Today was the big bus tour. Carrie has been dreading it whereas I've been looking forward to it (overall once you subtract her dread).
Everyone gathered in the hotel lobby at 7:45 AM to catch the bus at 8 AM.
The coach had some trouble maneuvering around, but it got there. We hopped on, the Father said a prayer, and the driver started talking.
We had a fantastic driver. His name was Owen and he used to be in a band that toured around the United States. "But you can see how well that did now that I'm driving a coach for a living."
We learned about the origins of Rugby (Bad football players sitting out without a bench deformed their balls until they had to throw them), how to get drunk on your day off (cheap cider), Scottish vernacular ("wee" vs "wee-wee") and lots and lots of history. Owen was a veritable fountain of historical knowledge with comedic commentary.
The Scottish countryside is a pretty one dotted with castles. Stirling castle is the one pictured below. We also came near Doune castle which has been in plenty of shows including Game of Thrones, Outlander, and "the greatest movie ever, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail."
"That's not the Harry Potter aquaduct, but you can go ahead and tell your friends it is. They won't know the difference," Owen said.
The roads were small and I was glad I wasn't trying to drive a coach down them. Owen swerved a little to make room for a logging truck at one point. He muttered under his breath and said he would have used much different language off-hours. Apparently, there was a known and busted gambling ring where logging trucks pooled money to reward whoever took off the most tour bus mirrors.
Some people were able to relax amidst all the scenery. Others, like Carrie, were wondering why they forgot motion-sickness medicine.
In Carrie's case, the scenery and commentary helped immensely. I thought it was interesting hearing about the history of the words benn, glenn, and loch. "It's not a hard 'lock,' or a soft 'losh.' If you're spitting on the seat in front of ya, yer saying it right," Owen said.
I also learned there are a A LOT of lochs in Scotland. I won't spoil it for you in case you're ever inspired to go on a tour (I will say that "Loch Lochy" is a hilarious name and showcases Scottish humor well).
We pulled over a couple of times in Rannoch Moor for picture opportunities and a smoke break for Owen. He was wearing a kilt and had a fanny pack to hold all his extra gear.
We passed a couple of bikes (crazy) and some hikers here and there. It seems there are some people who enjoy taking days to hike through the highlands.
Carrie wasn't initially going to get off the bus, but she followed me out. She took some breathtaking pictures I need to set as backgrounds somewhere.
She made a new friend, too!
Owen warned us about 'mozzies' (mosquitoes) and midgies (midges), but Scotland seemed to have far fewer bugs than I'm used to. It was really pleasant.
It was evident why they call the north of Scotland "the Highlands."
We learned a little bit of Gaelic on the way ("Gallick" if you're talking about Scottish and "Gay-lick" if you're speaking of the Irish) and of attempts to resurrect the language.
Good luck.
Owen said that German speakers had an easier time with it. He said that the Scottish accent transferred well to learning German, too. I have no way to test that, but there ya go.
These hills were called the three sisters. We got to learn a little bit of mythology and history linked to them.
I wonder what it's like to live far out removed from everyone, but then have to drive past an onslaught of tourists on the bridge to your house.
Interesting fact about Scotland: No one has the right to own land. The land is "for the people." Instead, there is a "right to roam." As long as you're not causing trouble, you can hop a fence and wander near anywhere. This can lead to problems, Owen lamented, as evidenced to Hagrid's hut getting burned down 'accidentally.'
Owen and a fellow driver (also kilted), got to get their final smoke break in before lunch.
We drove through Fort William after Rannoch Moor and heard about the Glencoe Massacre. Owen was not a fan of Fort William and thought it should be renamed. "There are no happy endings in Scottish history."
We stopped in Fort Augusta for lunch and Loch Ness. It was the northern terminus for the bus trip. Carrie went straight into the gas station pharmacy and procured motion sickness meds she shared with anyone else suffering the same plight. We grabbed a quick lunch afterward (venison burgers).
While most of the group hopped on a ferry or ran around town, Carrie and I walked up past the canal locks.
We exercised our 'right to roam.'
Carrie spent a good portion of it on the phone. "Stop taking pictures of me on the phone!" she said.
"I can only take pictures of what I see and you fascinate me," I replied.
I like to push the envelope a little, too.
We made it back to the bus and I opened up a water bottle. It exploded!
I hadn't realized it was soda water! I laughed and laughed when the shock wore off and I realized my mistake.
On the way back, we got to hear about Bonnie Prince Charlie and the battle of Culloden. It connected a lot of what we heard previously and brought up the highland clearances. Owen talked about how the British would put a mother and son on one boat and a father and daughter on another boat. Then they'd ship them to different parts of the world or even sell some as slaves. "The sons were kept from the fathers, so that the fathers could nae teach them to fight."
And those clearances had a worldwide effect. The population of Scotland is nearing 5.5 million whereas there are nearly 50 million people who claim Scottish ancestry!
We stopped at a commandos memorial for another photo stop. The tallest mountain in Scotland, Ben Nevis, was in the distance ("like a giant chicken McNugget," Owen said).
Our final photo stop was at a dam. Shane was a big fan when Nana showed him.
We took a group photo, but I don't have it. I will upload it if it ever comes my way.
From there, we had a "pit-stoppy" in "Pit Lochry" (Good ice cream!) and continued all the way back to Edinburgh. Owen gave a long talk on whiskey, talked about bridges, a sleeping giant, and answered random questions (I thought it was interesting his rent was only £300. There were some things about Scotland that were highly affordable).
We got back near 8 PM. It was a 12 hour tour. That's a long time! Carrie was so impressed with Owen she gave a £20 tip at the end! He did really well from what I saw of others' tips. Some of the younger travelers hung out afterward with us to ask some questions like "How did you get to be a tour guide?"
A great day. I normally prefer to explore on my own, but after today I'd be willing to do another bus tour somewhere.
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