Scotland Day 1
Apex Hotel, Grassmarket, Edinburgh
Ellie had booked herself a 5 day/4 night trip round the Highlands and the Isle of Skye with "Hector's Highland Safari…guaranteed to meet the infamous Scottish midge." She had been to the Harry Potter shop on Victoria Street and was now looking forward to the train journey across the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Bus departure time was 8.30am, and she was ready by 8.00, having taken in breakfast of cereal and croissants and pancakes and some bacon, she was ready to go, but something caught her attention and she looked, smiled then shook her head, "No, she said it couldn't be, there are plenty of tourists in Edinburgh at this time of the year," as she finished her coffee and walked up to the steps to the base of the Castle at Johnston Terrace and her bus.
She was there by 8.10am and had shown Hamish, the driver, her ticket and he had taken her holdall and placed it in the luggage compartment, her case being secured in the companies left luggage for her return. The bus was compact carrying only 18 passengers so an easy number to control, but she noticed that and most of her fellow passengers were either small groups and one family, she was on her own.
"What is the best side to sit to see the best scenery?" Ellie had asked.
"Madam," Hamish began to say, "The roads pass through the middle of the Glens so either side is perfect."
Ellie smiled and sat about 2/3rds of the way back on the left hand side looking out the window across the South side of the City to Southern Uplands. Then she heard the voice.
"Gawdon Bennet mate, almost got the wrong bus. Lawd, there are so many out there, but this one is the Nessie and Skye tour, innit?" as the stranger saw the driver nod.
Ellie looked up and gasped, "Clayton, what are you doing here?"
"Ellie, wow, fancy meeting you… looks like I'll have to sit with you as all the other seats taken," Clayton replied as he plonked himself down beside her.
"Where's your bag?" she now enquired.
"Some geezer checking the queues and tickets put in the boot," came the reply as he looked at Hamish who was now standing looking up the bus.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, my name is Hamish and I am your driver and guide for the next five days," as he got into the driver's seat and they set off down the hill to join the morning rush hour traffic on Lothian Road, before turning on to Glasgow Road and the first stop Stirling Castle.
And the tall monument you see on your right is the Wallace monument erected to commemorate one of Scotland's greatest fighting Patriots, and not as someone once asked, in tribute to Mel Gibson," as he laughed.
Moving on, the Lowlands gave way to the Highlands and the next magnificent castle they stopped at, was Doune. Not only was it the outside of "Castle Leoch" in Outlander but it had also been used in a number of other film and television ventures, including Monty Python's Holy Grail, Game of Thrones, and Highlander.
Then onwards and upwards to Glen Coe used in Skyfall, Highlander and Braveheart to name three films, and of course the massacre of 1692.
Oban the location for the 1981 American Spy film "Eye of the Needle" was a bustling fishing port as well as a tourist town. Their accommodation for the night was the Royal Hotel in the middle of the town and near the harbour. Being a big imposing building it catered for bus parties of all sizes and of course the statutory Friday night Ceilidh.
Hamish parked up and let everyone off the bus to stretch their legs while he went in to see about the accommodation. He returned looking a bit flustered. He approached Ellie and Clayton, and asked.
"You two are friends?" he questioned nervously.
"Work colleagues," Ellie replied looking at Clayton who shrugged his shoulders.
"Can I possibly ask if you could share a twin room for a night?" Hamish continued, "The hotel has overbooked."
"I'm easy", Clayton had replied.
"In that case…" Hamish began to smile, looking at a group of girls who were staring in Clayton's direction.
"No… I mean I don't mind sharing with Ellie," Clayton had smiled back.
"Just no rule 12," she had reminded Clayton.
"Rule 12?" Hamish questioned with a surprised look on his face.
"Never date a co-worker," Ellie laughed.
And so it was that Ellie and Clayton ended up in a twin bedded, up-graded room overlooking the harbour. Hamish had given orders that the ceilidh would start at 7 o'clock and that there would be a buffet, as well as "haggis" which had been caught just that morning and so was fresh, laughing at the look on his guests' face,. "You have the rest of the afternoon to yourselves, and I will see you all tonight," as he turned and went back to the minibus to move to the carpark.
"What you going to do Clayton?" Ellie asked quietly as they settled into their room.
"I have something I need to do…I want to surprise you," he laughed, "But go look at the gift shops or do some sketching…I'll see you tonight."
The ceilidh; and Ellie had drunk too much, and danced to too many reels. Clayton had worn the kilt and swore that if she ever told Gibbs or Torres or even Tim, in fact anyone, she would end up on Doctor Ducky's table.