Where to go when you have a few days free between Christmas and New Year and you don't want to worry about passports etc... Scotland!

After a 11 hours bus trip North and two freezing pit stops along the way we meet our driver for the 3 days and are told the next 3 days will be nothing but 'Wild and Sexy'...not feeling too sexy after no sleep for 30 hours...but hey lets go with it!

First stop off our bus after meet and greets is Stirling Castle...where every guy thought he was an extra in Braveheart and every girl thought she would find Mel Gibson in kilt and war paint. Not very realistic but the sihts and stories we did hear were much more impressive than the movie!

Our next stop was to meet a very good looking chap called Hamish, who is in this picture, he liked the camera and the camera liked him! The scenery in and around this town took me back to Woodend and for a few minutes I had to think about where I was....really need some sleep!

We got a chance to taste the local whiskey....yuck....still whiskey but the shopping next door was fantastic...4 birthday and 2 other presents purchased and back to the bus.

The sun was starting to set...the Lochs of Scotland were looking very pretty, so were the mountains that ran down each side of the roads we travelled on. We pulled in to see a guy called Ken who taught us how to fight like a Scottish Highlander and how to make sure we had our kilt in order for both Summer and Winter. Then back to our warm hostel for some drinks and fun....and.....finally for the first time in two days....slllllleeeeeppppp!

Where is Scotland and what did you do with it? I look out the window on the way to breakfast and couldn't see even then end of the proch through the thick white fog that was rolling past. I step outside into a frozen winter wonderland... I take a slow stroll around the house, bumping into a few things on the journey, this is beautiful...cold but beautiful...at this moment I thank my family for my warm woolies without which I would not be getting off the bus today!

Tree's, mountains, lochs all frozen over as we drove towards the Isle of Skye. No many people get off the bus but I pull my scarf tighter and m breathe is taken away by the shear size of the mountains and the beauty of the Lochs. As we make our way to Eilean Donan Castle (which is shown in nearly every movie that shows the Scottish Highlands) the fog is starting to lift and the views are spectacular. We reach the Isle os Skye...our bus is not feeling too well (the bus literally not the people) we make it to the small town of Portree but the warning light flashed on the daskboard telling us start heading back to camp...slowly and you may just make it....:(

I did stop and stick my head in a Scottish lake renamed the Lake of Beauty.....nope not working today :) Just to give you an idea of temp, stuck head in, hat got wet....walked over to Lake 20metres away had icicles hanging from the front....with so much beauty around and warm clothes I didn't have much time or thought to worry about it though. Walked out on to frozen water best feeling in the world....you are doing something that could kill you but enojying it all at the same time.

Last day in Scotland and where else to head other than to Loch Ness to search her out ourselves. Unlucky today the only sights were purple and green and made from plastic :( Great photo's though! A walk then along crisp battlefields that looked a lot different (and more pretty) to how they would have looked during the wars.

Kinggussie hosted the best UK fish & chips lunch I have had since being here it was just a shame about the woman in the local Supermarket who threatened to bottle anyone who complained about her pushing in line....she had a child you know????

The lack of sleep from Christmas was starting catch up with me and I didn't take much in after lunch, I did however see and walk through ruins of a Cathedral and saw a stunning river...names escape me by this point! The light and bagpipes seen and heard in Edinburgh wake me a little, enough to enjoy our last night in Scotland before boarding a very late coach back to London...surprise, surprise this time I didn't have too much trouble sleeping at all. ;)