Another pre-departure, at the airport too early, Facebook post. I can't believe the last one was 2021, before heading off to Ecuador. I am overdue for some very long extended travel. This time, departing on happier terms (no sudden passing of friends and waiting for covid test results). Much happier in fact. All due to the anticipation of this trip that marks the next step in what I hope will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. To balance my passion for international travel with the mundane routine of living in a suffocating capitalist world. It had to be done in a way that I could step away from tourism and have travel all to myself instead of monetizing it to pay my bills. There were a lot of small trials over the past two years that have led up to this opportunity. Plus a lot of late hours and stepping up at work to earn the trust of my employer. No words to describe how grateful I am for this chance, a new path forged in small part due to hard work and sacrifice but primarily because of sheer luck and being born into a life of plentiful opportunities (I will never take that for granted). Hope all goes well and extended remote work becomes a more permanent option in my life. As my friend Mary reminded me recently, if she can slay at life at 94 then I have no excuse. Finally a chance to step further away from a forced corporate and societal structure that never synched and something I struggle to make sense of. It's me time!

 

Wow!!

I exited Edinburgh's train station and my jaw dropped. Immediately I was greeted by the hustle and bustle of a typical modern metropolis nestled in a wonderous display of historical buildings, the higlight being wonderful Edinburgh castle that watches over the city from high above. It was magnificent!

One could happily spend their entire visit to Edinburgh simply walking around the city, especially the royal mile and relishing the fabulous nightlife. However, I did venture to the national gallery which was very interesting, especially their collection of Scottish artifacts. Also, against my better judgement and trusting the advice of someone I'd met travelling, I visited the British royal yaught Britanica. After paying the inflated entrance fee I got to witness first hand the ridiculuous luxuries of the British monarchy and learn about bizarre rituals put in place so regular people can think themselves more important. I'll save the anti class structure rants for my other blog, but it is apparent that I'll never meet the queen because I don't bow to anybody.

Never trust an alcoholic

Stirling, the gateway to the higlands and once a strategic stronghold of Scotland, has a lot to offer. The city surrounds Stirling castle which was built in the 14th century on top of an ancient volcanic plug. The castle has gone through many alterations since it was first created and when you walk through it you witness first hand the styles of architecture from diffetent time periods.

Because of Scotland's violent past, Stirling is the perfect place to learn about the the history and battles that shaped the country. The locals are very proud of one particular hero named William Wallace who fought a famous battle on Stirling bridge in the 13th century for Scottish independence from the English. The enormity of their pride is clearly evident when you glimpse the really cool monument erected in his honour atop Abbey Craig with amazing views of the surrounding landscapes. If you've ever watched 'Braveheart' then you'll have heard of Mr. Wallace, however, it was quickly pointed out by the residents that 95% of the film's friction. Makes sense really if you consider who directed it.

Just another day

Today began early with a visit to the Eileen Doonan castle, which was used during the filming of the movie 'Highlander'. Not my favorite castle as it was architecturely bland and situtuated near a busy highway which ruined its romatic appeal. I however enjoyed listening to the American tourists ahead of me who couldn't care less about the castle's history or architecture but only the fact that Sean Connery was actually there. Gotta love Hollywood.

After the castle I ventured off to Fort William for the day. It was a beautiful town and reminded me a lot of Banff with Ben Navis, the highest mountain in the British Isles, looming above. Unfortunately, because of the wet and slippery conditions, we adhered to the warnings from the locals and decided it wasn't worth the risk hiking up the mountain especially since we weren't properly equiped. I was really disapointed as I've heard the view from any of the many hiking routes is quite spectacular. After wallowing in light sorrow I decided that there was nothing else for me to accomplish here and so I jumped on the next bus leaving town.

Sammy the tour guide

During one sightseeing day on the island I met a couple of Chinese tourists who decided that since my English was better than theirs and I seemed to understand the cryptic bus schedule, that I should be their tour guide. I explained that during the 4 hour gap when the buses on the island stop running, I was planning on walking along the coast between towns until the next bus could be flagged down. They nodded in agreement.

Our first stop was a hike to the old man storr, a number of wierldy shaped rock pinnacles, which are actually the remains of ancient volcanic plugs. It was a pretty foggy day so the view from the top was unspectaular however the rock formations were really interesting to see up close.

We descended and jumped on another bus to the northern tip of the island where the remains of Duntulum castle sit. It may be difficult to understand why a castle's remains can be interesting. It is a combination of witnessing history, learning about the interesting battles of ownership and remarkable feats of architecture, respecting the accomplishments of extreme manual labour, and basking in the romantic setting of castles on hilltops towering over dropping cliffs and pounding water.

After taking in the beauty I was surprised when one of my companions asked when the next bus would be arriving. After 10 minutes of me responding "no bus" to their query of "no bus??" they expressed their disapointment and frustration and we started our walk. I strapped on my walkman and entered my own world after explaining the concept of hitchhiking. It was interesting wathching them literally stand in the middle of the road and stop the occassional passing car after nobody responded to their original attempts using the common thumb gesture.

I was in heaven. On my right the sun's rays struck the water of the Minch as the waves crashed against the rocks below. To my left the vast hillsides were scattered with grazing sheep. It was perfectly silent and aside from the rare passing vehicle not another soul crossed out path the entire time. It was difficult for me to understand how, with billions of people walking this planet, my two companions couldn't appreciate that for these brief hours we had this piece of untouched glorious nature to ourselves.

Oh the water

I've never come across anything as calming as being alone by a large natural body of water, so I ventured off to the Scottish west coast's Isle Of Skye in search of tranquility. I jumped off the bus at Kyle of Lochlash and walked the 7 kilometers to the island using the newly built Skye bridge. It was an off season sunday morning and it seemed everyone was still in bed so the water and beautiful surroudings belonged to me. It was pouring rain and my backpack weighed 45 pounds but I couldn't stop smiling.

So what's there to do Sunday on an island in the middle of a cold fall day? Pretty much nothing but appreciate the experience of being where you are and revelling in the surrounding natural wonders. I went for a long run along the water, hung out in a local pub watching rugby and observing local fanatics swear, cheer, and pump their fists at the television screen, and chatted with other like minded travellers over a few glasses of red wine.

Pub

After 3 busy days and nights in Inverness and surrounding areas, especially one memorable late night at a pub called 'tits and nannies' (real name, 'Hootenannys'), I planned for my final evening to be a quiet one. Upon returning from a walk along the river Ness I heard bagpipes coming from the local pub Gellions. This screamed picture opportunity so I followed the music. Unfortunately, there was a crowd of people overflowing from the front entrance and I tried, to no avail, to squeeze myself through. I was spotted, the obvious tourist with her camera ready, by one of the locals and suddenly the crowd parted and I was quickly rushed to the front so I could take a picture of the band. Okay, I had my picture, thanked everyone immensly and prepared to leave but my garcious hosts wouldn't allow it. Suddenly I was bombarded with question about my origin and purpose and ended up step dancing and singing with the locals until the band stopped playing. What a wonderful night!