sightseeing – The Rambling Sloth 🦥

Coffee and Quotes made me smile this morning…. As the page does every day!

We started the day in an Italian supermarket! I love stuff like that!

The produce is out of this world and I honestly believe it’s way better than we see in the UK these days, since Brexit.

These peppers are as big as they look.

The shelves seem so well stocked… check me… supermarket geek!

These cannoli look amazing.

I’m currently on 8BUS heading into Rome to Piazza Venezia. I never saw this the last time I was here… and wow! The Palazzo Venezia.

Look at that smile. I am beaming 😆

This was literally around the next corner!!

Then I spotted the Colosseum in the distance!!

This was a beautiful fountain.

I then walked round to the Trevi Fountain. It’s under repair for the Rome Centenary next year so it’s not running and they built a walkway over where the water would be. I’m queuing to get onto the walkway. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to get close to the architecture.

Then I carried on round to the Spanish Steps. It was heaving there today. It’s a beautiful day after all and much warmer than I expected. Not sure you can even see the steps?!

They’re behind me!!

These are the Christmas decorations at the Fendi store. So pretty!

I walked along the Tiber River and spotted the dome of St Peter’s in the Vatican.

Then the Castel Sant’Angelo. I climbed to the top of this in April. It’s lovely to see it from over the river.

The bridges are all really pretty as I walk.

And finally I need to take the jacket off. It’s hot in the sun and chilly in the shade!

The trees are still very autumnal.

Once again St Peter’s Basillica.

I’m back on 8BUS heading into Monteverde Nuovo.

Honestly with the CityMapper app you never need to worry about getting lost. It will find you and it will take you “home”. You can wander anywhere with a mobile signal and maybe a battery charger just in case, and you know exactly where you are. I can’t explain the buzz I feel inside as I wander around on my own. It’s feels so powerful. Sometimes I chatter away to myself (🫣😬). I must look like a crazy wummin 😆

Back to Melanie’s for Turkey Pot Pie. 🥧

If possible this was even better than her food yesterday, and that’s saying something.

I’m back on my travels again. Melanie is having a rest after a busy morning. I don’t want you thinking I didn’t help her clear up because as I write this it sounds like I just keep leaving her to clean…. 😬 I’m just desperate to see the city!

I’m wailing through Giancolo Belevedere .

Headed to the Vatican and St Peter’s Basilica.

It’s beautiful!

Amazing views up here!

It’s a lot quieter at St Peter’s Square than it was in April this year but it’s still busy.

The sun sets….

I have had the most amazing day. Honestly out of this world. Melanie has messaged to say she’s on the train on her way here!!

This was the best hot chocolate I have ever had in the whole world. It is literally liquid chocolate!!

It was exquisite.

Melanie and I have walked through Rome in the dark and it has been amazing.

I’ve walked 29,377 steps!

The blog is full and I can’t add any more photos!

I’ve had the best day ever.

I’m like a kid at Christmas!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I need to find a better describing word than Wow. It seems so underrated when I use it so often. But wow….. what an amazing day so far and it’s only 2pm.

I slept really well. The warmth, the cathartic sound of the diesel heater or the progesterone induced sleep did the trick. The diesel heater was on all night and it was a bit warm at one point, but I did wake up to ice on the inside of the windows, despite that.

I looked for Aurora at 2.30am but decided I was far too chicken to go out on my own in the pitch black. Not sure why I’m scared of the dark?!? Will need an Aurora buddy to go Northern lights tracking!

At 6.30am the sky was turning a pinky blue shade. The sun didn’t actually come up over the Pap of Glencoe for a while after that. The light was stunning as it hit some of the mountains.

I had taken my running gear and was desperate to go for an early morning dog jog sans dog! I mean, who even am I these days?!? Do I need to rebrand The Rambling Sloth as The Jogging Photographer?!?! 😂 doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?!?

I have no idea how I am going to sort through the gazillion photos I have taken today.

I ran from the Invercoe campsite down to Glencoe and then back up to the Glencoe Lochan again. Running felt good.

This mornings mood was all about reflection. Not a ripple in the sea or the Lochan. Everything was a reflection.

I am in my element. I am blown away but the beauty I see. I even giggle to myself, have a look around to see if anyone else is there… and go hug a tree!!!!

I ran right around the Lochan and back down to the campsite.

There were even a couple of wildlife shots!

I was out for about an hour and a half. It was bitterly cold. Even the seaweed was frosty but it was so exhilarating.

I feel an excitement bubbling through my veins…..all the time….. I have found something that makes me truly happy. A husband who is happy to let me go away, if he doesn’t want to and a real passion for writing and taking photos of beautiful nature. I could not have picked a better few days to come away. I have been so full of joy for two days, it’s so lovely.

This is the view from the van. Honestly it’s out of this world.

I had a shower… forgot deodorant but that doesn’t seem to have been as issue for me today. It’s so beautiful but FREEZING!!

I made myself a decaf coffee and headed down to the water.

I sat on a rock and watched the word stand still for a while. My bum got very numb on the cold rock but the sun is warm.

I got Abbie all packed up and put everything away in its place before heading down to Oban.

I can’t explain my connection to Oban, this little coastal town by the sea. Craig thinks that I picked up dads love of a CalMac ferry here and that’s why I love it so much.

It’s such a transient town. So many people are headed out to the islands. There are lots of English accents here today. Think there’s a coach tour in. I love nothing more than siting watching the ferries coming into port and heading out again.

I can see 3 as I sit on a bench by the sea, writing this.

Ok they’re dots on the horizon but I know they are there 😆

As soon as I got to Oban I headed to the Oban Chocolate Company. I was going to say you can visit Oban without going there… of course you can… but it’s a very decadent treat! I broke my 17.5 hour fast with a delicious rich oat milk hot chocolate with a little pot luck of choccie goodies to go with it.

I then had a wander round the harbour and a couple of shops before sitting down at the water to write. And breathe in the sea air.

It’s 2.30pm and I really need to make a move to head home. Craig’s had a lovely day in the sun too. Think it’s maybe warmer at home than it is here.

I feel like I have had the best form of reset. I’ve been SO lucky with the weather and I’m so pleased that I came this far. I might not get away in the van until the end of June now.

Right.

Moving.

Back to the van.

Of course I had to stop on the way. It was the most beautiful drive down. I stopped at Inveruglas as there are stunning views of Loch and Ben Lomond.