Transcript
Okay, so now we are off and ready. Heading to Scotland. And this was the best. So because I there were a couple extra things that I wanted to do that was not a part of the guided tour done by Britain vacations triple A and then were able to help me. I booked, I flew in and book the extra day in front of the tour and an extra day on the back. So when I first the beginning of my trip actually starts in Saint Andrews at the Fairmont Hotel. What? Oh, get it, get it. Yes. The beautiful Fairmont Hotel in Saint Andrews, which is one of like, if not the top three, but top five most beautiful golf courses in the world. And this place was just that. It was so beautiful. And I’m so glad I was there. And it was funny because I actually had called the hotel ahead of time and had scheduled to take an hour long golf course. I mean, excuse me, had a golf lesson, but so that way I could say like, yes, I was on the golf course and everything like that, but, that jet lag had another idea for me. So when I got into my beautiful, beautiful hotel room and I’m, sitting on the bed, it was so comfortable. Yeah. Lights out. Valerie fast asleep, I woke up, it was dinner time for me, so. But at least I got to walk around the grounds, see everything? I’m looking at the North Sea. It was absolutely beautiful. Don’t regret it at all. once that, like I said, I flew in that day early. Then I, had a car service to come pick me up, and I went back to Edinburgh because that is actually where the tour started. And Edinburgh was so beautiful for that old, old city. But it was really great. Beautiful hustle, bustle, friendly driver and everything. that day I met up with everybody else that was a part of the tour. We had an orientation which was done at the medical school that is there and got some history there, and that was really nice. We had lunch and everything. After the orientation, they drove us around. We went to the Royal Mile, which the Royal Mile is the main city part, and it wasn’t far from our hotel. So yeah, the hotel was the hotel center in Edinburgh, which was absolutely. It was really nice hotel. It was, contemporary, clean, super nice. I would definitely, if I ever go back, that would be the hotel I stayed at. So we start there. Our orientation, they took us, we had dinner, actually, was dinner at the Surgeons Hall Museum, which is actually really nice. And, you know, we went around in there toward, around. And then, like I said, we they drove us around. We saw the Royal Mile, which was kind of like their downtown city, which was actually not far from the hotel. It was actually within walking distance. And then after that we had the rest of the day to ourselves. Of course, everybody else was completely tired because they had just flown in, but I wasn’t. So, you know, I we hit up a pub and things like that and kind of hung myself. But it was really nice that first day. next day, of course, we did the tour. We went to Edinburgh Castle, which was up’s absolutely amazing. the history is just incredible. And then part of the tour included, they had given us bread invocations. It also included tickets to their annual military tattoo show, which was taking place out in front of Edinburgh Castle. And I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of this or I’ve experienced it, but this was the most amazing thing in the world. And no, it is not actual tattoos as in honest skin. These are the military, the shall we say, marching bands were the bands that represented the military from all the different countries, and it was an incredible show. Do yourself a favor, go on to YouTube. I don’t know if it’s on TikTok or anything like that, but look up the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and see some of those shows. They are absolutely incredible. And the USA was there, showed up and showed out, our the drill team that they had was impeccable. That stuff was amazing. So proud. So so proud. So now the middle of the tour, we’re headed out to the Highlands, which is their countryside, and it’s just so beautiful. And it’s lush and green, and we’re driving through these quaint little country towns and things, and it’s one of them. You see, sometimes you’re able to spot little waterfalls and things, and then they would you go out and you see their cows. Let me tell you, they’re cows are living life way better than our cows out here and especially out here in California. I, I feel so bad sometimes when I pass by. We’re out on the 101 or the five, and you see, I cause I’d be like, all the grass is all dry, everything all brown. I’m like all those poor local cows in Scotland. They’re out there taking naps. I’m like, the cows are laying flat down, just like. Hey. What’s up? How y’all doing? Okay, good. That’s great. Happy, happy cows. And I got to tell you, because they are grass fed from beginning to end. The cheese and the beef over there are exquisite. I’m not big on cheese, but that cheese. Yes, please. Thank you. And the beef steak. Can’t even say any more to it. Another part of our tour that we went out which was something I definitely wanted to do while I was there. You got to do it. Tour of a whiskey factory. And in this case they, it was already a part of the tour. It was a tour to go and visit the whiskey distillery, Glen Gorney. And of course when we got there we have free samples. thank you very much. and it was wonderful. We had a blast. And as I’m out there, I do end up making friends with two very, very special, very unique people, Jeanine and Chris. Now, they weren’t together. They were individual people traveling alone like myself. Let me tell you this, Jeanine. God bless the if if you were a family member, a friend, acquaintance or somebody who had ever said hello to her in your life, you received a purse. That woman. Every stop we went in a shop she was in. She was by everybody, a handbag. She has so many. In one time, she just like Valerie. I don’t even know how am I get these handbag home? I just looked at her. We were cracking up, laughing. I was like, treat them like Netherland dolls. Just put one small one into the medium, one to the large, because I’m like, I was about the best thing. I think you could be able to get them all. Oh, but God bless the. She was a trip and a half, and another person on the tour that I met was a gentleman by the name of Chris and Chris was a big dude. And it was so awesome to find out. Chris was a U.S. Marshal who was on vacation. Cool guy. And we had also. I had also met a mother and daughter who was vacationing together. And so we kind of formed our own little group, you know, and we would hang out times at times during the tour. And then we also would go shopping. And it was so cool because we went shopping one time and we were in the store and we look and Chris is standing outside the store like, like security, I guess the, you know, the marshal in him, you know, kind of the yellow. We’re like, this is awesome. We got our own. Oh, my old security. I was like, oh, this must be how Beyoncé feels. But we had a blast. It was it was great. And these people were some wonderful people I met on tour. Unfortunately, I did not keep in touch with them, but I hope wherever they are in the world today, I hope they’re doing well. So now, towards the end of our trip, where we’re now heading, going from Highlands and coming into Glasgow, one of the places we saw was Stirling, where we saw some castles yet again. And I got to tell you at a time we had class Glasgow. Yeah. Valerie’s a little burnt out on, on them castles, as beautiful as they were as done, but still had a wonderful time. And also to at this time when it’s towards the end of the trip. Like I said earlier, I had done an extra. I put an extra day on the back in which Brenna vacations was really nice because they still, even though, you know, I wasn’t leaving with everybody else, I wasn’t leaving till the next day. They were still picking me. They, you know, pick me up, took me to the airport, but I stayed an extra day because I had learned before the trip that Scotland had their Highland games, which is kind of like their mud runs and things like that that we have here. But it’s kind of a festival and a celebration of their Scottish culture. So I wanted to go to that and I, I bought tickets and I went to the Stirling Highland Games, which we had come through earlier, and visit the castles and stuff like that, and it was wonderful. It was so great to watch all the games. There was even girls doing with the ribbons dancing, you know, that they, you know, can swing from and things like that. And it was so funny because there was this tent and I walked in, I’m like, oh, this is oh, this is nice. They got a nice little spread out and people are looking at me and I’m like, hi there. Like, hello, you know? And I was like, okay, I don’t I was like, oh, maybe I’m not supposed to be in here because I was like, you know, I’m I’m a guest in this country. I was like, maybe I should leave, and I left. And then this woman came out and she was dawn in her, tartan, which is the pattern from their clan and things like that represent. And she was talking, she was like, hi, can I help you? And I was like, oh, I’m sorry. I was like, yeah, I’m just visiting. I’m from, you know, I’m from California. I’m here on vacation. And I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. because it looked like maybe that was, you know, something private. And she goes, oh, yeah. She goes, this is the chieftain tent. And I was like, oh, yeah, I definitely don’t know who the chieftain is and I’m not chieftain, so I apologize. And she was like, that was quite all right. She goes, I’m the chieftain. And I was like, what? I got a woman chieftain. I was like, dude, I was like, whoa, right, all system, I see you. And she was really nice. And of course I completely forgot her name. But I do have a photo of her, me and her together, and so hopefully I can maybe post that up. But it was wonderful and she was really super nice. It was like, oh, you know, you come on in and welcome to Scotland and happy to have you and just yeah. And that was the thing. But the people were friendly throughout everywhere we went in Scotland it was great. So that was my trip to Scotland. I loved it to that. That was wonderful. And I hope others decide to go there as well. And just. Yeah, just just a terrific, terrific time. Oh, so here is an extra story. I meant to say that happened in the beginning of the tour, when I was in Edinburgh, when the the next day when we arrived, as we beginning the tour, we all have breakfast because the breakfast is included and I meet the rest of my group, you know, we have our nametags and things like that. And it was so funny because there was an older gentleman there, and as we were sitting around, everybody’s talking, getting to know each other. He goes there. Anybody else notice on the commode there are two buttons, small but in a big button. And he was like, why? And I was like, I didn’t notice that raise my hand. I was like, yeah, I didn’t notice that. So I went ahead. I pushed him because I was like, yeah, what’s the deal? Why two sides buttons? And I was like, and here’s my theory with that. The small button is for your little business, big button for your big business. Now let’s travel. Everybody just started laughing. I was like, that makes sense. I fell, right? So I give that to you all. Take that in your travels. I don’t know if we can apply that to life a little bit. This little button for your little business. Big button for your big business. Have a good time. Then maybe you travel like someone told me. Travel, see the world and have safe travels. Till next time. Bye bye.
