16,400 kilometres. That’s about how far we travelled from start to finish, via airplane, car, ferry, train and on foot.

We saw the newest sights (The Shard in London) the U.K. had to offer as well as the oldest (Stonehenge).

We drove as far north as roads went and rode the waves in the North Sea.

We saw where our ancestors lived and walked in their footsteps.

We enjoyed warm sunny days and sudden snowstorms, freezing rains and balmy breezes.

We drank some fine beers and met some fine people.

We’ve created memories that will last the rest of our lives,

and we’re exhausted.

Scotland was rugged, remote and beautiful. We passed through a few cities, but cities are cities wherever you go. The countryside defined Scotland. The villages were small and spread out over the rolling landscape. The lifestyle was relaxed and in no hurry. There were none of the amenities of the bigger towns and cities, but who cared. If you want fast food, you don’t live in a place like this. Everyone we met was friendly and most drivers on the roads had a wave for us as we passed by. Driving the single track roads was a bit of a learning experience, but we got it figured out pretty quick and if you made a mistake, no one seemed to get upset about it. Not even the sheep. The weather changed faster than you could think possible. We were overlooking Scalloway castle when a snowstorm hit and all but obscured our view. Within four minutes the sky was clear and the sun was shining as if nothing had happened at all. We stayed at places where the background noises we are used to weren’t there. No airplanes, car noises or sirens. Just the wind, the waves, the birds and the sounds of our shoes crouching on the gravel as we walked.

England was the opposite of Scotland. We spent our time in the downtown core of major metropolitan cities. We prefer the country, but the reason we came to England dictated that  we would have to be in the city to do the research we came to do. The lifestyle was completely different than the first half of our trip. Everyone was in a hurry to be somewhere. Cars and buses zipping all over in a crazed dance, punctuated by horns and the occasional squealing tire. Crowds of peoples moving in surges in time with the lights. It’s not a life that I would choose, but for a few days, I could tolerate it. Birmingham was a nightmare to drive in, so we returned the rental car a day early and used taxis and foot travel to get around. The people were still for the most part friendly, but somewhat distracted and in a bit of a rush. Coventry was more relaxed, but the downtown core was more historic than commercial. London was…..well, it was London, a big modern city built on ancient history. You could step from the 16th century to the 21st century in a few feet. Something that we are not quite so used to in Canada. It was interesting and exciting seeing and hearing names that until now, I’d only seen in movies or read about in books. To hear Nottingham mention casually, or Whitechapel listed as a subway stop was an experience in itself.

Overall, it was a good trip, something to be remembered. I’d never put the U.K. that high on my list of places to visit, but I’m glad I made the effort to go.  I’d recommend that you take the journey in either smaller chunks or over a longer period of time. There are some places I would have liked to have stayed longer, but as time was limited, we had to move on. It took a while to get used to driving on the other side of the road, the accents, the different currency and a few other little things, but as usual, we adjust. We’re back home now and besides the jet lag, credit card bills and memories, things are back to normal. It’s like we never left home at all.

Vacations never seem to last….

Ostentatious excess…that was my first impression of Harrods. Everything and anything that a person could want is in this one store. Designer styles, original creations, or just plain unique, Harrods will have it or can get it. Fresh seafood from almost every ocean in the world, chocolate delights for the most discerning tastes. Need a life-size stuffed gorilla, or a bulletproof leather jacket? Harrods has it, for a price. Life sized stuffed gorilla £1450.00. Bulletproof leather jacket £400.00. There was even a stereo speaker on display with a £62,000.00 price tag (I don’t know if that was each or for a pair).  This is a 4 1/2 acre, 7 story store that has over 200 departments and 5000 employees. They had the first escalator in England, installed in 1898. They even have a published dress code for clientele.  It was worth the time spent to experience this store.  Outside the store, limousines could be seen dropping off shoppers. Parked next to Austin Minis and Fords were Lamborghini, Porsches and Maserattis. For the most part, I can’t afford to shop there, but it was amazing for this small town boy to see what could be had in the big city if you could afford it.

After we left Harrods, we strolled to the famous Hyde Park. As city parks go, it’s a nice park. It’s well maintained and has lots of footpaths to get around the park. But the history of the park makes it a definite place to visit. It’s been featured in stories from many authors, home to a number of famous rock concerts, and host to numerous events every year. While I’ve been to nicer parks in Canada, none have the same historical significance.

So, besides the rain, we had a nice day strolling through downtown London. It wasn’t an item on my bucket list, but is was something to see.

We made it to London. Not the one in Ontario, the original one and I’m glad we took the bus. Driving here is insane. Buses and taxis zipping every which way, round-a-bouts and general mayhem. For someone that’s not familiar with the city, it would be nerve wracking. Even as a rider, it can be ‘interesting’.

So we did the tourist thing and took an open top bus tour. The tour guide, Alan (Premier Tours), was great. He knew the town and the sites and how to get around the crowds. We saw all of the main sites in downtown London, heard Big Ben ring, cruised the river Thames and saw the changing of the guard. It would have been better if it wasn’t for an arrogant/ignorant  French couple who took our seats up top after the first stop and refused to acknowledge what they had done or give them back. At every stop after that, the same couple rushed back to the bus first to ensure that we didn’t get our seats back. If Premier Tours had a seating policy of any sort, it wasn’t announced or enforced. So for a good portion of the tour, we got to see the bottom half of the sites. It’s a little bit strange seeing the names of places you only know from the movies or TV. Places like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Saville Row, Pall Mall. At times it doesn’t seem like we’re really here, but it will be something to remember.

After the tour, we went for lunch in the Kings Arms pub in downtown London. It has that pub feel to it, good food and is a stones throw from Buckingham Palace. We had some time so we wandered around and did some touristy shopping before we headed off for the second tour of the day.

We got to the Victoria Coach Station a bit early, so we had some time to relax before the bus left. It was a two hour drive to our next destination and the seats were cramped and uncomfortable and the ride was boring with no music, commentary or anything to occupy our minds. It would have been nice if they would have told us such before we booked the tour so we could have brought a book or some music along.

We arrived at Stonehenge around four o’clock and started a walking tour. They supply a wireless device at the site to carry with you and provide commentary. The commentary was interesting and very thorough and gave options for extra detail at various points around the site. For a pile of rocks, it’s actually quite impressive. Once you realize how long ago they were erected and what it must have taken to put these rocks in place, you can’t help being at least a little bit in awe of the builders. It was a good visit and I’m glad I took the time to come see it.

After we got back to London, it was a quiet dinner for two and a relaxing evening. Tomorrow we head back across the big pond and back home.

We started the day by returning our rental car. We should have had them pick it up. Driving in Vancouver or even Toronto is a pleasure compared to driving in Birmingham. Roads going over….roads going under….roads going round and round in every direction, and everyone driving on the wrong side of the road. We managed to get the the car rental office in forty five minutes. Google maps says it was a ten minute drive. Apparently Google hasn’t driven in Birmingham.  After that chore was done, we walked to the downtown shopping district called the Bullring. Shopping is shopping wherever you go. Got a quick bite to eat then headed to the Birmingham and Midlands Institute to do some genealogy research. (The main reason for this trip)  We did get some new information, but we got even more questions. The people on hand at the Birmingham and Midlands Society for Genealogy and Heraldry were more than helpful, and were able to ferret out information that has us struggling. They were a wealth of information and a pleasure to work with.

After we finished at the BMSGH, we got on a train for Coventry. We hadn’t originally planned on going there, but a friend of ours (you know who you are), suggested (insisted) we stop by and visit her brother and mother. We met Roy (her brother) at the train station and were welcomed like we were family. He then proceeded to take us on an incredible walking tour starting in modern downtown Coventry. We walked through medieval streets and fourteenth century  churches. We saw things that we would have never seen otherwise. It was a fantastic personal tour and we enjoyed every minute of it. Thinking the day couldn’t get any better, Roy took us home to meet Mom and then to a country pub for dinner. The pub was warm and cozy, the beer was great and the company was the best. We had a fine dinner and had a chance to relax after all of the driving and walking of the past few days. Our thanks to Roy and Mom for a n unforgettable day! And thanks to Janet for setting this all up for us.

We left the Shetland Isles none too soon. The wind speed was increasing and the temperature was decreasing. Add to that a near freezing rain and a ferry full of people and vehicles, and we had a wild ride out of town! I thought the waves were big when we came into the islands. Boy, was I mistaken! The swells must have been at least forty feet or more. At times standing was tough and walking was an experience best described as ” Don’t!!”. Objects were sliding across the tables and we heard a large crash in the kitchen. We decided the best place for us was in our cabin and immobile. Outside of a few bouts of nausea, we survived the night and woke to gentle seas. We got into Aberdeen about 7:00 am and headed to Roslin, Scotland to see the Rosslyn Chapel. We had very good lunch at the Original Roslin Hotel, the headed to the chapel. We couldn’t see much of the outside as it was mostly covered in scaffolding. The inside was amazing. The stonework was so detailed and almost everything you looked at was carved with some sort of intricate figure or design. The skill  and care that the stone masons put into their work is something you have to see in person to appreciate. I’ve seen this chapel in the movie The DaVinci Code, and on a BBC special. No way can the video impress upon you what these men did hundreds of years ago.  Unfortunately, no photography was allowed inside the chapel, so no pictures to show you.

So now we are on the M6 and getting close to Birmingham. The weather was getting nice for awhile. Sixteen degrees and sunny. Then we crossed the border into England. Now it’s thirteen degrees, raining and just miserable in general.

I’m doing this post from the car on the drive to Birmingham, so I’ll post the photo later this evening.

Two ferries and a few miles of single track roads and we reach the end of Great Britain. We travelled as far north as the roads would let us go and from our vantage point on top of a hill at the tip of Unst, we could see the northern most tip of the U.K. We could see the lighthouse at Muckle Flugga in the distance. Even zooming in as much as I could, I couldn’t see much detail. We found out the hard way that most of the fantastic scenery on the Shetland Isles is not accessible by road. You need a boat or an aircraft to see what the brochures show. There is a trail at the nature reserve at the north end of Unst, but it’s a 4 mile hike with a lot of uphill.

On the upside, people here are very friendly. Everywhere we’ve been in the islands, most everyone has a smile and greeting for you. Even the sheep have something to say as you go by. And there are sheep and lambs everywhere. They appear to have free roam of the island, so you have to watch when you’re driving for sheep on the road. We stopped for the night in Baltasound at the most northernly hotel in the U.K., the Baltasound Hotel. The cabin we got was a bit smaller than we expected, but is was clean and the bed very comfortable. I worked on the hotel’s wifi and got it working enough that guests could get internet (mainly so I could post this blog). We had a great dinner and then took a long evening walk looking for otters. We found a few seals, but sadly, no sightings of the (mythical) otters. Then we spent a few hours in the most northerly pub in the U.K. chatting with the proprietor of the hotel. We found out some of the frustrations of operating a business that is so remote from the mainland as well as some of the highlights. All said and done it’s been a good experience here in Unst.

Now we part the northern reaches of Scotland and head down to Birmingham. I’m not so sure I want to go back to the cities, but that’s what our itinerary says, so…..  off we go.

We left Lerwick on Sunday morning. First, we had to get gas for the day’s driving. That’s when we were reminded that we were no longer in the big city. The first gas station we stopped at was closed on Sunday. The second one didn’t open until 10:00. The third was closed Sunday as well, but, it had one modern convenience, a twenty four hour automated gas pump. It’s been so long since we travelled in the countryside that we had forgotten that they have a more ‘relaxed’ schedule. Further into the west side of the island, most businesses close Friday afternoon and don’t re-open until Monday afternoon. No rush, no panic, everything will get done sooner or later. A concept I could get used to.

We drove through Sandness and up to Melby. No more problems about which side of the road to drive on. The roads are all one lane. They call them single track roads. They are literally one lane wide. But all along there are ‘passing areas’ where you can pull off to the side to let another vehicle pass by. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it seems to work. We followed a few of the roads around Melby until they ended by the ocean. It was cold and windy, but the view was wonderful. One beach we stopped at was covered with sea lions. We got out of the car and walked to the beach near the sea lions. They were concerned enough to look our way, then go back to sunning themselves.  It seems they don’t feel at all threatened by tourists. When we got closer to the water, a few swam over our way to watch us, but the majority were more interested in the sun rays.

We left Melby a drove down to Walls (pronounced ‘waas’). It’s all scenic in a postcard sort of way. We left walls and headed to Burrastow where we have a room booked in a B&B. As luck would have it, we are the only ones staying in this three hundred years old house for the night. It’s so quiet here. No airplanes or cars in the distance. Just the wind, waves and a few birds. I could get used to this quite easily. Our host Pierre was friendly and helpful and the room was nicer than the hotels we’ve stayed in so far. We walked along the beach pictured above, watched the birds, chatted with our host and spotted an otter in the bay. We had a wonderful dinner cooked just for us by a Belgian chef, retired to our room to relax and fade off to sleep. It’s now 6:30 am and I’m looking out the window, watching rabbits play in the field below and waiting to see if the otter’s going to come by for a visit this morning. I’ve been trying to write this for the past hour, but the scenery outside keeps distracting me. Or is it the other way around?

We’ve been on the islands for a few days now and it’s been interesting to say the least. The people are friendly and the weather’s not. The wind is almost continuous, it just varies in speed and temperature. But you would expect that from being in a coastal area. What we didn’t expect was going from blinding snow to blinding sun in five minutes, repeatably. I thought living in Vancouver where the weather can change from nice to nasty pretty quick was bad enough. Vancouver has nothing on the Shetland Islands. But if you dress for the weather (I didn’t), it can still be quite the place to see. Rolling green hills, quaint little villages (note: a village can consist of as little as two houses within visible distance of each other), and an air of history about the place. We visited a castle in Scalloway, then stopped at a white sandy beach with turquoise waters a few miles away. It was a bit to cold for us to go swimming, but a local seal had no issues with the temperature. We saw some Shetland ponies and got some photos. Kathy did some local genealogy research, but the results were disappointing.

During the evenings we attended some concerts at the 32nd Annual Shetland Island Folk Music Festival. We are not into folk music, but it was entertaining and there was a good variety of performers from local amateur acts to professionals from all over. They all performed quite well and everyone was having a good time.

I am planning to put up a photo gallery, but the internet connections here are a bit too slow. So it will have to wait until we get to the mainland.

It’s been an adventure. I can’t think of any other polite way to put it. Things were looking good, we were on the road at a reasonable time. Then our car had an up close and personal meeting with a curb at 40 mph. Three and a half hours, a drive back into the town we just left, and 2 tires later, we’re back on the road. We were able to get in some quiet time while waiting for the road rescue crew (like our CAA) to drop by for a visit. Got to meet some nice tire repair people and we ended up getting to our ferry with a few minutes to spare and not the extra hours we had planned for.

The ferries here are quite nice. The cabins, while not very large are still comfortable. Ferry food is ferry food, no matter where you are. The ride is quiet with very little engine noise. The North Sea on the other hand is not quite so accommodating. We left port to calm seas and a pod of dolphins playing just outside the harbour. As evening progressed, the seas got higher. 4 to 8 foot waves, which made the ship rock slightly. Not enough for discomfort, but still noticeable. By two am the waves had increased in size to about 8 to 12 feet. The ship was rocking somewhat more. It was getting annoying, but we could still get some sleep. Three am and I was woken by the ships hull slamming down with a reverberating boom into the sea as it broke over 20 plus foot waves. A little too much for sleeping through. These wave stuck around for the rest of the night and finally calmed down as we got closer to land. We arrived half an hour late to a light snow falling in Lerwick with a minus five windchill. So far we’ve seen blowing snow, rain, and almost blinding sunshine this morning. Next year’s vacation is defiantly going to be a warmer location.

After six months of planning, we finally arrived. It was a long flight, but the upgrade to ‘Club Class’ made the experience so much better. No line ups, first on the plane and first off. Even our luggage was first on the conveyer. (All of this may have been coincidence, but I’ll give Air Transat the benefit of the doubt). The staff on the aircraft were excellent, which made a huge difference as well as little things like using real drinking glasses and cutlery instead of the plastic that you usually get in regular (steerage) class.

Even though we were tired from the long day we’d had so far, the adrenaline from the new adventure kept our energy levels up. We got our rental car , a sporty looking little Vauxhaul, and got on the road. Having driven in Australia before, we were ready for driving in Scotland. It’s still unsettling for the first while, but we managed to do ok with a minimum of horns blowing in our wake. We headed out of Glasgow and into the countryside. Our goal on the first day was to get to Dundee where we would rest for the night. We managed to make the hour and a half drive in two and half hours and saw more of Scotland than we had planned for. But we made it to Dundee and managed to find the hotel we wanted to stay at. After we settled in, we took a walk downtown. When crossing the street in the U.K., remember to look the opposite way that you would look in Canada. Other than that, it was a nice walk and the scenery was quite different from home. There was a mix of the very old and the very new, with a bit of everything in between. Where we are used to seeing most buildings and stores that are only as old as 30 to 40 years, seeing  buildings that are hundreds of years old used for cell phone stores and groceries seems a bit odd, and right next to the old stone edifices are shiny new glass and steel shopping centres. Turn the corner and there is a stone church thats been around since the 13th century.

The weather is the same as when we left Vancouver. Thirteen degrees and mostly cloudy with a bit of sun peeking out. Kathy says if feels a little more humid, but I haven’t noticed it yet.

All said and done, the first day was long, tiring and exciting. It’s good to see all of our planning come together and I think we are off to a good start.