For the last few months, there have been so many things I realise I’ve taken for granted and traveling was definitely one of them.

Travelling to a country or place I had never been to before felt like such an exciting adventure.

It’s a little sad that travelling has now become something you might do out of necessity rather than joy in these pandemic times.

It’s an activity that feels like a “risk” that you need to factor into your plans, with the coronavirus still lurking around.

I am looking forward to everyone moving around freely again, but until that day comes, there’s nothing stopping us from dreaming about our travels or reminiscing about our memorable past adventures.

I would like to share a walk down memory lane into a land of unusual accents and incredible scenery.

On my first ever trip to Scotland, I remember telling the film crew that I was excited to be landing on Scottish soil because it was a part of my heritage, as my mother is half-Scottish.

They jokingly said, “Well, that’s good… at least you’ll be able to interpret what they’re saying to us.”

I was bewildered by their comment until we stopped in the countryside to get a hot drink.

I had only ever read about the Scottish accent but it’s a completely different experience meeting a full-fledged local who has lived in the mountains all their life, as I was soon to find out.

When I first jumped out of the caravan, I was awed by the rolling green hills and the sight of a distant castle, which looked like a scene right out of a Victorian romance novel.

Scotland was literally as pretty as a postcard.

As I stood there just taking it all in, and enjoying the cold, fresh air, my cameraman was already tugging at my coat, “Jojo, what is she saying?? Can you please help us order?”

So, there we were in front of a black and white striped pushcart, with its jolly owner wearing an apron and a big welcoming smile, proudly rattling off what was on her short menu.

My crew was staring at her blankly and I couldn’t blame them. Her words were like a rhythmic song with a distinctly Scottish lilt to it.

I started ordering on behalf of my crew, and she struggled to understand my accent too, so I had to start pointing at the items we wanted.

This whole trip, so many moons ago, still puts a smile on my face when I reflect back to my early memories of Scotland.

So, last summer, when I was visiting my in-laws in England and they asked if my husband and I would like to take a road trip to Wales, my imagination was immediately captured when they said, “It’s a bit like Scotland, or New Zealand.

In fact, J R R Tolkien was so inspired by the Welsh countryside that the names of several characters in The Hobbit from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ have been found to have Welsh origin.”

I was already excited to be driving out into the countryside to see if Wales would resemble the mental snapshots in my memories from my trip to Scotland or mirror the breathtaking scenery from ‘The Hobbit’.

Well, it did all of that, and made me even want to retire in such a beautiful place.

I particularly loved the drive. It was so picturesque that we kept stopping every now and then just to take a photo of the panoramic scenery.

For as far as the eyes could see, I was completely immersed in nature and the lakes were so blue, and so serenely still, that it looked like you could walk right across them.

We were on our way to a charming bed and breakfast in Snowdonia, in northwest Wales which was located in the heart of the National Park, surrounded by glaciers and near Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, offering views across the sea to Ireland.

Interestingly, Edmund Hilary, the first person to successfully make it to the peak of Mount Everest prepared for his climb on Mount Snowdon. Though much more modest in height, it’s sheer rock faces and treacherous surfaces made it a great training ground for him.

I did not climb any mountains when I was there but I did allow my imagination to run wild when I was exploring every nook and cranny of the Caernarfon Castle in North Wales, which was a medieval fortress and royal palace built in the 13th century.

As I moved through the labyrinth of pathways in the castle and spiral stairwells, I imagined what the soldiers must have looked like bustling through the candle-lit stone corridors with their weapons, trying to keep its inhabitants safe.

I’m not much of a historian but I spent a long time exploring this castle and I was intrigued at how I entered the Queen’s gate without anyone blocking my path because no stranger back then would have been allowed anywhere near the royal private quarters.

All in all, Wales was delightfully therapeutic for me, and it was just what I needed to take a complete break from my email inbox and ‘noise’ of the city.

It was so refreshing to be driving for miles in the countryside amidst such stunning nature backdrops with vast expanses of greenery only dotted in white by flocks of sheep.

I had a sudden, sentimental pang of missing the travel adventures I used to have but I had a strong feeling I would return to this picturesque part of the world one day for more timeout in nature and serenity.

I also hope the world returns to some of its old normal patterns as we all adjust to a new “normal” in our lives.

In the meantime, no one can take your vivid and beautiful memories away, so enjoy your reflections, and allow yourself to dream…

Jojo Struys is the founder of ‘Ohanajo awake’, an online conscious platform to help people with their stress, anxiety and sleep via micro learning courses that can be done in less than 15 minutes a day. Visit www.ohanajo.com for a free trial.