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When a Dream Waits for the Right Moment

Scotland had been sitting at the very top of my wish list for a long time. The problem was that there simply were not any sensible flight connections that worked both financially and timewise.

That is usually the moment when Igor steps in. People who know us sometimes call him my personal voice of reason. He always reminds me that places do not disappear overnight and that they will patiently wait for us. Of course, I agree with him… at least in theory.

Although I suspect this is simply his nicer way of telling me to stop behaving like a stubborn child in a toy store. Apparently, not every wish has to become a trip immediately.

When the Universe Says “Now”

Then one autumn day, I noticed that EasyJet was opening a direct route between Ljubljana and Edinburgh.

At that moment, it became clear: the universe was sending me a sign. Or at least a very affordable plane ticket.

There was only one small detail left: choosing the right time to go. Considering where Scotland is located and how unpredictable the weather can be, the May holidays quickly turned out to be the most sensible option.

Booking the flights? The moment tickets became available. Which meant October already.

Igor simply nodded. A victory for me.

Why Scotland?

If I am completely honest, I do not really have one specific answer.

Something has clearly been pulling me there for a very long time. Probably ever since primary school.

Whenever we behaved well, our English teacher, Alja Štendler, would unlock the cabinet with the large television inside. She used to play documentaries and short films from around the world for us.

There always seemed to be Scots wearing those red tartan “skirts,” which, by the way, I also had myself back then. Along with bagpipes, mist, and castles, of course.

It is true that I have never been the biggest history enthusiast. But the combination of castles and Scotland has always had a special effect on me.

Not quite on the level of shoes… but very close.

And then there is Nessie. The eternal question of whether she exists or not. We already confirmed that Santa Claus exists. We visited him ourselves in Rovaniemi, Finland.

So the next logical step? A proper expedition in search of Nessie.

Preparing Without Overthinking

By now, we are practically professionals when it comes to trip preparations, so I do not stress about them too much anymore.

In my head, I had already done a full wardrobe inspection. I checked what was still usable and which clothes had finally reached the end of their life. Either because of age or because of artistic experiments from school days. Our children’s creativity tends to leave permanent consequences.

Those are usually the clothes we take with us and quietly retire after the trip.

In fact, for this journey we bought only one new thing. A new 75-liter backpack. Thanks, mom Marjana, for the gift cards. The old backpack had clearly reached the end of its career.

This time, we were traveling the same way we did in Ireland. With backpacks.

Why backpacks? Simple. Logistics.

When you move from place to place every few days, a backpack is incomparably more practical. No dragging suitcases across cobbled streets, no searching for elevators, and no chasing a rolling suitcase through a train station.

Final Preparations Before Departure

In the end, the only thing left was checking our travel medicine kit.

The holy trinity was already waiting on the shelf in the basement, ready for the grand finale when we would finally pack everything into our backpacks.

The girls already had their absences approved at school. I decided to treat myself to unpaid leave for the trip.

As for Igor… well, honestly, I just hoped he had everything arranged at work too.

From an Idea to a Journey

And just like that, almost without noticing, a completely innocent wish slowly turned into a very real journey.

From childhood images of Scotland, bagpipes in the background and castles hidden in the mist, to lists, backpacks, and travel logistics that by now almost feel routine.

Somewhere in between, there was a bit of persuasion, a bit of waiting for the right flight deals, and of course, a small amount of my stubbornness that apparently always wins in the end.

But that is exactly where the magic of it all lies.

Ideas need time to grow. Sometimes you put them aside for a while, only for them to come back even stronger later on.

And once everything finally clicks together, the timing, the flights, the excitement, there is not much thinking left to do anymore.

You pack your bags, check whether you have everything. Or at least most of it. And then you go.

What Really Matters in the End

Maybe, in the end, it does not even matter whether we actually find Nessie or not.

What matters more is everything that comes with it. The time spent together. Moving from place to place. That feeling of freedom when you carry everything you need with you. And almost everything you could wish for.

And of course, the stories you bring back home.

Then again, if we already successfully confirmed the existence of Santa Claus and are now heading off in search of Nessie… it almost feels logical that someday, Yeti and Chupacabra will eventually be next on the list.

ALONG THE WAY

The backpacks will soon be on our shoulders. The plans carefully prepared by Igor, as always.

There is just enough of that pleasant uncertainty in the air. Just enough to leave room for surprises.

Exactly the way it should be.

Everything else unfolds along the way.

And if there is one thing we have learned by now, it is that the best moments are never the ones you carefully plan in advance… but the ones you simply experience.