We flew into Leeds, collected our rental car and drove like the wind outta there! I love driving. There's nothing like having your own vehicle to get around in. Sure we got lost almost straight away but who cares right? Yeh, that's right! We were headed for a particular town in the lakes district, took the wrong route and ended up driving almost around the entire area. Nice place to get lost! Nice scenery, nice roads, heck there was even a lake! Our first night was at a YHA in Grasmere. Such a pretty drive! It was a bit rainy too but it makes it all look so much more beautiful. The hostel was a beautiful two story, stone mansion set on a huge property with beautiful gardens.
What else do you do on a rainy night but go to the movies! In town was a small cinema with home made popcorn and beer! We shared a meze plate and some beers in the swanky lounge area before settling in to watch the funny Birdman.
Our next stop was blustery Glasgow. The weather was starting to turn on us! Our leprechaun like hostel owner informed us that this was nothing. It gets a lot windier once you're out of the city. At least I think that's what she said. We hunted down a delicious south Indian restaurant and treated ourselves to a night out at a comedy club. We didn't know what to expect. All we knew was that it had the cheapest drinks in town. The main guy running the show was really nice to us and made sure we were comfy. There was only about 20 of us in the room and we got there late so had to sit at the front. Uh-oh! Everyone tried to use us in their act but it threw them off when we told them we were Aussie. There were plenty of jokes we didn't get because we couldn't understand them or it was a local joke. Man did we laugh. Those guys and gals really were funny!! I thought I'd have to fake laugh because we were at the front but we were in stitches! It was a really good night. After we thought we'd try and find some underground club or something or whatever. It turned out to be a pretty pumpin, leopard print wearing kind of establishment. It was freezing out and every girl we passed had a tiny dress on! Whatevs. Let's get us a warm cuppa ay old man?
Another rainy day was spent in the Glasgow Science Centre fighting kids for the cool stuff. We managed to beat a few of them but they outnumbered us and were armed with parents. Damn you! It was like going to Questacon and being a kid again.
What else do you do on a rainy night but go to the movies! In town was a small cinema with home made popcorn and beer! We shared a meze plate and some beers in the swanky lounge area before settling in to watch the funny Birdman.
Our next stop was blustery Glasgow. The weather was starting to turn on us! Our leprechaun like hostel owner informed us that this was nothing. It gets a lot windier once you're out of the city. At least I think that's what she said. We hunted down a delicious south Indian restaurant and treated ourselves to a night out at a comedy club. We didn't know what to expect. All we knew was that it had the cheapest drinks in town. The main guy running the show was really nice to us and made sure we were comfy. There was only about 20 of us in the room and we got there late so had to sit at the front. Uh-oh! Everyone tried to use us in their act but it threw them off when we told them we were Aussie. There were plenty of jokes we didn't get because we couldn't understand them or it was a local joke. Man did we laugh. Those guys and gals really were funny!! I thought I'd have to fake laugh because we were at the front but we were in stitches! It was a really good night. After we thought we'd try and find some underground club or something or whatever. It turned out to be a pretty pumpin, leopard print wearing kind of establishment. It was freezing out and every girl we passed had a tiny dress on! Whatevs. Let's get us a warm cuppa ay old man?
Another rainy day was spent in the Glasgow Science Centre fighting kids for the cool stuff. We managed to beat a few of them but they outnumbered us and were armed with parents. Damn you! It was like going to Questacon and being a kid again.
Moving along. Frosty booked us a 'cheap' place in a town called Kenmore. It was pouring with rain and we were pooped by the time we got there. Our 'cheap' place was in fact a one bedroom apartment with heating, full kitchen, fancy shmancy stuff and a lake view! It was usually £200 a night and we got it for £25! Don't ask me how but we booked an extra night to soak it up. In the morning I opened our curtains and was gobsmacked. It had snowed that night. Heaps of it! The whole place was covered in a thick white blanket! It was good snow too. Perfect for snow balls and snow men. It was beautiful! We went for a stroll through a park taking snaps and making snowmen.
To warm ourselves we sat by the fire in the oldest scottish inn, The Kenmore Hotel. This was place was built in the 1500s and on the wall above the fireplace, written in pencil, was a poem by none other than Robert Burns! Just google him. He wrote it in the 1700s. We basked in the history of the place while sampling the local range of Scotch. Steven, come on!
We drove through snowed in roads just so the Dream Team could be reunited. They drove twice as far as they needed in the wrong direction and had to double back to meet us. The things you do for the Dream Team. Continuing on to Inverness and the weather isn't improving. There are trucks stuck in snow on the side of the road and we sit in traffic for hours while the roads are cleared.
Once in Inverness we are keen for some nature based adventures. Maybe a short walk somewhere. Or maybe a drive along a loch side road. The lovely lady at the tourist information centre informed us that most roads were closed and the weather was going to get worse. What about the river walk? Closed too from high water levels. "Pretty much, at times like this, we tell all tourists that the best thing they can do is go to a cosy pub and get drunk" her supervisor looked over and nodded his approval. That's really what she said! Ask anybody! Well our arms were twisted. We strolled along the river a short while in the surprise patch of sun that poked through and quickly retired to a cosy pub. Here we shared pet mice stories, horror spider in shower stories and laughed a lot! We did manage to make a small road trip out to the Loch Ness. There was a fort on it's banks that cost a small fortune to enter. We took some snaps from the car park.
To warm ourselves we sat by the fire in the oldest scottish inn, The Kenmore Hotel. This was place was built in the 1500s and on the wall above the fireplace, written in pencil, was a poem by none other than Robert Burns! Just google him. He wrote it in the 1700s. We basked in the history of the place while sampling the local range of Scotch. Steven, come on!
We drove through snowed in roads just so the Dream Team could be reunited. They drove twice as far as they needed in the wrong direction and had to double back to meet us. The things you do for the Dream Team. Continuing on to Inverness and the weather isn't improving. There are trucks stuck in snow on the side of the road and we sit in traffic for hours while the roads are cleared.
Once in Inverness we are keen for some nature based adventures. Maybe a short walk somewhere. Or maybe a drive along a loch side road. The lovely lady at the tourist information centre informed us that most roads were closed and the weather was going to get worse. What about the river walk? Closed too from high water levels. "Pretty much, at times like this, we tell all tourists that the best thing they can do is go to a cosy pub and get drunk" her supervisor looked over and nodded his approval. That's really what she said! Ask anybody! Well our arms were twisted. We strolled along the river a short while in the surprise patch of sun that poked through and quickly retired to a cosy pub. Here we shared pet mice stories, horror spider in shower stories and laughed a lot! We did manage to make a small road trip out to the Loch Ness. There was a fort on it's banks that cost a small fortune to enter. We took some snaps from the car park.
We left the Dream Team again for Aberdeen to meet up with the newlyweds Jason and Birgit. We got them the best wedding present I'm sure of it. A magnetic photo frame with our passport photos in it. It was beautiful! Truly beautiful. It was great seeing these guys again. It had been a while! They took us skiing on a beautifully clear day and were patient enough to teach us. It was all going great until Jason attempted to bump off his new bride by slamming into her with his snow board while she was resting. Man, he's got a nerve!! Almost broke her back he did!
He made it up to us all by taking us to mad dogs and another brewery for some ice cold beers. Our last day they took us for a nice drive for some yummy fish and chips and to check out a fully sweet castle. Before we knew it we were on our way to Edinburgh to catch up with the dream team in our super fancy room. We celebrated our reunion by watching some live music and eating dinner. The next day I had a really bad migraine but the others went for a walk around town and got the best lunch you could imagine and had the best time ever without me. Sure.
We were quickly running out of time so drove straight to Bristol where we had another swank apartment waiting for us. We spent our time in Bristol celebrating Marty's birthday and catching up with the Kizz Dog and Leroy. Happy birthday Marty!!!!! A great night out and tops way to end our stay in Bristol. This was it!! The final goodbye for the cubers aka mouse, Marty, frosty and kat. We had come so far in our journey around the place and it was going to be hard without them (it still is!)
The Dream Team head to London and spend this last remaining days watching bands, drinking beers, visiting the museum of natural history and soaking up the other sights of London. This was it! Really it! The last goodbyes of our last friends. I was so good I didn't even tear up! We had a hasty goodbye so there was no chance.
Goodbye friends!!!! Helloooooooo America! USA! USA! USA!
He made it up to us all by taking us to mad dogs and another brewery for some ice cold beers. Our last day they took us for a nice drive for some yummy fish and chips and to check out a fully sweet castle. Before we knew it we were on our way to Edinburgh to catch up with the dream team in our super fancy room. We celebrated our reunion by watching some live music and eating dinner. The next day I had a really bad migraine but the others went for a walk around town and got the best lunch you could imagine and had the best time ever without me. Sure.
We were quickly running out of time so drove straight to Bristol where we had another swank apartment waiting for us. We spent our time in Bristol celebrating Marty's birthday and catching up with the Kizz Dog and Leroy. Happy birthday Marty!!!!! A great night out and tops way to end our stay in Bristol. This was it!! The final goodbye for the cubers aka mouse, Marty, frosty and kat. We had come so far in our journey around the place and it was going to be hard without them (it still is!)
The Dream Team head to London and spend this last remaining days watching bands, drinking beers, visiting the museum of natural history and soaking up the other sights of London. This was it! Really it! The last goodbyes of our last friends. I was so good I didn't even tear up! We had a hasty goodbye so there was no chance.
Goodbye friends!!!! Helloooooooo America! USA! USA! USA!