Today was the return of the winter season. I kid you not! When I first went outside to find breakfast, it was a snowy/ wintry mix. Not sticking, of course, but definitely snowing! It was beautiful to look at. I walked around for a while and even visited The Apple Store. I’m not ready to make any new purchases, but it’s always nice to go inside and dream for a minute or two. Just like the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Apple store is true. Also like Jesus, Apple loves me.
After a haircut to “freshen up” (my dark burgundy hair is now a faded pink- I still love it), I swung by H&M because I have misplaced my scarf. On days like today, a scarf is necessary. It’s probably going to be rainy when I go to Edinburgh tomorrow. I next stopped by the grocery store and grabbed some snacks and decided that today I’d hang out inside. Reading and watching movies, seemed like the best option- it’s too cold outside!
Quick report, as I’m extremely tired tonight: What started out as a horribly windy morning and partly cloudy morning, soon turned into a very rainy day. I don’t think the sun came out one time. This is, of course, what happens in Scotland. After a walk along the river, instead of being bored, I decided to try and do some indoor activities.
After breakfast, I tried to go to two different art galleries, but both happened to be closed… I ended up going back to the cinema and seeing a matinee of A Quiet Place. Scary movie, but really good. I’ve decided I have a thing for Emily Blunt. She is extremely good at acting, and the girl sings!
Tonight I went to see a play at the SEC Armadillo called Blood Upon the Rose. It was good, but I was lost for much of the time because it was a political drama about Ireland during the First World War. It was a musical, and that’s the main reason I went. The actors had really decent voices, especially the leads. The only thing I would change- it was boring since I couldn’t really understand a lot of the dialogue.
When I initially tried to book a private room at this hostel, they didn’t have any available for my first night back here in Glasgow. This is how I ended up last night in a room that I had to share with three others. All three of my roommates were girls attending college in Stirling and are in town to see a concert with their friends. They told me the artist’s name, and not wanting them to know I’m not cool, I pretended to know exactly who they were talking about. Honestly, I had no clue.
The hostel did have a private room for the other days I’ll be here, however. This means that I had to be out of my room this morning by 11:00, but they will let me check into the new, private room early. I’ve decided to take the morning to listen to podcasts, since there is no church today. This gives me something to do while I’m waiting for my clothes to wash, and I can check into the new room.
20:08
This afternoon, I got a burger for late lunch- at Handmade Burger Co. This is the same place that I came for dinner two years ago and told a little white lie that I was a blogger for the Travel Channel (see post). I know I shouldn’t lie, but I wanted to make them feel bad, and that’s just what happened. Anyway, I didn’t try taking pictures this time because if they got mad again, I wouldn’t want to be forced to lie a second time.
After a delicious meal, I went to see the movie Isle of Dogs. This was probably the funniest movie I’ve been to lately! It’s more of a quirky funny- definitely not a comedy. I highly recommend seeing it! I grabbed a few snacks on the way home. Even though I’m not anywhere close to hungry yet, I did have that early dinner, and I don’t want to have to go out to eat in the middle of the night.
Today has been a slow day. In fact, I don’t have a whole lot to report. It was hard for me to even stay awake on the train since I hadn’t got much sleep the night before. The room in Oban was full, and two of us four were snorers. I’m glad that the snorers were able to get a good night’s sleep at least.
When I got to my hostel in Glasgow, the first thing I wanted to do, after checking in, was take a nap. I crashed hard, and I think I was out for about three hours or so. This means that it’ll probably be a struggle getting some sleep tonight. Oh well, the nap was sorely needed.
Tonight I went to see the movie, Ready Player One. Unlike the last movie I saw, I really liked this one, and will probably be adding it to my library when it finally comes out. I often log into and play around in Second Life, which is a virtual world. It’s not advanced like the virtual world depicted in the movie, but I still think it’s a blast to be able to set up the world however I wish. Maybe some psychologist would want to tell me that it’s an escape from the “real world”… I would have to disagree since I really love the real world as well. This is a whole other blog entry on a different day.
For dinner, I got reservations at an Italian restaurant called Verona. You know I eat out (more than I should) and this restaurant had the best red sauce I’ve ever tasted! I don’t know what they put in their marinara, but it was really good- I got it with some chicken dish. Amazing!
Today I’m thankful that breakfast is included in the price of my hostel. It’s not that it’s a particularly lovely breakfast, but this trip could quickly become way too expensive. I travel best when I eat a big breakfast, a small lunch (or just get something in my stomach), and a medium-sized dinner, although many people give me too much food at the night time.
I could save money by buying my own groceries, but in most of these places I’m visiting, I’m only here for a couple of days, and I really don’t want to walk around with groceries in tow- that’s just more to carry. It’s the little things that help, like the cold cereal that my hostel is providing.
I made my way again to the ferry terminal and purchased a round trip to Craignure on Mull. When purchasing a round trip here in Scotland, they call this purchasing ‘a return.’ In the states, the return is just the second half of the journey. If you ask for a round trip ticket, they know what you mean, but they may look at you funny.
I bought my ticket this morning without doing any kind of research because I was in the mood to be surprised. I figured if I googled anything about Mull, that would be cheating. The one thing that someone told me was that I would want to get on the bus to Tobermory.
Once I left the ferry, the bus to Tobermory was right in front of the terminal. It was easy, and I, once again, snagged the front seat to shoot some video of the landscape along the way. This was a double-decker bus, and every other passenger walked up to the top level. So the bottom tier was just the bus driver and me. We had a great chat on the ride.
Tobermory is a lovely little town. Now I’ve found another place that I have to come back and visit in the future! My list of “must-see” destinations in Scotland is continuously getting longer and longer! I asked the bus driver (I should have got his name) where I should bring lunch, and he directed me to the Fish Cafe on the opposite side of the bay. The food was incredible!
I wandered to an old church at the waterfront. When I entered, a woman was reading her bible in the front row. I didn’t want to distract her, but she started the conversation. She told me that she felt the need to study today since it happened to be “Good Friday.” I had totally forgotten that it was! We had a great chat, all about my travels and her life while living in Tobermory.
We were deep in conversation, and suddenly, her husband comes in with their two dogs on leashes (I had never seen a dog in a church up to this point). He announced to his wife, “Sorry for the interruption, but the time is right now!” He told me that he was referring to the very moment Jesus died on the cross- she smiled and nodded. They said that the savior was pinned to the cross at noon and stayed alive for three hours before he died. This I didn’t remember, or maybe I didn’t know. I guess I need to study the bible again.
I walked through the town, up the hill, and discovered the cemetery. Mull is one of my ancestors’ places, so I hoped to find the surname McLucas since that is my family name from this island. I know they left in the mid to last the 1700s, however, and the oldest stone I could find was dated 1810.
Oban, Scotland | 19:18
One exciting thing that was pointed out today by the lady that I spoke to within the church- not only were those who left the Scottish isles looking for religious and other freedoms, but they were actually being driven out by the English. The crown decided that they could make better use of the land by using it for sheep grazing rather than letting people live their lives. These people, and possibly my own ancestors, were slowly being pressured out by the monarchy. I wonder why the monarchy didn’t just give these families some sheep to raise for the crown.
The ride back to Oban was nice. Since it had grown overcast and the wind was getting worse, I decided to stay inside the ferry rather than go back on top as I had on the ride out to Mull. It was much too cold to be outside.
This morning went rather well. I walked down the hill into town and found some breakfast. The Crofter wasn’t open yet, so I went to the far side of the downtown area and found a Witherspoon pub/restaurant. I knew I wouldn’t be getting lunch today since I’d be on the train, so I got a big Scottish breakfast.
I’ve noticed that I am strange compared to other travelers. Some people use travel as an escape and are more reserved. I swear I will strike up a conversation with anybody. I have always been that way unless I happen to be upset or tired at the time. This morning, I met a couple from Dallas, Texas (not sure what they’re doing here because our conversation didn’t last that long), and a girl who is originally from South Korea, but she’s lived in Australia, England, the U.S., and now Scotland. Her accent was a funky convergence of all of these nations- it was inspiring and weird. I need to remind myself constantly that some people don’t really want to chat with me.
The rain started again, about the time my train left Fort William. Since then it’s been a combination of rain and snow. Beautiful, but I don’t really want to be in it at the moment. I hope Oban, my next stop, has some sunshine while I’m there.
Crainlarich > Oban | 14:27
It looks as if the bad weather is clearing up, at least for now. I just had to change trains in Crianlarich, and on my new train, they told me to sit on one of the first two cars, because on the journey, it splits and the back half goes somewhere else. This is confusing, especially when I’m doing things like reading, watching movies, or updating this blog. Ok- paying attention now.
Oban | 23:02
It’s so good to be back in Oban! This is the coolest little coastal city! When I first got here, it was still raining, so after I checked in to the hostel, I relaxed for a few minutes. Soon, it went from raining to partly-cloudy, so I was able to walk around and get a few pictures of the bay. Not a whole lot, since it was still pretty cold outside.
The good news: The sleep I got yesterday was just what I needed! My feet and legs are feeling back to 100%, as I’d hoped they would. The bad news: It is raining today. I’m not about to go hiking up the side of a muddy mountain, especially not in the shoes I brought with me. Today might be all about reading and movie watching.
I did walk into town earlier to find some breakfast, and the rain was just starting as I’d arrived back to the hostel. I went back to The Crofter and ordered some french toast with eggs and bacon. They didn’t have syrup though. I’m pretty sure that syrup is not just an American thing.
On the opposite couch, a girl with a sexy Australian accent is eating very loudly. I’m pretty sure they teach manners down-under, in fact I know they do. I am, for the most part, a happy guy and there’s not a lot that gets under my skin. This, however, is one of my few pet peeves. Put the food in your mouth, close your mouth, chew said food silently, swallow the food, do not open your mouth again until it is totally empty. It also doesn’t help that she’s eating a salad- salad is extra loud.
The highlight of my day was being able to eat, once again, at Crannog Restaurant. This is a restaurant that I “discovered” two years ago. The main attraction for me was the cullen skink, which is a soup, much like a chowder. The main difference is that they use smoked haddock instead of clams. Thank goodness they still had it on the menu (come to find out, this restaurant has been around now for 25 years)! My main course was some kind of venison plate. I’ve noticed that a lot more restaurants serve venison in Scotland. I’ve had it plenty of times back home, but it’s not often found in very many restaurants- I wonder why that is.
03.26.18 | The Crofter, Fort William, Scotland | 11:17
The bus ride from Portree to Fort William was so beautiful, but if I could have dozed off, I would have. I didn’t fall asleep until after about 23:00 last night and didn’t sleep the best. A deep, recurring dream kept me from falling too deep if that’s a thing that happens. All I know is that when my 06:30 alarm went off to get ready, I wished I could just stay in bed.
My foot still hurts a bit from the 14-mile walk that I went on yesterday. It doesn’t help when you’re carrying a large pack, either. Still, I was outside waiting for the bus early, since I really wanted to get the front seat again. I brought chocolate in the event that a cute little mountain goat tries to board the bus again. I hope chocolate doesn’t make goats sick (or kill them) as it does with dogs.
My bus arrived in Fort William at about 10:30, and I made my way up the hill to the hostel. This is the same place I stayed two years ago, an old and quirky hostel. I loved it so much that I decided to stay there again.
When I walked in, I knew they were going to tell me that it was too early for me to check in, but the guy told me I couldn’t check in until 17:00! I told him that wasn’t the case when I came here two years ago but didn’t want to sound like I was having an argument. I just said, “Really?!” So much for my desire to take a nap after checking in. I’ll just sleep really well tonight.
I walked into town to find a place with free internet, and to get an early lunch. Unfortunately, they don’t serve the lunch menu until the afternoon, so I’m going to chill for a little bit. Later there will be walking and picture taking. I saw two graveyards already, and I’d like to check them out.
Fort William Hostel | 21:13
Lunch ended up being a really good burger that had a barbecue and pulled pork. I remember eating at The Crofter a few years back and remember that the food was good back then, as well. I decided that this called for dessert as well (like I need to make up excuses for eating desserts).
After sitting for a bit, my leg started hurting again. I hope that I didn’t do any damage from my walk yesterday. I decided that I would postpone the hike I’d planned. It’s too cold for a major hike, but there’s an old cow trail, up behind the hostel here that I remember exploring the last time I was here.
Dinner was at an Indian/Thai restaurant. I went in with a sense of adventure, hoping to order something that I had never tried before. I tend to order the same things, once I find something that I like- because that’s usually the whole reason I’m back at a restaurant in the first place. I may be craving that particular dish. This was a new dish, and even though it was good, it wasn’t as good as my go-to. Life is about variety, I guess.
When I was eating breakfast this morning, I decided to get a longer walk in. If you recall, my walk the other day to Loch Ness was cut short when my foot started hurting. I refuse to believe that my foot was the problem. Instead, I think it’s the shoes I’m wearing. That being said, after the morning rain was through, I decided to walk to The Old Man of Storr. Storr is about 6 1/2 miles one-way from Portree.
What a beautiful walk! It took me a few hours, and I even ended up with a nasty limp toward the end. However, the good news is that I know it’s the shoes and not the wrong foot because today, the opposite foot hurt. Nike running shoes are not the best, especially for long hikes.
This morning I had to be up rather early, in order to check out of the hostel and catch the bus to my next destination. I walked into the bus station and purchased a steak pie and a Dr. Pepper. This would have to be a well-balanced meal because I didn’t have time to get the eggs that I’d been craving.
Once I located the bus, I lifted my heavy backpack into the cargo hold and boarded. I chose the very front seat- and this was a brilliant plan! I had the most breathtakingly beautiful views. If you ever want a beautiful drive, you need to drive from Inverness to Portree. I shot a bunch of little videos because the bus was moving a bit too fast for still pictures. The water you see off to the left is Loch Ness.
On our journey, we even came across some wild mountain goats. They crossed in front of the bus while we were parked, but one of the youngest in the group was a little too curious. As you can see by the videos, he (I’m assuming it’s a ‘he’) very cautiously tried to board the bus. Actually, I think he was hoping for some kind of treat from us- the cutest little guy!
Tonight I’m in Portree, on the Isle of Skye. This is a first for me, and can I just say that this is the coolest little (and I do mean little) town! I do believe that one of my cousins told me that she has ancestors who came from here. I went for a walk around the area before the desk clerk would allow me to check into the hotel.
DavTravels 