We Didn't Make it to Skye: Day 21

 

4 July

Pamela made us a nice breakfast before her first appointment came at 9:00...forgot to mention she owned her own salon in her house as well...this was a huge house from 1872!

Headed to Skye the long way through the North part of Scotland. The scenery in the highlands was just like every movie we've ever seen with the Highlands in the background...only even more outstanding. It was raining and we hit a lot of potholes...a lot like driving in Colorado Springs! Our check tyre (tire) pressure light came on and when we went into a shop to buy some snacks, all of the tires looked good and when we came out, the back left was flat. An older gentleman pointed this out and directed us 3 miles down the road to Old Bay...which turned out to be Aultbae and to Forges Carriage which was actually Forbes Garage (accents are different!) We pumped our tire and drove the three miles to Forbes and a very nice man named Alexander McClean Forbes took off our tire and was going to replace it, but he didn't have a spare.

Called the help line for Autoeurope and they said they'd get help and to stay put. We were hungry and thirsty so we headed to the only place to eat in town...Aultbea Hotel. They weren't serving food so we had a 1/2 pint of their local An Teallach Ale (don't even ask how to pronounce it!) The 'Help' from Autoeurope was to call the nearest garage...Forbes...they were to tow us into Inverness to get us another car. Alexander had 7 other vehicles come in with flat tires and worst and couldn't take us until morning. No worries, his mom, Margaret made ham and buttered sandwiches on white bread (my new favorite) and had me make some instant coffee...which is something I've not done since college and it turned out to be instant expresso!

Margaret called Winnie, an adorable 84 year old woman who spoke exactly like Mrs. Doubtfire to let us stay in her exclusive B&B for a very good price called Geata Geal. Dear Winnie came to pick us up and drive the 1/2 mile to her house and made us tea! "I will make you some tea" she said in her sweet Mrs. Doubtfire voice.

We walked to pub in the rain and arrived drenched and 2 minutes later the rain stopped. We met woman from Aberdeen, Scotland who now lives in Texas and she laughed when we said we visited Peterhead, so we had to tell her and the other 5 people in the pub about Jim. Later she told us about her dad who had a stroke 6 years ago and she misses him because it is as if he is gone since he isn't doing well. We offered her words of comfort (and prayed for her afterwards).

We ate locally caught Langoustines in butter and garlic and chips with another Scottish beer called McEwan's Red. We talked with some other locals after dinner and they said that we were in MacKenzie land and that MacKenzies were everywhere here. No wonder we loved this place. #Aultbeahotel is a great place to be!

 

And, since the sun doesn't set until almost 11, we then walked two hours around town making flower wreaths, from all of the amazing wild flowers, looking at the old world war two outposts that kept Scotland safe, throwing rocks in the ocean, playing on a playground, jumping in the sunset, and then headed back to the b&b. Margaret picked us up as we were walking back as she was looking for the key to the car. She talked the whole way back to Winnie's and we didn't understand a word that was coming out of her mouth...she talked so fast and I think with some Gaelic thrown in.

Shower at Winnies...wonderful. Cleanest place we've stayed.

Tip of the day: When your car gets a flat, it just might be an opportunity to stay in one of the most amazing and peaceful places you've ever seen...as was Aultbea!

Peace,

The Traveling Women

 

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