Scotland through my notes app so far: (day 1)

Conscious notes beginning in Duncryne

Picture this: a collective of individuals running on 24 hours with 1-2 hours of sleep maximum, and we’re being driven in a country that we’re not familiar with the road rules of; I opted to ride with my professor Dr. Matt Powell in a mammoth van that gets the job done

Began with Duncryne hike, “easy for Scots,” had most of us out of breath on the way up and falling on our butts on the way down (3 wipeouts) all in the span of a 15-20 minute walk (all uphill. only easy for Europeans).

However, take it with a grain of salt, as for most of my hike, I was trying not to involuntarily take my needed 8 hours of sleep in the middle of the hiking path.. I had begun my walk right out of a nap that was on the verge of really setting me up for jet lag

It’s hard to do any geology talk when you’ve been awake for probably what has now been 30 hours 

Ireland’s terminal was liminal 

The plane to Dublin was the longest that 6 and a half hours has ever felt 

I watched Wicked and Moana 2, started watching The Notebook

The flight attendants were okay. International flights are always comfortable but it was stinky to be forgotten about when tea and coffee was being offered, especially when I really wanted tea 

The majority of the day (Tuesday now) has been spent hopping between what coffee I can afford, digestives, and a yogurt drink 

The exchange rate out here is not the best, so my money I had available for this trip is less than I would’ve desired, but at least it is a barrier from automatically relying on cards. I still think the most beautiful currency is the NZD. 

The car has been quiet, as we are all tired. Music only started towards Glencoe 

Callander was one of the most beautiful little cities I’ve ever seen.. the epitome of UK architecture and quaint town roads

Loch lubnaig right outside callander was also especially beautiful, reminding me of what I thought the world around me was like (big, beautiful, amplified wildnerness) when I was a little girl. It looks like a dream destination for a canoe day…

The igneous / volcanic mountains here put PA’s sedimentary to shame.. and tomorrow we’re set to climb the biggest one in Great Britain

Very grumpy in Glencoe yet got good photos. All I want is sleep

I wanna take the memories of these landscapes and staple them to my brain like a tapestry 

Songs I noted: 

Walk on the ocean by some guys with toad in their band name 

Blind melon no rain 

The smiths like heaven 

Reaching the hostel, I had a permanent residing scowl etched into my face which made me look like a yoga mom with a hard past 

We had been go go go, all day 

No time to brush teeth, no time to shower and change from plane clothes, no time to settle into where we were. In motion for the entire day on top of sleep deprivity

I opted for the four person room with classmates Sarah, Molly, Rachael

Dinner was lunch meat sandwiches:

White bread (the best I’ve tasted yet)

Lunch chicken, thin

Hot mustard

Doritos for sustenance 

Sour cream puffs 

A digestive (my favorite foreign cookie)

We discussed our assortment of plans for conquering Ben Nevis tomorrow 

If I made it through the last field trip activity I had to do in New Zealand, I feel I have some capability to attempt this mountain trek 

I am quite tired. It has been probably 2+ days now since I last slept any more than 7 hours consecutively, or more than 5 hours at all.. so my brain is a bit worn of stitching my words into narratives for the time being. But enjoy my pictures :)