Scotland - Ocober 2019

It was two long flights from Adelaide to Edinburgh. 14 hours to Doha and another 7 to Edinburgh. Particularly in Economy class. But Qatar did well.

After a night at the Ibis, it was off to St Andrews the next day where Harry and Ian Noble entertained me royally for 2 days. 2 good games of golf and off then to meet Jean and Chris in Alnwick for the night in a hotel there and playing on Jean's lovely seaside links course the next day.

Muirfield for the following 3 days to participate in all the events celebrating 275 years of the club. A champagne reception on first evening and black tie dinners in a marquee on each of the next two with golf matches each day. 425 people at the second of those dinners with members from all over the world. Not likely to be around for the 300th, so making the most of it !

Inverness for three days with J, J, A and E, and then off again , this time to Glen Clova to meet up with Yorkshire climbing pals for our annual gathering. Straight from there to meet Mary and Martha at Corrour station to climb a Munro with Martha ( she wants to be at the party ! ).

Back to Inverness with Jane and family till departure to Ireland on the penultimate leg of this mammoth journey.

Harry, a member of the R&A entertaining me on The New course. We're thrilled he's booked in for 10 days skiing with us in Feb

  .. follow that !

My cousin Madeline at her house in Alnwick

my sister Jean at Alnmouth

Jean and Chris before teeing off the following morning

The famous short 13th at Muirfield - scene of my only hole in one about 40 years ago

The private beach beneath Muirfield

Inge at her wonderful B&B who has looked after me so well over the years. This time she even ironed my kilt which had suffered a bit on its travels.

Anna and Jane at her childminder Beaners' house

Meanwhile Mary was on a cycle tour in Brittany with her two sisters Jane and Martha, along with our very good friend - "never say no" Martha.

What a happy- and lucky - baby. Wee Elin

Setting off on an expedition for a picnic up the river Dulnain at Carrbridge

My sister Ros and our kids' old, but not so old, nanny Vicki. The three of us met at a cafe outside Forfar. Note the sunshine - again !

Thence to the top of Glen Clova for 2 lovely days hill walking. and staying in the excellent Glen Clova Hotel. Roger, John, Rod and Simon

Back again to Brittany. Venus herself.

Not sure how this has crept in here. But it's significant for 2 reasons. a) it's a fabulous pic of Cormac and Iona and b) it happens to be the hotel on the coast of SW Ireland where my dear parents, the great grandparents of C & I, spent their honeymoon in 1939

Back to Scotland. Roger Gifford most generously had the four of us to stay the night here at Ayton, outside Perth, to stay after the Glen Clova trip

Again , this has crept in mysteriously. Meghan with Angus, Iona and Cormac, I think at Lehinch, Co Clare

Setting off from Roy Bridge station bound for Corrour, 20 minutes up the track, to meet Mary and "never say no" Martha

This is the Caledonian Sleeper direct from London Euston that they should have been on, but ' best laid plans .... and all that...!

This is what they did arrive on 2 hours later. Long story, but it all worked out. This station is REMOTE  and can only be accessed by train. In the middle of Rannoch moor but offers superb, albeit basic, accommodation in the old signal box, with great little cafe in one of the other old station buildings

Straight on to the mountain to climb the Munro which Martha has to do to qualify for the party in 2021 ! See why she gets her name

The summit of Beinn na Lap

.. and miraculously it started to clear on the way down with stunning views to the west

Back down in the glen and close to the station with Loch Ossian in the back ground

Our accommodation with the 360 degree view from the turret  above our rooms.  Pretty special.

Back with Jane & Johannes in Inverness and Martha wasting no time to get stuck in

We had a good day at the NTS Culloden visitors center and museum

.... while Granny Moon has a double task on the home front

Johannes, Mary, Jane with Elin, and Anna

My job ! And what a place to do it. Win, win !

Stopped off at Hyndland Rd , Glasgow. 3rd floor on left

And now to Ireland !

Australia - phase 4 - Adelaide

Ian kindly drove me back to Brisbane after I returned his car ( intact thankfully ) to his house at Malleny. Ian and I have shared many happy days together over the years. Many more to come I hope.

Gina and Tim kindly entertained me again in Brisbane before Gina took me to the airport very early the following morning. Gina had kindly masterminded visits I had to each of her daughters and their families all of whom live within a mile radius of each other. Sarah, Lucy, Pru, and Fiona and their lovely children all gave me such warm welcomes at their homes. Mary and I look forward to seeing much, much more of them all, over the years to come - either in Colorado or Scotland. That " special relationship " between the cousins must be given every chance to thrive, as I'm sure it will.

Off now to Adelaide.

Catherine kindly had driven over an hour to meet me, and continued to drive me it seemed for much of the next 3 days. She had most generously lent Mary and me her Ford station wagon for our colossal journey across Australia at time of D & K's wedding in 2009, and it wasn't exactly new then!  Staggeringly it's still doing sterling service conveying Catherine some huge mileage week in , week out. A great ad for Ford - and for Catherine's careful stewardship !

We had a lot of fun, chats and laughs. She kindly had contacted a Melrose relative (by marriage) of mine on my mother's side , Bob Melrose who with his wife Ros were instrumental in getting me off to such a great start when I got off the P&O liner in Adelaide at age 18 in January 1965. I had never had the oppurtunity of thanking him properly for all he did for me on that occasion. It was immense. Catherine now gave me the chance to do that and had spent many, many hours doing so. Thank you Catherine.

Catching up with Fiona & Matt and meeting Harlow and Jensen for the first time was special, as was lunching one day with Catherine's friends and neighbours Hugh and Fiona Maclachan at their magnificent property in the Adelaide Hills.  No pics I'm afraid.

Catherine's horses - one of them Charlie on whom Fiona did so well at events around South Australia

Bob - doing well at 93 and still a ball of fire

Bob took us to this museum ( where we had lunch ), the WW 2 "secret" flying boat base when Darwin was attacked by the Japanese and the whole of Australia was under threat

Bob had friends based who were killed in the action. He relived, very emotionally, some of those times with us.

Crossing the Murray river on the way back to Adelaide - almost 7 hours there and 7 hours back in one day. Long live the Ford station wagon with over 250K km on the clock!

Fiona, Matt and Catherine with Jensen and Harlow

An eager participant

Will stick to yoga I think

Dinner downtown

..and a nice walk afterwards beside the famous, newly renovated Adelaide Oval

The whispering wall. And it does !

Australia - phase 3 - Charlotte Plains

My cousin Anita (Neets) had flown in from Emerald and then come from Brisbane airport to Toowoomba where I met her off the bus. She spent the night at Rod's house and joined Rod, Jen and me for dinner in town that evening. The following morning Rod, Neets and I flew from Toowoomba Wellcamp airport to Cunnamulla where Robyn met us and drove us back to CP. Straight on to the motor bike ( change from the horses I used to ride to do the same job 54 years ago ! ) to muster some cattle.

The next three days were filled with excitement and adventure combined with getting some quality time with Rod, Robyn and Neets.

A very special trip and visit.

Rod and Neets about to board the plane for Cunnamulla at Toowoomba's new Wellcamp airport

Robyn and Rod displaying the CP billboard outside the museum in Cunnamulla

Looking for cattle - Cozzi and Neets

About to crack a beer at end of a long day !

The view from my window at CP

Rod taking a critical eye at the cattle mustered the night before

Robyn's mother Lorraine - a remarkable lady.

Dear " Poppy " - RIP

Robyn with a little guy who kept falling behind in the muster

Fun, fun, fun

Work in the yards the following day - Robyn at the " drafting gate "

The two Rods at Adginbong the neighbouring sheep station. I spent a memorable day mustering with Roderick ( Taylor ) here 54 years ago.

Back at CP and more sheep to get in the yards

A powerful beast this !

Zunaicha - the delightful Aruban (and now Dutch) student helping at CP for a few months

Trying to earn my keep - rather tentatively it seems

Neets and her partner Michael before they set off together for Emerald

Zunaicha, Rod and Robyn before departure at Cunnamulla airport