There’s nothing better for a reset than some sun and sea. This week, we took a ferry trip from Belfast over to Liverpool. My hubby (Joseph Robert) and I used to live in London nine years ago, so this was our first trip back to England since then, although Liverpool was a first for us both. Our little adventurer chose this particular trip as he wanted to go on the ferry. Prior to this trip, I had only ever been on the ferry from Stranraer to Belfast, which is only about a three hour journey. Being on the Irish Sea for a third of the day certainly gave a sense of scale in terms of how far places are within the UK. An airplane ride from Belfast to Liverpool would take about forty minutes, effectively over before the distances would have any time to register in my brain. Seeing Northern Ireland slowly disappear and Scotland, England, Wales and the Isle of Man come into view over the course of eight hours certainly emphasised to me the vastness of our planet, even in the microcosm of the UK.

Liverpool on one side of the Mersey and the Wirral on the other

Seeing my own country from the perspective of the sea also helped change my mindset about some things I’d been taking for granted. It’s easy to go about your everyday life without really appreciating the beauty of where you live because you’re too wrapped up in work, or general life.

If Belfast is good enough for tourists, it’s good enough for locals like me

It was fun to properly watch familiar sights, such as the Mourne Mountains (we climbed Slieve Donard in April this year), Scrabo Tower, Black Mountain and Cavehill come into view at a distance, giving me a chance to live in the moment. It’s good to be mindful of mindfulness!

The Mourne Mountains from the Irish Sea – a different view than on top of Slieve Donard

Of course, as much as I wax philosophical about appreciating the landscape on my summer adventures, I’m always business-minded too. Ever on the lookout for some promo ops, I couldn’t resist the lure of some nautical fun on the ferry, especially with a dash of sailor cosplay. I’m a sucker for dressing up (hence my multitude of witchy cosplay videos on my YouTube). Here’s a bit of shipshape summer fun:

For now, it’s back to normal life, with a fresh perspective on the mundanities. After all, isn’t that what a holiday is for?

Posted by on July 18, 2025 in Random stuff and tagged , , , , , , .

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About Leilanie Stewart

Leilanie Stewart is an award-winning author and poet from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She writes ghost and psychological horror, as well as experimental poetry. Her writing confronts the nature of self; her novels feature main characters on a dark psychological journey who have a crisis and create a new sense of identity. She began writing for publication while working as an English teacher in Japan, a career pathway that has influenced themes in her writing. Her former career as an Archaeologist has also inspired her writing and she has incorporated elements of archaeology and mythology into both her fiction and poetry. In addition to promoting her own work, Leilanie runs Bindweed Anthologies, a creative writing publication with her writer husband, Joseph Robert. Aside from publishing pursuits, Leilanie enjoys spending time with her husband and their lively literary lad, a voracious reader of sea monster books.

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  1. lyndhurstlaura's avatar lyndhurstlaura says:
    July 19, 2025 at 6:40 AM

    Sounds like a great time, and as you say a break from it all and a different perspective on life. Glad you enjoyed it. 😊

    Reply

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