An early start this morning 6 am and on the bus at 8 am heading back to London… a lot of hours on the bus today …stopped briefly at a truck stop for toilets and stretch the legs then onto Stratford upon Avon saw Anne Hathaways cottage and visited Shakespeare’s birthplace and visitor centre a quaint little town ….had lunch in a cafe (another soup) and bought a couple of souvenirs ….back on the bus at 2pm and got into London around 4 pm ….we all said our goodbyes and quite a few of us checked into the hotel ….caught up with a few of them again at dinner and an early night for our train trip tomorrow to Amsterdam. 7041kms travelled on the bus.... read more

Allan gave us a comprehensive tour around Edinborough and up to Edinborough Castle where he left us to spend the rest of the morning …. Saw where the Royal Scottish Crown sits and inside the castle rooms/dungeons etc and the view from castle rock …a whiskey tasting and purchased some whisky liquer. Wandered down out from the castle and crowds of people…. 2 beautiful owls on show and a piper. Went into a few shops full of Tweed, Tartan, Cashmere and Bag Pipes. Found coffees to go and on the bus about 2 pm and out to Roslyn Chapel made from Limestone a 15th century building famed for its associations with the Knights Templar the Masonic movement and da Vinci code. Back to the hotel and quick hour and a half turn around and back on ... read more

Alistair a producer/director at BBC Glasgow was our Local Guide on a Tour to Portree …..Very informative on the history and lifestyle on the Isle of Skye we had a spell at Portree before heading back, a brief stop at Broadford to let Alistair go and on towards Loch Ness …stopped at the information centre /souvenir and cafe and a look down at the lake didn’t see Nessie today ….carried on to wards Inverness stopped at the top of the lock for the Americans to look at the ‘Hairy Coos’ (Scottish Highland Cows). On through Inverness and out to the ‘Battle Fields of Culloden’ 1746 ….A long day ….finally arrived at the hotel in the middle of nowhere, possibly the oldest and most basic one yet ….had dinner altogether in the hotel restaurant and a couple ... read more

Left Penrith 8.30 weather still holding but chilly about 16/17 c made the short drive of 1/2 hr to Gretna green arrived 9.10 where Young lovers from England fled to get married as from 1754 the marriage age was 21 with parents permission in England where as they could get married at Gretna Green boys 14 and girls 12 ….photos of the blacksmith shop where the rings were made had a look around and left at 10 am made the 2 hour trip through to the Falkirk Wheel the only rotating canal lock to raise boats 29 metres between the lower and upper canal we had some lunch and boarded the boat at 1 pm for a trip on the wheel and upper canal a great feat of engineering!!!! Trip complete and back on the bus ... read more

Up at 6 am another rough night of coughing… dressed and bags out and down onto bus at 6.40am made the short drive out to the ports…. They were huge covered a massive area bus parked on the boat and we all traipsed up the stairs into the ferry …had our breakfast vouchers and all got tables and had our hot breakfast… Don and I sat with Jo and Jerry the Americans and passed the 3 1/2 hours easily … crossing was better than the one over to Ireland (there is supposed to be a big storm coming and we were the only sailing of the day today) docked 11.45 and back on the bus off at Holly head ….travelled through Wales countryside to Chester 2pm the rain had set in had a wander through Chester ... read more