Flutterbyflyby3 in Mankato is doing 34 things including…

Visit Scotland

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Flutterbyflyby3 has written 10 entries about this goal

Day Two - July 21 3 months ago

Day two started earlier then planned when a phone call from the Boy woke me at 5 AM. He was just wondering if I had left my car keys behind as he had locked his INSIDE my car. grrrrrr I informed them of their location and then started my day. Bathe, dress, pack eat breakfast in the breakfast room & then on to the shuttle.

Security at the airport went fast & quite quickly we were sitting in our terminal. Mom & I took turns running over to the Money Exchange and getting our money exchanged into pounds and picking up a phone card. I now have a prepaid debit card loaded with pounds, too.

Back to sitting, waiting – and waiting as our flight was delayed. The storms in the midwest delayed the plane’s arrival at the Minneapolis airport. Finally we were off to Newark, New Jersey where we arrived almost an hour later. We arrived at the C Concourse on the opposite end from our flight to Glasgow, so we ran across the concourse. Mom stayed there with our baggage while I took off to meet my dinner date, my dear girl friend Dande. She drove an hour up to the airport to meet up with me. We rode the train over to A Concourse and had a nice light dinner at TGIF. I had the soup and salad as I wanted a light meal while traveling. The salad was nothing to make McDonald’s side salad envious, but the Chicken Noodle was amazingly delicious! Back to C concourse where I had to go back through security bearing a huge brick of fudge that Mike, Dande’s fiance had sent Mom & I.

I was directed to the wrong line, they sent mew to the multiple luggage line. So I stood in line with my fudge & cell phone (is that security’s idea of multipole baggage????). I started to get a bit panicy about being late, so I called the Princess and chatted with her until I was near the front of the line. I was behind a family of non-English speaking people at the strip off and go thru point. It was a nightmare. Security kept screaming at them one at a time as they tried to go thru in multiples and did not want to take off jewelry. They were beeping and screaming and at least 14 of them by my count. Finally security waved me thru with my cell and fudge and shoes. I literally flew thru the concourse!

I made it in plenty of time for us to get settled before boarding the plane. I must say trhe flight over on Continental was very nice. I was seated between Mom & an Irwin cousin Adele. We had dinner (my second, although my first really was lunch). I had a fairly decent chicken caccitora!

The airline has touch video screens embedded in the backs of seats. There are games, videos and music plus an inflight map that gives you the location – speed – distance – eta, etc. It was really quite cool! I never even played with my ipod or gameboy. I watched the movie, “Monsters vs. Aliens.” Then after an arduous trip to the bathroom I actually went to sleep fr a few hours.

Day 3 – July 22



Day One - July 20 3 months ago

We headed out around noon with a quick stop at, “McDonald’s.” Our first destination was the MOA (Mall of America). I am not a big MOA fan. It is a shopping mall, super-sized. I don’t like shopping malls so my dislike increases proportionately with the MOA’s size. However, my daughter the Princess wanted to take the Monkey for the first time & Mom LOOOOVES MOA.

We wandered around for a few hours, stopped at Orange Julius. Monkey loved my Tripleberry drink. I think partly he likes that I feed him via the straw. His Mom uses silly sippy cups!

Refreshed by our smoothies we headed for the, “Underwater Adventures.” Mom & Princess have both been through previously, (the whole like/dislike malls thing). I had not, so Monkey & I got top gawk together for the first time. Monkey was a bit unnerved at first about the fish near and over him. He calmed down and got interested in seeing the swimming, “kitties.”

We followed that with dinner at the, “Rainforest Cafe.” Monkey was not really that excited by it. It was very loud and after an initial interest in the fountain we were seated next to, Monkey was just in sensory overload. We ate as quickly as we could, and left for our motel. Princess & Monkey left us and now Mom and I re having a quiet early night. Tomorrow we fly!



Time flies... 3 months ago

I have been really busy between daily life and making lists, reading and learning about Scotland. Now the trip is here…I leave today for an afternoon at the Mall of America and a night in a motel before arriving early at the airport tomorrow for my flight to Newark and then off to Scotland!

Now off to check my lists AGAIN!!! So much to remember – adapters, electric converters, walking shoes, raincoat….



Youtube 6 months ago

Appears to have scads of videos, of various types on Scotland. I have watched documentaries & home videos. Mary Queen of Scots, Culloden, William Wallace & how to speak like a Highlander are all there if you search.



Traveling through history - the novel way. 6 months ago

I am reading a lot of novels, adult, YA – I am not choosy as long as they deal with story lines that relate to Scottish history or culture. I then read up and check some of the facts covered in novels that pique my interest.

I may hafta eventually figure out what to do with the list I have been developing of books. I have easily spent 40 hours just researching novels. I have used lots of other lists to compile my list. I would like to be able to share it with others who like reading historical novels.



Dress clothes that pack 9 months ago

One of the real negatives about this trip is that we dress to dine almost every night. Sheesh, apparently they do not expect jammies either. I like natural fabrics, however I decided to break norm & buy some manmade tops that I can squish into the suitcase for all these formal dinners. I got 4 tops on Winter clearances today while hunting my swimsuit.
I also found a pair of pants designed to mimic tuxedo pants. I simply tried to find tolerable “Mom” clothes for the evening wear.

Mom of course. was happy with my choices. I am hoping that by giving in here if I can’t find another pair of more “fashionable” boots – she will not freak if I wear my army combat boots.

Our sense of style is so different, lol. I won’t even wear them with a skirt in Scotland – just my jeans…Summer weight combat boots are sooo comfy! Just meant for marching around in over various terrains. Wonder how combat boots look like with pseudo tuxedo pants. :D



Our Travel Itinerary 10 months ago

Scotland Tour

Tuesday, July 21
Depart USA for Glasglow, Scotland

Wenesday, July 22
Arrive Glasgow Int’l Airport
Afternoon site-seeing or resting; fee time – Hotel & dinner

Thursday, July 23
Visit Bonshaw Tower – Kirtlebridge

Friday, July 24
Free day – Edinburgh

Saturday, July 25
Highland Gathering – Holyrood Park – Edinburgh
Late afternoon march the Royal Mile in clan dress

Sunday, July 26
Highland Gathering – HRH Prince Charles will be in attendance

Monday, July 27
Head to Oban, Seaport to the Western Isles
Past Loch Lomond
Journeying to Long Loch.
Shopping break & lunch at Inverart
Ferry to Isle of Mull

Tuesday, July 28
Ferry to Isle of Iona & St. Coulmba’s Abbey – MacBeth buried here
Tobermory – Capitol of Mull

Wednesday, July 9
Leave Mull & ferry back to Oban
Travel through Glenbogle & Newtonmore (Monarch of the Glen territory)
Visit the Clam Macphreson Museum in Newtonmore
Time permitting a stop at Highland Folk Museum
Aviemore

Thursday, July 10
Early start to Inverness, Capitol of the Highlands
Culloden Visitor Centre & Battlefield
Clava Cairns
Old Fort George
Drive past Loch Ness
Uruquhart Castle ruins

Friday, July 31
Travel to Dufftown
Glenfiddich Distillery Tour
Time permitting – Huntley Castle
Clan Ceilidh – starring Clan Irvine, Clan Hay, and Clan Burnett

Saturday, August 1
Aboyne Highland Games in Royal Deeside
Dinner with our Chief & Lady Drum

Sunday, August 2
Drum Castle & Drum Chapel
Irvine Caput
Lunch at Irvine Arms
Tour of Drum Stone and Harlaw Battlefield
Banquet

Monday, August 3
Aberdeen City tour, including Irvine Aisle at St. Nicholas Church
Wallace Monument in downtown Aberdeen

Tuesday, August 4
Journey past Balmoral Castle – no visit HRH Queen Elizabeth is in residence
Blairgowrie Stop – a Highland town
Stirling Castle
National Wallace Monument – climb stairs to see Bruce’s sword

Wednesday, August 5
Fly back to USA



Two new books 10 months ago

on the history of Scotland. Started reading right away!



Started gatherng books 10 months ago

Yes, it is always my first step preparing for anything big. I got several on Robert Burns that I would like to have read soon. Mom & I are going to celebrate Robert Burns Day. (I told her, Mom we are celebrating Robert Burns Day & she just asked when, and does she really need to eat haggis, there will be plenty in Scotland).



The Gathering at Holyrood Park 11 months ago

I am going to what is touted to be the largest ever in Scotland – Highland Games. I have NEVER been to a Highland Game here in the US – altho I have seen demos of a couple sports.

I will see Loch Lomond, Edinburgh, the family castle of the Irwin Clan, Urquart Castle (Nessie!), Culloden Battlefield, and the Isle of Iona amongst other things.

I have from now until July 21 to learn about what I will be seeing and learn a bit of Scottish history.



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