Been a while ! Too many "too"s to keep the blog up to date - too busy, too much socialising or just plain too lazy !!! Travelling is hard work ...believe me !

Helensburgh - Loch Lomond
Ok - hit the jackpot again. Staying in the most amazing apartment in a renovated Coach House - just beautiful. And ...that Chianti is going down really well. Must say, we have stayed in so many different types of homes - each with their own charm - and met so many absolutely amazing people. This is definitely the way to get to know a country. The parts of England and Wales we have seen have been absolutely beautiful and the weather has been kind to us - always being good enough for us to do the things that we had planned. This area of Scotland is just magical - especially with some sunshine around.

We took a daytrip out to Inveraray - with its impressive castle and traditional town. It started out as a rainy day - water, water, everywhere ! The water can be heard everywhere. Gushing, gurgling rivers, brooks and wild torrents, with white water rapids and waterfalls everywhere. High green, rugged and rocky mountains with clouds and mist swirling give the landscape a mystical aura. Wildflowers are everywhere, pink, purple, yellow, orange and white and every conceivable shade of green in the grasses and trees, absolutely the most beautiful trees. Luckily the rain only arrived when we were driving, and the sun was out when exploring Inveraray and on our way back on the shores of Loch Lomond. We managed to enjoy the sights of Luss, a pilgramage town for the last 1500 years. The grey stone cottages are livened up by the beautiful and colourful gardens - filled with gnomes !
The scenery around Loch Lomond is breathtakingly beautiful - high forested slopes, with so many waterfalls and an island filled expanse of water, with its white stone and sand beaches, reflecting the trees and mountains. We were lucky to see it all in sparkling sunshine.
Took a walk around Ballach to Ballach Castle - which is surrounded by lush green lawns stretching for seemingly miles in all directions fringed by beautiful and huge trees. Clint remarked, that if we bought the castle (which seemed in a state of disrepair), that his golf handicap would improve. No it won't - was my comment - you'd have to spend all your time mowing the lawn ! Discussion over ...and we are not the new owners of a castle !
In our coach house apartment a picture, called "Silver Light" hung in the kitchen, of Loch Lomond with the mountains in the background and a hint of sunshine. It is such an apt description - as when the sun shines there is a cool tinge of silver, rather than the golden glow of the sun we are used to in Africa. And then ...without the sun the silver changes to grey ! Without the sun and the mass of beautiful flowers that decorate the grey stone houses in the summer, Wales and Scotland can easily slide into the "50 Shades of Grey" - from rivers and lakes, to roads, to houses, to mountains, to sky ! As much as I see the beauty here, it would be difficult to adapt to the lack of golden light, which is so essential to my wellbeing !