30 August
We couldn't schedule our continuing flight to Aberdeen, Scotland on the Aer Lingus website for a reason known only to them. Actually the leg Dublin - Aberdeen is flown by Stobart Air, a regional carrier using 72-passenger twin-engine turbo-props. They flit all over the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
So we had a long day in the DUB terminal.
Finally, it came time for the Aberdeen flight. The departure gate fronted on a bus stop, so it was obvious we'd be bussed to the plane. A whole great mob of passengers got into the bus, but then we had to wait for the last two to check in at the last moment. The bus took us to Stobart Air's ATR72-600 turboprop. The pilots started up one engine and taxied to the runway, starting the other engine just prior to entering the runway.
Then the thing bucked and snarled its way down the runway and into the air. The flight (70 minutes) wasn't bad, and we reached Aberdeen on-time. We had decided NOT to take a rental car into a strange large city, so we took a taxi to Mercure Caledonian, right downtown, for 17.50 GBP.
We put our stuff in the room and took a walk around the park across the street, but things were starting to close. So we returned, then made our way a couple of blocks behind the hotel to Granite Park Restaurant and Bar. We were first in and took a table by the window. We did wine & G&T, then ate with a small bottle of gewürztraminer. The food was good and the Polish waiter was a lot of fun. We walked back to our room.
D snuggled into bed, turned on the TV and went to sleep, just about that fast. I stayed up until I whipped the problem of not having navigation data on my iPhone. When I got it running at 2202, I went to bed and slept till 0803.
It was a reasonable day but we're very happy to be here after all that time in airplanes and airports.
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31 August
Our first day up north in Scotland. We've been across the south of Scotland but never up here. The weather is very changeable, sometimes giving four seasons in a few hours. We went back out by taxi to the airport to get the rental car. I've no idea how these people stay in business. When I reserve a car for 0900, I expect to get it then. Not in this place. We arrived late, at 10:15. They said it would be 10 minutes until the car was ready. I was taken to the car at 1105. The Hertz person did go over the controls with me, but in some strange language like Greek.
He tossed me the keys and went to lunch, as did all the other persons preparing cars - Avis, Europcar, etc.
So, then off through the gorse and heather. Must remember - left side of the road driving!! Actually, I did well, only making one mistake.
Finally we entered Cairngorms National Park (Scottish Gaelic Pàirc Nàiseanta a' Mhonaidh Ruaidh). It took a while to get to Newtonmore because I had selected a scenic route. And the place is scenic. We topped a pass where no trees grow, but the one power windmill was generating like mad. The heather grew, close to the ground, but nothing else.
We didn't stop at Aviemore for steam train operations or to look at the visitor center. Lock Ness, home of the (supposed) monster, is way off our track so we'll pass on trying to see Nessie. Instead, we wandered to Newtonmore and the Glen Hotel.
The Glen is interesting. There are nine sleeping rooms upstairs. Down is a tiny reception, a small breakfast room, a good-sized pub dining room and bar. We went up to room 7 and relaxed a bit. The room is good-sized, as is the bathroom. We could do well here for a week or two - very friendly folks.
We stepped outside, and it started raining. We went into the McPherson museum across the road. The McPhersons are a large clan here. The museum had lots of history on them and the 30 or so "chiefs" the clan has and had. They appear to have been a violent lot, or maybe thats just the way things were then. They were in every big battle like Bannockburn and Culloden. I'll have to read more on them at home.
We gave our donation and did a small hike of the town - down one side and back the other.
People here park at the side of the road, or maybe put two wheels on the curb. A lady had done that. A car whizzing past collided mirror-to-mirror and scattered both mirrors along the road and just kept going. A bystander got his registration number so the police should have no problem finding him and his car without a mirror.
We got back to the hotel and sat for a bit. Then it was down to dinner. We had drinks, then she had lamb shank & I had chicken, ham & leek pie. Both were good, but very filling. Now we're back in the room, resting. We can sleep in tomorrow, it's not far to our next stop.
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1 September
Up at 0830 to meet schedule. We drove off to Fort William, seeing Britain's highest mountain (Ben Nevis) on the way. BN is about 4,000 feet high. The roads here in the park are not all that good. Most of them don't have a center-line, meaning "fight it out with the other guy". I ran slightly off the road once to avoid a truck but kept it running straight and eventually onto the road. We saw many places where this had happened to others.
In Ft Wm we tried to check in at the Imperial Hotel, a Best Western affiliate. But we were too early, so we left our luggage and went window shopping on the high street, which turned into kid shopping on the high street. This place is serious about supporting climbers and "walkers", and this is the end of the season, so some things were 70% off. D found a couple of cute kid things. We hiked back to the hotel at 1345 and headed for the train station. The ride basically is two hours out, two hours there, two hours back, with stops along the way.
Now for background, have a glance at the Jacobite rebellion history by BBC.
The afternoon's big event is the Jacobite steam-engine train ride to the port of Mallaig. Here's the link to the Google Maps view of the area.
The ride today was behind 4-6-0 coal steamer Royal Lancastrian, number 45407. It had no problem pulling the six coaches 42 miles to Mallaig and pulling them in reverse back to Fort William. The tracks go over one beautiful curved stone viaduct of 21 arches, thru several tunnels and numerous cuttings.
The people across the table from us were newlyweds from Brazil. Very much in love and having fun. Fun to watch.
Mallaig is the seaport for that section of Scotland, a fishing port and ferry port for off-shore islands. Of course it makes money on the steam train visitors with its several tea rooms and gift shops. The weather was perfect for this trip - about 60* and mostly sunny.
Back in Ft Wm, we stumbled down the rough streets in the dark to the motel and into the dining room. We ate and went to the room, where we closed the windows (48* now) and took ibuprofen.
We'll rest and do pictures and take it easy until mid-morning, when we head for Glasgow.
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Today was exciting. All we did was go south on A82 until we crossed the Clyde River and continued to the airport.
BUT, today's a Saturday and the weather is nice. The weather tomorrow is supposed to be bad. So everyone in Glasgow headed north on A82 to walk the hills, or to gather butterflies, or to shop the stores for big bargains or to get smashed. The northbound traffic was continuous.
The traffic going our way wasn't bad at all, except for one blasted VW camper bus made in about 1960. He would do 30-35 mph no matter what the limit or where he was. In town, blast through at 35. On the road with the limit at 50, piddle along at 35. Maddening. I did pass him, but i shouldn't have - I cut it too close with an incoming motorcycle that must have been doing 70.
So I pulled out in a couple of places so D could take pictures.
The roads were the usual lane-and-a-half all the way down past Loch Lomond. At times I didn't think the other guy was going to the edge of his lane while i went to the edge of mine. Especially this dang tour bus that seemed as wide as the road and this little red thing that forgot where it was and headed for Dolores.
Somewhere around Arden the road widened to a full lane each way and the traffic sped up to 60. Then we hit this series of roundabouts, one after another. Finally there was a looonnngg queue for the bridge over the Clyde. Then more roundabouts. When we got to the airport, we had to get onto Motorway M8 for 10 yards, exit and do a 180 into the lot.
I haven't had this tiring a day driving in a long while. I'm very happy someone else will be driving next week.
A cab took us into Glasgow and the Carlton George hotel near George Square. We loafed for 30 seconds, then went out to look at the square. Yup, there's the HOHO bus and onto it we hopped. An hour and a half later we returned to the same spot with a little more knowledge of Glasgow, and a ticket that allows us to do it again tomorrow. Hmmm….
As we approached the hotel, the clock struck 1700. We went to the exec lounge and had a glass we really needed. We discussed dinner options and whether our legs would make it.
We had noticed a Jamie's (Oliver) Italian on the other side of the square so we walked to it and had a light dinner. Very good. We walked back through the park so D could take pictures, especially of Sir Walter Scott on a high column. The pigeons don't have a very high opinion of Walt.
We hiked through Queen Street Station looking for an ATM but found none - it's being reconstructed. In the hotel we straggled up to our room and collapsed.
But I later gathered myself and loaded D's photos into the laptop. I made up the narrative of the day (this missive). Then I decided to go to the Exec Lounge, have a G&T and finish the processing.
Migawd some people are loud. Three middle-aged ladies and three middle-aged men got to talking which escalated into a contest which escalated into arguments with shouting. But they all appeared to be having fun. The hotel is taking a hit by giving this crew free booze. I don't think any of them can find the door.
Back to the room to rest and relax.
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