The North Coast 500 – Intro

The trip route

The more places I visit or new faces I meet, the more I’m humbled, realising how much I didn’t know before. It feels like a reality check that leaves me feeling like an ‘empty glass’, ready to be filled again. 

This winter break, I somehow sneaked into Putri’s clique for a trip to the Scottish Highlands. We travelled north (before this, I didn’t even know the term “North Coast 500” or “NC500” existed). There were 5 of us: Angga, Johan, Putri, Nina, and I on that 7-day trip that started in Aberdeen, went via Banff and Inverness, followed the NC500 route, and ended in Edinburgh.

Somewhere along the NC500 journey

Angga planned an incredible itinerary so we could make the most of the journey: chasing the northern lights, stargazing, witnessing sunrises and sunsets, and visiting castles. But what stayed with me just as much were the moments in between the destinations: laughter and conversations in the car, shared meals after cooking at the Airbnb, the Christmas movies before bedtime, and small interactions that sharpened this introverted girl’s social skills.  

Hilarious conversation, breathtaking scenery, and good songs along the trip

This post will be a four-part series, written to preserve my good memories from the NC500 journey. I want to capture all the amazing landscapes I saw and the feelings I felt, though I know it's nearly impossible to contain all those astonishing experiences in a simple blog post series. Too many first times for me, personally: the road trip, seals on the beach, the northern lights, the songs we played on repeat, and the feeling of staying longer than I usually do.