Trip - 2015 Scotland — ThePhotoGuy.dk

My 2015 Trip to Scotland

4 Days with Malene and 10 Days solo

After my trip to New Zealand, I realized that Scotland has nearly as impressive nature and does not require a 24-hour flight! If I had not visited New Zealand, though, I would not have dared to drive in the UK. Once I had learned to drive on the left in New Zealand, however, I felt (perhaps overly) confident about renting a car and driving through Scotland.

Meanwhile, I had been taking pictures of Malene in various locations, and she had a desire to visit the Isle of Mull. She had work commitments, so she could only join me on the trip for a few days, then returned by bus to the airport, while I continued on to Isle of Skye. I share a few pictures of her on this page, just to show her presence during the first days, but you can see more of them on her page.

I can see, reading my journal entries, that I was getting better at letting myself rest when I needed it, even though I continued to feel guilty about it and continued to push myself hard.

My route

Day 0 - Thursday, September 3, 2015

Denmark 22:19

I'm off to Scotland tomorrow. Yea. It's funny that I'm less enthusiastic about this trip than I was about NZ. Oh, I tell people I'm excited, and that's not exactly a lie, but I just don't really have any pictures in mind, whereas I had lots of ideas and expectations about NZ.

Day 2 - Saturday, September 5, 2015

Ilse of Mull 06:43

First morning in Scotland.

Marlene and I had an easy flight to Edinburgh after meeting in the airport as planned. She bought some cosmetic cream at the airport and suggested that we meet so that I didn't need to follow her around, very considerate. We ate at Starbucks, for lack of a better option.

After landing, we had a longer walk than expected to the rental car center, and were lucky to find that they had a car for us (but not for 70 other people who wanted them!). It took a little while to get used to driving a standard on the left side of the road. Was the camper [in New Zealand] an automatic? I have forgotten, but I don't remember struggling to signal and shift at the same time.

Our car is a Peugeot 208, which is perfect from my perspective. I skipped the expensive insurance on this trip. It's a gamble. Hope I don't regret it.

We stopped to pick up some groceries in the hour or so it took us to drive to the first Airbnb location. We got about a mile away and then the GPS said we were there, but we obviously were not. I had not read the directions carefully enough, so I drove back and it took us an extra half hour to find the place, though once we read the directions, it was easy enough.

Marlene mentioned a bit earlier that she was feeling car sick, so I felt badly that we had extra unnecessary driving.

The location, however, is indeed quite fabulous. Unlike other places I have stayed, however, it is a true BnB. The owners were sweet and greeted us at the door. The house is impressive and large. They had asked via email if either of us were vegetarians, which confused me, until on arrival the owner asked when we would like breakfast. This was better than expected!

It was also lucky that I had written that we are two friends, because the woman had made up two rooms, just in case we weren't planning on sleeping together.

Marlene and I stayed up talking and snacking until about midnight, then said our good nights. I woke at 3am, 4am, then a little before 6am. I got up at 6:15, got dressed, went to the other bathroom and took a sit down shower in the large bathtub they have. Would love to take true bath there, but we won't have time.

Now just sitting and writing and next will read. The trip is going well so far!

Day 3 - Saturday, September 6, 2015

Day 4 - Sunday, September 7, 2015

Day 5 - Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Day 6 - Wednesday, September 9, 2015

I don't think that sign means what you think it means...

Sunset at Neist Point

A bit windy

Day 7 - Thursday, September 10, 2015

Day 8 - Friday, September 11, 2015

Isle of Skye 17:55

After a good early start, it's been a lazy afternoon today. I got up at 5am, showered, ate breakfast, and left the cottage quite early. I drove to Brother's Point, after a stop to take a few pictures of Old Man Storr from a distance. I decided not to hike that trip, as it looks like it gets quite crowded. Instead, I drove over the top of Trotternish and back down to Portree. There I went shopping, then drove the long way back to the cottage, up over the other peninsula to Dunvegan (stopping for coffee and cake), and was back to the cottage by about 13:30 or so.

I took a much needed nap, then loaded my pictures on to the computer, watched a TED talk and a history of photography podcast while working a bit on pictures, then just finished catching up on the people I follow on Flickr. The sun has been out behind hazy clouds most of the day. The forecast continues to promise fairly heavy rain tomorrow, followed by lighter rain during the rest of my stay. I haven't decided what to do yet.

I already have a lot of pictures to work on, although, to be honest, only a few that live up to my expectations. Still, it's difficult to pull myself together to get out and shoot more today. The owners are returning home. In the past I've been out (or heading out) at this time. I must admit, I feel a little guilty, but, hey, this is my vacation. I can do with it what I want, right?

Here's my current plan:

Tonight: make salmon, marinated in soya and crushed wasabi beans (couldn't find ginger). I bought 800g of frozen peas, but just realized that I have no butter (and remembered when I got back to the cottage that I have no freezer). Should be fine.

I've been eating cake just about every day. Plus chocolate, cookies, crackers and all manner of unhealthy stuff. I have not, however, started in on any alcohol, which is good.

Tomorrow: Given the rain, I'm thinking the fairy pools are a good choice. Will need to wear rain gear, but I'm hoping for better water in the waterfalls, and fewer people. Still, I should go early (but don't need to be there at break of dawn).

Day 9 - Saturday, September 12, 2015

Day 10 - Sunday, September 13, 2015

Day 11 - Monday, September 14, 2015

Ilse of Skye 16:24

I'm in the last house on Skye. It's cold. I can buy firewood, but I'm planning to try without tonight.

I decided to try hiking today, rather than taking pictures, then changed my mind and just drove from place to place and took a few pictures after all. I was back in town by lunch time and ate pizza. Was planning to drive to the end of the island, but felt tired and came back to the house. Took a nap and slept deeply for at least an hour or so. As I was waking I had dream that I needed to catch a bus. My suitcase and camera bag were nowhere to be seen. I found the suitcase quickly, but couldn't find the camera bag. I asked, panicked, if I could find it. The driver started to say no, but smiled at my fear and nodded. Then I woke up.

I'm going to drive now. Hope that I get a little light for a few more pictures tonight.

Supposed to be cloudy tomorrow.

Day 12 - Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Ilse of Skye 11:38

Last full day on Skye. It's cold and rainy, as promised. I slept "late" (until about 6:30 or so), got up leisurely, took a shower, dressed, ate breakfast, posted pictures, caught up on the people I'm following, and read until I got hungry again, then went out for second breakfast. Now I'm back and just finished Seveneves, which was good.

It's cold in this house, so my legs are wrapped in a blanket and much of it is bunched on the floor, in an attempt to keep my feet warm (not very effective).

I don't have much desire to take pictures today. I have recharged my MacBook and will probably work on pictures I've already taken and decide on some to publish tomorrow morning. My plan is to get up early and drive almost immediately, then get breakfast somewhere on the road. I want to take pictures of the horse heads on the way. Then I have another hotel and I can decide where I want to go from there.

My flight Thursday is at about 2pm. I should get to the airport at about 12:00 or a bit earlier to return the car.

All in all, it has been a good vacation. I have felt far away and done what I felt like (including eating very unhealthy).

16.17

Well, after a brief sojourn out for breakfast, I've spent the day inside today. This is fairly typical for me when I'm on vacation. The last day becomes a day of laziness, where I've lost interest in photography (although I have been working on pictures on the computer) and exploration, and prefer doing things that I could easily do at home.

I can't help feeling a bit guilty about this, to be honest, and I project my disapproval on Catherine, the woman who owns this Airbnb. I'm sure she couldn't care less what I spend my time doing, but since she wanders about and I see her, I imagine her thinking, "why is he staying inside all day?"

Actually, I slept for about an hour and a half. Completely dead to the world, at about 12 noon. I suppose that was recovering from my walk yesterday afternoon (about 7km).

The weather is a convenient excuse. It's cloudy, cold, and a bit windy. I'm sure I could find subjects to photograph, but I'm actually quite happy to relax all day. I've got a long drive ahead of me tomorrow, and I feel like I've got plenty of pictures to weed through when I get home. I'm spending the day exactly as I want to.

So where does this feeling that I should act differently come from?

That's easy enough. I can hear the voices of many people (mostly my mother, but also my ex-wife), who have complained earlier that I should get out and avoid wasting time.

I suppose I can just be happy that I'm traveling alone and can do what I want, not what others think I should do.

Day 13 - Wednesday, September 16, 2015

North Queensbridge 20:40

I have thirteen hundred and one entries in this journal. What do I write about?

Today is my last day in Scotland. I left the airbnb house fairly early and through a swarm of midges, many of which found their way into the car, so I was swatting them all the way to Falkirk. I stopped a couple of times to take pictures, but mostly decided that I just was not interested. The light wasn't great anyway, even though at times I was tempted. I did stop, as I said, once or twice.

Getting to the horse heads was an ordeal. I never did find the engineering wonder Richard had directed me to, which annoyed me. I have time to drive to Falkirk again tomorrow morning, if I wanted to, but I don't imagine that I will. I'll have breakfast and probably stay in the hotel until they kick me out (probably 11am), then drive straight to the airport.

That sounds like me.