Major sections of my Roadtrip Driving Great Britain:

• Flashback: from the past to the future
• Eurotunnel: from France to England
• England: from Black Pudding to Stone Circles
• Wales: from Red Dragon to freezing Puffins
• Northern Ireland: from detour to revelation
• Scottish Highlands: from Rain to the Green Monster
• Ancient walls: from wild Scotland back to England
• Way home: the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg

Flashback: from the past to the future

Yes, I have been to England, Scotland, and Ireland before. Over a decade ago, I was already circumventing Ireland (the Republic) in a tiny rental car from Dublin. And shortly after, I also drove a rental car from Edinburgh to Glasgow and back. In my twenties, I did a few wild weekend trips to London. From these days, I have some selected memories about Great Britain, featuring cuddly white sheep, greasy fish'n'chips, shouting soccer fans, and lightly dressed boys and girls raving all night in dark basements. These were all nice experiences but to be honest, also quite stereotypical.

Ten years later, I was showing a fun picture from Scotland to my girlfriend. Panda and I have only known each other for a couple of months. She was aware that I traveled the world as a digital nomad and was very skeptical about it. At the time, I was working for a Swiss startup with a distributed team. I could take a few days off but had to work every now and then. Panda, on the other hand, was about to start a new position. In between jobs, she only had a couple of weeks and was hungry for an adventure. She also just bought a new car that we wanted to test drive. Because of its birthmark on the hood, we called it “Little Star”. As we stared at the pictures, we made up our minds…

Eurotunnel: from France to England

Coming from Switzerland, we could basically leave in any direction, embarking on a unique road trip. Europe is rather small, but each direction keeps a different secret and holds another kind of adventure. That day, our decision was straightforward, we wanted to discover the misty solitude, rugged nature, and mossy castles of the Scottish Highlands. We wanted to drive a long distance, and we also wanted to cross the Eurotunnel. So, we set off.

To my surprise, we reached England on the same day. It is absolutely no problem to drive from anywhere in continental Europe to Calais in France and buy a train ticket to England. To be on the safe side, Panda bought the tickets online from the road, at a gas station where I worked for the first time. In Calais, we had to wait for the train, so we enjoyed our first walk at the beach and a corny sunset. The Eurotunnel is an engineering masterpiece and the world’s longest underwater tunnel. As a passenger, it is very convenient but also unspectacular. You just drive on the train and 30 minutes later get out on the other side!

England: from Black Pudding to Stone Circles

Good morning UK. On our first night, we spent in a typical guesthouse in Folkestone. “I don’t see the tunnel” Panda said, as we were sitting at the breakfast table, facing the blue water we just crossed the night before. “Yes”, I replied and took a mouthful of toast. We also had no time to adjust to local customs. The traditional bed and breakfast only served British breakfast, a huge plate stuffed with beans, eggs, sausages, and even black pudding. That was just too much. But it was a wonderful day, so we finished our second coffee and hit the road.

Our first destination was the world-famous stone circle of Stonehenge. To get there, we first followed the main highway towards London only to circumvent it on a huge ring road. It felt weird to be so close yet not entering the megacity. But as soon as Stonehenge appeared on the road signs, the excitement returned. That UNESCO site is much larger than anticipated. Besides the mandatory museum and shop, it compromises a vast area. We ignored the cramped shuttle buses and walked the entire distance. As the sun warmed our faces, we read the leaflets and learned that the stones are still a big mystery. One that we could not solve that day.

Wales: from Red Dragon to freezing Puffins

On the road again, we continued westwards toward Wales. After sunset, we reached our first castle turned into a hotel. Not ghosts kept us awake but the freezing cold temperature. Only the next morning could we see its full splendor and its magnificent architecture. Our next destination was a stark contrast. Guarded by a large fortress hill, Tenby is a picturesque village by the sea. The main waterfront features a wide sandy beach with children shouting and running around. Behind the walls, a picture book fishing port with a row of pastel-colored houses lies hidden. “What was first, the colorful facades or the tourists?” Panda and I wondered while buying our first souvenir: the cutest stuffed red dragon you will ever see.

Excited for the next day, we went to bed early. The next morning, we just drove a short distance from Tenby to Martin’s Haven, where the ferry to Skomer Island departs. With a highly restricted number of visitors, tourists without a reservation are usually sent home. We were lucky and just made it to the next ferry. Skomer Island is a dream for bird watching, especially Puffins. These little fellows are the cuter version of Penguins, and they are extremely rare to spot, really. But today, there were thousands of these cute little fellows. “Today is our day”, Panda and I concluded.

We were the happiest hobby oncologists. But eventually, the excitement faded, and the cold wind started to penetrate our jackets. And then reality hit us hard. We realized that there wasn’t a single heated room on the island, no tea or coffee, and worst of all, we were stuck for many hours. “I will remember this great trip, even if I’m freezing to death now” were my last words. I’m not sure what happened next. Somehow, we made it back to mainland Wales, sound and safe. It just took a while to regain full consciousness. So, if you ever go to Skomer Island, bring food, warm drinks, and a nice warm blanket.

Northern Ireland: from detour to revelation

What happened next, is hard to comprehend. I was checking my phone to find the best road to Scotland when Google Maps suggested taking another ferry via Dublin and Belfast. First, I was confused and then intrigued, as I never set foot in Northern Ireland. “Why are you having the crazy eyes again?” wondered Panda. I just can’t shake the bewildering feeling of discovering a new place, especially when I didn’t plan it! To my surprise, Panda did not oppose a little detour. And that’s when we drove onto the ferry from Wales towards Dublin.

Despite our calm state of mind, driving across Northern Ireland was actually pretty rushed. Within the next 24 hours, we climbed around the rocks of the Giant’s Causeway, stepped through the Dark Hedges (famous from Game of Thrones which I did not see), and took a notorious Black Taxi Tour through Belfast. The cab driver gave us serious chills as he explained the city’s bloody history, underlined with terrifyingly personal stories. I find it unbelievable that only two decades ago, Northern Ireland was in a quasi-warlike state. And our friendly guide was fighting along with the most violent paramilitary troops. Luckily, we did not have much time to ponder, as we had to catch another ferry, finally on our way to Scotland.

“Wow, there is a mobile signal on open water!” I was stunned and could work on the ferry. My second revelation, I had a few weeks later, when receiving a hefty mobile invoice. While roaming fees are forbidden within the European Union, many providers charge obscene fees for maritime roaming. And there is no way to block or identify them. “Just turn off mobile data when you are on a ferry” was my provider’s dry response. Now I know.

Scottish Highlands: from Rain to the Green Monster

Finally, after one week on the road, we made it all the way to Scotland. Admittedly, it took a bit longer than planned. “What an adventure!”, Panda and I reflected inside our uninhabited Airbnb outside Glasgow. There was nothing to complain about our journey so far. Not even the broken coffee machine could dim our mood the next morning, as our final destination was so close.

And it did not disappoint us at all! By the time we reached Glencoe, the southern entrance of the Highlights, it was foggy and drizzling. Usually, I’m not a big fan of this kind of weather. Up there, however, humidity is the most important feature. Because of its abundance, everything was shining in different shades of green. We followed the empty roads through wide valleys and along rugged coastlines. Every now and then, a lonely white farmhouse or a moss-covered castle appeared on the horizon and then disappeared again.

We fully emerged into this amazing landscape. Until we reached the Isle of Skye. That’s when a staggering number of camper vans and tour coaches pulled us back to reality. Mass tourism. In a frenzy, we circumvented the little island and rushed on towards Loch Ness. After that, it got much better again. Panda and I enjoy nearly all places, except overcrowded tourist hot spots. Before leaving the Scottish Highlands again, we bought our second souvenir: a green Loch Ness Monster. Together with the red dragon, they are still guarding Panda’s “Little Star” car and become our trip’s mascot. Back in the Lowlands, we explored a series of ancient castles, abandoned mansions, medieval graveyards, and even a traditional whiskey distillery. Until we reached Edinburgh.

Ancient walls: from wild Scotland back to England

Edinburgh has a stunning castle hill and medieval town center, which I highly recommend exploring. But on this trip, I let Panda do that bit of sightseeing alone as I was working remotely. I’m still a digital nomad at heart. In the afternoon, we met again in our cozy bed and breakfast outside Edinburgh. Panda and I are both in our mid-thirties and still consider ourselves young. That is until we arrived at the outdoor rave music festival later that day. We just wanted to dance and felt utterly misplaced among a horde of teenagers gone wild. Either it was the first warm sun rays of the year releasing a flash of dopamine, or a mix of “other substances”, but with every hour, they loosened up more and got weirder. At least one girl fainted, and the paramedic was quite busy. In a quiet corner on the other side of the field, we enjoyed the warm breeze and booming rhythms. I just love to “dance like there is no tomorrow!”

The division between England and Scotland has a long tradition, and its origin is still visible. From the movie “King Arthur”, I remembered that there used to be an ancient Roman wall in Great Britain. In fact, there was more than just one! Hadrian’s Wall formed a major border between the “civilized Roman empire” in the South and the “barbarian Celts” in the North. Parts of the over 100 km long stone wall are still visible, 2’000 years later. And its location is surprisingly close to today’s border between Scotland and England. But the Romans advanced even further north. At the height of Edinburgh, we found the remains of the Antonine Wall. However, this wooden wall only left a trench and a few artifacts. A place to wonder and imagine.

Panda and I were thrilled to discover these ancient ruins from the Roman Empire as far north as England and Scotland! And that was our very last highlight before leaving Great Britain again. After climbing the impressive stones of the Hadrian’s Wall, we boarded our last ferry and fell asleep as the boat quietly floated through the North Sea.

Way home: from the Netherlands, via Belgium, and Luxembourg

The overnight ferry from Newcastle arrived the next morning near Amsterdam. It was only just Thursday, so we still had the full weekend to get home. So, we passed by the international court of justice in Den Haag, one of the most important symbols of (relative) peace throughout the past 100 years. But first, we stopped at the wrong building, the international criminal court, where the world’s most notorious war criminals are prosecuted. There, we stood quite a while at the entrance to the car park and just did not understand why the guards desperately wanted us to leave. The international court of justice is a public building and a museum, while the international criminal court is definitely not! It took us a few minutes to understand our mistake and the difference. Maybe we were lucky that they have more important cases to deal with. However, we do not know whom they expected that particular day.

On the last weekend, we spent in Belgium. We started in Bruges and Gent, where we admired the many water canals, cobbled alleys, and rather gray Belgium architecture. I find both cities charming in their own way. Bruges is built around a large central square and a bunch of colorful houses, clearly a sign of its golden age of trade. That weekend, Gent was particularly gray in gray, including its massive churches and medieval castle. If you ever visit the Gravensteen castle, take the audio guide, it’s hilarious! On the streets, however, the only splash of color where the umbrella of tourists, swiftly hushing around. Out there, Panda and I were part of a life-sized arcade game of “Pac-Man”. No one was eaten.

We finished our game and moved on to Brussels. The city center is quite “typically European”, with a bunch of squares, fountains, and cafés. The different districts, however, felt a bit randomly scrambled together and didn’t add up to a beautiful whole. Also, we did not understand the “Manneken Pis” hysteria and why this peeing boy is more popular than the girl’s statue. By the way, if you are looking for the girl’s statue “Jeanneke Pis”, just follow your nose towards the scent of marijuana.

On Saturday night, we went clubbing in Antwerp. A city famous for its central train station and underground nightclubs, I found it the roughest of all places in Belgium. Our club was packed, and the crowd was ecstatic! Maybe too much so, as another guy suddenly fainted and was lying flat on the floor. Luckily, he quickly recovered. With so many people fainting, Panda started to suspect I have something to do with it. Or was it because a few minutes earlier the same person asked me whether I have “something” to share with him? I did not! Honestly, my response to him was “All I have to share is music.”

We continued to dance until sunrise, caught a few hours of sleep at a dull airport hotel with late checkout, and then drove back home. The past three weeks went by too quickly. We had a fantastic trip and learned a great deal about the United Kingdom and Belgium. And ever since, the “Little Star” wants to drive further and further…

Thank you, Panda, for being such an amazing travel buddy, this was just the beginning!