Taking on the Highlands and Nighttime Creatures

We had heard so much about how beautiful the Scottish Highlands were and how we must head up north to experience the beauty. Well, okay, here we go... hitting the roads to the Highlands. First stop, Inverness to experience a larger, more exciting Highland games.

We had seen the Inverness Highland Games advertised in a brochure and assumed that these games were on a more serious and grander scale than the ones we saw in Airth. We wanted to head north and eventually end up on the Isle of Skye so, why not check out the games in Inverness on the way? Oh, and yes, since we probably won't want to drive up to Inverness and Skye all in one day, we should definitely find a campsite in Inverness, camp overnight in Archie's minivan and then proceed on in the morning to Skye.

Well, before actually taking off for Inverness, I did some homework and found what I thought was the perfect camping spot. I found out that the highland games were to be taking place in Bught Park right in Inverness and what better place to find a campsite than one practically around the corner from the park... Bught Park Caravan and Campsite! Perfect! I called the campsite, talked to this man who apparently worked there or at least was a source one could contact to reserve a space and get questions answered. I got directions, sort of, from the guy and I thought all was set. Before leaving Glasgow to head to Inverness, we packed enough clothes to hold us until Tuesday and made sure we had blankets and pillows to use so that we would be warm enough while we slept in the van. Great! This should be fun and it should be easy to find the campsite when we are done at the games!

We drove up to Inverness, which took us about 3 ½ hours to get up there. Drove a little in the rain, had some traffic but overall, the trip wasn't too bad and we did end up getting there in plenty of time to see the afternoon events. We paid our entrance fee and quickly noticed that these highland games were set up pretty much the same way as the games in Airth. It was like going to Airth all over again but this time the park where the games were held was much larger. These games also had various tents you could go in to hear a band play, taste whiskey, see dancing and visit various booths or tables of different Scottish businesses. The same fair games and rides were also going on at these games for the kids to enjoy. We walked around a bit, sort of bored and wondering why the heck we drove all the way for this. Since we did spend 5 pound per person to get into these games, we did decide to stick it out a little longer and check out some of the sporting events that were going on. The weather was wet and cold so we decided to go sit in the covered stands where we would be warmer and also get a better view of the field where many of the sports were taking place. Good choice on our part to sit in the stands. We saw competitions such as tug-of-war, relay races, bike races, the famous caber toss and one event that we particularly favored, the men's weight toss for height competition. Men, who were very large and very strong, took this heavy weight and tossed it overhead behind them, trying to get it over this horizontal pole that would be raised every so often. The barrier started at about 10 feet and then gradually rose until it ultimately got to about 14 feet. These men continued to toss the weight, some being very successful with their tosses. There was this one rather tall guy, who turned out to be the winner, who was very good and seemed to have no trouble getting the weight over the pole. He was rather impressive, to say the least. We stayed for quite awhile and waited until we heard the bagpipes and drums band play during the grand finale.

It was around 5:30PM or so and it was about time we go and find Bught Park Caravan/Campsite. We went back to the van, I took out the paper that had the directions written on it and we took a look on the GPS to figure out where the heck this place is. From the directions the man gave me, it sounded as if you had to drive a little way to get to the campsite and when we looked on the map, the directions he gave really didn't match up with what we saw. Things were a little off. We drove around, trying to find signs that might help us make sense of where we were and where we wanted to go.. nothing seemed to make sense except some of the town names on the signs sort of matched up with directions. As we pulled out of Bught Park, we did manage to see this caravan place in the middle of the city, with RVs and tents practically stacked up on top of eachother. Kids were running around, cars on the road were whizzing by and we both thought this couldn't possibly be the place we were looking for.It just didn't add up. We also saw this indoor water park near the caravan site and I had mentioned to Michael that on the website for Bught Caravan, it mentioned that it was within walking distance to the Aquadome and some sports center. What we saw and what I had read, still weren't adding up. So... we drove around in circles for awhile, getting aggravated, irritated, tired and annoyed. We backtracked back to the park where the games were held, turned near the caravan site that we saw earlier and right in front of us was the sign we had been looking for "Bught Park Caravan". Crap! We had been driving around all this time and the place was right across the street from where we were. Not exactly sure why the man gave me the directions he did and why it didn't register in his head when I told him we were driving to Bught Park to see the Highland game and then to his campsite. It was all very confusing and a huge waste of time! We decide there was NO way we were going to stay at the caravan site and we were going to have to find another alternative.

We went into downtown Inverness and found a restaurant called "McDonagalls" to have some dinner while we figured out what our next move was going to be as far as where we were going to sleep for the night. Camping was still a possibility however I had been fighting a cold for the past few days, I was exhausted, feeling rather ill due to being out in the rainy cold weather and we came to the conclusion that it might be best for us to find an inexpensive hotel or B&B to stay in so that I don't end up getting more sick. Do we find somewhere in Inverness or do we venture out a bit toward Skye and find somewhere? We decided to move forward and find some place with a vacancy and a reasonable price.

Leaving Inverness

By this time, it was getting dark and late, we were driving in places that seemed to have very few accommodations and we were both getting a bit cranky! Not knowing exactly where we were and not having any clue where to search for a place to sleep, we were a bit concerned about our ultimate plans for the night and thought the worse thing that could happen is we pull off the side of the road, if need be and sleep in the van, which wasn't' exactly what I wanted to do. How I wanted desperately to find a place to sleep and was getting to the point that I was willing to pay just about anything to get a decent room.

We did drive and did eventually find some places to check out. We first came to a place way out in the middle of who knows where that had a room for 110 pounds a night... sounds nice but no thanks! We came to another place in a city called Contin. It looked rather empty and closed for the night but decided to see if I could find anyone who might be able to help us. I had no luck opening the door to the hotel so decided to enter the bar area to see if someone in there could tell me who I might talk to about a room. When I entered the bar the few folks who were in there were staring at me and watching every move I made as I asked the bartender who I needed to talk to about accommodations. I know I looked like hell, my eyes were bloodshot due to lack fo sleep, my hair a bit matted down from the rain and I was zipped up completely inside my long raincoat.. I must have been a rather scary sight! I talked to a man who was a bit stuffy and rough around the edges who then directed me to his wife who was in charge booking rooms. I asked about a room, she told me she did have a double room for 88pounds and so I went out to talk it over with Michael. We thought that might be a little more than we wanted to spend but might be open to it if we were unable to find anything else nearby. I asked the lady if we might be able to return in about 10 minutes or so and she rudely told me either I take the room now or leave. That helped me make the decision that we were not going to stay there and that we should press on a little further... we just had to find some place better!

We drove up the road a bit and came across this beautiful Best Western Hotel on this hill in Contin. We had a feeling it was going to be pricey, but at this point, I was willing to pay whatever we had to pay to sleep somewhere warm, clean, and safe. Went inside the hotel and unfortunately, they were all booked for the night. Geesh! The lady was very kind and told me we should head over to the next town of Strathpeffer where there were a number of B&Bs and a newly remodeled hotel that often has rooms available. We drove to Strathpeffer, and the majority of the places we saw had signs stating they had no vacancies! There was a lodge just up a bit that claimed they had vacancies. I went inside looking rather desperate, talked to the woman who ran the lodge with her husband and she told me she was very very sorry but just gave away her last single room to a couple who was also desperate and dead tired. Sounds familiar!!! She was a delightful woman and felt very sorry for me. She said she had been in situations like this before and understood completely how horrible it is to not find an available accommodation. She was determined to find a place for me and ended up spending about 20-30 minutes calling all types of accommodations within the little village of Strathpeffer and its surrounding area. She informed me that there was some sort of bicycling event going on and that is why we were having such a hard time finding a place available. She was so helpful and bent over backward to try and help. She came up empty handed with the exception of The National Hotel,she was a little hesistant to recommend since she had heard it wasn't the best hotel and had heard that music from the bar area was loud. It was over in a nearby town called Dingwall and they claimed to have a double room for 30 pounds per person per night. Fairly cheap, not sure what we were about to get ourselves into but it was worth a shot! So... on to Dingwall!

We get to Dingwall in the dark. It is wet outside, it is now around 11:30 at night and we can't seem to find where the hell this hotel is. It is supposed to be on the main road in the center of town but we aren't able to find the main road at this time of night. We pull into a gas station, ask the attendant, he thankfully knows where this hotel is and proceeds to tell us how to get there. At this point in time, I am so brain tired and can't see straight... nothing, no matter how clear it is, makes sense to me anymore. I am hoping Michael is hearing these directions that the guy is telling me outloud since all I hear is "blah, blah, main road, up over to the right, blah, blah". Excellent! Nothing is processing and by this time I feel like crying... California, home, friends and our own bed sounded oh so good right about now!

Halleluya! We somehow manage to come across The National Hotel. We pull up only to find several drunk people around the hotel.The hotel had an adjacent bar not to mention there were several pubs within the area. I leave Michael in the van while I go check out what this hotel is like and whether or not they actually have a room available. I go in and of course no one is at the reception desk. I see several folks in the bar but no one at the desk. I wait. I ring the bell for assistance. Nothing! Finally, this older man comes out of the bar area, shuffling his feet a bit and looking a little off key. I am just greatful to have gotten anyone's attention and completely disregard the fact that this just might be someone who is not in any condition to help me. I proceed to ask him if he works at the hotel and he mumbles something I am unable to hear. I tell him that I understand he has a double room available and was interested in taking it for the evening. He quickly comes over to me, stands inches away from my face and tells me he sure wishes he had a double room to share with me. By the look of his droopy eyes and slurred speech, I suddenly realize I am talking to a completely blizzed drunk who is coming on to me. Oh goody. Just want I needed at this point! A shouted out a sarcastic "Great!" in his face, he said he'd love to help me out but need to find his own room. He tells me I need to ring the bell. I thanked him and told him I had done that about 5 times already with no luck. All I can think of at this point in time is that this will all soon be over and I will be laughing at this experience at a later point. I was trying to find the humor of it all but it was getting more and more difficult as time went on!! I finally go into the bar area, ask some woman where the person at the desk might be and FINALLY a NORMAL HUMAN BEING comes out to help me. WE FINALLY HAVE A ROOM AND I actually have a key in my hand that will lead us to God only knows!

Of course the hotel has no elevator to use to get our luggage up to the 2nd floor, which is actually the 3rd floor, where our room is located. We park the van, reluctantly, in back of the hotel, grab our load of crap and decide it might work out better if shlep our belongings up the outside stairs of the fire escape to our floor. But of course, as we get to the top, the door is locked, so down we go, to the ground floor and take the steps up to our floor, dragging our belongings behind. We get to our floor but have a lot of trouble finding our room. The layout of the rooms don't seem to be in any logical order and when we finally get to our room it is tucked away up these few stairs in a corner. We unlock the door and I praying we don't find a room with cockroaches or some God awful smelly stinch. I am pleasantly surprised that the room looks decent and the bed looks rather comfy. Had it been a grass mat on the floor, it might have looked comfy to me at this point!!! I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired and just wanted to sleep. We get into bed, thankful to have found a place to sleep, we turn out the lights and Michael seems to have no problem falling asleep. I, hear every drunken person outside, every car passing by, every door closing in the hallway and every person having a loud and lenghthy conversation outside our door. I have a feeling this is going to be a loooooooong and restless night!

I stare at the ceiling and tell myself to keep thinking... this too shall pass and I WILL be able to laugh about this later with friends and family. I MISS HOME!!!! Tomorrow has GOT to be better!