In which more family is visited and the return trip starts.
Delivered to Glasgow Queens st. station without hitting much traffic, so was good and early for the 10:30 train. Train left late, and there was only 13 minutes for the train transfer in Aberdeen – next train to Inverness in another 2 hours so was resigned to another wait but amazingly (according to everyone else getting off) they held the Inverness train 5 mins for the transfer. The second train wasn’t as pleasant with a group of very loud young men taking up the empty seats and drinking beer (expressly prohibited and hidden whenever the conductor came by). Thanks for noise cancelling earphones. Stepped right into a cab and through Forres to my cousin’s place – lots of traffic and Forres seems to be twice the size I remember.
Lots of family visits ensued including the first time meeting the two new adopted sons of Andrew and Grant, lovely kids and what amazing parents. Did some walks, had some lovely meals, accumulated rowies, sweeties and associated sundries to take back, and added the haggis to the case finally dislodging the second bag.
The Dava Way trail
view from the trail
the broom is out!
The trail passes by a resting distillery, Dallas Dhu
the buildings seem in good repair despite no whiskey production inside
The trail passed a field of pigs and then went into the forest, with a creek babbling at the foot of the bank.
The birds were singing, and it was very zen! I only passed a couple of people with dogs and otherwise had it to myself.
The last night we got together for a pub meal, which yielded some very good haddock and chips (for me). The front of the menu noted that the prices had increased, and a long explanation of why (mostly payroll taxes, apparently).
lovely rose at the Mosset pub
The additions to the MacDonald family, with and without their cool glasses.
And so, the holiday comes to an end. First leg is over, encompassing dropoff at the Forres train station by a kind friend of Jenny’s, train to Dyce (near Aberdeen), taxi to Aberdeen airport. Trust a Scot, the driver refused to take me to the actual terminal but dropped me near an airport hotel to avoid the 5 GBP surcharge for going into the airport grounds…bit of a hike in from there but worth it! Too early for the check in but guided by an experienced traveller I found a coffee shop and waited it out, and after check in and a SLOW security line, found the airport lounge for dinner. Flight to Heathrow was packed – full of screaming children, thank you noise cancelling earphones! After an interminable wait for luggage off to the underground for another wait for a Picadilly line train, out after two stops to discover with chagrin that there was no lift at Hatton Cross Station…. got a workout going up three flights of stairs with the luggage now weighted down with 6 cans of haggis amongst other things… one step at a time, literally! Hard to understand the walking instructions to the hotel, which didn’t tell me I had to cross immediately as I found out when the sidewalk ran out on the other side after half a block… but eventually made it to the airport hotel with everything intact, feet now up and having a lovely cup of fruity tea.
Home tomorrow afternoon, if Air Canada doesn’t cancel or leave late again….