into the pub and found Rachel two doors down cuddling this 9 week old puppy!!!

Awwwwww. 🫶🏼

I’ve been meaning to say that mum is doing a good bit better at the moment and long may that continue. Thanks to everyone who’s asked after her. I may forget to tell her sometimes!!!

So that’s all from me tonight.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It was super frosty this morning.

The moon is really clear just above the house.

The frost is all furry.

It turns into a beautiful day. It’s only 6°c but it’s lovely in the sun.

I take lots of photos of the new Tartan Campers van for sale…. After I’ve washed it!!

Nothing much to report from the day.

I read this from Donna Ashworth and realised that I’m not particularly Christmassy this year… at all.

My brain doesn’t seem to have space to fit it in just now. There’s too much else going on in my head.

I haven’t really registered Christmas as all and I’m not prepared in the slightest….. I want to be but not enough to actually do anything about it. I’m sure I’ll be spurred into action at the weekend!!

Not the best photo but we have two Christmas trees on the village this year. Thanks to the Gateside Plant Centre for donating the big one!

Craig picked Khaleesi’s paw print up from the vet today.

Bless her.

It’s a lovely evening!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I think I’ve done pretty well today on 5 hours sleep!

Everything went to plan last night.

Grazia drove us back from Granada to Malaga and we took a drive around Torremolinos to kill some time.

The weather was pretty wild by then and the surf was high!

Grazia then dropped me at the airport while she went to return the hire car and then we said goodbye!

I am so grateful to her for allowing me to join her trip to Granada. It was an amazing experience. I got to see places I didn’t even know about and Granada is not at all what I expected. I likes very industrial as you drive in but it’s hilly and ancient and modern all in one go.

I couldn’t find fault with my time at the airport either.

Security was quick, Border Control a bit of a queue but Ryanair were amazing. The plane was at the gate long in advance we all boarded and the plane was half empty.

We took off a bit ahead of schedule and, despite my fear of bad weather, landed ahead of schedule too.

I had a lovely flight.

I met Rosie. She talked to me the whole flight home and I barely noticed one minute of the flight.

We laughed, we joked, we shared stories…. And she ended up buying me perfume!!!!! She was the kindest soul and I know from her stories that she pretty much gives to everyone she meets!

I have promised her that I will pay that forward one day. I have a lot to pay forward these days.

We should all be more Rosie. 🫶🏼

So my day’s been good and there was a lovely sunset on the way home.

Craig’s also got the lights up at the front of the house.

They’re white but they look blue in this photo.

I am so proud of myself for fighting through my anxiety over this trip. The minute I landed in Malaga I felt fine.

Things went wrong but I managed them.

I didn’t get any rest and I’m tired but I have had the most amazing adventure.

I could sit at home or I could keep pushing myself to do the things I know I love.

Bring on the next one.

That said it is very lovely to be home, see Craig waiting for me at the gate and have puppy cuddles again!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s 11pm Spanish time and I am exhausted!!

I met up with Grazia who is one of the founding members of Her Travel Circle and we have walked 18kms today…. That’s after a drive from Nerja to Granada.

Of course I started the morning with a sunrise walk before I walked in the opposite direction to meet her.

I think you can tell by my face how much I loving this!!

They actually soap and pressure wash the streets in Nerja. it’s so clean.

I walked up to the main road to meet Grazia.

She is so very lovely. Just my kind of person and we’ve had the best day.

We’ve talked as much as we’ve walked!

She drove me from Nerja to Granada.

It was a stunning drive through the Sierra Nevada mountains. Pics don’t do it justice.

And here we are! We arrived in Granada and sent our first selfie to the Her Travel Circle group!!

We spent most of the day at the Alhambra. Grazia on a Spanish speaking tour and me on an audio guide tour. Mine was not the best and Grazia learned there are 9 cats that live in the Alhambra!!! It’s stunning. I’m too tired to talk through all the pics!

SNOW!!

That’s snow behind the clouds!

This is the amount of people queuing to take photos at the viewpoint to see the Alhambra with the mountain backdrop! HEAVING!!

We then took a wander through the streets.

And drove round to our Airbnb passed the massive Nevada shopping centre.

So we went in there for dinner.

And had huge pizzas!!

This next photo is in a supermarket!

Feliz Navidad.

Honestly just the best day.

Shattered but buzzing!

Stay safe everyone 🇪🇸🏰☀️

What a spectacular day. I can’t find another word to describe it.

I am shattered!!

It started with a bit of drama when I couldn’t find my tickets for the Caves. I looked everywhere and finally found that I had definitely paid for them…. The reason so the delay in finding that out was because it was a bank account I don’t often use.

Still no ticket confirmation….. so I left early and headed towards the wee tourist train that I was due to get at 10am…. Hoping one of them would help me.

No-one around so I plucked up the courage to phone the phone number for the caves themselves.

That may come easily to some but I don’t even like phoning our local takeaway!!

I phoned and the lovely lady confirmed the booking and gave me a booking reference. She said that would be enough.

She then said to check my junk mail…….

In all my trying to find the tickets this morning… I never once thought to check my junk mail.

Lo and behold.

In the junk mail.

I spent maybe an hour or so faffing when I could have just checked my junk mail.

🫣

The positives are that I stepped right out of my comfort zone to fix it.

So the day then started with cheescake, as you do when you don’t know what else to order.

Poinsettia are everywhere.

And finally on the tourist train to the caves.

People look at you when you’re on the tourist train. You go so slow people stare at you. 😆

Cueva de Nerja took my breath away…. These photos don’t do it justice at all . I was there today and none of my photos show the true scale or magnitude of these caves.

Setting the sense for the day I forgot to download the audio guide so I had to wander round without it. Was kind of gutted.

Then was lucky enough to go around a second time with the audio!!! Silver lining to very cloud. It was so quiet I felt like I had the caves to myself.

These were stumbled upon by 4 boys in 1999 haven completely overgrown.

I then went to a virtual tour of the caves that visitors can’t get to, with VR headset and headphones.

Wow!!!! What an amazing experience.

I decided to head straight up to the village of Frigiliana by jumping off the tourist train onto the local bus for 1.30€.

Straight onto another tourist train!!

I think this is would make a very lovely holiday home. Zoom in!

Frigiliana reminded me of Lindos.

It was also very quiet and I felt like I had the streets to myself.

And this is the first crochet tree that I have ever seen with my own eyes!

Back in Nerja now and this tree is made of Poinsettia.

It’s wild and windy!

I headed for Little Italy for dinner as it was recommended by the solo traveller I’d met yesterday. Four cheese pizza and water for £5.70…. And it was excellent.

Of course I had to walk it off!

This shows how windy it is tonight!

And back to my hotel at 6.30pm to blog and do my social media posts!

Meeting Grazia from Her Travel Circle tomorrow to head up to Granada and the Alhambra! She offered to come and get me and take me there.

A very special thing for me to do that I won’t have done if I hadn’t started Her Travel Circle!

I am exhausted but I’m so proud of myself for pushing through the anxiety as I could sit home all weekend… or I could be doing this.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️