Cairngorm Hotel Aviemore

... up was the stunning autumn colours abundant in the trees all the way up the Highlands, beautiful...<br><br> <br><br>When I got to Inverness there was still a good hour and a bit of daylight left - and the sun even made a brief appearance, so I thought what-the-hey ...

... worthwhile (and hopefully worth the money, i'll see when I work out how much I've spent). I obviously won't be uploading the 4000 photo's I took but anyone is welcome to see them, they need only ask; and set aside around 5 hrs to go through them. This is Mike's log.......signing out.

... large slabs of styrofoam with wooden slats.... they really got into the spirit of it all - lots of theatrical dress as well - it was a hoot! We didn't see the duck race, but people bought tickets for a numbered plastic duck at one pound each, then they "raced" them somehow. I don't think they were remote-controlled like the one Chris is creating for the race in Brisbane this weekend. All the best for your little duck, Chrissa!<br><br><br><br><br>

... down to Invermoriston. I'm sure it was worth it really!<br><br>Invermoriston sits on the junction of the main turn off for the Isle of Skye, and the road between Inverness and Fort William. It's clearly got a bit of an issue on the food front as it's got plenty of good places to stay (and my B&amp;B is no exception) but only one place (The Glenmoriston Arms Hotel) that serves food in the evenings! I have ...

... What made me smile today:<br><br>The End-to-Enders - John Arris and friends.  It was great to hear their stories and get their advice.  One of them even gave me a donation for my charities.  Good luck with your next stage!<br><br>The eccentric Rory and his thieving chickens.  He runs the Abriachan Forest eco-campsite and cafe halfway along the path today and I stopped for tea.  One of his chickens actually jumped into the air to steal shortbread out of my hands!<br>

Spent yesterday walking through Scottish terrain. Unfortunately the weather wasn't sunny but it wasn't raining so since coming to the UK I have come to know that as 'a good day'. I have to admit it, but any day that doesn't rain I consider a good day of weather too. How quickly standards change..<br><br>Time has flown by here in Scotland. Back down to London tomorrow and off to India Wednesday. This is quite possibly the most boring blog entry ever, but the photos should at least be ok

... fighting, running, screaming and playing around her podgy track-suited legs, to the awkward teenage travellers, unwashed and unkempt, pinned under improbable sized backpacks (usually bearing a badge saying something like "500L Vertebrae Crusher Deluxe"), giddy and giggly with the excitement that only vast quantities of drugs, urgent sex and museum queues can bring.<br><br>I thirstily gulped at my pint, because I had certainly earned it. Despite working only a 15 minute stroll ...

... a mammoth's tooth! Well after this amazing tour of this castle we headed East to quickly stop off at Arberlour Distillery to pick up a special birthday gift for a good friend of ours. At this distillery you can pour, bottle and label your own whiskey straight from the cask, guaranteed to put hairs on ya chest. So after doing this is was back west, through Inverness and down to the side of Loch Ness. On the way to Urquhart Castle we stopped so Dave could dip his ...

... we could see) is very like parts of southern New Zealand. As we drove along we saw a lot of phesants and hares out in the paddocks and some of the party members saw some deer as we passed through the area near Balmoral estate. We managed to catch a glimpse of Balmoral castle but only a glimpse as we drove past. It seemed strange in Aviemore to see lots of rabbits around the hotel grounds and with very little fear of anyone who was about.

... Tried Scottish Tablet (very, very sweet Scottish fudgey thing of which one bite is more than enough) - Onich B&amp;B: beautiful view over the loch - dinner with Aussie waitress from Brisbane, walked about 1.5km home in pitch black darkness telling each other stories about killer dogs with red eyes, trying to avoid the poo we saw earlier, and keep up with Jeff