Day Forty Nine. Highlands and a Flat Tire.

Day 49. Highlands and a Flat Tire.

 We left our beloved B&B after another great breakfast sans Haggis this time and took a bus to the airport to rent a car to go to ... the highlands. I had no idea what the Highlands were. Gasp. I know. I didn't know that the mountainous Glen's and Lachs (lakes) had an name to go with them. A name that only begins to give the justice for what they are. Amazing. Fantastic. Wonderful. Brilliant. Wow moments around every bend. They are truly magical. The fall colors are warming into the scenic vistas. Around every corner we wanted to stop and take pictures. I dont really know how to describe it. Small roads through trees, then lakeside, the through and along Glen's. Absolutely fabulous. I thought of my mom and her saying on trips, "Look at how green it is!" This trip is was more like "Look at how amazing this is!" Reds, yellows, and oranges mixed in with the greens and browns of the land.

 We stopped by a B&B in the middle of nowhere Glen for lunch, but we missed lunch time by 30 minutes. The B&B owner said that people had not eaten at her place in 2 1/2 weeks, as it is the end of season, and no one comes up here this time of year. Well, we are here the last 2 days of season, and we are here to see it al. We found another place just up the road for grilled cheese & soup and a cute old man before heading off to see more amazing things.

 Imagining clans fighting, Braveheart war, and the history behind this land is pretty remarkable as well. No words can truly describe it. Once we hit the last Glen just after sunset, we headed towards our hotel in Oban (oh-Bin). Mindy had white-knuckle driven the car on the left side of the road for half the day. I started driving about an hour before Sunset, and quite enjoyed my time on the left side of the road, being a leftie myself, it was rather easy... that and the automatic transmission didn't hurt either.

 We were riding along, and I was telling the girls about a blog I read back in March about the places that we were actually in & going to tomorrow. I said that the blogger is a professional blogger and probably got paid to go on the trip. After I read the blog I thought that is only a place for rich people to go... and now we're like the rich people! We're here!" We had a good laugh about that. 

Moments later a big bus and long line of cars came from the opposite direction. I swerved a tiny bit to avoid the bus and hit the curb (seriously small roads). Mindy had hit the curb a few times earlier, so I thought nothing of it...until I heard the sound that I have heard with Melanie & Lisa on separate occasions . Thump Thump Thump Thump. Flat tire. "Ugh. I ruined the vacation. I should have never invited myself along. I should have driven slower. I should had turned the keys back over to Mindy after the last pull over stop." These were just a few of the millions of thoughts that ran through my head. Mindy and Erin were the most kind and caring. No one was hurt, just the tire. Road service came 1.5 hours later. The girls kept me in good spirits and told me not to worry about it, it will all be fine and work out. The tow truck dropped us off at the mechanics shop with the car (so we would know how to get here in the morning when the place opens.

 We checked into the hotel, ate at an indian restaurant around the corner where the waiter would stand in the corner and stare at us, came back to the hotel, and called it a night. Everything happens for a reason. A magical day through what only before could be described as a movie set through an amazing land filled with mystery and awe. A lame flat tire that will hopefully not cost my tuition to repair. Happy people to spend the day with who are the most relaxed, kind, and patient people on the earth. These three things are highlights of my day in the highlands of Scotland.