This weeks views are completely different! Not quite as nice as last weeks, sat in Casper beside a loch on the Isle of Skye. The only good thing, it’s a lot warmer and less windy.
We’ve been home since Friday. I’ve never been so grateful to come home from holiday! It wasn’t because I was bored of van life, or I’ve had enough of climbing mountains. I said to Alex, I could quite happily sell my house and live on the road in our little van. It was the sheer amount of people heading to the Lake District for the bank holiday weekend. I couldn’t believe what we were seeing as we drove happily in the opposite direction. The roads leading to the Lakes were gridlocked for miles and miles.
Since I’ve been home this weekend, I’ve seen photos of areas in the Lakes full of people, no social distancing, traffic everywhere, etc. Even if we weren’t in a pandemic, I don’t like places being that busy with people! Fighting for parking spots and queuing to take photos at summits. I like places all to myself. The quieter the better! If I want to be surrounded by lots of people, I would head to a city.
Why The Detour
We had to cut our Scotland road trip a few days short and come home via the Lake District. Our water tank had fallen off Casper. Luckily, our dealership had contacts of people who could fix it, just outside the Lakes. Hence why the detour there. I didn’t mind too much. Well, I did mind the fact we didn’t have any running water in the van for nearly the whole trip. But it meant I could bag a Wainwright. Ever since a young girl my ambition has always been the same, to tick off every Wainwright. I did my 55th one on Thursday. Still have another 159 to go! Most of them were done as a kid. Unfortantually I spent a lot of my adult years too unwell to climb them. However, this holiday things have been different. I hope there are more days like these!
I honestly cannot believe how well I have been on this trip! Every day, except the 3 full days of travelling we did, I did hikes. Some days, they were gentle hikes, other days I tackled mountains. I didn’t feel unwell on the night, I didn’t feel unwell the next day. It was so odd! I mean I’m not complaining! This holiday I really felt as though I truly had my life back. I almost forget I even had my illnesses. It was only when I was popping my pharmacy of drugs, it reminded me. I felt as though I had my life as I remembered growing up as a kid, on holiday in Scotland.
My Mental Health
Not only have I felt so well physically but also mentally. I have been the happiest I had been in such a long while. I’ve suffered a lot with my mental health over the last few years. This holiday there wasn’t a moment where I had any anxiety, low mood, sadness, tears, or anything else along the lines. This road trip has done me the world of done!
I’ve talked on here in the past about how holidays and travelling can help me forget about my illness. This trip away did exactly that. I had no appointments to worry or stress about. Because my health was on top form, I didn’t have any anxiety or low mood due to that. And being in the outdoors has always helped my mental health. It’s a place I feel my happiest. If I’m struggling with my mental health at home, I often go for a walk on the fields next to my house. It’s a form of meditation and such a brilliant form. So being in a van, wild camping in the mountains, hiking all day long, inhaling fresh air for the most part of the day, it really is the medicine I can ask for!
Shopping
Through out this whole pandemic, I hadn’t been into a single food shop. We did try to take as much food as possible away with us in Casper. However, we had to stock up on fresh ingredients. I thought the best place to go for my first trip to a supermarket, is in the Scottish Highlands. At first I thought, Alex could go in and I will wait in the van. However, I decided the best place to go into a supermarket is on holiday. Up in the Scottish Highlands the supermarkets where so much quieter compared to back at home. I thought it would a good first step to take, before tackling the ones back at home.
I felt ever so safe going into one. They were almost empty with people. They had traffic lights outside, so you could only go in if it’s on green. You then have a wiping station to clean your basket or trolley with. Then the shop had a one way system and then lines to stand on at 2 metre apart at the checkout.
Now I’m back home, I will still continue doing online food shopping. It is safer to do. However, if I do need to go into a shop, I know they are pretty safe to do so, and would certainly feel a lot more confident. I would avoid peak times as I know they are a lot busier compared to the one’s in Scotland, in the mountains.
Campsite Showers
As you know our water tank fell off Casper. Which meant we had no shower. We spent most days wiping ourselves down with baby wipes, or a bucket of hot water. But after ever so many days, we wanted to get our hair washed and have a proper shower. The only option we had was at a campsite. So we booked ourselves into a few campsites along the way, just for a shower. We stayed the night at 2 of them, the rest we just paid as a day visitor. A lot of campsites allow you use their facilities during the day at a small charge. So you can dump waste and fill with water.
At first, I didn’t like the idea. But after my first shower, I realised actually how safe campsites have made it for everyone. Well as longs as you don’t mind the outside door open, and it been freezing in the shower block. They have to keep the door open as it’s more COVID safe.
The campsites we visited were very quiet which helped. We also got a shower in the middle of the day, just after they cleaned it. The very few people there were staying at the campsites, were out and about, so I was always on my own in the shower blocks. They had blocked every other cubicle. One campsite had 4 tokens on the door. You take a token when you go in, clean it, then afterward hang it back up. You can only in if there’s a token spare. 4 people were only allowed in at a time. It was one big shower block too!
Anything else we used on a campsite like the water taps, I would spray it first with the Detol spray I have as it kills COVID. If it’s something I couldn’t spare, we had a big box of gloves in the van with us. We would also wash our hands with soapy water straight after too, just to be extra safe.
I’m telling you all this in case any of you want to get away this summer but are worried about keeping safe. I felt safe at all times. I did go out of season, so everywhere was very quiet. We also planned our shower trips when we knew the least people would use the shower block. I also checked the number of COVID cases in the areas I went to. There was next to none in the places I visited in Scotland, which helped my peace of mind a little more. Also both Alex and I have been vaccinated. Knowing we both have antibodies has also given me a little bit of peace of mind too.
I could have not gone on this trip and stayed at home where it is the safest for me and not left my house for the 2 weeks. But I wouldn’t have been as happy. My mental health might have been a lot worse. This trip was the first time this year where I felt truly happy. In the fact the first time I have felt this happy since the start of the pandemic.
You have to weigh the two up and decide what’s best. I’m not saying to go out and risk your life for your mental health. But at the same time, if you know something will help, do it. Especially if you are struggling with your mental health. But at the time take the correct precautions and plan ahead. Ask the place you are going to, what procedures they have put into place. Not once did I feel at risk on this trip. If at any point I did, I would have stopped or changed what I did e.g. if I didn’t feel safe in the food shop, I would have walked out.
My Rash
The weather has been lovely this weekend. Typical now were are home! Because the sun is out, the rashes are back on my hand again. However, on a good note, there’s no sign of them on my face yet. I say yet, as it may be another story this time next week!
Here’s a photo of my hand. It doesn’t show it very well, as I didn’t have the best lighting when I took the photo. Part of it is looking like a prickly heat rash except for that one finger where it’s a big red lump with a prickly heat rash on top. I also have a very wrinkly hand due to my Raynard’s, even when it’s warm!
Anyways, that’s it from me this week.
Until next week
Emma
xox
p.s. 9 weeks on, I still have my shingles rash and still causes me a little bit discomfort every now and again, even though I’m taking Amitriptyline every night. I think it likes to remind me, its still here!
