Its 10:26 on Thursday May 31st. We leave tomorrow morning....and I'm all set. I have all day to do whatever I want and not stress about leaving. Just last minute bathroom items need to be tossed into the suitcase.
Man this feels good.
No guilt about leaving work behind either. Didn't think I'd ever get here. I hope by the time I get back the job is all changed and my hours will drastically be reduced.
Anyhow, I wanted to type out what our itinerary is not only so you all can tag along with us, but because some day I'll be scrapbooking this and will want to look back.
I recently took a class about travel scrapbooking and one of the things it brought up - that I hadn't ever really put to words - but that your trip itself may be a certain amount of time, but you live it longer than that brief moment. You spend months planning and then you'll spend the rest of your life talking about the trip. It's very true and I think that's why I love traveling so much. The stories. That and experiencing different cultures and seeing how others outside the US (or even inside the US) live.
So here goes...
Scotland June 1 - June 15th.
Scottish Highlands and Islands
DAY 1, SATURDAY JUNE 2, 2018
We get in around 7am - by the time we get to our hotel we'll probably have a half of day to go and do something. I've suggested the Glasgow hop on hop off bus - it covers a lot of ground in a short time. That evening we'll have a welcome dinner and meet our travel companions.
DAY 2, SUNDAY JUNE 3, 2018
GLASGOW–DOUNE CASTLE–ROYAL BURGH OF CULROSS–EDINBURGH
Apparently on our was to Edingurgh we'll stop a couple of places. If you've seen Outlander some of them you may recognize. Trossachs National park to see the Doune Castle (castle #1). I love castles. I have secretly thought about doing a tour of Scotland and hitting all their castles.
Then, at the Royal Burgh of Culross - a charming little town, I hear...
That night we'll be doing the optional Royal Burgh of Culross, follow your Local Guide through Scottish evening with Highland dancers, bagpipers, and the Ceremony of the Haggis. Lil' Sis won't be doing this particular excursion. But the rest of us are. I will be trying Haggis and I most likely will be hating it. But I have to...
DAY 3, MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018
EDINBURGH
We'll start the morning sightseeing with a local tour guide. We'll be visiting the 200-year-old “New Town” and the famous scientists, inventors, and novelists who lived there. Then we'll visit the “Old Town,” drive up the narrow Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle (Castle #2). If available we'll get to visit Holyrood Palace.
We opted in for the extra excursion this day too. We'll be heading to Rosslyn Chapel, made world-famous by Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, and also one of Scotland’s most remarkable buildings It will be the one place I may regret bringing the big camera. I suspect my breath will be taken away with its beauty (I may have already googled it).
DAY 4, TUESDAY JUNE 5, 2018
EDINBURGH. ABBOTSFORD EXCURSION
Today we'll visit parts of the Scottish Lowlands and Border Counties. The countryside will be on display as we drive through what I assume are the rolling hills and leafy valleys ultimately stopping at Abbotsford House - which is Sir Walter Scott’s home. I'm not sure I've ever read anything from him so I'll have to do some brushing up on that on the airplane.
After that we'll hit Melrose Abbey, the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s heart.
Later that evening Lil Sis and I will be doing an extra excursion to board the former
Royal Yacht Britannia to see how the Royal Family and crew of 240 lived and worked on board.
DAY 5, WEDNESDAY JUNE 6, 2018
EDINBURGH–ST. ANDREWS–BRAEMAR–INVERNESS
Today we'll leave Edinburgh behind. My Scottish Friends (R and G) have pointed out to me that as we pass over the Forth Road Bridge we'll pass their old house!
We;ll cross the Firth of Tay and from Dundee, head into the Highlands with a lunch stop in Braemar. The highlands are HIGH on my list and cannot wait to experience them. We'll drive through the Grampian Mountains and Cairngorms National Park to Inverness, the Highland capital - and where some of Outlander takes place. If only I can find my highlander who's wealthy and looking for an American bride. :-)
DAY 6, THURSDAY JUNE 7, 2018
INVERNESS. HIGHLANDS EXCURSION
Today we'll stop first at CLAVA CAIRNS, featured in Outlander and one of Scotland’s most
evocative sacred prehistoric sites with three exceptionally well-preserved burial cairns, each enclosed by stone circles. I'll be careful to not lean on any stones just in case I get hurled back into the 17th century.
We'll visit the Culloden Visitor Center, the story unfolds of the crushing Hanoverian victory over Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Scottish clans.
Then, caslte #3 Brodie Castle, the ancestral home of Clan Brodie. Back in Inverness, That afternoon we'll be taking in the famous Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle (castle #4). It includes a boat ride on the loch. I'll have my camera ready in case I see Nessie.
DAY 7, FRIDAY JUNE 8, 2018
INVERNESS–THURSO
Today is going to start off the Scottish way...a tour of a Whisky Distillery. Then we hit castle #5 Dunrobin Castle. I think we have the evening free for this day.
DAY 8, SATURDAY JUNE 9, 2018
THURSO. EXCURSION TO THE ORKNEY ISLANDS
At John o’Groats, we'll board a ferry to cross to South Ronaldsay, one of the Orkney Islands. We'll cross the four Churchill Barriers and overlook Scapa Flow, where the German fleet scuttled itself in World War I.
After lunch we'll get to tour the Orkney Brewery. SIL and I are in a win win situation here. Neither Lil' Sis or Blueberry drink, so SIL get their servings! Hiccup!
Then, we go to Skara Brae, where we'll see the remains of a 5,000-year-old Neolithic village and visit Skaill House. And then the Ring of Brodgar, the Orkneys’ Stonehenge. Some day the real Stonehenge will be seen by me.
DAY 9, SUNDAY JUNE 10, 2018
THURSO–DURNESS–ULLAPOOL–ISLE OF SKYE
Our guide book starts today with, "A day to sit back and enjoy the breathtakingly wild and unspoiled scenery, some of the finest in Britain." The northern coast is lined with miles of yellow-sand beaches and pretty estuaries, and the hills and mountains take on a purple hue as the summer progresses." Ok. I'm in. We drive through Durness to the quaint fishing port of Ullapool, where we get to enjoy a traditional fish and chips lunch at a local restaurant.
DAY 10, MONDAY JUNE 11, 2018
ISLE OF SKYE
Isle of Skye is by far what I'm looking forward to the most. I've heard so many tales of it's striking landscapes, weird rock formations, and dramatic waterfalls that I cannot wait to see them all for myself. We will drive around the Trotternish Peninsula and visit the Museum of Island life. Then, we'll drive up (or down) the spectacular coast route, stopping for photos, I hope, of the many waterfalls and gorges, and finally visiting the island capital of Portree. On the way back to Broadford, we'll take in the views of the jagged and dark peaks of the Cuillin Hills.
I always wonder if people who live in these types of places recognize just what an amazing place they live in. I'm not sure we Seattle folks really recognize it either though. I mean, we know it's beautiful and all, but do we understand why people flock to visit our city?
We're doing the extra excursion to the Eilean Donan Castle (castle #6 I think). What is said to be one of the most iconic images of Scotland, Eilean Donan Castle is situated on an island where three great lochs meet.
DAY 11, TUESDAY JUNE 12, 2018
ISLE OF SKYE–GLENFINNAN–ISLE OF MULL
Today we'll be at the Museum of the Isles to learn all about the Clan Donald and insight into 13 centuries of clan history. We will board a ferry at Armadale to cross the Sound of Sleat. Rejoin the mainland at Mallaig and follow the “Road to the Isles.” Stop at Glenfinnan with its viaduct, as seen in the Harry Potter films, then take the ferry to the Isle of Mull, where we will conclude our day with a visit to the quaint island capital of Tobermory.
DAY 12, WEDNESDAY JUNE 13, 2018
ISLE OF MULL. IONA EXCURSION
Another day to "leisurely relax and enjoy the best of Scotland’s western isles". We'll drive across Mull to visit the beautiful Isle of Iona. We'll have time to visit the Abbey and explore the religious settlement before returning to the hotel in the early afternoon. Maybe a nap.
Part of our trip to Isle of Mull is the extra excurstion to the Duarte Castle (castle #7). Duart Castle is the ancestral home of the Clan Maclean. Standing proudly on a cliff top guarding the Sound of Mull, Duart enjoys one of the most spectacular and unique positions on the West Coast of Scotland. This tour includes a glass of whisky in the banqueting hall.
DAY 13, THURSDAY JUNE 14, 2018
ISLE OF MULL–INVERARAY–GLASGOW
The final island ferry crossing brings us to Oban. Then, over the Pass of Brander and from Inveraray to the “Bonnie Banks” of Loch Lomond. I most likely will be singing this song the entire time. Everyone will enjoy that...
Back in Glasgow this afternoon, we'll get a city tour...which we may have already seen on our first day. There's a 12th-century cathedral, (another cathedral for SIL and I to explore...I've lost count of how many she and I have seen in all our travels). Later that night we'll have our farewell dinner. I'm sure I'll be ready to come home while feeling sad about leaving.
So that's it. If you're still reading...thank you. I'll be posting throughout the trip...
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Scotland...it's here
I cannot believe that Friday morning I'll be on a plane to Scotland. Seems like just yesterday SIL and I decided to go to Scotland. Man time sure did fly.
This will be a different trip in that we have more with us. Blueberry, My lil' sis, SIL and I are all going to take Scotland by storm. It may never be the same again.
I'm 98% packed. I still have some last minute things to throw in a suitcase, but by and large, I'm packed!
The lead up to this trip has been unlike all others. Work didn't allow me extra time do my normal research and I'm feeling a bit "behind". But never fear, I have a plan. I took tomorrow off so all day I can research, finish packing and generally get into the Scotland spirit. I'm leaving work behind.
I'm usually pretty good about checking out when I go on these long vacations. About a week in I get curious what's happening, and may peak into my email. This time I don't plan on doing a think. I turned my email off of my phone (which won't work in Scotland anyhow) and plan on NOT visiting our internet email site to "check in". I promised some folks photos, and will send those from my personal email only.
Another BIG decision I made is to NOT bring my big camera. My Canon and I had issues last trip in that it's just getting too big and too cumbersome to carry around for a trip like this. So I purchased a Lumix ZS100 (made by Panasonic) shortly after we returned from Ireland. It takes fantastic photos. It has everything I need. So I made the brave decision to leave the Canon at home. One side of me wants to bring it "just in case" and the other side of me says, "No need. You're good." It'll come down to the moment I'm walking out the door. My photos are very important to me, so I want to be sure I'm confident of the camera.
And with that...the next time you hear from me I'll be writing from Scotland. Woot!
This will be a different trip in that we have more with us. Blueberry, My lil' sis, SIL and I are all going to take Scotland by storm. It may never be the same again.
I'm 98% packed. I still have some last minute things to throw in a suitcase, but by and large, I'm packed!
The lead up to this trip has been unlike all others. Work didn't allow me extra time do my normal research and I'm feeling a bit "behind". But never fear, I have a plan. I took tomorrow off so all day I can research, finish packing and generally get into the Scotland spirit. I'm leaving work behind.
I'm usually pretty good about checking out when I go on these long vacations. About a week in I get curious what's happening, and may peak into my email. This time I don't plan on doing a think. I turned my email off of my phone (which won't work in Scotland anyhow) and plan on NOT visiting our internet email site to "check in". I promised some folks photos, and will send those from my personal email only.
Another BIG decision I made is to NOT bring my big camera. My Canon and I had issues last trip in that it's just getting too big and too cumbersome to carry around for a trip like this. So I purchased a Lumix ZS100 (made by Panasonic) shortly after we returned from Ireland. It takes fantastic photos. It has everything I need. So I made the brave decision to leave the Canon at home. One side of me wants to bring it "just in case" and the other side of me says, "No need. You're good." It'll come down to the moment I'm walking out the door. My photos are very important to me, so I want to be sure I'm confident of the camera.
And with that...the next time you hear from me I'll be writing from Scotland. Woot!
Sunday, May 13, 2018
2nd Mom's Day without her
I have been contemplating this day all week. I kept wondering just how bad it was going to be. And here I am...and it's fine. I have found myself thinking happy thoughts more today than sad thoughts. Yes, I miss her. God how I miss her. But I miss her every day, so today isn't any different.
Have you ever stumbled onto something that you'd been looking for? And it was like the universe was saying..."Hey...Look here." Today I was moving papers around the office when two papers feel out of a folder. When I looked to see what they were, they were copies of an interview The Niece did with Mom when the Niece was in high school.
Hmmm...is Mom talking to me?
Anyhow, I wanted to share it.
"Wow, you are asking me to remember a way, long time ago. But here goes. What were my teen years like? I was a teenager in the 1960's. The 1960's were a time of change for the United States. when I was in school, in southern California, there were "gangs" in school, but they were more like different groups. There were the "bookies", which now would be the "nerds"; there were the Chicanos, which were the Mexican group; there were the "surfers", no explanation needed; the "jocks", again, no explanation, and the "preppies" or the popular, into everything school leaders. I can't say I belonged to just one group, I hung around with all of them, but probably more in the "Preppy" group. In my junior year and senior year I was a cheerleader and in the drill team. I also worked for Von's Grocery company behind the cookie counter (now it would be the bakery). I could work legally at 15, and I went to work part time after school. I had to work for anything extra I wanted (i.e. extra "cool" clothes, surf board, class ring, extra spending money, etc.)
I had a lot of friends in school, and spent as much time as I could with them, but between school, working, cheerleading and drill team practice, I didn't have a lot of time left. and I was expected to help around the house as well. I had my regular chores of keeping my room clean (my mom would NOT ACCEPT a messy room - there was no option); vacuuming once a week, doing the dishes every other night (no dishwasher); cleaning the bathroom once a week and helping with dinner when I was home.
My mom and I got along okay, but I was a teenager and there was some tension between us from time to time. I had to be home on the weeknights...I was only allowed to go to practice and work, and then I had to be home by 9pm. My homework had to be done either before I went to practice or work, or immediately after I got home from either one. If I didn't have practice or work, my homework was done as soon as I got home from school...that was the rules of the house and I never challenged them. The way I looked at it, it was easier to go along with the rules than to fight them. At least it kept me out of trouble. On the weekends, if I went out, i was to be home by midnight...no later and not bargaining about a later time. I missed curfew a few times and was grounded, once for a month...no phone, no friends, only work and practice. And after I bought my car (my grandmother and I bought it...she helped me buy it - the car was a 1953 Chevy, and it cost $100, I only had $85 saved up, so she loaned me the $15 to finish paying for it...and I had to pay her back on my next payday) i had it about a month when I missed a curfew and my dad took away my car for two weeks. I was back to walking to school, practice and work! I had to decide which was more important, keeping curfew and my car, or walking...I chose keeping curfew and the car. Lesson Learned!
I did have an eating problem in high school. Back then there really wasn't a name for it. I just didn't eat. In my sophomore year I got really sick from not eating. I would eat, just not a lot. My parents were frustrated with my not eating and very worried. I was anorexic as they call it now. I was forced to eat more and more very day and I was expected to gain a point every week. That was so hard for me...I thought I was fat! I weighed 82 lbs my sophomore year and was 5'4" tall. Not healthy at all. After numerous doctor visits, the doctor told my parents they would hospitalize me if I didn't start gaining weight and "force feed me". I didn't want to find out what that was all about, so I started to try and eat and gain weight. I never realized how horrible I really looked being so thin. I finally gained 13 lbs and was at the lower end of acceptable weight. When I was underweight, I had very littler energy and my hair had started to fall out from being malnourished. I was starving myself to death. It took a long time for me to overcome the disease, but I finally did. I did some teen modeling when I was 14-16 for an agency in LA. When I was so thin, they wouldn't use me because I was too thin. I liked modeling and wanted to be a model, so it was a goal for me to gain some weight so I could model again.
What happened in my teen years? Hmmm...the hippy movement began when I was a teenager. some of my friends dropped out and became hippies. the Viet Nam war began and there were a lot of war protesters. Since my boyfriend was in the marines and I didn't really believe in the war, but supported our troops. I didn't really understand the war, and I don't think anyone really did. President Kennedy was shot my junior year of high school. that really scared me. to think someone would shoot our president. we also had he "Cuban crisis" when I was a sophomore. I remember everyone was scared we were going to war (remember our parents went through WWII) and began stockpiling food, they were remembering when during WWII there were rations on food, gas and other commodities.
What is the most important learning from those years? Ugh...what a question. I think the most important thing I learned is to like myself for who I am. My anorexia stemmed from me trying to be someone I wasn't. I wanted to be a model and I thought I had to be extra thin, but that was not true. I learned to be who I was and like myself. I also learned to chose my friends carefully. Some could lead me down the wrong road and my life would have been much different than it is today. I learned to make wise choices, choices that were good fro me, maybe not the most popular choices, or what my friends wanted me to do. I had a good set of values and I learned to use them wisely. "
Miss you Mom!
Have you ever stumbled onto something that you'd been looking for? And it was like the universe was saying..."Hey...Look here." Today I was moving papers around the office when two papers feel out of a folder. When I looked to see what they were, they were copies of an interview The Niece did with Mom when the Niece was in high school.
Hmmm...is Mom talking to me?
Anyhow, I wanted to share it.
"Wow, you are asking me to remember a way, long time ago. But here goes. What were my teen years like? I was a teenager in the 1960's. The 1960's were a time of change for the United States. when I was in school, in southern California, there were "gangs" in school, but they were more like different groups. There were the "bookies", which now would be the "nerds"; there were the Chicanos, which were the Mexican group; there were the "surfers", no explanation needed; the "jocks", again, no explanation, and the "preppies" or the popular, into everything school leaders. I can't say I belonged to just one group, I hung around with all of them, but probably more in the "Preppy" group. In my junior year and senior year I was a cheerleader and in the drill team. I also worked for Von's Grocery company behind the cookie counter (now it would be the bakery). I could work legally at 15, and I went to work part time after school. I had to work for anything extra I wanted (i.e. extra "cool" clothes, surf board, class ring, extra spending money, etc.)
I had a lot of friends in school, and spent as much time as I could with them, but between school, working, cheerleading and drill team practice, I didn't have a lot of time left. and I was expected to help around the house as well. I had my regular chores of keeping my room clean (my mom would NOT ACCEPT a messy room - there was no option); vacuuming once a week, doing the dishes every other night (no dishwasher); cleaning the bathroom once a week and helping with dinner when I was home.
My mom and I got along okay, but I was a teenager and there was some tension between us from time to time. I had to be home on the weeknights...I was only allowed to go to practice and work, and then I had to be home by 9pm. My homework had to be done either before I went to practice or work, or immediately after I got home from either one. If I didn't have practice or work, my homework was done as soon as I got home from school...that was the rules of the house and I never challenged them. The way I looked at it, it was easier to go along with the rules than to fight them. At least it kept me out of trouble. On the weekends, if I went out, i was to be home by midnight...no later and not bargaining about a later time. I missed curfew a few times and was grounded, once for a month...no phone, no friends, only work and practice. And after I bought my car (my grandmother and I bought it...she helped me buy it - the car was a 1953 Chevy, and it cost $100, I only had $85 saved up, so she loaned me the $15 to finish paying for it...and I had to pay her back on my next payday) i had it about a month when I missed a curfew and my dad took away my car for two weeks. I was back to walking to school, practice and work! I had to decide which was more important, keeping curfew and my car, or walking...I chose keeping curfew and the car. Lesson Learned!
I did have an eating problem in high school. Back then there really wasn't a name for it. I just didn't eat. In my sophomore year I got really sick from not eating. I would eat, just not a lot. My parents were frustrated with my not eating and very worried. I was anorexic as they call it now. I was forced to eat more and more very day and I was expected to gain a point every week. That was so hard for me...I thought I was fat! I weighed 82 lbs my sophomore year and was 5'4" tall. Not healthy at all. After numerous doctor visits, the doctor told my parents they would hospitalize me if I didn't start gaining weight and "force feed me". I didn't want to find out what that was all about, so I started to try and eat and gain weight. I never realized how horrible I really looked being so thin. I finally gained 13 lbs and was at the lower end of acceptable weight. When I was underweight, I had very littler energy and my hair had started to fall out from being malnourished. I was starving myself to death. It took a long time for me to overcome the disease, but I finally did. I did some teen modeling when I was 14-16 for an agency in LA. When I was so thin, they wouldn't use me because I was too thin. I liked modeling and wanted to be a model, so it was a goal for me to gain some weight so I could model again.
What happened in my teen years? Hmmm...the hippy movement began when I was a teenager. some of my friends dropped out and became hippies. the Viet Nam war began and there were a lot of war protesters. Since my boyfriend was in the marines and I didn't really believe in the war, but supported our troops. I didn't really understand the war, and I don't think anyone really did. President Kennedy was shot my junior year of high school. that really scared me. to think someone would shoot our president. we also had he "Cuban crisis" when I was a sophomore. I remember everyone was scared we were going to war (remember our parents went through WWII) and began stockpiling food, they were remembering when during WWII there were rations on food, gas and other commodities.
What is the most important learning from those years? Ugh...what a question. I think the most important thing I learned is to like myself for who I am. My anorexia stemmed from me trying to be someone I wasn't. I wanted to be a model and I thought I had to be extra thin, but that was not true. I learned to be who I was and like myself. I also learned to chose my friends carefully. Some could lead me down the wrong road and my life would have been much different than it is today. I learned to make wise choices, choices that were good fro me, maybe not the most popular choices, or what my friends wanted me to do. I had a good set of values and I learned to use them wisely. "
Miss you Mom!
Monday, May 07, 2018
Wine Wine the magical fruit...
Wow, two posts in a row with Wine in the title. Hmmm...
This last weekend SIL, Bluberry and I went out to do yet more wine tasting. It was "hidden" behind the veil of "let's go play with out new cameras". But I wasn't fooled. It was about wine tasting.
I've gone back and forth on the "wine goal" for this year. I find it amusing I even have a goal around wine. But here you have it.
I originally was going to try to taste 50 wineries this year (you know because it's my 50th year). Then I thought that my be too, oh I don't know, wino-esk.
So I changed it to 50 new wines. Well, shit 4 wineries and you've almost hit that goal.
Officially, my goal is to taste every winery in the Passport that I bought from Costco.
Done.
Know how many are in that...42! I'm going to give it my best though.
In other news, Scotland is a short 3 weeks away. I finally pulled my suitcase out and it's ready to go. The packing list is printed, and it's starting.
In more other news, Mother's Day is Sunday. This year has been different. I haven't been "a mess" leading up to Mother's Day like I was last year. Which makes me wonder if this year the actual day is going to be a mess. I miss her so much and it's amazing how much your heart can hurt.
Thank god I have all this wine.
This last weekend SIL, Bluberry and I went out to do yet more wine tasting. It was "hidden" behind the veil of "let's go play with out new cameras". But I wasn't fooled. It was about wine tasting.
I've gone back and forth on the "wine goal" for this year. I find it amusing I even have a goal around wine. But here you have it.
I originally was going to try to taste 50 wineries this year (you know because it's my 50th year). Then I thought that my be too, oh I don't know, wino-esk.
So I changed it to 50 new wines. Well, shit 4 wineries and you've almost hit that goal.
Officially, my goal is to taste every winery in the Passport that I bought from Costco.
Done.
Know how many are in that...42! I'm going to give it my best though.
In other news, Scotland is a short 3 weeks away. I finally pulled my suitcase out and it's ready to go. The packing list is printed, and it's starting.
In more other news, Mother's Day is Sunday. This year has been different. I haven't been "a mess" leading up to Mother's Day like I was last year. Which makes me wonder if this year the actual day is going to be a mess. I miss her so much and it's amazing how much your heart can hurt.
Thank god I have all this wine.