This week on the Nomad files we’re joined by Cindy of Blue Bag Nomads. Cindy has been travelling continuously for two years as an international house sitter and freelance writer. She loves to explore new places and shares her crazy lifestyle on her blog Blue Bag Nomads.
Welcome, Cindy, when did you fall in love with travelling? What made it such a passion of yours?
My travel bug comes from my mom, who was always reading about beautiful places. She took all of us kids (5 of us) to Hawaii and that is where I caught the travel bug, and it has never left me. I love to teach and share everything and anything to do with travel.
Do you have a particular song/video/poem/quote that particularly inspires you to travel?
The world is a book, those who do not travel only read one page.
Can you let us in on a secret? What is one discovery you have made through your travels that really felt like ‘the road less travelled’?
When I started out travelling everything needed to be organized and scheduled, in other words very structured. I now have found that wandering is a wonderful way to travel. With house sitting we never know where in the world we will be a year from now. It is an exciting way to see places less travelled. One of my favourite places last year was a small town near Ayr, Scotland.
Is this place known for anything in particular?
There are lochs (lakes) and an abundance of beautiful scenery. The highlight for me in this area was visiting Culzean Castle.
What did you do there and why do I want to visit?
Culzean Castle has breathtaking views along the edge of a cliff down to the sea. It was designed to be the “Ultimate Bachelor Pad.” US President Eisenhower also stayed here several times and the top floor of the castle is now the very luxurious exclusive Eisenhower hotel.
There are hundreds of acres to explore and the self-guided tour of the castle has a fun twist. In each room, there is a hidden Lego figure to find. If you have trouble finding it the docent will help you. Read more on the Blue Bag Nomad blog.
What took you there and how did you find out about it?
We were house sitting in Ayr, a very small town in Scotland and the family we were house-sitting for recommended going to visit the castle.
Why do you think this place remains off the beaten track?
It is a very remote part of Scotland. It is only about a half hour drive from Ayr, Scotland but it is just one of those less travelled areas of the UK.
What is your best tip on how to best experience Culzean Castle?
Be prepared to spend the whole day. There is a lot to see and do including walking along the beach below the castle. If money is no object, I would highly recommend spending the night. It is considered one of the most exclusive places to stay in Scotland.
Make sure you head over to where Cindy lives and give her some love. You can read her blog here.
Did you enjoy this post?
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