The story of my journey from the capital of England to the capital of the Yukon
One of the first things people ask me when they hear my accent is what brought me all the way out here to Whitehorse?
I had been contemplating a change for a while and came to the conclusion I should move abroad. Originally I was leaning towards Australia but after spending some time here for work, I decided to move to Canada instead. Not long after this decision, I entered into a relationship with someone originally from Quebec. I was deciding where specifically to move, and they were deciding whether to join me.
Everything was pointing towards Vancouver. However, I spent two summers in Dawson, and the beauty of the Yukon was one of the things that pulled me towards Canada over Australia. I wanted to go on outdoor adventures climbing mountains, canoeing rivers and camping in the wilderness. My partner knew this and told me there was no better place than the Yukon for that style of life. They already lived in Whitehorse for the past few years and had lots of friends and contacts they could share to help me with my transition. So Whitehorse became my destination, and the long journey here began!
I am originally from South West London and lived there before my move abroad. However, my sister, parents and newly-born twin nieces all lived in the North of England. I wanted to spend some time with them before I left, and it was cheaper to fly to Canada from anywhere else but London at the time I was looking to leave. So I moved out of my house, which I shared with my two best friends, and moved back in with my parents temporarily. Before going, I spent some quality time saying goodbye to my friends and family.
Road Trip 1: Journey from London to the Peak district in my soon-to-be-sold car, approximately a five-hour drive
During my plans to move, my partner decided they wanted to buy a new car. They came to the conclusion it would be cheaper to buy outside of the Yukon. I also noted that depending on where they bought the car, it could save me a lot of money on connecting flights and lower the risks of any of my belongings getting lost along the way if we drove back together. They found a car in Calgary and we decided to meet there and do a week-long road trip back to Whitehorse in the new vehicle.
With the new destination set, I started looking at the cheapest flight options and found Edinburgh to be the best value for money. My parents hadn’t been to Scotland, so I asked them if they wanted to drive there to take me to the airport and stay an extra night or two so they could explore. I even offered to cover all the costs of accommodation. They agreed to the trip but declined letting me pay for anything other than the first night as it was the only one I would be spending with them there.
Coincidentally, a night in an Airbnb 20 minutes outside of Edinburgh and flights from there to Calgary was still cheaper than flying to Canada from any London airport. My nan also came to visit and say goodbye from her home in the South of England and to look after my parents’ cats while they went on their trip to Scotland.
Road Trip 2: Six-hour journey from the Peak District to the Scottish Lowlands, approximately a 6-hour drive
Before going to our accommodation, my parents and I took a detour to the beautiful Loch Lomond. It is the largest lake, by surface area, in Great Britain and is considered the boundary between the lowlands and highlands of Scotland. It is also the inspiration of a famous folk song called “The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond.”
The weather was stereotypically wet most of the time, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying our day, or locals from enjoying a swim! We also visited Balloch Castle before heading to our Airbnb. That evening we went to a local Italian restaurant for dinner, enjoyed some traditional Scottish snacks and had an early night.
On the morning of July 31, 2025, my parents went to Edinburgh for the first time, for a fun adventure. They climbed the famous Arthur’s Seat, visited Holyrood Palace and went to Edinburgh Castle, the iconic castle on the hill. At the same time, I was boarding a plane destined for Calgary to start an adventure of my own!
