Four go wild north of the border UPDATED 6/23 - Page 12 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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There are other changes as well.
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We go on to the joy and through the tears
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PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
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The freesia looks beautiful and hopefully, it will still be blooming when you arrive at your parent's home. That is a whole lot of water. But you are right it will keep.
It's fully blooming right now... although it has been battered in the wind we've had the last couple of days.
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Pre-trip report – part seventeen: “when are you going to Loch Lomond?”
Monday 5 June
I knew I was stressed this morning, when I left for work without my work laptop and had to return back home to pick it up. Thankfully I realised less than five minutes after I’d left, but even so, I could’ve done without that.
I had been hoping to get some bits done before I left for work in terms of starting to put things in the car, but somehow that didn’t work out. I think that’s perhaps why I forgot the laptop…
I spent lunchtime trying to get the final bits and pieces done, so my credit card is now paid, and I have the money going into our account to pay the joint one – don’t want to forget to do that, as it’s due next week.
I didn’t really do much more today, except grab a few more T-shirts. I did have a combination of vest tops and T-shirts, mainly because the weather has been so nice and warm. However, today it took a turn for the cooler, with a storm due to blow in with a lot of rain tonight. Realising that, and looking at the weather forecast, where they were saying that the high in Scotland today would be in the low 50s. Yikes!
I know it sounds a bit odd, but I’ve also grabbed a pair of gloves, as I saw a couple of photos of Mari and Raleigh on Facebook from Ireland and they’d had hats on. Hmm… if we’re taking a couple of cruises, it can be cold out on the water, so better safe than sorry. I felt very odd putting them in the packing pile for a June trip, but you never know…
Tuesday 6 June
I really, really hope we don’t have to deal with weather along the lines of the stuff I had to drive through today. We had a real storm sweep in last night, with a lot of rain. On the plus side, the garden probably won’t need watering again before we go away, there was that much rain. However, driving through it was not fun. I crawled along one motorway, then on the next, it was honestly like driving at night, it was that dark, and it was 7:40am! It really was not pleasant at all. However, maybe the packing of the gloves was a good plan after all…
When I got home, I unloaded as much out of the car as I could. I’d discovered we had three lots of de-icer, and I wasn’t convinced we’d actually need any. Let’s put it this way – I hope we don’t anyway! We also had a first aid kit, and another first aid kit complete with a fire extinguisher, which is probably more useful. I certainly don’t think we need two, plus the one we carry with us for holidays as well.
And on the water front, I’ve managed to get the pile down a bit by putting water… well frankly anywhere I could think of in the car! The inside of each door is now full of water supplies, and I still have a few more cunning ideas of places I can fit them…
The coolest thing happened this evening. I happened to message Hazel (thomhazel on the boards, although you don’t see her around that much these days), who’s back home in Scotland at the moment. I figured she’d be heading back to Australia before we got up to Scotland, but figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. Well, it turns out she’s around for a bit longer yet, but not long enough for us to get to Edinburgh. I thought that was the end of it.
her next question was “when are you going to Loch Lomond?” I told her we’d be there on 13 June (wow, that’s a week away now! ) and she said she and Graeme could over for dinner, if that worked for us. I said I’d check with Mari, and her response was classic: Of course!!! Everyone is welcome, well, only if someone knows them!! The more the crazier!!
I said I’d email the Loch Lomond Arms to see if they could change our table from four to six, so now I’m just waiting for them to come back to me and confirm that.
In the meantime, Hazel has only gone and booked a night’s stay at the Lodge on Loch Lomond, where we’re staying. She mentioned about trying to see if she could get a room there, and I told her that’s where we were staying, and that was it – deal sealed. As I said to her, this is so cool!
We’ve also been working on a manual for this trip to greet Mari and Raleigh when they get into the car. It was Mark’s idea and it’s designed to be entertaining – I hope… Mark laughed when he read it anyway. To give you an idea, here are a couple of extracts:
Alcoholic beverages may be purchased (along the way) for an additional charge. Please do not flaunt in front of the driver by saying “this is really good, you should try some”. Eviction from the vehicle, even while it’s moving, may follow.
Water: We understand you are from a drought ridden part of the world, so plenty of water is provided, along with some Diet Coke.
Gratuities
Gratuities are always welcome for exceptional service from the driver and tour guide.
You get the idea…
Wednesday 7 June
This morning, I thought I’d better do a complete check of the weather while we’re away to see if it gives me any more help with packing. Well, it looks remarkably similar to the weather predicted for our Baltic cruise last summer in that there’s very little, if any, rain forecast for the whole two weeks we’re away. After what happened in the Baltic (quite a few days of rain), I’m now cynical about this. The raingear is coming with us regardless…
The temperatures do look remarkably consistent, mainly in the low 70s most days, with only two days showing highs in the mid 50s, and generally the overnight lows will be in the low to mid 50s, although one night will be in the mid 30s. I’m now changing my mind again, and I think the vest tops that were going to go back upstairs may be going into the suitcase after all….
I’m battling to get one of my medications sorted out. I went in to pick them up on Saturday, and I was told they weren’t in yet. Apparently the pharmacy put the repeat prescription into the doctor’s surgery on 18 May and they’d had nothing back. They put it back in again, saying it was urgent. I had just about enough tablets to get me through to when we get back, but then it literally would be a case of having to race into town the next day to get some more, and these tablets clearly say on them you shouldn’t stop taking them without medical advice. You have to gradually wean yourself off them…
Anyway, I called the pharmacy. They said there was still no sign of them, and blamed the surgery, so I called them. The surgery swear they have now sent the prescription twice to the pharmacy. By this point, I was past caring who was to blame, I just wanted my darned prescription. I was told that I could go to the surgery tomorrow after 2:00pm, and it would waiting and signed for me, then I could take it to the pharmacy next door. Phew!
By the evening, I’d done a lot of cleaning around the house, packed all of my stuff, and packed quite a bit into the car. I’d made some serious inroads into getting the water supplies into the car, and none of them are anywhere to be seen in the car boot (trunk). They are either in the car or hidden away in the compartments in the trunk – not bad going!
I logged on to my email and saw the first of no doubt many reminders from Hotels.com about our upcoming stay at our first B&B. Yay, that means we’re nearly there! Nothing back from the restaurant about our reservation on Tuesday night that I want to add Hazel and Graeme too. I’ll give it through tomorrow, and if I haven’t heard anything from there, I’ll try and call them on Friday just to confirm that….
Thursday 8 June
Well, I’ve done the rest of the cleaning I wanted to get done in the house. Let’s just say I was exhausted by about 8:30am! And I still had the rest of the day to get through. Thank goodness I’m working two days a week from home. Unfortunately, my chronic fatigue is such now that I can only commute to work three days a week.
In my lunch hour, I ended up running around like a mad thing, trying to get my prescription sorted. I went into the doctor’s surgery and was told very curtly by the woman on reception “it takes 48 hours to turn these around”. I’m afraid I was equally curt an told her “not when I’ve been waiting for this since 18 May and I’m going on holiday”. She ended up going upstairs to double check, and sure enough, everything had been signed, they just hadn’t brought it downstairs. Phew!
I then went next door to the pharmacy, and they told me there could be quite a wait, as the pharmacist was on the phone. Oh please! I figured I’d go to the local pharmacy instead, so I went in there, and then they ignored me – I couldn’t believe it. Then I realised we’re not going abroad. I can go to any pharmacy over the next couple of weeks to get it sorted, so that’s fine.
In the evening, I planted out the final hanging basket, and carefully watered and fed everything out there, hopefully enough to ensure Mark’s sister doesn’t have too much work while we’re away…
And just an update on my ankle – I finished my anti-inflammatories from the doctor tonight, and it’s barely twinged in the last week or so, so fingers crossed, it will all be Ok…
And with that, I think we’re set. The next update will be from the trip report – I’ll see you on the flip side, and will be doing live updates as and when I can.
How fun to have Hazel and Graeme meeting up with you for a day! Mark's guide!! My dad wrote something similar one year when I brought my friends down to my parents' house for Spring Break. He even made his own B&B letterhead! I'm sure they'll get a laugh out of that. I'm still waiting to hear if you've come up with appropriate costumes for the pickup!
The manual sounds very interesting and fun. Great idea!
Cool that Hazel can join you guys for a bit. That'll be fun too.
Have a great time!!
__________________
Tanya
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Tuesday 17 January
I had a little bit of money left over from this credit card month, so I went ahead and booked the hotel for the day we’re visiting the Glenfiddich distillery. I opted for Kildrummy Park Castle Hotel, which looks wonderful, although it’s a little further away than I was hoping for. It’s 40 miles and it will take about an hour to get there, but hopefully it will be worth it, as again, it looks like a beautiful place. I’m looking forward to just getting there, having dinner in the restaurant, and then just chilling there for the evening.
Just finding this trip now and commenting as I go. I cannot believe how inexpensive afternoon tea is at Kildrummy Park Castle Hotel. Is that pretty standard price over there? It is so expensive over here in America and probably not half as good unless you shell out the really big bucks in the major cities.
Have a great trip and look forward to the TR! Looks like everything is squared away and best being your ankle is much better!
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October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
How fun to have Hazel and Graeme meeting up with you for a day! Mark's guide!! My dad wrote something similar one year when I brought my friends down to my parents' house for Spring Break. He even made his own B&B letterhead! I'm sure they'll get a laugh out of that. I'm still waiting to hear if you've come up with appropriate costumes for the pickup!
Ah well, you'll now have to wait for the trip report to see what we did...
Just finding this trip now and commenting as I go. I cannot believe how inexpensive afternoon tea is at Kildrummy Park Castle Hotel. Is that pretty standard price over there? It is so expensive over here in America and probably not half as good unless you shell out the really big bucks in the major cities.
It does depend where you go. You can pay a lot at some places, but generally it's not too badly priced.
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But you are right it will keep. 
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and had to return back home to pick it up. Thankfully I realised less than five minutes after I’d left, but even so, I could’ve done without that. 
We also had a first aid kit, and another first aid kit complete with a fire extinguisher, which is probably more useful. I certainly don’t think we need two, plus the one we carry with us for holidays as well. 
her next question was “when are you going to Loch Lomond?” I told her we’d be there on 13 June (wow, that’s a week away now! 
) and she said she and Graeme could over for dinner, if that worked for us. I said I’d check with Mari, and her response was classic: Of course!!! Everyone is welcome, well, only if someone knows them!! The more the crazier!!
She mentioned about trying to see if she could get a room there, and I told her that’s where we were staying, and that was it – deal sealed. 
As I said to her, this is so cool! 
I’m now changing my mind again, and I think the vest tops that were going to go back upstairs may be going into the suitcase after all…. 
I was told that I could go to the surgery tomorrow after 2:00pm, and it would waiting and signed for me, then I could take it to the pharmacy next door. Phew! 
She ended up going upstairs to double check, and sure enough, everything had been signed, they just hadn’t brought it downstairs. Phew! 
I figured I’d go to the local pharmacy instead, so I went in there, and then they ignored me – I couldn’t believe it. 
Mark's guide!! My dad wrote something similar one year when I brought my friends down to my parents' house for Spring Break. He even made his own B&B letterhead! I'm sure they'll get a laugh out of that. I'm still waiting to hear if you've come up with appropriate costumes for the pickup!
Waiting for our next adventure after enjoying our Alaska cruise. 
Jenn
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