Well hello there! 

Welcome to our first ever blog. First things first, this is safe space and all are welcome, so please be kind to each other and let’s have some fun! 

Where to start…………….. 

We’re Callum and Darren, a couple from Scotland who have a desire, passion and excitement for travel. We’ve been together for just over a year and a half now but from the very begging we always spoke about places we’d love to travel to and planned these trips from the very start of our relationship! Fast forward to now and we have three different trips planned, Gran Canaria and two separate trips to Orlando Florida. 

Starting off in October 2025 we’re jetting off to Playa de Ingles in Gran Canaria for 11 nights. Not only will this be the first time we’ve been on holiday as a couple it will also be the first of three holidays we have planned, more in the other two later though. This visit to the sunny, warm and beautiful island of Gran Canaria, which is located in the Atlantic Ocean just 93 miles off the African coast and is apart of the Canary Islands 🇮🇨 archipelago is a special trip as the second day of our trip is Darren’s 30th birthday! So we will be celebrating in sunnier warmer climates compared to the usual dreich weather (dreich being a good Scot’s word for cold, wet, windy and down right horrid) that we are accustomed to in Scotland during October. 

It’s also a special trip for me, Callum, as well as it’s the first holiday since the early 2000’s that I’ll be travelling with my mum and the first time ever travelling with my step dad! Growing up I was very lucky and have many fond memories of family holidays either with my mum & sister or with a wider family group that included my Grandparents, Aunties,  Uncles and Cousins as well as family from overseas that we didn’t get to see very often! Darren hasn’t travelled as much as me so I’m excited and honoured that I get to be the one that goes with him as he begins his travel journeys. But back to the trip and what we have planned (well what I can share without spoiling the birthday surprises I have planned!)

This trip, flights hotel and transfers, were all booked through Love Holidays and it’s definitely worth having a look and comparing them with the main tour operators/booking sites. We found them to be very good on price and the selection of hotels and flights available was great as they don’t just offer flights with one airline like other companies who shall remain nameless do! Understandably they’re not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s fine but it works for us.

Travel day is an early start and we fly from Edinburgh Airport, a very quick 40 minute journey, so long as there’s no major detours or closures on the infamous M8 motorway! We will be checked in online and should, all going to plan, only have to do bag drop with Ryan Air! Yes I said it, Ryan Air. But I will give them their due and say that they aren’t all that bad, I’ve flown to Gran Canaria with them before from Glasgow Prestwick and survived. All be it in an extra leg room over wing emergency exit seat which I have booked again, trust me it’s worth the extra money especially being 6 foot 3 inches tall! Now again all going  to plan the flight is set to leave at 06:05 and land in Gran Canaria at 10:50. We have transfers booked to our hotel, but in true transfer style you can guarantee we will have to wait a good 30-40 minutes and however long it takes for the driver to have their final cigarette before we actually start making our way to our hotel, so that’s always something to bear in mind and make sure you’ve used a restroom before going out to the transfer as well as making sure you’ve have a bottle of water or two to keep yourself hydrated!

All going well we should be at our hotel no later than 12:30/13:00 although this is before the check-in time. 

The hotel is an adults only hotel and is actually a hotel I have stayed in before, the first and only other time I visited Gran Canaria. It’s called the Gran Canaria Princess Hotel which is a 4star rated all inclusive resort. The hotel offers all the amenities you’d expect from a 4star resort and has a reasonably sized swimming pool and a good sized restaurant offering a variety of options both during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lunch if memory serves me right is done from both the main restaurant, the Princess Restaurant, and the Bohio restaurant, which is an a la cart lunch as well as afternoon pastries, coffees and cold snacks. Located to the side of the hotel with easy access from the pool the Bohio restaurant was a favourite of mine the last time I visited! 

Drinks are available from the pool bar, known as the Coco Loco Pool Bar, which is open 10:00 – 18:00. There is a choice of two other bars, the Blue Bar which is located in the lobby which is open 08:00 – 01:00 and the Princes Disco Lounge Bar which is open 20:00 – 00:00.

Honestly you won’t be struggling for choice with this hotel, it has something for everyone. There’s even a fitness centre however despite being on a fitness journey ourselves I can assure you we will not be found in there whilst we are away! The only thing I had an issue with was the night time entertainment. The last time I was there, over two years ago now, it wasn’t the best by any means. But it is hard to compete with some of the fantastic and well put together shows that take place in the Yumbo Centre, shout out to Ricky’s Cabaret Bar, just a 10 -15 minute walk away from the hotel depending on how fast you walk! 

Regardless though there’s no shortage of great entertainment in the area and I’m sure we will find something to keep us entertained. I say this as if we’re not going to be taking full advantage of not having to be up early for work or working late and will more than likely, for the first few days at least, be completely exhausted 🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

As I mentioned before it’s also Darren’s 30th whilst we’re there and without giving too much away I can say there will be a surprise or two in store for him but that’s all I’m saying on that for now! You’ll need to come back and read the blog when we’re back home to read what’s happened! 

Not to wish the trip away but we do have return transfer and flight booked again with Ryan Air, the flight not the transfer, again with extra leg room over wing emergency exit seats. The return flight leaves at 20:15 and lands back in Edinburgh at 00:50! This is not the original flight times as Ryan Air made a change to their schedule and not only did this add an extra day to our trip, it’s a hard life I know, it also changed the flight time to that ridiculous time! But C’est La Vie! 

We should arrive home by 02:30 at the latest and that’s the first trip over and done with, bags to be emptied, washings to be done, bags to be repacked and a mere six months until our second trip which takes us into 2026! 

2026 is a big year for us with not one but two trips planned to Orlando Florida! We’re doing everything Disney and Universal on both trips and plan to pack as much into them as we can! I can feel the aching in my feet now as I type this. We will leave the Florida trips to separate blogs but plan to have others explaining who we’ve booked with, where we’re staying and a proper break down of costs and what we plan to do on these trips. 

If you’ve made it this far, thank you! We really do appreciate it. We’re new to the world of blogging, vlogging and everything that goes with it and hopefully this has been something to keep you company whilst you take a break from your busy life and give yourself time to relax and slow things down. 

From both of us to you have an amazing day and catch you next time.