I've always felt a connection with Scotland. Maybe it is due to my name Hamish. It was a name my parents liked. Being of Irish and American decent, I don't have any Scottish heritage that I know of.
Perhaps it was my University days in the Edinburgh of the South - Dunedin. Or a couple of previous visits to Edinburgh to attend the Fringe Festival and to see the All Blacks beat Scotland in the Rugby World Cup.
What ever it was the world famous Fringe Festival was a chance to return to one of my spiritual homes. Having been here already this summer for TED Global already, I was becoming a familiar with the majestic medieval city of Edinburgh.
I arrived in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival to meet up with Kim had flown over from Los Angeles. She was helping support my room mate from LA Katie Wilbert perform her One Woman Ninja Musical - This Life Chose Me. We saw a variety of shows including accapella, stand up comedy, impressionists. Even took part in a musical improv workshop hosted by the crew of reknown actors Baby Wants Candy. Friends from London Guy Jolly and Ben Parkes also were in town and we enjoyed some lunches and whiskey at some of the classic pubs.
From here I went up to Stirling to visit my Dad's friend Paul Roose. We visited Gleneagles resort, eating our ham sandwiches in the car park before venturing in for high tea. The barman looked horrified as we enjoyed a cup of Earl Grey at his bar (especially since liquor barons Deagio own the place). Resisted from buying a GBP700 bottle of Whiskey or a GBP3000 Rolex in the lobby shops that cater to the well heeled guests.
Caught up with an old school friend Ruari Gardiner who took me up to Aberdeen for the night. We were able to go via St Andrews where I saw the sun setting over the famous links golf course - the world's first! Then a night out on the town, checking out the trendy Brewdog Brewery and the Casino.
After getting a lift back with Ruari to Glasgow via the lush Balmoral region of the Cairngorms, it was here he persuaded me to head up to Skye. Having recently returned from his sumer holiday with his son Thomas he insisted I can't leave Scotland without visiting. I was sold.
After a 7 hour bus trip via Fort William I arrived in Portree and bounced around a few Bnb's looking for a bed. I had soon met half the town. Jacqui put me on to her sister Anna who put me on her sister-in-law Fiona. Fiona put me on to her daughter-in-law Iona to feed me down at the Pier Resteraunt. The local 'Cullen Skink' soup was a highlight.
A bus tour of the island provided me with a chance to familiarise myself with the island, driving past Dunvegan Castle and The Cullin mountain ranges.
It was my host Dad Peter who encouraged me to join him for a 'wee pint' at the Pier Hotel after my bus tour. A wee pint turned into three in quick succession. 'Give me a scat-aa' he mumbled to the bar maid, while polishing off his last mouthful. This 'scat-aa' round was a drink to whoever was in the vicinty. He left me to the banter of the locals. Two blind drunk facing each other eye closed mumbling who knows what to each other. I stumbled home and Peter was waiting for me with a bottle of Highland Park whiskey. We certainly solved some of the world's problems and it was a shining example of Scottish hospitality and their love of craick.
I saw the back of Portree and made my way to Loch Ness to meet with Amanda Dunbar who works for me . I escaped the grip of my an angry bus driver and enjoyed Urquart Castle overlooking the vast misty lake (Loch sorry). Was to the waking up to that view each day, while protecting from invading English scum.
Elgin provided a couple nights down time. I checked out the Glen Foray distillery, along with the quaint coastal town Lossiemouth and Hopetoun.
The draw of Skye was pulling me back so I touched base with friends of my friend Fenalla. Jan was a kiwi who had married a local lad Neil and raised 4 kids in the rural paradise of Achmore. They were more than willing to have me to stay and I was soon part of the family. Scallop fishing, shinty and down to the Plockton Pub to listen to the local Scottish folk music. We drove over the highest point in Scotland to the Applecross Pub and enjoyed a drink or two watching the sun set over the the Loch.
From there a brief stop over in Glasgow where I missed my over night train to London, which gave me a chance to check out the famous nightlife of the West End.
What a charming and spiritual part of the world. I have been reading the 'History of Scotland' and the proud people who fought for generations to protect this little slice of paradise.
Til wee meet again young lassy!
Hamish
