Misty Scotch

We had limited time in Aberdeen so we thought the best thing to do would be buy a ticket on one of the hop-on hop-off buses that seem to be in every town we go. While we were waiting for the bus, Glenys and Megan started chatting to a lovely older couple who had heard our accents. They asked where we were from, then surprisingly told us they had lived in Brighton (up the road from where we used to live in Australia) for 20 odd years and had just moved back to Aberdeen to be closer to family. We reminisced with them until our bus arrived. When we boarded we heard about the college we had been sitting in front of, Marischal College, then carried on past Kings College, the beach with the local fair and the Moscow Circus in town, Old Aberdeen and the port with all the fishing trawlers (some looking like they may have been whaling boats but we're not too sure).

01 - Laddie Rick

After a full lap of town we decided to get off at King's College in the old town for a wander around and to grab something to eat. It was amazing to see the college was established way back in 1494. As the students are all on their summer break we were lucky the local bakery was open, just (they closed and locked the front door as we ordered what food they had left), for a pie. Whilst we were eating the temperature went from warm and sunny to very cold and we could actually see the famous North Sea mist rolling in. As we were all in shorts and t-shirts we decided to head back into town so we jumped on the hop-on hop-off bus again and repeated the journey but this time we couldn't even see the beach or the promenade as they were engulfed in the mist. We made our way to the warmth of a local café with Internet access so we could all check our emails, then grabbed a coffee.

02 - Marischal College

Getting up early we decided to drive to Dunnottar Castle as the guy behind the desk at the hostel had recommended it. Unfortunately when we arrived the entire castle, residing on seaside cliffs, was hidden in the mist. Walking out as far as we could we could only see a vague outline of the ruined castle. Moving on there was one more thing that we had to do in Scotland - visit a Scotch Whiskey distillery! We headed for Glenturret, for a tour of the factory where they make one of the blends used in the Famous Grouse. We learnt how they made their own double malt and then how the Famous Grouse is made from a blend of different whiskies distilled around Scotland. Rick was the only one that liked the scotch and ended up drinking everyone's free samples. David had to drive for the rest of the day, heading up past the Wallace Memorial and onwards to the Fourth Rail Bridge just outside of Edinburgh.

03 - Megan and Rick

When we arrived in Edinburgh we checked in to the last hostel of the trip which unfortunately was probably the worst. Rick's poor parents were a bit surprised to say the least at the group of rude backpackers in the stairwell playing guitar, smoking and drinking. Rick's Mum managed to accidentally conk one in the head with her bag as they were really in the way of people trying to climb the stairs. Oh well what a shame.

04 - Mum and Dad

05 - Kings College

06 - Stonehaven Harbour

07 - Cows in the Mist

08 - Grouse Crossing

09 - Whiskey Still

10 - Wallace Monument

11 - Fourth Rail Bridge