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Published: October 13th 2006
Well my trip to Scotland started off not too well. After saying goodbye to my new-found friends, I was left very lonely as I waited and waited at the airport. This was not helped by finding out the AFL Grand Final score while there and seeing what a great game it was. I was basically sitting there depressed.
So after getting off at the airport, it was an amazing site to travel into downtown Edinburgh and see Edinburgh Castle perched high above the city, on the crag of rock. It really is a stunning city as you drive into it, though my depression still filtered through me and the city was probably not as well received as it should have been. I got to my hostel, Castle Rock Hostel (an impressive hostel, with one of the comfier hostel beds I have ever slept in) before I did a little walking tour of the city. Strolling around town and taking in the magnificent buildings and cobbled streets. Its quite a hilly city, due to the volcanoes erupting years ago, which is why Edinburgh Castle is high above, as they knew it would be imposing and hard to attack, being so high
up, built on a crag of rock from a volcano. There are many ''Close's'' whcih are very steep to climb and create an eerie sense to the city. It was a pretty early night, due to being so tired.
The next day I was up and headed to Belushi's to watch the NRL Grand Final. If I wasn't homesick before, then I was now. I won't go into the game as most would have seen it and the terrible referring. But it made me more homesick as I am a Melbourne boy through and through and would have loved to have seen us win, but instead feel the pain all over the other side of the world. So off I went to explore Edinburgh again, my video footage straight afterwards is likely to have little passion in my voice as I was moping around a bit. But I got on a hop on hop off bus and toured the city proper. Wandered the Royal Scotland Museums and climbed up St Johns mountain to get panoramic views of the city. Most of my day was spent doing these touristy things. I was luckily enough to be walking in the right
area at the right time as a procession of bagpipe players (well their in abundance anyway) were being lead from the Royal Mile down around Market Street. It was a very impressive site and sound. Later in the evening I caught up with Anna from my Paddywagon group of Ireland, which was good and comforting.
The next day I purchased some travel tickets and headed off to Dunblane. Many of you would realise this is the place, where the tragic events 10 years ago of the loss of, I believe, 14 school children and a teacher. Obviously this was a close event to our family and I made sure to write a card and take it to the school. I spoke to a lady there, who was teaching on the day and she was very appreciative. I told her I remember reading a card they had sent to us and tried to show my appreciation by visiting them. I felt much better for having gone there and expressing my feelings, and they seemed geniunely touched I had turned up.
From here I headed back to Edinburgh and toured some more of the city in the heavy rain, before
trying to sort through travel problems with airlines and buses. Its not all beer and skittles this travelling business and it was a bit of a hassle that day.
The following day I began my 5 day tour of Scotland with MacBackpackers. Our first stop was St Andrews, the home of golf!!! Ah this place got me going! Another one of those places you see on the telly at home or photos of, and think that it would be good to one day go to. Well here I was standing behind the first tee and 18th green in front of the members drinking whisky in the clubhouse! Quality! The Dunhill Links Championship was on the following week. I walked around the university town, but headed back to the Old Course to take it in more and stroll down the beach where the Chariots of Fire beach running scene was filmed. I could have spent the day just walking the course, but after 2 hours we had to move on, and up north through Dundee.
Before we got into our hostel we went to a whisky distillery, Edradour. Its the smallest whisky distillery in Scotland, and its still made
by hand today, so that was cool. We stayed in a place called Pitlochry, and went out that night for some karaoke ... had to twist my arm on that one! A few drinks and 3 songs later we ended the night.
Our next day, had us leaving on a beautiful morning, through mountain ranges, to the pass of Killcrankie, where one of the many battles occurred. It was a good walk around, and interesting. We then made our way into the highlands, and had a bit of a picnic in the ruins of a castle, topped off with some hot chocloate, with the secret ingredient of whisky! Hey we're in Scotland, so why not? We then saw some ''cairns'' which are piles of rocks in the formation of huts or something and have been around before Christ. (Very much like Stone henge but smaller). We then saw the famous battlegrounds of Culloden, where the highlanders charge officially ended. Our day was topped off by a stop at Loch Ness, and as the sun was setting, then what better time than to go for a swim!! This time myself, Dale (Mulburnian) and Ashe (from Geraldton) took the plunge. Alas
again I thought it best to take my clothes off! Photos this time.
We went out in Inverness that night, to a good Thai place, with some local Scottish music being played, before heading to the worst bar ever, and being attacked by the monsters of Invershhneckie!
Our next day, was basically spent on and around Loch Ness. We saw the Falls of Foyers, where the original Stone of Destiny was believed to have been thrown into (not allowed to say this in Edinburgh Castle). We did a cruise of Loch Ness from Fort Augstus, on a picturesque and clear day. The boat's captain was clearly a believer of Nessie, and showed many photos and video footage he had collected as he has searched Loch Ness for many years. He even said there was a sonar reading of a being swimming in Loch Ness (about 25 foot in length) swimming the day before we got there at about 34 miles per hour. Low and behold we saw Nessie! And I do believe.
The rest of our day was spent travelling around, taking stops for some climbing and river gazing, before we ended up Eilean Donan Castle. This
is the most photographed castle in the UK, and has been the site of many tv commercials (all for whisky!) and the movie Highlander, and Bond's, The World is Not Enough. It is a very picture-perfect castle and we explored it until closing time. Night ending by the fire, after a pool competition.
Day 4 of the tour, was our trip around The Isle of Skye. We began by arriving at a small fishing village called Portree, and wandered around and enjoyed the cheap bakery. Not much to see and do there though. We stopped along the way as we continued around the island, and a few climbs up some boggy areas to see some waterfalls meant, our shoes were quickly saturated and dirty, but great fun. We stopped at some lookouts, before a 1 and a half hour climb along the highlands mountain range. It was raining constantly all day (we're in Scotland so its to be expected) and the trail was good and boggy and thin, so made for some interesting times with people falling and periously close to falling off the side, but boy were there some impressive views we got, as we walked around, a
massive highlight of the trip. We then went to a ''magical fairy site'', I am not too sure the story but it was some myth about being tranquil with the fairies. Good fun though getting dirty, running down the marshy hills chasing sheep! We then made a stop at a weird attraction to Angus MacAskill, who was the tallest Scotsman, and there is a made up 'statue' to him and his sidekick .. not the most exciting thing ever, but something not everyone who comes to Scotland would see, I am sure. We then headed back to the hostel in Kyleakin for some dinner. We went out to the local establishment, which was quite popular on the night. I made friends, then somehow enemies with a local fisherman, but all ended okay. An interesting and fun night was had by all.
Our final day of tour, had us gradually returning to Edinburgh, through a most scenic drive. We headed down to Fort William, the home of Britains highest mountain, including the hgihest peak in the UK, Ben Nevis. We stopped at Glen Coe, the scene of a terrible massacre that took place between the Macdonald’s and the Campbell’s. We
heard many stories of the battles and myths and legends of certain areas and mountain ranges from our guide Duncan, who was very good and had great knowledge of his country. After a great drive through the highlands and past Loch Lomand (you take the high road, and I'll take the low road, and I'll be in Scotland before you. Me and my true love will never meet again, on the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomand -- sorry I got caught up with that song!) we then head out of the Highlands down to Stirling, to pay homage to Mr William Wallace, and Mel Gibson (he has a terrible statue here) at the Wallace Monument. Myself and Kirsten (German) climbed to the top and took in the views.
We then headed to the braveheart battlesfields and those of Robert the Bruce. It was here where (after arranging with Duncan), I recited Mel Gibson's famous Braveheart speech, on the battlefields in front of our group and other concerned tourists! ... Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace ... okay we all know it! But it was invigorating reciting it there!
We headed back to Edinburgh and said goodbye
Braveheart
This guy appeared in the film, his butt is shown in one of the first sequences. And his cousin is Mary Donaldson (Princess) apparantly.at a pub on the Royal Mile. Scotland had just beaten France in the soccer, so the town was going off. Saw Anna from my Irish tour at the hostel and we arranged to spend the following day together. Made good friends with Arne, Kirsten, Dale, Tenille, Ashe and Brooke, and we had a few drinks that night, singing many of the songs we had learnt along the trip from Duncan. Unfortunately no bagpipes with a mix of techno, which sounded great!
On my last day in Scotland, said goodbye to Ashe and Brooke. Then myself, Arne, Kristen and Anna went off and explored Edinburgh Castle, which was very interesting and offers great views of the cities. We saw the oldest crown jewels in the UK, and the 'Stone of Destiny' (or as our tour guide from MacBackpackers told us, a replica). It was a good few hours learning about the castle and the history that dates back years and years. Before leaving the hostel for good, I went to show Anna a message on my Aussie phone, only to be unable to find it. I thought I must have packed it at the bottom of my backpack and
Dance moves
We were trying to do our sexiest dance moves ... enough said! couldn't be bothered going through it all, however as we left the hostel I thought I should check in case it had made its way to reception ... low and behold there it was! Just as well I asked! We then just wandered around, before myself, Arne and Anna had some drinks before our night bus trip back to London. Good times.
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Shinz
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oh the memories
I remember all those places too..the fairy story did you have to put your face in the stream? We did some crazy ritual thing about that, supposed to make you beautiful, I think it made you wet and freezing! Why am I not suprised you went skinny dipping?!