Just a brief one from me....

Scotland was incredible.

I loved it.

I must go back.

It all started off a bit weird-we had a mad dash to the airport in order to get there in time, and just barely made the flight after getting a really ass-y check in desk (note to self: BMI hates their passengers more than any other airline I have ever known!) We got onto the flight with no time to spare and not seated next to each other, so two rows ahead of my Y, I sat next to a man and his son, and settled in for a one hour flight. Shortly before our landing, I noticed that the young boy was humming a tune, and then he started singing softly. It was cute little kid music, a gentle song, and I started singing along with it in my head until I realized the words the kid was singing. I looked over in horror and saw him closing the plastic window cover as he sang:

"We're going down....we're going to die...." again and again.

Then he started rolling his eyes in his head and smacking his head on the plastic window cover, and I thought Oh my fucking God, is this kid channeling the Big Bopper? Oh my God, this is the creepiest thing ever...

But the young boy's channels must've been messed up, since we landed without incident.

Y and I got into our rental car and headed out north, to the Highlands, to Ben Nevis and Glencoe. And for once, I am out of metaphors. I am out of words to describe what can only be the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen in my life, ever. It was brilliant, lonely, empty, haunting, and thrilling, all in one. Y and I took a ski lift on one of the mountains, which was empty this time of year since there was no snow. And on the way up, with gentle waterfalls and aching cold, I had my hand in Y's lap, helping him to...enjoy...the scenery.

When we got to the top, we decided to do as the Highlanders did, and initiate the mountain.

Wonderful.

We got to our bed and breakfast, a gorgeous and enormous ancestral home run by the most eccentric Scotsman I'd ever met, and settled in for a wonderful sleep. And sleep we did-we slept like rocks, with the window open, showering us with Highland chilled air and wrapped in each other, until a 7 am Y sat bolt upright. He looked at me. Looked at the end of the bed. I looked down then and saw that we had hada security breach during the night.

Curled up at the end of the bed was a fat and very satisfied looking tabby cat. And I, so deeply missing my cats myself, lay in a fetal position, the fat cat curled in the hollow of my knees, and allowing me to scratch the side of her ears for ages.

It was perfect.

We then puttered around Highlands in our rented Vauxhall Corsa, screaming down mountain tracks and laughingly leaning forward to strain back up them on the single track roads. It was great fun, and we pulled into Inverness later that evening, then off to what has to be the most upscale bed and breakfast I have ever stayed in. It was pure luxurious attention to all the details, and Y and I had a romantic morning in the darkness, when he reached out for me.

Then we headed off to Loch Ness (nope, didn't see it) and a drive through the central part of Scotland before settling in Edinburgh, where we spent the day today, walking, laughing, diving out of the rain and getting charmed by bagpipes (which, actually, turn me on like no ones business).

We are now back in Newbury, with a mass of laundry to do, love bits up and down our backs, and the hope that things will stay as good as they have been.

Pics and a few other things tomorrow. including a debacle....

-H.

PS-Dane sent me two boxes of Cap'n Crunch for my birthday, thereby making him my personal hero. Thank you, dearest

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 11:31 PM | Comments (16) | Add Comment
Post contains 707 words, total size 4 kb.

1 It sounds like you had a lovely time. I better not read it again, for I fear I will turn green.

Posted by: Heather at April 14, 2004 12:01 AM (rIGeZ)

2 the bagpiper buskers in Edinburgh?... you da bomb, babe... I wish I was there.... next to the Marks and Sparks?... I wish I was there to see it....

Posted by: Eric at April 14, 2004 01:20 AM (Py0cM)

3 Le sigh. Le envy.

Posted by: Emma at April 14, 2004 02:08 AM (kpNlZ)

4 glad you had a lovely time......we miss you when you dash off on your mad weekend trips, but love to hear the tales when you come back home....

Posted by: mitzi at April 14, 2004 02:26 AM (51AFg)

5 I am absolutely relieved that you are doing well. Oddly enough, I worry about you at times. I have never met you, we have exchanged a couple of emails, but I've never met you. I worry about you like I would worry about a younger sister. I want so much for you to have a happy life - a life where you feel so okay about yourself that you will never hurt or let anyone else hurt you again. Okay. I'll shut up now. Take care!

Posted by: Beth at April 14, 2004 02:28 AM (90Ric)

6 So Cool...all happy and lovey dovey... Its great to see things working out so well.

Posted by: butterflies at April 14, 2004 02:31 AM (karT6)

7 It sounds like you had a wonderful time! Thanks for posting your adventures - I love living vicariously as you travel and enjoy the world. Glad to "hear" you sounding so happy and satisfied.

Posted by: Lisa at April 14, 2004 03:02 AM (uxfbz)

8 When we went to Scotland last year for our anniversary, we drove to Glencoe. Until then, I hadn't understood why so many Scotts had immigrated to New Zealand. Suddenly all the landscape looked just like the middle of the South Island. Beautiful! We have to go again, since I never got to the Culloden battlefield, which is closer to Inverness. I'd be very interested knowing the name of your B and B in Inverness!

Posted by: Oda Mae at April 14, 2004 06:02 AM (s7JOc)

9 Memo to self: clean every ski-lift I ever board in all of Scotland. I'll bet Y can't recall anything about the friggin' scenery if he was enjoying a bit of rub and tug. Lucky b*st*rd.

Posted by: Simon at April 14, 2004 06:05 AM (GWTmv)

10 Sounds fantastic. Maybe I can get Lovely Wife to duplicate it. Hey, do you mind babysitting three short but cute monsters for a couple days? ;-)

Posted by: Jim at April 14, 2004 11:22 AM (saeHM)

11 Sounds like a good time was had by all: Y, Helen, tabby cat, and mountain. ;-) One of these years I'll have to go and see Scotland and Ireland myself. Until then, I'll just have to live vicariously through other people's wonderful travel reports... Sigh.

Posted by: Gudy at April 14, 2004 01:18 PM (K12RR)

12 i am so glad you enjoyed it abs x

Posted by: abs at April 14, 2004 03:22 PM (lnpfn)

13 First and most important, THANKYOU thankyouthankyou for the lovely birthday pres, H. I squealed like a five year-old when the box was opened. You absolutely made my week! I'm glad you had such a lovely time in Scotland. It's supposed to be just gorgeous, people included. And isn't it funny how a critter coming in can change the whole day? I don't know how people live without pets. A morning without kitty time isn't worth having. Big smooch and thanks again!

Posted by: Kaetchen at April 14, 2004 04:35 PM (1nMRx)

14 I'm officially jealous...I've always dreamed of Scotland.

Posted by: Marie at April 14, 2004 05:05 PM (PQxWr)

15 Marie-I wish you'd been there, too-your pictures are FABULOUS! Eric-it was indeed in front of M&S in Edinburgh! Oda-it was the Boath House, near Nairn. I can't recommend it highly enough, really! Kaetchen-my pleasure, dearest! Jim-sign me up. Ilove babysitting....er...does that mean you'll pay for my flight?

Posted by: Helen at April 14, 2004 07:56 PM (Ztsb6)

16 I was thinking we'd dump 'em off on you over there but now that you mention it, it'll be much cheaper to fly you over here than to fly them over there. Good thinking, Helen!

Posted by: Jim at April 14, 2004 08:16 PM (IOwam)

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