TIME flies so quickly. It is important to make time to have fun, travel, experience life and the wonderful world we live in.

When I celebrated a big birthday recently, I wrote a “bucket list”! The things I wanted to do during this year.

The list ranges from daft things like growing our own lettuce, riding a horse, walking with Llamas, doing something sponsored for charity and to seeing the Northern Lights!

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to see the Norwegian fjords and last week I did. The trip was incredible.

We were blessed with summer sunshine every day when rain and high winds were forecast. I truly don’t take for granted how blessed we are to be able to do this trip.

My first bucket list tick was when we arrived in Skjolden and I got to walk with a gorgeous llama called Google. He was handsome, gentle, and patient.

We strolled around a meadow together. Everyone in our group was smiling and chatting and the llamas clearly loved their jobs.

They live with a wonderful family who look after them very well. If I could have hidden Google in my suitcase, I would have loved to have brought him home with me.

The next huge tick off my bucket list happened that evening when we were sailing to our next port.

My husband called me up onto deck and I nearly burst into tears when I saw the Northern Lights making their grand entrance, casting an ethereal glow across the heavens.

From swirling ribbons of light to pulsating waves of energy, each display is as unique as it is mesmerizing, a testament to the beauty and unpredictability of nature's grand spectacle.

As tempting as it may be to jet off to distant shores in search of adventure, there's a quiet beauty to be found in the simple pleasures of life in Somerset.

So, whether you're planning your next great escape or simply looking for a moment of respite, remember to pause, breathe, and appreciate the wonders of this beautiful county we call home.

After all, in a world filled with endless possibilities, sometimes the greatest adventures are the ones waiting right on our doorstep.

Footnote – I’ve recently discovered I can walk llamas in Somerset, too.

See you again in two weeks! Until then – Stay Safe and Be Kind.