We have a BIG Announcement
Happy Sunday everyone! We are back this weekend with a BIG announcement about the personal side of our lives. We got engaged!
We will get right into the nitty gritty of how and when I proposed to Gemma in this newsletter, but before we do, we just want to thank all of you who have already watched the Youtube video and sent us all of your lovely messages. We appreciate it so much!
We have been keeping it a secret for the past couple of weeks after we left the Maldives as we had some friends and family that we wanted to surprise in person when we got home. Now it is all out in the open and we are so happy to share it with you. If you want to watch the (very emotional) video that I made as I surprised Gemma with the proposal in the Maldives then scroll to the bottom and click the link, but if you just want to read about it then read on!
We have a LOT to share with you since we last spoke! If you’re not already, make sure you head over to our TikTok, Instagram or Facebook page to follow our stories and see what we get up to on a day to day basis.
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TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@highlands2hammocks
If you are interested in joining our Patreon community, where we have live calls and share some more behind the scenes, you can read more about it at the link below 
our next Patreon zoom chat is tomorrow 
For the full details, check out our Patreon by clicking here.
The Build Up (and a VERY close call!)
For three months I carried the ring in my backpack, through Bali, Thailand, Malaysia, and finally into the Maldives. It sat at the very bottom of my front pouch, packed beneath a lot of junk that I was sure Gemma would never go searching under, however, there was one moment where it was almost game over. The funny part was our trip hadn’t even began yet..
As we boarded our first flight out of the UK, from London to Malaysia, I passed through security and for the first time in my life had a complete bag search. All I could do was stand and watch in horror as the security guard rifled through the top secret front pouch, taking everything out and asking me what each thing was, all whilst Gemma was standing less than 5 foot away packing up her own bag. When the lady finally got to the bottom and pulled out the silver box that was wrapped in a bow, she looked at me with slight puzzlement before quickly realising what it was as I looked back at her wide eyed and nodding my head towards Gemma. Fortunately she quickly got my meaning and hid the ring back in the bag before Gemma had a chance to turn around.
I am very glad to say that this was the one and only close call through our entire three month backpacking trip and it remained a secret right up until the time came to pop the question.
Time for a Treasure Hunt
Throughout our relationship, I have loved taking Gemma on treasure hunts and surprising her with cryptic messages on a rainy day to pass the time and make her smile. As we checked into the Mercure Maldives on the island of Kooddoo and I wandered around this luxurious resort, I immediately knew that a treasure hunt was going to be the way that I would as her.
The day started off like any other, with a buffet breakfast and far too much food, quickly followed by the one and only torrential downpour that we experienced during our entire time in the Maldives. What are the chances, right? Well, it turned out this “rainy day” vibe was the perfect excuse to pack Gemma off for a massage to give me an hour to prepare the room and cue cards to bring my grand plan to life. Kissing each other goodbye, I ran back to the room and began to organise the game of treasure hunt, with the very kind help of the staff to decorate the bed with flowers.
The game consisted of four notes, each telling Gemma how much she means to me and taking her on a walk through the timeline of our relationship. Visiting each of the three corners of the resort, the Italian restaurant (our favourite food in the world), the Scuba centre (the place that reminds me how brave Gemma is), and the pool bar (the place where we admire the sunset and drink too much wine), Gemma would arrive at each of them and ask if I was here, only to be told that I had just left and left her a note with the next clue.
Once Gemma visited all of these locations, the time finally came for her to pour us both a glass of wine and head on back to our overwater villa for one final question. One that I was hoping she would know the answer to..
It is these milestones in our lives that make me so very grateful for the work that we put into creating video memories of all of our trips. We are in a very unique point in technology where we can immortalise memories such as the time I asked my now fiancé to marry me, and it is a memory that I can now cherish forever.
If I could give you one lesson that the past two years have taught us and has been epitomised by this unforgettable moment in my life, it is that you should take more photos and videos of everything you do in. Never mind the nay-sayers who state that “you should live in the moment and put your phone away”. That is not productive and it is certainly not something that your future self will thank you for. Take those photos and videos and don’t JUST live in the moment, live that same moment forever-more.
What’s next?!
We’re back in Scotland now, getting back into work and preparing Ellie for our next adventure.. van life in Europe pending !! 🙂
Have a great week friends
Gemma and Campbell x
