There is something about rain: it makes rainbows. Stone circles, stones with oghams on them, crows with white wings and a fantastic castle…it’s been quite a day. I am physically exhausted, though, so the actual recounting/picture essay will have to wait. I have a few quieter days now as the Scottish part of this trip [...]

A few images from around Cromarty. Building with obvious tower: the old courthouse. White cottage and house: the cottage is Hugh Miller’s birthplace, and the house is where he eventually moved with his wife. Book Crossers might be amused by the following extract from his wife, Lydia’s, journal: “Our plenishing was not very great, but [...]

On Tuesday morning we went to the Groam House museum which contained a bunch of Pictish stones and carvings. It was a fascinating place with a 20′ slab at its centre. The museum is free and relies on donations and gift sales, as do many little places. It’s one of those places we’ve driven past [...]

Just a quick update. I’m going to my brother’s tonight, so won’t be around. With the other things planned I may not get to post anything until Thursday night.

Sunday was a family day. Sunday dinner, then tea with the entire clan. Fun, but not part of this travelogue. This morning Dad and I went down to Cromarty. The weather is not being kind, so longer trips seem pointless. It does make for some interesting, gunpowder skies, though, and pretty rainbows. I took multiple [...]

This morning we went to Beauly. I wanted to get souvenirs and gifts, but first we called in at the info centre/gift shop and took a look around the visitor centre museum. It was really cool: lots of genealogical stuff about the Frasers and the Lovats, but also photographs, stuff about the McKenzie exploration of [...]

The jetlag isn’t as bad in this direction. I do get tired, but it’s much more live-with-able than when I go back to California… I have been having endless fun with my text messages. In the morning we took one of my parents’ friends to the airport, then came back for home-made shnitzel and chips…mmmmmm. [...]

Though I had a sticky patch in the middle of the night when I wasn’t sleepy and was therefore not asleep, I had a good night, and was up a tad until 13 hours after I collapsed into bed. I am not sure how, but my toiletry bag and a long-sleeved shirt never made it [...]

Hour 0 07:00 US, 15:00 UK Alarm went off Hours 1-2 07:00-09:00 15:00-17:00 Got dressed, washed, fiddled with packing, saying farewells. AmberLee picked me up. Hour 3 09:00-10:00 17:00-18:00 Travel to SFO, heavy traffic Hour 4 10:00-11:00 18:00-19:00 Check in, security, emailing Hour 5 11:00-12:00 19:00-20:00 Settling onto plane, take off – wheee! Eyeball flattening [...]