Last night in London...

We have been back on the tourist trail in London, yesterday we spent the morning at the British Museum and the afternoon at St Paul's Cathedral.

Last night we went to dinner with Al, Yen and a couple of friends to a local Portugese restaurant. The food was most excellent as was the wine, port and company.

Today we slept in (it's great not to have to check out!) and then headed up to Hampstead Heath with Al & Yen where we had a fantastic pub lunch followed by a long stroll in the Heath. A lovely way to cap off our stay in London.

Tomorrow we fly to Paris at midday, arriving mid afternoon. We'll be there for two nights, flying out from Charles Du Gaulle at 11.15pm on Wednesday night (Paris time) & touching down in Melbourne 4.45am Friday morning. I suspect we may not post again until we get home, so we will bid you au revoir until then.

Pic: Cait & Graeme at the top of Hampstead Heath

Goodbye Scotland (hello London)

We are back in London tonight, kicking back. Our hosts are away for the evening so we are vegging out on the couch over a curry and lager for dinner...quite boring of us really! The last couple of days have involved a fair bit of travel, yesterday from Port Appin to Edinburgh and today to London. On the way yesterday we visited Stirling Castle which was probably the best of the major monuments we saw in the UK, as it had been left mostly as it was and not tarted up too much for the tourists. In fact they are busy with archealogical work at the moment to discover how the castle changed over time and we were able to see the work in progress. The interactives were also very good. It was raining quite heavily at times yesterday...our first rain in Scotland believe it or not!! But we were in the car most of the time so it wasn't a problem. It was a downpour at night so we had a quiet night just popped down the local for fish & chips. This morning we vistited the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, there were major exhibitions of Mapplethorpe and Van Gogh plus a good permanent collection. The back on the train to London and a lazy night in...

What a load of rubbish (& other observations)

We do not understand why in a country as beautiful as this, the locals insist on dumping huge volumes of litter in the streets. It is rampant in Scotland. There are campaigns to try and draw attention to it, fines, but nothing seems to work. This photo was taken over the side of a wall just outside Stirling Castle...nothing is sacred apparently. Where's the pride?
Much of the service work here is done by non-Scottish people, in particular Eastern Europeans seem to dominate in hotel & restaurant jobs. One theory (mine) is that the service by locals is so bad that they've had to import labour to adequately service the tourist market. We've never heard the word "no" so many times as in Scotland...as in "no, I'm sorry we can't do that/don't have that/never heard of that", etc. It's strange, but it makes things just that little bit harder than they need to be. Still, Scotland is beautiful and succeeds as a destination despite itself.

Oh the little seals and big beautiful eyes....

Just up the road from Port Appin was the Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary, so we stopped in for a visit to sea (sic) what was what! Home and hospital to two otters and numerous baby seals, two baby seals were being nursed to a weight where they could return to the sea, very sick little pups (but on the way to good health & in very good hands). However, a number of seals were soon ready to go back to the wild but were happy to provide a feeding frenzy display for us in the meantime. The centre even had a rescued sea turtle that had become extremely disorientated when found near the Scottish coast, as he should have been in the Mediterranean, he was missing a rudder though (this is a common turtle injury). He was 9 degrees below his proper body temperature when he first came in, so they are slowly increasing the water temperature until he is back to normal. The staff were excellent and happy to spend a lot of time chatting about the animals...obviously a labour of love. Cait reckons this is where all the good-looking Scottish blokes ended up...all two of them!! The pic (of the seals not the good-looking Scotsmen!) will speak louder than words...and the VERY loud seals (proclaimed to be "poor starving beasties" by one of the carers just prior to feedies time).

Port Appin

Our stay in Port Appin could not have been better. Port Appin is located a few miles off the main road, bounded by Loch Creran and the Lynn of Lorn. Just around the corner is the island fortress of the Stewarts, Castle Stalker and the island of Lismore is just across the way. Our accommodation for the night was The Airds Hotel, which has become reknowned for great food. We were left in no doubt about this as our fare included dinner and breakfast all of which were SUPERB!! We adjourned to the lounge room for pre-dinner canapes and apertifs (martinis all round!), followed by a delightful three-course meal and ending back in the lounge with fresh mint tea (picked right from the garden) and petit-fors. An indulgence for sure but left us feeling great after Fort William and our big day in the wilds of Glencoe. The follwing morning we had every intention of catching the ferry to Lismore for a walk, however as overindulgence the night before had left one member of the party (no names - Graeme) feeling shall we say a little worse for wear, travel by boat definately not an option! So we settled for a gentle stroll around Port Appin after breakfast (Cait had smoked kippers and went on about it all day...must have been good) before heading off....

Glencoe

What a day we had. After leaving Fort William this morning in relatively low spirits, we headed for Glencoe, stopping first at the visitor centre. It was OK but nothing special (bar for the surly young lass serving at the cafe). So we drove on in the hope of finding a good place to walk. After a couple of false starts, we parked up the car and found a rocky trail heading up into the hills. While not being ones to go in for all the Celtic mysticism rubbish, we both felt that this was a pretty special place, owing more to the natural history of the place than glorified government sanctioned masssacres. We marched onwards and upwards for over an hour (are we there yet?) over alternately rocky, muddy and just plain old wet terrain. On reaching the summit, we were treated to a magnificent vista, of even more rocky, muddy and just plain old wet trails! But seriously, you are dwarfed by the immensity of the place which makes it amazing to think that it was once three times higher than it is now. We reached the car tired but very very happy...a big lunch was justified! After lunch we decided on a circuitous route to our destination for the evening, Port Appin. We headed east from Glencoe, following the trail of the hills inland to Rannoch Moor (starkly beautiful as you would expect) then through Bridge of Orchy and a "short-cut" down along Glen Orchy (a tiny, up and down, windy, bumpy and narrow road) which again was lovely...it is near impossible to turn down a road and not have great views in this part of the world. The trip back to the coast took us along Loch Awe and Loch Etive on the far side of the Glencoe highlands, coming out just near Oban and then heading north again to come home to roost in Port Appin for the night...

Leaving Fort William

Well our digs in Ft William were not all we thought they would be. After a very bad night's sleep, I made an executive decision & we checked out and found new accomodations at Port Appin which is OFF THE HIGHWAY!! Time will tell if it is the right decision....

Crinan Canal & Duntrune (Malcolm) Castle

The trip up to Crinan took us up the east coast of Loch Lomond, stopping for lunch at Loch Fyne oysters (yum!!) and Inverary Castle (beautiful parklands & huffy sheep) and then on to Lochgilphead and finally Crinan itself, which is reached via a tiny road which we navigated at 10mph for the last 2 miles hoping not to be collected by any oncoming traffic. But it was well worth it. Agatha Christie steroptypes aside (we thought a murder or jewellery theft was going to take place overnight, based on the bizarre and improbable hotel guests at dinner), the hotel was very old school and afforded a near perfect view of Duntrune Castle from our window. This morning we drove upto the gates of the castle then wussed out...next time (maybe the old f^%£$er will be dead by then). We did get a photo of a stag just down the road though leaping through the forest, which was nice. We then checked out some ancient rock carvings and went to Fort Dunnan, a magical hill(ish) where apparently the first Scottish kings were crowned. Then on to Kilmartin House Museum which we heartily recommend (it's everything it needs to be and nothing more). Then on to Oban where we scrambled up to Dunollie Castle (the ruins of), great views and great....ruined bits. Then drove up & arrived here in Fort William an hour or so ago, accomodation is v.nice. More blogs soon so keep on checking back...
Pic: Duntrune (Malcolm) Castle on the shores of Loch Crinan (that's as close as we dared to go!)

Glasgow...what was that about?

We think Glasgow could be a great city, but it left it's welcome mat in the cupboard for us. It's a bit schitzo though, because we did have some brilliant moments while there. On the plus side: Kelvingrove Museum is brilliant, we did not have enough time to see it all and would go back - if ever you are in Glasgow go & see it - they've just completed a big refurbishment so it's all shiny and new (so to speak). We had a fine Indian meal, incomparable to anything we've had in Oz, different but damn fine!! Nut case taxi drivers all around, swearing & carrying on the whole way. The downside was we wasted a heap of time on our first afternoon because nothing is signposted & although it is a symmetrical sort of city, nothing is easy to find. The tourist board has some work to do! Anyway, with more careful planning or a local guide I am sure anyone could think Glasgow is great!

Edinburgh..it's ridiculously good looking!

This town is extremely photogenic. From any number of vantage points you will take shots like this one - it's beautiful. Another big touristy day today. We began at the Castle which looks fantastic from a distance but yet again is spoilt up close by touristy tat. But you have to go see these things after all. Great views of the city of course. Then walked down the Royal Mile to Holyrood House which was (naturally) beautiful but it was also great to see the interior of a working Royal palace. The Stewarts (or Stuarts) had an obvious knack for interior design. We roamed the gardens there for a while, but couldn't muster the energy to climb Arthur's seat. So then we headed for the National Gallery where we had a delicious lunch (again with the food :-) and spent an hour or so perusing the gallery proper. After that we headed back to the hotel via Marks & Spencer (stocking up on smalls for the rest of the trip!). So that's a proper Brit experience for us! Speaking of which, last night we ate haddock & chips from a box washed down with a can of Irn Bru...a chap even came in wearing a kilt & full regalia so now we feel like real Scots! Tomorrow we head to Glasgow but are only there for one night so we may or may not blog....

Forget your Stairmaster....you're in Edinburgh son!

Key observation about Edinburgh - it is HILLY. Stairs everywhere in the Old Town and we are staying at the bottom. To get anywhere we have to climb up and then down the other side. You would get fit quickly living here!

Edinburgh...that's in Scotland!

We left London this morning and the train here took 4 1/2 hours...pretty good time. The train was fast, comfortable and the service pleasant - the exact opposite of v/line! We arrived around 2.30, checked into the hotel then headed out. First impressions were good, and then great! We are staying adjacent to Edinburgh Castle, so we walked up some very steep steps then around to St Cuthbert's church then into the park around the back of the Castle (the name escapes me right now). Unlike London where fire & bombings have destroyed many of the very old buildings, here the old architecture is in abundance...literally everywhere you turn there is another beautiful building & another photo opportunity! We strolled around for a couple of hours, the sun was out, the locals happy...life is great! So tonight we're off uptown for some genuine Scottish fish 'n' chips and maybe a pint or two more...it's Friday night after all :-)

London bits & bobs & other stuff

Traffic is crazy. Drivers are nuts. Pedestrians are insane. No one stops. It’s a wonder everyone is not killed. Despite that it all seems to flow pretty well. The bus system is superb, you don’t have to wait more than about ten minutes. Great if you know where you’re going…. We can’t come to terms with the tube, too confusing, hot and stuffy. It’s a pretty dirty city, we come home each day with grit & grime on our faces (in addition to sore feet).

This one’s for Geoff: there’s a brilliant bike culture here, cyclists on bikes of all shapes & sizes. Helmets are not mandatory which I can’t believe given the nut case traffic, but there you go. They have even introduced a tax-free ride-to-work scheme which allows your employer to package up a bike and you pay no tax – works out about half price!! Best start lobbying Costello…..

The weather has been superb, 26 yesterday and around 22 today. So much sun that we are both a little red, but there are not many shops out on the tourist trail where you can just pick up the basics like sunscreen. We’ll grab some before we go to Scotland, the five day forecast is for fine & sunny weather, let’s hope they’re right…

The food has been great. The coffee less so. We have found a local Italian place which does OK coffee and great food. It’s called Carluccio’s and is part of a chain run by Antonio Carluccio whom you might be familiar with. Last night we had dinner at Vic Naylor’s which is just around the corner. For movie buffs, this was the bar used in Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels…though there wasn’t a Cockney geezer in sight ;-).

Build a Bridge Tommy!!!!

The tourist hot spot onslaught continues. First stop today was the Tower of Tack also known as the Tower of London. We spent waaaay too long there and didn’t even find the torture chamber until the very end - by which stage we too were feeling a little tourtured… Then on to the Tower Bridge including a tour of the engine rooms – very impressive (Ray we will email you some pics). About 15 minutes later the bridge opened so we struck it lucky today. Tommy we shot this photo just for you :-) Next on to the Tate Modern for lunch & a quick peek, then continued down Southbank and took in the Aquarium. Skipped the London Eye today but hope to have a go next week. Then across to Jewel House (across the road from Parliament), Westminster Abbey, hang on Westminster Cathedral, no that’s not the one, back to the Abbey again – made it in by 8 minutes before they shut the doors & just as well! We were both blown away by the Abbey – an overwhelming experience for us both. Managed to navigate our way home on the local buses, we’re getting the hang of this place now. Tomorrow we are off to Edinburgh by train so both very excited not to mention looking forward to putting our feet up for a few hours! Hope to keep blogging while in Scotland, facilities willing, so keep an eye on the blog!

London tourist checklist

What a day! We ticked off: Picadilly Circus (by black cab!), Victoria & Albert Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, Marble Arch, National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, St James Park, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, then a cruise up the Thames to Tower Bridge. Not bad for one day....both of us tired but happy. Incredible what a difference a great night's sleep makes, jetlag is gone. Heaps more to do tomorrow, this city is HUGE! The Tower, Tate modern and perhaps the Eye if Cait can overcme her vertigo :-) And now for dinner.....ciao!

Safely in London (hell is other people...)

We can safely NOT recommend Qantas economy for your next overseas flight. Cattle class is an overstatement! But never mind, we are safely in London. Cait is in bed she has hit the wall BIG TIME! But your intrepid reporter is still here brining you the latest from across the globe. We touched down around 1.15pm local time and after lengthy delays in passport control, we finally arrived at Al & Yen's apartment around 3.30. After a quick wash we took a stroll around the local sights & happened upon St James Cathedral, and walked across the Millenium Bridge to the southbank of the Thames. Al & Yen took us to dinner at a great Italian restraunt - a huge improvement on airline food! Plenty to see and do in our next two days here, we will be out early to see the sights - west end of town tomorrow and the rest on Thursday. PIC: Cait relaxing after hitting the deck in London...

Graeme & Cait's holiday

We're off tomorrow! Plenty of last minuute packing & shopping madness!

We leave Melbourne at 11.30pm tomorrow and arrive London 1.30pm Tuesday. Then to Edinburgh on the 8th, Glasgow on the 10th, the west coast until the 14th then back to London on the 15th. On the 18th we fly to Paris for 2 days and then jet home on the 20th, arriving back in Melbourne on the 22nd.

We'll try to update the blog as often as we can.

You can use leave comments on the blog, or email us on coullg@bigpond.net.au

Au revoir!