Small Feet

Favorite pieces at the National Gallery, London Of course (There's no line at 7am) Piccadilly Circus, London Thames views, London More fabulous wallpaper, Bath The best avocado bagel and lists at Filament Coffee, Edinburgh Magdalen College, Oxford Sunny Oxford strolls St. James' Park, London London street views Drum corps, Edinburgh Fellows' Walk, Oxford Snacks, London Westminster, London Apple porridge from Sourced Market Bridge sunset, London

I've attended my last lecture and I'm headed off to a series of new places over the next few weeks before I begin studying for exams. As I head off to different destinations within Scotland and beyond, I'm carrying as little as possible. What's really important to bring with you when the priority is new experiences rather than comfort? Is it possible to actually be more comfortable with less? I'll be writing more about this soon.  I'm carrying this  Fjallraven Totepack No. 1  (pictured) as my primary bag for my travels. It's a 14L bag with shoulder straps that convert to backpack straps. It's supremely comfortable and durable (waterproof!), sleek, and it has a cute fox on it. I'm also carrying this vintage J. Jill leather purse, which is big enough to hold a book, my beloved  Klean Kanteen , and a few other bits and bobs to use throughout the day.  I have two pairs of shoes, my  Blundstone  ankle boots and  Superga  sneakers,...

Glasgow sounds like blaring horns and revving engines and accents thicker than black pudding. Its voice is electric and as old as the hills, and everywhere I turn it is new. More than anything, Glasgow is a city of music. It is home to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the National Piping Centre, as well as palatial concert arenas and sweaty underground venues. I think it does actually have something for everyone. I've attended concerts in old churches and the Royal Concert Hall and local pubs. The audience is always a mix of students, families, and elderly couples out for a night. I've also been taking lessons at the National Piping Centre, using a practice chanter to learn the multitude of exercises necessary to play the Highland bagpipe. In the city centre, bagpipers and fiddlers play on the streets. Music is everywhere, on every night of the week and in each lighted window.

Vegetarian Scottish breakfast at Craigard Tearoom in Helensburgh Donuts for two at Nic's NYC in Glasgow Home-roasted winter veg Vegan coconut nachos at The 78 in Glasgow Seitan burger at Brewdog in Glasgow Muddy feet in a muddy bog -- a common sight, and how I'm burning off all these calories

Sheltering from the rain Inverness Cathedral Concert lighting in Glasgow Ruin on the Ayrshire coast Robert Burns Postcard landscapes in Ayr

Soaring hills, picturesque glens, breathtaking vistas -- these sights are among the best-known attributes of Scotland, and they have helped to perpetuate a myth of the Highlands as timeless, magical, and indescribably other. From Sir Walter Scott to Diana Gabaldon, the Scottish Highlands have been a larger-than-life character and setting for centuries of real and imagined epics. My own particular epic was, as they say, a wee bit less dramatic. Knowing that the Highlands are far too big to see in a weekend, I elected to take a three-day trip to see what the hype was all about (just kidding; I read Outlander and I already knew). This mini-taste of the Highlands called for minimalism throughout: traveling companion, extra socks, water bottle, toothbrush, and not much else. To leave as much time and money as possible for traveling, I packed only a small backpack that could be carried with me throughout the day. It held essentials like toiletries, a journal and a book, and a raincoat t...

One of the biggest adjustments in my life since moving to Glasgow has been the change in the way I eat. I'm used to three (maybe five) square meals a day, prepared lovingly by the hands of the top college dining service in the US . Here, I share a kitchen with four other students, and what and when I eat is totally up to me.  I've had experience living in apartments and cooking my own meals, so this isn't a totally new experience, but it has still been a big change from how I normally live. Food has always taken up a lot of my time, and now it also takes up a substantial chunk of mental energy and money as well.  The average American spends about 10% of their per capita disposable income on food, a huge decrease since the 1960s . This is actually because a lot of food prices are artificially low, but regardless it's clear that people spend less money and time on food than they used to. Michael Pollan  is one of my favorite authors to learn about the current st...