12 Thoughts

Scotland, Norda runner MVPs, scone wars, single track expert, bottle rants, big Jeff Bezos energy in Altnaharra, T. rex adults and a great family holiday success story. Throw some w's in the chat.

I’m headed home from a long two weeks in Scotland. I’ve traversed the country from Edinburgh to Angus, down the long and winding road to the Kintyre peninsula, over to Prestwick, and then up to Altnaharra and back. I’ve rented cars, been on trains, and taken my first Edinburgh airport tram (it’s good!). I was walking through the airport, going through some themes I have been thinking about, and figured this would be a good thoughts piece, so here we go.

1. Take it from me, avoid packing creep. You know that pair of pants you decided to throw in at the end? Leave it at home. The extra jacket you want with you? One is enough. Consider versatility and bring at least 10% less than you think you'll need.

2. Norda trail runners were my #1 most valuable shoe on the trip. I wore them for golf, around town and through the airport. Interestingly enough, my other shoe was the August Special suede loafers and no less than 10 people asked me who made them. These could potentially be the most powerful two-shoe Scotland holiday combo of all time.

3. Since I have a 5-year-old son whom I frequently dress, I started to notice that a lot of men dress like 5-year-olds. Take a look around if you don’t believe me. I was on a train from Inverness to Edinburgh this morning, and a 50-year-old man sat across the aisle from me wearing a short-sleeved button-down with a T. rex print, shorts, and sneakers. What the actual hell is going on? You don’t need to be obsessed with fashion to not dress like a child.

4. I saw a single Amazon Prime package get delivered via a shepherd’s four-wheeler in remote Altnaharra (a place that’s down at least 40 miles of single-track road). I was both amazed and saddened by the experience.

5. Despite there being many summer tourists running around Edinburgh, Scotland still has to be one of the most underrated travel destinations. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a wild and beautiful yet welcoming place to be. Even if you don’t go Salmon fishing, play golf, or climb mountains, it is still worth visiting for the kind people and natural beauty. Why go to Italy in the summer when you can be in Scotland for less money, be around fewer people and have an equal number of beautiful things to see. Counterpoint: slightly better food in Italy.