9:17 AM
I’ve had a terrific night. My internal alarm clock is working fine!
Breakfast was definitely worth £2! I couldn’t even finish! There was fresh fruit (I took an apple to eat later, as a snack!), yoghurt, excellent O.J., hard toast (there were 2, I could only eat 1), cereal (Alpen, again. What can I say? It’s great!). I also drank some of the very good cool milk. I’m all set to face the day. There’s about 2 ½ hours to go until Haggis picks me up.
This is my 1st rainy morning in Scotland. It’s sort of a relief. I was getting used to the good weather! It’s time to take out the parka. It’s going to be a pain in the butt, though, this wet weather. I’m going to be soaked all the time and laundry will take longer to dry. Ah! Welcome to Scotland!!! Anyhoo, I’m going to look through my guidebook to see if there are ‘Wallacey’ places near Aviemore. (nope) The closest I’ve come to dear old Bill was yesterday’s hike through Bobby Bruce country!
12:22 pm
I’ve just crossed over into the Highlands. It’s magical, misty, and (brown) heather covered. Just as I’ve always dreamt.
4:25 pm.
I want to catch up on a ton of stuff that’s been lagging since Glasgow, so please excuse any rambling.
So… this is the Highlands. While Aviemore is butt ugly, They are majestic!!! Tomorrow, I’ve planned a hike around Loch an eilan, which I suppose means lake and island. There’s a castle in the middle of the loch (on the eilan, of course). This is the ugliest hostel I’ve ever stayed in. The building was obviously built with this purpose in mind. Walking down the halls, one’s feet resonate as they do when one walks through a mobile home. This group of French students has just come in and they’re loud! There is nothing to the town and it is very unfriendly. Still, it looks like good walking country. This is a ‘resort’ town and there’s an Americanish feel to it. I glanced at a restaurant menu and guess what was the first item on the menu? I’ll give you a hint. Their version comes with a choice of cheeses and sauces/gravies. Give up? POUTINE!!! And spelled just that way ! ! Unbelievable !
As I walked down to the visitor’s centre (a fair walk, but much more useful, cheap, and friendly than the information centre), there were these weird little black things on the ground. Thinking they might be dog poop, I tried to shove one aside so that people wouldn’t step on them. To my surprise, they were kind of… mushy. I poked on a little, trying to guess what on Earth it could be. Eventually, I gave up and went on my way. A few metres down, I found another. This one had a face. It was a slug. I feel so bad, I most likely killed the other one. I also saw a hare/rabbit in a meadow.
Now, some notes of a much more general nature:
1) SYH (that’s Scottish Youth Hostels) sleep 5 nights, get 6th free. My 2nd night in Inverness will be free, I guess. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my voucher in Glasgow. If I did, tomorrow night or my 1st night in Inverness would be free. Oh well, I have a whole other voucher, too.
The hostels appear to have a ‘formula’. Big, comfy, comforters with linen included in the price.
2) taps: this is the 1st place I’ve encountered where hot and cold water come out of the same faucet (Yay! I won’t have to wash my hair in cold water tomorrow!)
3) Haggis: basically, I call Edinburgh at least 24 hrs. before I want to move, give them my # (9337) and tell them where I want to go. I’m picked up at the time I was dropped. It’s that easy! The drivers chatter non-stop about anything remotely related to Scotland! Craig, whom I had today, seems more… approachable? than John whom I had Glasgow to Edinburgh to Pitlochry. Both, though, are excellent guides and heaps of fun!
4) heather: the hills are fuzzy with the stuff! It’s just on the point of blooming, it has a purpley tinge to it already. I’ve been told that a few more days of sun and the hills will come alive, a full month and a ½ early! (no such luck. I’ll have to go in August next time!) Oh! I hope so !
I’ve probably forgotten some stuff, but that’s it for now.
past 8
The kitchen here is unbelievable! A long row of (gas) stoves and several others of sinks. All very clean. I just had soup and milk for dinner, I wasn’t feeling up to par today, maybe it’s the water?.. (I finally clue in!)
Can you believe I saw a car today that had honest to goodness, genuine HAWAII licence plates? I’ve seen a plate like that on a car in Chambly, but in Aviemore, Scotland?! Now, that car’s a long way from home ! Anyhoo, I’m going to retire with a book someone left on the pamphlet rack. Whenever I’m done with it I’ll leave it in some pamphlet rack ! I have yet to decide where I’m going to stay in Inverness. There are tons of hostels! I’ll ask for advice, I guess, I’d like to stay in a relatively small and quiet one.