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which were delayed, so the lunch booking had to be put back. By the time they all arrived, the first ones had been in the airport for 4 hours and lunch had to be changed for a second time. Then they decided not to bother with lunch and just do the city tour! I’ll be staying away from that restaurant for a while.
Day 4 – At home, catching up and packing.
Days 5-8 – Picked up a hired car for a driver-guided tour for an American lady and her grand-daughter. This was a treat for the girl’s 14th birthday and her grandmother wanted to build in lots of different experiences – horse-riding on the beach at N Berwick (no, not me); sheepdog demonstration plus having a go at shearing and then feeding lambs at Kincraig; sailing on Loch Ness; the Jacobite steam train to Mallaig (they loved seeing the travelling cinema there) and ferry to Armadale on Skye; an overnight in a castle (Inverlochy no less); and a hands-on falconry experience. They had a ball!
Day 9 – Glasgow city tour for a German group on a short break to Scotland – this one was a bit different though, as most of the group were disabled, many with walking aids or in wheelchairs. The company specialises in such holidays and the coach was specially adapted for them. They were a super group of people and we had great fun together. It brought home to me some of the difficulties that people with mobility issues face – how do you pull a heavy door towards you and try to keep it open whilst simultaneously guiding your wheelchair through it?
Day 10 – a cruise ship excursion from Greenock to Inveraray via Loch Lomond and return via the ferry from Dunoon – a rural trip described as scenic with lochs, mountains, and beautiful scenery. On arrival at Inveraray one mother and her daughter asked where the Hard Rock Café could be found! They were flabbergasted to be told that Inveraray didn’t have one and the nearest was in Glasgow. No problem though, they would just get a bus there and meet us back at the ship! It took a few minutes to get them to understand the reality of rural bus timetables and journey times. They found Inveraray Castle “pretty cute” but remained disappointed at not being able to buy an HRC t-shirt to add to their collection!
Guiding is fun!’
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