Until a significant realization occurred last year, our quest to explore various global destinations overshadowed the rich experiences available within our own “backyard”. The United Kingdom boasts an abundance of remarkable attractions, activities, and even an array of culinary delights to relish.

This article serves as an insight into my tendency to become easily distracted while planning summer holidays. Recently, I engaged in a conversation with friends about our upcoming summer getaways, focused on indulging in relaxation—prioritizing leisure over sightseeing and embracing essential elements such as dining, socializing, and enjoying ample time by the pool and at the beach. This discussion excited me about the destinations we intend to explore, prompting a spontaneous search for summer essentials, particularly sunglasses. This particular search led me to reflect on four indispensable items that I typically travel with, considering that I prefer to pack lightly. To be precise, I could actually include five essential items if including cameras is permissible.

For first-time visitors to Scotland, it is common to arrive in Edinburgh and travel north to the Highlands, possibly making your way to St Andrews and then visiting otherworldly northern islands such as Skye. However, Southern Scotland exists in the shadow of the Scottish Highlands.

For a rich array of traditional festivities, epicurean celebrations, outdoor performances, and various other events, Portugal is a prime destination. Although summer offers the widest selection of activities, in reality, there is continually something occurring throughout the year.