Arriving in Thailand brought a wave of calm, a rush of nostalgia, and a deep exhale for mind, body and soul. After months of mountain trails and busy cities, we swapped hiking boots for sandy feet and turquoise waters, committing to a full month of island life across three different spots. We’d had such a full-on year that doing absolutely nothing felt wildly appealing… but would island fever creep in?

Vietnam. In many ways the antithesis of Japan: noisy, chaotic, grimy, yet bursting with character and charm. We chose to spend the entire month in the north, favouring slow travel and neatly sidestepping typhoon season.

Japan had been on our bucket list for years. We even considered it for our honeymoon, but with so much to explore, we knew we needed longer than a two-week holiday. Armed with an itinerary meticulously curated by InsideJapan—spanning neon-lit cities to serene mountain valleys—we set off to write our own story across the Land of the Rising Sun.

If life is made up of chapters, this one feels especially vibrant—pages flying past, each day packed as tightly as our Japan-bound suitcases. After all, a five-week Scottish pit stop before our grand Asian adventure was never going to be a quiet pause. Instead, it became a vivid blur of preparation, celebration, connection, and reflection. 

If I close my eyes, I can still smell cedar on the breeze, feel the sharp freshness of mountain air, and taste the rich ramen broth that welcomed us to Vancouver. We were jetlagged, a little bewildered, but wide-eyed with anticipation. This was the start of five weeks that would reshape what adventure means to us.

Scotland welcomed us home with open arms and lots of glorious sunshine for a lovely eight-week pit stop between our international travels. As much as we loved our European adventure, this time at home felt well-earned and allowed us to reconnect with family, friends, and our beloved Munros. From long sunny hikes to cosy evenings, Scotland delivered the goods, and there was plenty of time for some deep reflection, learning, and designing our life plan.

Bit late getting this blog published, main reason is the weather being absolutely outstanding in Scotland when we returned at the beginning of May…anyway better late than never…here’s what we got up to in Spain.  Best of our photos can be found here.

We absolutely loved our time in Portugal, beginning our adventure in the picturesque city of Porto, followed by some time in Lisbon, before travelling to Porto Covo to start the Fisherman’s Trail, finishing up with a week in Lagos in the Algarve.

As we embark on this journey of exploration and rejuvenation, Madeira has proven to be the perfect beginning to our big adventure. We've immersed ourselves in the natural beauty, charming villages, and serene lifestyle that this Portuguese archipelago offers. Our three weeks were filled with memorable hikes, breath taking views, delightful mountain cafes, and the fantastic yoga retreat that helped us adjust to this new phase of life.

How do you start planning for a sabbatical?  Where to go, when to go, what to take, what to do, how much to spend...feels exciting but daunting even for seasoned project mangers like us!