Day 3
Sunday morning was another bright day and after a service at the local church, we took another day to drive to Edinburgh. It was rather uneventful day. Miles and miles of driving to stay on schedule. All the hours on the bus seem to blur together, so I am not too sure of what happened on which day. Eventually, we arrived at our destination. Tired and frustrated after long day, we hung out at the hotel, unable to go anywhere else without taking a thirty minute walk.
Day 4
Another bright day, another tour. This day consisted of seeing all of Edinburgh in a few short hours. We hopped on our trusty bus and drove around. Our tour guide was a cheery Scot in a kilt. What more could you ask for? He told us all about the history of Scotland and Edinburgh while yelling at random strangers in the street all in good humor. He left us at the castle, which was filled with groups like ours, taking pictures, being good tourists. It was a different atmosphere than Kenilworth castle, which was practically empty. My friend and I found we didn't particularly enjoy it so we left the castle to explore the town around it, promising to return at the appointed time for the bus. We set off, exploring the shops, getting lost in the crowd and enjoying the busy atmosphere, but as the canon went off to signal one o' clock, we were back on the bus, for a loooooong drive.
The drive consisted of several stops, but it wasn't enough to shake the feeling of being stuck, cramped and bored. It also didn't help that we were taking the long way to get to Glencoe, the next stop on our tour. We went the scenic route, going way up north to Inverness and back down the Loch Ness. It was as beautiful as it was before, but this time felt different. The lake was pristine, the surrounding areas deserted, but this time it was not just me and my friend. This time we were accompanied by our fellow classmates and Londoners. Their cries and shouts and laughter echoed through the quiet terrain, keeping me from finding the peace I found before. I still enjoyed it, and would gladly go back again and again, but if anyone asked me what would be best when visiting Scotland, my answer would be to take one or two people or find a place where everyone can split off, so you can enjoy how truly empty it is there.
Our journey was just beginning after we got back on the bus after a break along the shore. We still had a few hours to go as we followed the shore of the Loch. The wilderness soon disappeared from view as the sun set and darkness enclosed the bus. Voices of the people riding with me died down as weariness set in and people dozed off. An hour from our destination, the bus stopped. The driver got off, along with the professors, whispers broke out on the bus, confusion set in. After some tinkering under the bus, and discussion and phone calls, confirmation was given to the rumors. The bus' hydraulic system had a hole in it and so now, since the whole bus runs on that, we were stuck. Being in the Scottish Highlands with a bus that won't run, isn't the best situation. The local train station has already shut down for the night and the nearest bus will take an hour to get to us. We had little other choice though as we persuaded a local pub, which was also closing up shop for the night, to lets us in to use the bathroom then huddled outside, hoping to see the headlights of our rescue bus coming. Eventually it came and we all crammed on, desperate for a warm bed and a hot shower. We had to leave our luggage behind, it was safely locked under the bus by the faulty hydraulic system. Another hour of driving and we finally crashed in our beds, hoping tomorrow would bring clean clothes.
Day 5
When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I noticed was the view. I opened the curtains and was faced with glorious mountains looming over me. It was amazing how refreshing the sight was. Have been enclosed in darkness when we travelled to our hostel, there was no preparation for what we would be seeing despite knowing we were in the highlands. With a lighter heart, I went down to breakfast, tried haggis (if you can get over the texture and what it's made of then it isn't that bad...) and was informed that clean clothes were on their way.
The rest of the day was our own to do as we wished. The nearest town was two miles away so a friend and I did the only thing logical, we hiked around. Determined to get to a waterfall in the distance, we set out along a river at a leisurely pace until we came to a fence. Seeing no need to find out if Scotland had the same trespassing laws as we do, we turned around and went back, just in time for lunch. After lunch, a light nap was set in place. We had hiked for a couple hours in the morning so it felt deserved. We headed out towards the town afterwards but didn't make it far before we went back. For me, I found it a bit boring. The scenery was beautiful, but it doesn't hold the same appeal when you're walking down a paved road, avoiding cars. I prefer hiking down a trail much more.
TO BE CONTINUED...AGAIN...
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