Let's Talk About Rain Gear

I am coming up on my 6th anniversary of moving to Scotland. I never thought in a million years we'd still be here. But we are. I must have lived here too long because I don't even think it rains that much. Seriously, what's wrong with me?! Even the locals know it rains a lot!

I get a lot of emails about rain gear. What should you buy? What will you need? Should you buy at home or wait until you get to Scotland? I'm going to share with you my opinions on the matter.

Are you ready? This is big.
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Wait until you get here.

The advice I usually give is to wait until you get here to purchase your rain coat. I'm sure many of you who receive this such email aren't exactly satisfied but I really think it is best to wait. You need to experience the rain a bit and decide what you need. Do you walk a lot? Cycle? Hike? Drive your car everywhere? The stores here cater to our climate. You'll find just what you need when you get here. I'd hate for you to spend so much time and money on it only to realize what you bought at home isn't working for you here. Although, you can buy those wellies anywhere. Knock yourself out.

For those of you who don't take my advice and really do want to bring rain gear/coats with you I will share with you some pieces that will work for you here.

 

 

+ Get a winter coat and rain jacket with a hood and pockets. This is a must. You never know where
you will be when it starts to rain. It's easy to just pull your hood up and keep walking. Getting something with a collar and a hood is perfect. We get a lot of wind here. You'll want to feel snug and warm in there. I walk everywhere so I need pockets to throw my keys in or keep my gloves where I can get to them. Or snacks for Sebastian when I don't want to go rummaging through my bag.

+ Umbrellas are sort of superfluous here. The wind is so strong it will turn it inside out. But, the umbrellas that go down further and make a dome around you are perfect for a downpour. You won't use it all the time but they are nice to have.

+ Hats! I wear a hat all the time. ALL the time. We have strong winds here in Scotland and your hair gets whipped around and all up in your face if you aren't wearing a hat. I keep it simple with a beret that can stay in place if I need to put my hood up too.

+ Rain boots. Get them anywhere, any size, any style. They will all work. Find yourself a pair with good soles and support and you're ready to go!

That's my advice and I'm sticking to it.

Cove Bay

We had a few sunny days last week that just had me itching to get out over the weekend. We all had colds but that didn't stop us when the sun came out on Saturday. I have a few places I'd been dying to see but I'm saving those in my back pocket for warmer days. Oh, I just can't wait.

We headed to Cove Bay instead. It is a suburb on the south-east edge of Aberdeen. This village-like town boasts gorgeous rocky cliffs and never ending waves crashing on the rocky shore. The very small finishing community berths their boats on the shingle beach {a natural harbour with a beach of pebbles or small cobbles instead of sand}.

I was hoping to get out onto the rocks but the wind was fierce. Fierce I tell you! I was having a hard time standing on my own two feet let alone if I tried to climb slippery rock. So, we stayed on shore and watched the seagulls ride the waves on the North Sea.

If you go to Cove Bay bring all your winter gear. It was cold! But very beautiful. Like something out of a novel. It's nice to spend some time in beautiful places. It does my heart good.

Interview with GoAbroad.com

Not long ago I was interviewed by GoAbroad.com. It was really fun! Some of these questions I'd not ever been asked before. Check out the interview {here}.

Take a look at where My Life in Scotland has been around the web {here}. My favourite experience was with BBC Radio Scotland. I mean....it's BBC!