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Ashley Wanders

Edinburgh Expat Life Scotland

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Edinburgh

Jan 18

View from above looking down Victoria Street, Edinburgh Continue Reading

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Musings

Dusting Off the Ol’ Passport: My 2020 Travel Plans

Dec 08

Person standing at the top of a Munro in Scotland Continue Reading

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Denmark Europe

Snapshots of Copenhagen (and a Tourism Fail)

Nov 03

Nyhavn Copenhagen

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Turkey

4 Moments of Magic in Istanbul

Sep 08

Rustem Pasha Mosque from the Galata Bridge at sunset

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Edinburgh Expat Life Musings

Closing the Edinburgh Chapter

May 07

Edinburgh Castle Sunset Continue Reading

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Edinburgh Expat Life Scotland

13 Quirky Habits I Picked Up Living in Scotland

Feb 03

Bagpiper on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Continue Reading

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Europe Portugal Tips

7 Reasons Why I Love Lisbon (+ My Top Travel Tips)

Nov 08

Lisbon Funicular Continue Reading

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Older Posts

About Me

About Me

I've spent the better part of the last decade pursuing my biggest passion: travel. After visiting 40-odd countries, a stint living abroad, and building a career through travel, I've realized I don't want to live my life on other people's terms.

While this blog focuses on travel and expat life, it's ultimately about my journey to create an unconventional lifestyle centered around travel. (And I hope it inspires you to do the same.) Read more here.

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Edinburgh, Liverpool, Odense, Copenhagen

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I know so many travellers rave about the Galápago I know so many travellers rave about the Galápagos, but holy shit - this isolated archipelago still managed to obliterate my massively sky-high expectations. 🐢 I can’t count the number of times on this trip where I stopped dead in my tracks, looked around, and thought, is this real life?! 🐢 I’m still trying to figure out how to put my Galápagos experience into words, but I’ll start with a photo of one of my favourite wildlife sightings: a blue-footed booby, perfectly perched on some rocks near Black Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz.
Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is it just me, or did January feel like the longest month of all time?! ⠀ ⠀ It felt painfully long for me because a) I’m so ready for winter to be over, and b) I’ve been counting down the days ‘til my trip to Ecuador this month! 🇪🇨 ⠀ ⠀ If you have any tips for Quito or the Galápagos, I’d loveeee to hear them! 🙏🏼
My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affect My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affected by the devastating fires in Australia 💔⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ This country holds a special place in my heart - it was my first big trip overseas; my first time backpacking; my first time travelling solo - and it ultimately changed the course of my life.⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ I want to help support relief efforts, so please, please let me know if you’d recommend any particular organizations that need donations 🙏🏼
With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy photo, I’m wishing you all a very merry Christmas 🎄❤️ I also want to acknowledge the fact that this isn’t the most wonderful time of year for many people. If you’re having a difficult time right now - for whatever reason - I see you, and I’m sending big love 👀💖
Cheers to sweet travel deals🥂 ⠀ ⠀ This year Cheers to sweet travel deals🥂 ⠀ ⠀ This year for Black Friday, I took advantage of the sales and booked my next trip 🙌🏼✈️ (why haven’t I thought of this before?!) ⠀ ⠀ 2019 was largely dedicated to getting my shit together, so I can’t wait to dust off the ol’ passport and get my adventure on again in 2020. And for the first time in almost FIVE YEARS (!) I’m going to a destination that’s not in Europe. My trip in February will be a new country and a new continent 🤩⠀ ⠀ Have you guys snagged any amazing travels deals for Black Friday? Where are you going in 2020?! Gimme all the deets!
I 💙 my neighbourhood I 💙 my neighbourhood
One of the best meals I had during my trip to Edin One of the best meals I had during my trip to Edinburgh earlier this year was at The Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage, a lovely little restaurant perched on the top of Calton Hill. 😍 ⠀ The food is fantastic and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views over the city skyline and across to the Firth of Forth. Highly recommend if you’re looking for an upscale restaurant in Edinburgh 👌🏼
I totally get why everyone loses their mind about I totally get why everyone loses their mind about Skye (it’s ridiculously beautiful), but there are so many other spectacular islands worth visiting in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ⠀ Mull, Arran, and Bute are a few of my favourites, and the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland are the ones I’d most like to visit.⠀ ⠀ Any others I need to add to my list?!
“This was a townscape raised in the teeth of col “This was a townscape raised in the teeth of cold winds from the east; a city of winding cobbled streets and haughty pillars; a city of dark nights and candlelight, and intellect.” - Alexander McCall Smith

Seriously, though..

“The sight of the huge world put mad ideas into me, as if I could wander away, wander forever…” – C.S. Lewis

I know so many travellers rave about the Galápago I know so many travellers rave about the Galápagos, but holy shit - this isolated archipelago still managed to obliterate my massively sky-high expectations. 🐢 I can’t count the number of times on this trip where I stopped dead in my tracks, looked around, and thought, is this real life?! 🐢 I’m still trying to figure out how to put my Galápagos experience into words, but I’ll start with a photo of one of my favourite wildlife sightings: a blue-footed booby, perfectly perched on some rocks near Black Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz.
Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is Holy shit, it’s finally February! 😳⠀ ⠀ Is it just me, or did January feel like the longest month of all time?! ⠀ ⠀ It felt painfully long for me because a) I’m so ready for winter to be over, and b) I’ve been counting down the days ‘til my trip to Ecuador this month! 🇪🇨 ⠀ ⠀ If you have any tips for Quito or the Galápagos, I’d loveeee to hear them! 🙏🏼
My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affect My heart goes out to everyone who’s being affected by the devastating fires in Australia 💔⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ This country holds a special place in my heart - it was my first big trip overseas; my first time backpacking; my first time travelling solo - and it ultimately changed the course of my life.⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ I want to help support relief efforts, so please, please let me know if you’d recommend any particular organizations that need donations 🙏🏼
With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy With this completely unrelated and non-Christmassy photo, I’m wishing you all a very merry Christmas 🎄❤️ I also want to acknowledge the fact that this isn’t the most wonderful time of year for many people. If you’re having a difficult time right now - for whatever reason - I see you, and I’m sending big love 👀💖
Cheers to sweet travel deals🥂 ⠀ ⠀ This year Cheers to sweet travel deals🥂 ⠀ ⠀ This year for Black Friday, I took advantage of the sales and booked my next trip 🙌🏼✈️ (why haven’t I thought of this before?!) ⠀ ⠀ 2019 was largely dedicated to getting my shit together, so I can’t wait to dust off the ol’ passport and get my adventure on again in 2020. And for the first time in almost FIVE YEARS (!) I’m going to a destination that’s not in Europe. My trip in February will be a new country and a new continent 🤩⠀ ⠀ Have you guys snagged any amazing travels deals for Black Friday? Where are you going in 2020?! Gimme all the deets!
I 💙 my neighbourhood I 💙 my neighbourhood
One of the best meals I had during my trip to Edin One of the best meals I had during my trip to Edinburgh earlier this year was at The Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage, a lovely little restaurant perched on the top of Calton Hill. 😍 ⠀ The food is fantastic and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views over the city skyline and across to the Firth of Forth. Highly recommend if you’re looking for an upscale restaurant in Edinburgh 👌🏼

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