After brekky we jumped on the bus. Only three degrees outside. Unlike winter mornings in Queensland, it doesn't warm up at all. We were shivering. My throat is 98% better from the other day but my nose is choc full of muck. Same can be said for nearly everyone on the bus.
We leave Grantown-on-Spey. The Scottish Highlands once again produce the goods with a postcard morning. Very low cloud which turns into fog. It couldn't be any other way, I'm loving it!
First stop, Pitlochry; a small highland town that borders with the Lowlands. Geoff suggests either the walk through the tiny town or a walk through to the hydro-electric dam that occasionally has salmon jumping up stream. We chose the dam. A bit of rubbish in there but there was a nice backdrop. We walked back into town. I sculled a Hot Chocolate whilst Poppy had a white coffee. Back on the bus we were.
I don't know what my attraction is to The Highlands. I think it's the unspoiled wilderness that sets this place apart. Some places were sunny with blue sky. Others were fogged in to set the eery backdrop of doom.
After driving through Dundee, we arrived at the place I've been looking forward to the most. The soft spot in every true sportsman's heart. St Andrews! Not only the place where The Duke on Cambridge went to university, but the home of golf. We had well over an hour and forty minutes to check out this place and we savored every moment of it.
I've played St Andrews on the Playstation many times before and had seen old footage of The Open Championships. This was something completely different. Something special. Something I've dreamt of. Something I couldn't believe I was doing, walking across the 1st and 18th fairway (a public footpath).
We took the obligatory photos on the Swilcan Bridge. We even walked right down and onto the 17th, the "Road Hole" to check out the infamous greenside bunker that is near impossible to get out of. TV and photos make this bunker look a lot easier than it really is.
I won't forget this hour and forty for a very, very, very long time. Next time I come here it will be to play the Old Course. You need to book a year in advance to get a look in! The Pro Shop was hideously expensive but it's not often you come here...
It was sad to leave, even though we've had more time here than every other stop on tour (excluding Bath). Onwards through the town of Perth, we arrived at our hotel in Edinburgh, The Novotel.
Our penultimate tour excursion was to a Scottish show, right in the heart of the capital. After the fine dining experience we were treated to bagpipes, Scottish ballads and fantastic vocals. The dancing too, spectacular. Of course I was asked to take part in the dancing...I only had 3 pints of beer and two glasses of white in relatively quick succession by then! Was good for a laugh. The show ended, I had to quickly scull the fresh pint that was put in front of me.
Songs on the bus ride home. Being the youngest I was expected to be the loudest. "TO BE THE MAN WHO WALKS A THOUSAND MILES TO FALL DOWN AT YOUR DOOR....DAA DA DAA DAAAA"
Yeeahhhhhh. The Americans love me more now, maybe. They were cheering me on, possibly for the cheap comedy they were getting. Fantastic group to be around. Bring on a full day in Edinburgh tomorrow!
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