17 July 2007
Before I proceed with detailing today's events, I feel I should make the disclaimer that I do NOT plan to be on the Internet every day during this trip. The urgency to seek out internet access on a regular basis is driven only by the fact that 1) my luggage still hasn't arrived, and 2) the phone number given to me by Baggage Claim has only been answered twice in the 20+ times I've attemped to call. As it is, the rest of my family is out hiking around Inverness Castle while I'm at a internet-enabled laundromat down the street from our hotel (there's shirt-starching going on behind me. Weird.). Anyway, the good news it that, according to the baggage website, my bag made it to the airport and the "delivery process has been initiated." Where the F the bag is at the moment is anyone's guess. {sigh}

Anyway, back to today's events...y'know, vacation: the actual reason I'm here...

We started off today with a full English/Irish breakfast--eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, hash browns, baked beans, tomatoes, tea, yogurt, fruit, etc. My digestive system won't like me too much if I keep that up on a daily basis, so it's back to yogurt, mueslix, and tea starting tomorrow. Following breakfast, we boarded the bus and started the 6+ hour leisurely ride to the Highlands. We circled parts of Glasgow first since most of us didn't get to see the entire city the day before. The weather worked in our favor as we saw Glasgow University, the Civic Library, George Square, and many, many Georgian buildings. The city itself is quite lovely, and we keep hearing that Edinburgh is even prettier. I'm excited to make the comparison later.

The Highlands were quite simply breath-taking. It's amazing to see gigantic "bens" (mountains) towering above all of the "lochs" (lakes) along the way. We did enough photo stops to keep us from falling asleep or getting carsick on the bus, and I managed to get a great shot of Glencoe on video on my camera while a bagpiper played in the background. We passed by the "bonny banks of Loch Lomond" and stopped off in picturesque Fort William for lunch (potato & leek soup with a cheese sandwich).

Following Fort William was a trip up to Loch Ness. The lake itself is pretty impressive, once you discover that it's 800+ feet deep and 24 miles long. My sisters restrained themselves from buying "nessie" hats at the gift shop, although Deidre did pick up a "Drunken Nessie" stuffed monster for one of her friends. I'm sorry to report that there weren't any sightings of Nessie today, but I got plenty of spectacular photos all the same.

I've got about a minute left before I head off to dinner and to find my family. Keep your fingers crossed that after tomorrow I'll actually start sporting my own clothes again!

Edinburgh and Balmoral tomorrow,
Tara