This is my second time in Macau and it was absolutely more enjoyable than last time. I went there to do a fashion shooting with Honeymoon+Travel magazine, and Macau’s tourist board. We had the tour guide from the tourist board who was the best – all the time we were there, he treated us like royalty.

Since we were surrounded by casinos, it would have been a shame not to have tried gambling! We tried our luck on the dogs (greyhound racing) and while everyone else lost their money, I won a small fortune. I placed $10 bet and won $100.

Laos is like Thailand’s brother. Even though we speak different languages, they pretty much sound the same and I can guess the meaning. I believe our languages come from the same root.

We arrived in Vientiane in the morning when everything was calm and peaceful. The work started right away at the temples around the city. The temples here look absolutely stunning. They’re very old and very beautiful, like some kind of idyllic oriental retreats.

After many shots around the temples, we took some photos around the Victory Monument (Laos Arc de Triomphe). I noticed that people in Laos are very friendly and relaxed all the time.

I got the feeling that it would be a perfect place for someone who wants a quite life. They would find Laos to be heaven on earth.

In the night after the shooting we had a wonder around town to get a feeling to the place, and found out that a lot of teenagers go to a place called ‘Center Point’ just to have some hot soya milk and chat with their friends. How cute is that? This wouldn’t happen in Bangkok for sure. The kids in Bangkok prefer beers and cocktails to soya milk.

The magazine has already come out and I hope everyone loves the fashion pictures.

After spending lovely couple of days wondering around Loch Ness, we set off for Edinburgh. We left very early in the morning so we could have time to visit some places on route to Edinburgh. We decided to stop at Blair Atholl for a cup of tea at the Water Mill Tea Rooms opposite the Blair Atholl Castle.

Then we headed to the distillery, owned by Bell’s, to learn about whisky. We learned a lot about how whisky’s made, and the difference between smoky and unsmoky whiskies. The whisky produced here doesn’t have a smoky taste.

After the whiskey lesson we stopped to have a look at the UK’s tallest tree (I’m not sure if it’s true). It a lovely forest with lots of huge trees. I also took along some nuts and expecting to feed some red squirrels, but unfortunately we didn’t see any :-((

At noon we finally arrived at the Forth Rail and Forth Road bridges in Edinburgh, and then Edinburgh City itself. It’s so beautiful and full of historical buildings. The city has an Eastern European feeling to it.

On the first night we decided to go for dinner at the Cafe Royal (recommended by the  Best Beer Guide 2008).  Not only do they sell lots of drinks and whiskies, but lots of good food too! The place is decorated in French-style. I had mussels in white wine sauce and it was very yummy. While my friends had oysters follow by haggis and whisky cream pie.

The next day we spent time around town, did some shopping and sightseeing. The main attraction is Edinburgh Castle. We learned some history about Scotland and England. I think the ticket is a bit pricy, but it’s once in a life time, hey?

And for our next stops we will visit some other small towns on the way down to Manchester. C U!

After our adventure in Lake District, now it’s time for the next part of our journey, and this time ‘We’re gonna catch Nessie!!!’

On the way up to Loch Ness we drove through a mountain pass called Glen Coe. The scenery was outstanding. I feel like Frodo or Harry Potter from the movies!

We stopped for lunch in Fort William on the way to Drumnarochit. After lunch, we walked around town and did a bit of shopping. I bought one cheap woolen jumper. While my friends just walked round and tried on kilts.

And here we are in Drumnarochit, next to Loch Ness. We found Nessie paddling around in a small pond next to the visitors’ centre, not very hard to catch after all. ;-))

We stayed in a small bunk house where we had our kitchen to cook our breakfast and dinner. The town is very cute and so small. I suspect that everyone in this town must know everyone else, and say something like ‘Hello Mrs McDoodle. How are you this morning? How’s wee Angus? How’s your sheep today. ;-p ‘

We enjoyed walking around this cute little town, and drinking bitter and whisky at the local pub at night. The walk from the pub was a wee bit eerie! very dark and deadly quite. I think people go to bed here very early.

The best thing here is Loch Ness itself. We set off on a quest along the lake looking for Nessie, hoping to take a snap should we see him/her. And you know what? We got lucky!!!!!

At the lake’s edge, not only did we find one Nessie, but I also found Monster Donald and his girlfriend :-)) There was a swan and a couple of duckies swimming on the lake. Well, If you don’t pay too much attention they could be real Nessies. Perhaps those famous Nessie pictures are just swans after all. Our stop at Loch Ness ended here, next stop Edinburgh.

After a lovely time in Blackpool here we are in the Lake District, another step nearer to Scotland. We arrived in middle of the night (under an amazing starry sky) at youth hostel in Helvellyn (half way up a mountain). It’s just like the movie Withnail & I, the difference was our hostel looked much better than that old rotten house in the movie.

The hostel we stayed is a little heaven on earth in terms of location. In the hostel’s backyard is a small tarn running down the mountainside – surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

The next morning we cooked English breakfast very early in the morning and then set off for a big hike. Our mission was to walk to the frozen lake on the top of the mountain. How long did it take? Well, it took two and a half hours (not including the journey back!).

The view at the top was very impressive – a beautiful lake and surrounded mountain views. It was also very chilly as the wind kept blowing, so we decided to have a sip of red wine to warm us up.

After the hiking trip, in the afternoon, we went to Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick. The stone circle was constructed around 3200 BC (about 5,000 years ago).

Then we set off to Keswick for a lunch. Kewsick is a small, quite town. We had some pub lunch – beef stew in huge Yorkshire Puddings – yum yum.

Two days in the Lakes, now off to Scotland to see a monster.

To be continued …