I love photography because of the memories it captures. But when those photos just remain on your hard drive, it’s easy to forget them.
Looking back over the photographs we’ve taken over the past three months during our travels, my mind fills with the sights and memories of all that we’ve done.
One of the reasons we started Mr & Mrs Romance is because I wanted to keep diary of what we did – a journal that we could look back on and when we couldn’t remember, we could Google!
While most of our posts here are tips, itineraries and recommendations to help you with your travels, our Weekly Editions are sometimes just a story for our journal. But I hope you enjoy them as well and it feels like you’re going on a little bit of a trip with us too.
So far we kept up pretty well with our travels:
- Our first stop in San Francisco in the rain,
- and San Francisco in the sun,
- then down to San Diego where it’s always pretty much sunny.
- Then up north to Toronto (our first time in Canada) and
- then our return to Cuba, of which there are many more post to come.
- And our family trip in Croatia, the main reason for this trip.
But what about the rest of our time?
It’s really hard to bundle that up into a post now, especially that we’re back home in Sydney, but I wanted to record some of the memories and share some photos of the in-between moments. Like these moments relaxing with our family in the UK.
Our trip to Croatia made us miss the Royal Wedding, but it did put us in the right hemisphere for our friends’ wedding in Scotland the weekend after.
It was our first time in Glasgow and we were blessed with perfect sunny weather every single day we were there. Pretty much unheard of for Scotland!
We have a post coming up on why Glasgow surprised us but here is just the taste of why Scotland should be on your radar.
A little tip if you are visiting Glasgow, look up “Chewin’ the Fat” on YouTube. It’s an old Scottish sketch comedy show and it helped us to understand the Glaswegian accent. And it’s the reason I ordered square sausage at the chippie!
Now this big trip couldn’t have happened at all if it weren’t for our wonderful friends, Clare and Dave. They opened up their house to us again and made us feel so welcome that when we come back to England, it does feel like home.
We are so fortunate to know them and for their incredible generosity in always looking after us when we’re in England. We really miss them now that we’re back in Sydney, but it’s good to know it’s not too long until we see them again next.
They also have two adorable dogs (which you might have seen on our Instagram) and these two cute fluffs are another reason we love hanging out there.
Ruby is the gorgeous Irish terrier and Flo is the English springer spaniel who’s so full of energy, but now always comes in for cuddles (apparently we spoiled her!).
In between trips to Europe, it’s always such a warm and welcoming place at their dining table where we set up our laptops and share meals, and just have so many laughs over Cards Against Humanity.
Most of the time at home in Sydney, we wind down by watching TV, but the funny thing was staying with Clare and Dave we hardly turned the TV because we had so much fun spending time together.
We’ve had some great conversations over that dining table and we’re looking forward to going back soon.
We kept our promise to Clare and Dave that we made last year and we spent a week together in Italy in June. We travelled to Naples and the Amalfi coast and looking back, it could have been a bit of a risk to our friendship. It’s a bit like travelling with a partner – it either makes or breaks your relationship, right?
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Would they be truly sick of us by the end of the week of travelling? And would they ask us to move out of their house??
Here’s a snapshot into what we got up to in Italy
As the week in Italy came to a close, Dave started talking about where our next trip together would be, so I think we passed the test. Phew!
In case you were wondering, the plan for next year is Greece. Clare and Dave love travelling to the Greek Islands (they even got married there and it’s one of the most special weddings we’ve ever been to!) and we can’t wait to go back with them.
While we were in the UK, I managed to sneak in a last-minute trip over to the South of France to catch up with some very special people – the incredible Jilly of Jilly Bennett Photography and wonderful Lisa from Lisa DeRea Photography.
We all met last year in Puglia on Carla Coulson’s photography workshop. I connected with the most incredible group of women there.
Carla is such a wonderful artist and she really created a friendship group there that I think will stand for some time. I’m so glad I went to Puglia and so happy we have managed to keep in touch online, and meeting up in person around the world.
I have so many posts to share about the South of France, including an incredible day in Monaco, but these photos will have to do for now.
My full post on Monaco is coming soon, but if you are in the area, you can’t miss Restaurant Beau Sejour in the tiny village of Gorbio. One of the best meals I’ve had (though that might also have something to do with the company!).
Thank you so much, Jilly, for a wonderful stay and I look forward to coming back to see you again soon.
In between these European trips, we had a wonderful time catching up with friends and family in the UK. It included a very special trip down in Kent and meeting some members of the family that Jim hadn’t seen in too many years.
I also got to catch up with my best friend from high school, who makes me feel like no time has passed.
We also had an impromptu stay in St Albans with friends old and new. I got to hug my friend’s brand new baby (who I think is a bit of a miracle baby) and we had our first curry out with great friends.
Of course it was never long enough, and there were far too many people we didn’t get a chance to see on this trip. We always try and do better and be more organised, but – as Jim’s mum wisely says – life gets in the way in spite of our best intentions.
But luckily, even with those we didn’t see, we managed to get back in touch with old friends and it really puts our hearts at ease to know that time and distance doesn’t have to affect a friendship.
Even though you might feel nervous being apart for so long, you can pick up the conversation exactly where you left off and all is right in the world again.
It’s never easy when you and your partner are from different countries; one of you always has to make sacrifices for where you live.
Now working together and working online gives us the flexibility and freedom to feel like we have two homes. Our friends and family are never far away, whichever side of the hemisphere we are on.
If you have read down this far, I so appreciate you sticking with our travel tales. Let us know which destination you’re looking forward to reading about next.
