Today - Saturday 16th August.
Uneventful flight over, but still not a fan of Emirates.....
Monday 11th - Picked up our car at Glasgow Airport and made our way out to Lilithgow - finally arrived at our destination, without TOO much fuss, and only a couple of wrong turns....
Had a wonderful couple of days with the Kennedys - friends of Fiona Beveridge - who kindly put us up at their splendid abode, which is attached to their equally splendid Dairy Farm. Got a first hand look at their gorgeous "girls" (milkers, not human), saw how it all happens, and also got up close and personal with some of their wee calves. Arthur had the extra unusual extra special experience of being spray-painted by one of the coos which had finished being milked and was now busy eating potatoes!!! N.i.c.e....... Did consider consigning said pants to the bin, but they came up okay with a hot wash!
Fiona also came over from Edinburgh, and we had a very nice day/evening with her too. The Kennedys live within about 50 metres from a brilliant pub/restaurant, so we plodded over there for dinner.
We visited the VERY grand Hopetoun House in Linlithgow.... Built in the style of the newly-rich (at the time) who felt obliged to display their wealth.... Anyway, turns out that one particular Earl of the Manor was the first Governor of Victoria, and indeed, the first Governor General of Australia. Bit embarrassed that we had to come over to the UK to learn this!!! Anyway, it kinda explains the Linlithgow Avenue which runs by Government House in the middle of Melbourne's Botanic Gardens, and the plethora of "Hopetouns" around the state.
Also got to visit the ruin of Linlithgow Palace which was (most notably) the place of Mary Queen of Scots' birth. Again, a vast "house" in a lovely setting, and no doubt they all lived there in splendid decay for centuries!
Wednesday 13th We headed off to the village of Lochgilphead which is where cousin Maggie Campbell lives. This drive should have been a doddle, but of course, again without a functioning map - my iPad was refusing to work - damn - we actually ended up quite a few miles out of our way, on the West Coast, at a town called Oban, which necessitated a drive through a VERY winding road, via a quaintly named town - Kilmelford....... Dinner was at a nice pub a little way out of town...
Thursday 14th Very quiet morning. Lots to catch up on with Maggie, and a quiet start. Arch and I headed off on foot to "do" Lochgilphead - and we did this in a short time. Pretty quiet now - most of the holidaymakers have left, and the weather has been less than fabulous. Very similar to that which we left at home - Melbourne's Winter!
Really good coffee and cake in a local "Bistro" for a light lunch, in preparation for a large meal in the evening. We went out along the Loch to "Castle Sween" for dinner. Maggie's Son Neil, and Daughter-in-law Judy and their two small girls joined us for dinner, as well as another lovely friend of Maggie's - Margaret, who lives occasionally on the "estate"..
This Castle is again not much more than a pile of rocks, but there is a hotel and holiday park there. In the UK they are rather keen on allotting a few acres somewhere on the coast, and the good folk come along with their own portable demountable 'houses' and sit them there on this land, at a cost of a couple of thousand pounds per year.
A few years back, we came upon a similar such establishment, situated on a hideous beach on the mud flats along the Somerset coast - and which was unforgettably named "Surfer's Paradise"..... We still talk about it - obviously!!!
Friday 15th Up bright and early, and drove out to Loch Sween where Maggie's son Sandy keeps his truly excellent RIB boat, in which he took us over to Northern Ireland - to Ballycastle - for the day!!! Yee haa.... Wonderful day, and on arrival in Ireland, we caught a bus over to the Giants Causeway for a wee visit. Truly spectacular... Having seen photo's (of course), we sort-of knew what to expect, but it is most amazing, and being too mean to pay for a guided tour, I will have to Google to see the truth of the formation! Maggie's friend from Oban, Fiona also came along for the ride, and we had a lovely day. Everyone lined up for fish and chips to eat in the boat on the way back. VERY choppy sea on the way home, and what took us 2 1/4 hours going over took just under 3 hours coming home.
Every nerve ending in our bodies was "jangling" after so much constant vibration. At least now I don't have to say I haven't been to Ireland!
Saturday 15th Woke up to the news that Maggie's son Sandy had proposed to his partner when he arrived home from his trip with us to Northern Ireland. It must have been his observation of the wonderful union between Arthur and myself which gave him inspiration!!!
Weather very miserable today drizzle and more drizzle. Still, it's only 10.30am and things might improve. There is a "Fun and Games" happening on the foreshore from lunch time, and SO much work has been put into the preparation, I hope it goes off well. Will leave blog here, and post more later....
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