Sleepy Eyes Meet Striking Skies

7 July 2013

Nothing compares to watching the sunrise from the top of a mountain. At 3:30 this morning we hiked Arthur’s seat for the 3rd time to watch the sun peak over the ocean’s horizon. It was absolutely gorgeous. For the first minutes we sat and watched the sky but we could not tell where the ocean ended and the clouds began. We made it to the peak of the mountain in a little under an hour so we had a few minutes to wait before the 4:37 sunrise. It was stunning to see the bright orange rays peak through the gap that was formed between the water and the sky. It was interesting to see how the sky, ocean, and sun merge together to form such a beautiful picture. Today, being Sunday as well as a travel day for all us Cambridge students, was the perfect time to do such a beautiful hike. The beauty of nature is one of the most manifesting elements of God’s love for us. I am so grateful for all the stunning scenery and incredible sights that I have been able to experience.

It was quite cold at the top of the Scottish mountain, so shortly after the sunrise we began to head back down closer to the ground and away from the wind. Our coach was scheduled to leave at 9, so I was able to go back to sleep for another 2 hours before waking up and preparing myself to depart. Now I am on the the coach for a long 8 hour journey back to Cambridge. On the plus side, I have lots of typing time!

We stopped off in Richmond after a short 3 hour bus ride. We had roughly an hour and a half to explore the city, which we found out quickly was a very nice and quaint place. It is home to the famous castle of William the Conqueror. The castle lies mostly in ruins but it is still a beautiful sight. I ran out of pounds in Edinburgh purchasing entrance to the castle, buying books about Queen Mary of Scots, and shopping for hats at antique stores. For this reason I wasn’t able to go inside the castle, but just seeing it from afar was a very nice sight. I wish I would have kept track of how many castles I have been to. Just like the number of churches I have seen, I am sure the castle number is way up there! I decided that if it does not work out to travel long distances on weekends, it would be fun to do some lengthy hiking trips to castles throughout England, Ireland, and Scotland. There are just so many to be seen, and they are all so unique and fun. Being in Europe has been an incredible experience seeing beautiful cities, meeting local people, and experiencing so much new culture. Along with all this, I am ready to really dive into exploring the nature and scenery of Europe. There is so much to learn from being outdoors. Rock climbing, repelling, hiking, canyoning, skiing, etc… are all hobbies I hope to explore further when I return home to Utah and even here during my time in Europe.

There are so many talents I hope to develop over the course of my life. Speaking a secondary language, learning to paint, becoming a better photographer and writer, rock climbing, boxing, training to be a triathlon competitor, etc. I love how many opportunities life gives us to learn so many things, but I hate how short of a window we are given to learn it. There is not enough time in the day to do nearly the amount of things I want to get done! It is so hard to prioritize everything, I am sure you feel the same way too…