Hello Again!

Don't have much time - very expensive here to use the internet. Well, other than driving every direction but upside down, we are having a wonderful time in the highlands. I enjoyed Thurso very much - a very coastal village. It was very relaxing. Then we drove to Gairloch - a 7 hour drive - it was a very long day. Here is where we were introduced to "Passing Places" - 1 lane highways with a little side to opass cars - made for very interesting driving. Also, cattle grids - if you went over them too fast, well watch out - our car, Maeve, might become a rocket launcher. ;-) Gairloch is another costal town - only we stayed in Melvaig in the lighthouse. It was very serene there - with nothing to do but walk around the lighthouse. We think we saw dolphins, but are not quite sure. **ADD IN - one thing to note - on the drive to the lighthouse, the roads were 1 lane, on cliffs it seems - glad that D was driving - I thought I was going to be sick several times on the way - little bridges to drive over, turns where you can not see if someone is coming the other way - and not many passing places. Once we arrived at the Lighthouse, it was very serene. There were sheep and chickens all over the place. Since the drive was very long, we decided that we were have dinner there at the lighthouse (I was really hoping that it wasn't chicken or mutton on the menu - don't thinkg I could have eaten it if it was after seeing the sheep and the chickens running around the yard earlier). Neither one of us wanted really to make the drive back into town to get groceries after the drive up there... Dinner was a little expensive, but so worth it. It was the first full meal we had in over a week. We got seated with these Dutch ladies - they were so funny! They had taken a 15 hour ferry ride to get to Scotland, and were just going to places day by day - where ever they wanted to go. Because there wasn't much to do - we were a little isolated, we walked around on the cliffs - and no, I didn't get too close to the edge! Waited for sunset - again, around 23:00 - and walked back. I met the cat Bobbit, and it was then that I was feeling a little homesick for Mischief. The owner called her huge - but she was half the size of Mischief. they also had a dog name Charlie - I think - also called Arthur - they had a new kitten called Merlin. The ladies that were running the hostel were very nice - reminded me a little of my girl guide leader Mrs. Crowe. The rooms in the lighthouse were very nice - no bunkbeds that night! We each got 2 comforters and 2 pillows - so comfy! We shut the light off, then D suddenly says - "I don't know if I could sleep with the light.." The lighthouse was a working lighthouse, so we could see the light travelling around the room.

The next morning, onto the Isle of Skye - it was very beautiful. It was my day to drive - onto more twists and turns! I drove over the Skye bridge without incident... ;-P Our hostel was right by the sea with a beautiful view. (again, not much to do but walk around the farm a bit... no pubs in sight, Mama G ;-) We were staying at a farm house called Flora MacDonald. We had a room to ourselves that night as well. We went down to the end of the Isle - then went to the Clan Donald house to tour it a little - the gardens were absolutely beautiful - even if they did have mutant rhubarb there! (the rhubarb in some places were taller than me!) Since there wasn't much to do, we went to bed kind of early - ok, I made D stay up until atleast 22:00 - she was ready for bed @ 21:30! I was so sure that if she went to bed early, that she would wake up @ 5am - but the joke was on me that morning! D got up (I though) @ 7am - I thought she was getting up to take her shower, so I got up, looked out the window, and noticed the sun was just rising (clue #1). Since the sun was coming up so late comparitively on this isle, I thought it was a little weird that @ 7am that the sun was just rising - but we were further south, so I didn't think anything of it. Because it was so beautiful, I decided to walk to the end of the lane and take a picture. Went a little into a farmer's field, but nobody seemed to be up, so I took my pictures. It was a beautiful sunrise. Walked back to our little cabin hostel, and sad on the front porch for a little while, waiting, for D to get out of the shower (clue #2). So I waited for 30 minutes, and when D didn't come out, I went in. It was then that I realized that it was only 05:30!!!!! I said screw taking a shower now, and went back to bed. D got up at her normal time of 7 am... ;-)

We drove to Fort William today - it rained most of the way. Nice drive. Queen Maeve, the warrior car, performed quite well on the inclines and declines - what fun!!!

Yes, we have see quite a few sheep on the highway - all the lambs are out on the highway - had to watch for passing places and sheep at the same time - what fun!

It was raining when we arrived - so I decided not to go to Ben Nevis that day. We had been on the go for so long, it was nice to take a little time off from touring. The hostel invites that kind of atmosphere. Since the owner screwed up on our reservation (he forgot we were coming) we ended up with a family room in the hostel - a double bed bunk bed! I got the top bunk (it was my turn) but what luxury it seemed! So once we got settled, went shopping for pizza (a little different from the pasta that we were having... ;-) and came back to eat. Because this was a holiday weekend, there were a lot of families there. But that's ok. Since this hostel was licensed, we decided to head down to the common room - aka pub - and chatted with the staff for a little while. It was then that Harry and his companion (don't remember his name right now) joined up. They had been walking for the past 3 days - 28 miles a day for 2 days, and 14 miles the last day - but they ended up in the wrong place. They paid a fisherman 40 quid to get a ride on a boat back to Fort William. They were so tired, but not tired enough to have a couple of pints. Harry was quite the character. At then end of each day of their walk in the highlands, they somehow found a pub to have a couple of pints. I had a little trouble understanding their Glasgowigen accent, but they were fun anyway. D and I headed up to our room around midnight, and around 2 (I think) Harry headed up to his room (he was in the bunk room next to ours). A couple of minutes later, we hear this big crash, and this voice saying "I'm okay" in a very heavy Scottish brogue. D and I laughed about that for the rest of the trip. It still brings a smile to my face today.

gotta go - write more later...