Welcome to Gallus Gallivants. This is officially our first ever Blog Post.

Over the last four years we have traveled the world and captured as much of it as we could on 35mm film, digital photos and video.  We always had the idea to start a Travel Blog & Vlog but our timing was always wrong, things always seemed to get in the way; we never had much luck with timings!

But it’s time for a fresh start. We have lots of archive content and travel articles that we have written on the road but never published and a boat load of trips and adventures planed for the future. We have visited 7 different countries already in the last 4 month and we are determined to Vlog, Blog and paint the sky’s tartan for the foreseeable future, Come get lost with us.

So how do we start? What’s the perfect first post? That’s something we’ve struggled with for a long time but it seemed to make the most sense to start where our new life begun, Our dessert wedding in the Valley of Fire, Las Vegas Nevada USA.

Bad Timing – Definition – when you make big plans and the cosmos conspires against you, ending things instantly 

We got engaged on the Greek island of Symi near Rhodes in 2013, one of the happiest yet saddest days of our lives. On that day we made the big gesture that we would start our lives together, and on that same day J’s Father took very unwell and after severe kidney damage he became very debilitated by a series of strokes. The next two years would be very difficult for the family and especially J’s Mother who, unbeknown to all of us, had been suffering from extremely bad Alzheimer’s. Wedding plans were put on hold until everyone was well enough and back on track. Unfortunately the universe conspired against us again and we lost a great human being on the 29th of Jan 2015. A great loss was felt by the community of Coatbridge and the family was devastated. J’s Mum eventually end up in full time care as her illness had overwhelmed her. On an upside she is now in the best place and is extremely happy and at peace with the world, she’s her old self again if a bit more forgetful; a rough two years.

We had been saving up for wedding for a long time by now, we managed to get a few breaks away with help from other family and friends who would look after Mum but we quickly made a decision not long after that it was time, we had waited and saved enough; we wanted to do things for ourselves and start living, you only get one shot and we wanted to start our lives together and see the world.

New Family – Definition – When you realise that the closest people in your life are now the most important thing to you, they are your new family

So… we had planned to go away somewhere just by ourself but after a drunk night in The Raven (Glasgow’s best pub in our opinion) with our oldest friends we accidentally revealed our plans, we weren’t really given an option, they were coming and there was no way we would be stopping them! It was a nice feeling to know that we were considered so important that these people would travel anywhere with us to see us hitched. …….then…….. it happened again in Berlin after a drunken weekend with another two of our closest Mates,  again there was no stopping them! It was set. There would be a party of 6 Traveling somewhere cool on this planet to a low key and unique wedding. And it was TOP SECRET (something that was extremely hard to do!).

There was only one place that came to mind instantly LAS VEGAS BABY! although there was some convincing to do as J wasn’t too keen on a Elvis inspired wedding! It wasn’t until we came across some research of getting married in the dessert that it instantly made sense. The images we saw were so unique and alien that it sealed the deal. In 8 weeks we would be off to a foreign land dressed in full regalia to be hitched in the dessert. The day still gives us goosebumps.

We did a lot on this trip as well as Vegas we also went to a small haunted mining town in Arizona called Jerome but I will leave that for another Blog later on,  it’s a location that we have since been back to because it was so cool and just .. it’s hard to describe the wonder of Jerome, I look forward to blogging it later.

So the trip, was long, like VERY LONG! we ended up getting a 5 hour layover in NYC, we had planned to go out and have a quick look at the city and get a shake shack but security denied us we were gutted. We were all that fed up that purchased a £25  united luxuray lounge pass for the day, it gave us free wifi snacks, beers and wines and made the wait some more fun.

Airport number 2 #newyork lol #groupselfie

A post shared by J ? ??????? (@gallus_jay) on Mar 28, 2015 at 10:01am PDT

Our second flight was around 6 hours from NYC TO LV and it was all good! but the crazy thing was the place had wifi broad band, it was amazing we would stream netflix and facebook and Instagram at 30,000 feet. Hope that europe gets that soon. the flights long and everyons tired and grumpy,

Another 7 hour flight

A post shared by J ? ??????? (@gallus_jay) on Mar 28, 2015 at 2:12pm PDT

While we were in the air as a surprise I visit the airports website and find a cheap deal on a limo to pick us up!

I surprised the guys when we landed, and it became quite apparent why it was cheap! we had too much luggage with us and we were all cramped in the back of this amazing black stretch Lincoln town car. We quickly arrived and hit a burger joint had a few beers and passed out somewhere. very tired.

Wedding morning: We stuck to tradition on this and hadn’t seen each other in there wedding outfits so we separated and went to other rooms in the hotel. This was a problem as they were 8 floors and another wing away. Both of us were running late and i think there were make up and hair issues with the girls. The guys room was a lot more calmer I opened the door and theres one of my best ben bollock naked ironing his kilt, I quickly laugh as I hear the maid behind us pass by the room and say “hello… oh my my my…” and run away shed never seen a scots mans rear before! something she wont forget. We have a few drams from the Whiskey Blender malt that I had made for the occasion, there was no passing the room, it was right and I couldn’t wait. The girls were running a bit late and we finally met out side the room, everyone was rushing but I had to stop, i hadn’t seen the dress before and I just had to take it all in, she was beautiful, I was blown away, I count here anything bar my own breath. Eventually it all spiralled back in and i realised oh shit. Were almost 30 mins late and the exit is a mile away. My next memory is one of the funniest of the day I remember running through the lobby holding hands and then Thomas the tallest and rugby and  Jacobite of the group got in front us and shouted the words IM MAKING  A HOLE, the seas parted to OH MY GOSH ITS A SCHOTTISH WEDDING. We get to the door in panic and look for the driver and then these words of a southernly gentle man call out.

Howdy fellas I think your looking for me? we look over and theres a Willy Neolson looking figure dressed in black with a Stetson and cowboy boots on, this guy was the dude! He lead us out side and there it was, total surprise we hadn’t know than the limo was a 20ft long white stretched Mustang! I lost my shit a bit as I was super exited about it lol, I had to be reigned back in a bit and focus on the day a head, we jump in the car! Josey Gonzales gets put on the stereo and we head out to the valley of fire. the landscape is unbelievable.

#gopro hanging out of the window of a#mustang #limo I n the middle of the #Nevada #dessert almost lost oks like a drone. Cool alien #landscape #wedding

A post shared by J ? ??????? (@gallus_jay) on Apr 2, 2015 at 1:54am PDT

The ceremony: We had always heard people say it will be over in a flash, we hadn’t believed it until that day but it did, it flew buy a in a blur. it was perfect for us and we were so happy with the service.

While we were there J wrote a small competition article for the National Geographic website, it best describes the pace of the day and describes the environment perfectly. On top of that the best way to describe it would be just to simply show you some of the amazing photographs in the header gallery, from the day, a picture paints a thousand words.

Its a bit arty! beware!

National Geographic Website Competition Entry entitled – Rock Climbing with a difference.

I’m looking deep into her eyes, hands held out straight yet trembling. I can’t see much as the sun is blinding us; blistering. I scan the martian like horizon in disbelieve at what’s currently happening, the monumental red rocks of the Valley of Fire jut out from the ground like giant glaciers of lava. It feels like we’re in a movie and I think to myself, “well we’re definitely not in Scotland anymore”

The pace changes and I suddenly focus on my best friend who’s slowly coming towards us. The silhouette is dressed like a post apocalyptic Jacobean warrior, six feet tall with the brightest red beard you’ve ever seen. The sun beats down relentlessly, you can practically hear the sweat beads drop from him and turn to steam as they hit the parched dessert floor. He quickly hands me something and I suddenly focus back on what’s happening.

She takes my hand and I can’t help but muster the biggest smile and let out a small laugh. The sound resonates endlessly around the skyline like a megaphone; a truly strange sensation! This place is so vast and wide open with skyline for miles in every direction but so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Bar the eight of us there are no other humans around for miles, nothing but a few gallus cactus being eaten by javelina or the occasional eagle squawk. You quickly realise how small a spec of dust we all are on this beautiful spinning rock we call home.

A woman beside us casually begins to chat, her voice chiming out in perfect contrast to the tranquil surroundings, a quick exchange of nuances takes place and then the words “I do…” ring out and everything quickly blurs. Excitement spirals in and I take what feels like the deepest breath of my life, I feel the crisp warm air breeze against my knees and kilt while the smell of the desert feels like chocolate musk.

Finally it all hits me; dressed head to toe in full Scottish woollen highland regalia in the middle of the Nevada and Arizona desert. The relentless sun raging down on us, sweat and tears. We have swapped our green rain sodden landscape of Scotland for the stark beauty of this red parched and lunar like landscape. We have our best friends with us and I have the person I’m going to spend the rest of my days with traveling around this planet in front of me dressed in white.

Every single person we’ve met in the week leading up to this moment have been the warmest, kindest and most friendliest people we could encounter, the west coast has completely changed my experience of America. We’ve never been somewhere that’s so alien from Scotland yet I’ve never felt so much at home… I love this place.

What happens next? What else is out there for us? Where to go on our next big adventure?

After the service we drove for 2 hours around the state park and got more photos taken before the sun went down. The valley of fire is such an Amazing place, its beuty and colour is amazing. So unique. We had some unique props with us including a Scotland flag, IRN-BRU and whiskey as well we got some great group photos!

We got back the venetian in perfect timing, run across the strip through the crowds to get to our private room at the Canaletto, again the spectators were quite taken back by the kilts and white dress lots of cheers and highfives and hugs, it was a very strange but warming experience of human culture! this coast is so much different from East. We reach our room with our own waiter and the drinks are poured and we have a private toast at the window looking out over fake st Mark square.

We get a quick first toast in for those who made the day possible and those who were sadly missed and then the food began, the menue was perfect and our bellies were ample full by the end of it!

we went to get a Gondola ride around fake Venice but it was closed. We would do it in the morning. We had planned to go to real venice for the honey moon so thought it would make a very nice comparison photo. We ended the night by hitting a private cocktail and whiskey club and chilling out in the dark rooms of the mirage, a cool end to an amazing day. We spent the next day extending the party on drinking beers by the pool and just chilling out working on our very pale compections! a great day spent.

All the photos are in the header gallery, I may put together a wee video at somepoint as the trip was fantatsic and we had 3 semi pro photographers and also all had go pros.