Goodbye Scotland.......Hello Civilisation

Phew! It was a close thing but we finally made it safely back across the border. Those mad Scots did everything they could to deter us from returning South but as with all previous battles with 'em.....the English were victorious in the end.

Firstly, we had barely left Dingwall when the road diversions started and they tried to lose us on the narrow twisting country roads. Secondly, they tried to sap our energy by not providing any service stations anywhere on route and finally, some thieving lowlander knicked all the signs for the A1 once we got across the Forth Bridge. Anyway, the important thing is we made it back to the real world and can now enjoy a bowl of soup that doesn't cost £5.50 (restaurant in Ullapool), petrol that doesn't cost £1.05 per litre (almost everywhere in Scotland) and the Internet that doesn't cost £6.00 per hour (yes, you heard it right, £6.00 per hour) (a one-computer shack in Aviemore). Only two weeks earlier, we had used an Internet Cafe not 100 yards from Piccadilly Circus and it cost us 99p an hour.......and they say London is expensive.

I had forgotten from previous visits how rampant the midges were at this time of the year and lost nearly a pint of blood thanks to being bitten all over. Jo came away totally unscathed but then, of course, her blood is red.

We managed to cover a fair bit of ground in the 11 days we were up there taking in Inverness, Dunnet Head, Durness, John O'Groats, Aberdeen, Fort William, Nairn, Elgin, The Cairngorms, Ullapool, Gairloch and the Isle of Skye.

Despite the one or two niggles mentioned above, you would have to go a long way to find scenery as breath-taking as the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Although we briefly visited the Isle of Skye on our last visit to Scotland, we made a full day of it this time and were amazed at how the scenery changes as you go around the island. We were stopping every few minutes to take photographs. We had also been mis-informed about the Skye Bridge toll and we found it had been scrapped about 1-1/2 years ago which was a bonus.

Another morning was spent on a boat tour of Loch Ness and of course Nessie kindly put in an appearance once he heard we were visiting. Not only him but one of his friends too as the photos below will show.

On another day, we got talking to the woman who ran the most northern tea shop in mainland Britain and discovered she moved there 6 years ago from Orpington, just two streets away from the hall where our film club meets every fortnight.

However, despite us being well travelled (we've even been to Shooters Hill, you know), I did spot something that I had not come across before......and it was rather traumatic. On a visit to the Gents in a cafe in Fort William, I spied a machine from which you could obtain 'Adult Toys'. Amongst the selection of around 9 different items ranging from scented undies to oddly shaped vibrators was an 'Inflatable Sheep'. Now, 'each to his own' I've always said but the machine wanted £6.50 for this rather novel Scottish souvenir. Well.....I have to tell you.....Jo was not best pleased at having to go back to the autobank for me.

On the way home we met up with Gordon and Barbara Beales, members of our film club in Orpington who reside in Middlesbrough. We hadn't seen them for around 4 years so it was great to meet up again and catch up with all their news.

Now we are back in Bexhill, we have 12 days or so before we leave to sort out all the last minute bits. We've been back to our new flat to have another look around and hope to complete on 4th August. It all depends if the present owner can arrange to clear the flat by that date, otherwise we are looking at completion after we leave. It's too late anyway to arrange moving in our own junk but it will be something to look forward to on our return.

We will e-mail you all in due course with the new address so you can forward any cheques you may wish to send.

Meanwhile, there are a couple of deck-chairs on the beach outside the flat with our names on them so if you don't mind (and even if you do) we will sign off until the next time.

Love to all

Mike and Jo

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