Landing

We landed and waited for our wheel chair. Dad was in a good mood having slept a little, and Mary and I also got some sleep.
They had one guy pushing two wheelchairs, but it was okay, they got us through customs. The only funny part was when the customs agent asked us how long we were staying, at the same time, I said 9 days, Mary said 7 and Dad said 10. It sounded funny.
Luggage was there, and then Dad insisted in going to the men's room. We had given up the wheel chair and the bathroom was not near. I found the guy returning the wheel chair, asked to borrow it and wheeled Dad to the handicapped bathroom, where I waited for 15 minutes. The wheel chair guy asked Mary if everything was ok. Yes, she said, that is just our dad!

We got into the terminal, letting Dad push the cart for stability and exercise and I was thrilled to see a man standing there with our name. He seemed surprised at what we looked like. What did he think we would look like???? Mike Hardie is his name and this first day he has been terrific... patient and funny and informative.

We drove around Loch Lomand and down and around winding roads through cute towns and beautiful lochs (lakes). It is a little disorienting being on the wrong side of the road. I made Mike stop a few times for photos, but not as often as I had wished. The hillsides are dotted with sheep and highland cows. There are miles of stone walls. We saw a lot for the first day and Dad was happy not to get out of the car too much. We did get out to have a look at the outside of a castle, and the have a snack (awful snack).
Mary and I had a wee nip of Scotch from my flask because she wanted to taste it before we went to a distillery. She nearly gagged, but admitted it wasn't too bad. A little later, Dad said that the breath mints Mary was using were so strong he could smell them!

The boat ride was a little unsettling as Dad had to climb 2 flights of stairs. I brought him to the bar/lounge and he had a drink and listened to the soccer game on TV. It was windy and rocky, but not too bad. Mary found the handicapped elevator for us on the way down which made life much easier.
Then we were on Islay. I have been pronouncing it incorrectly (as has my Dad). It is pronounced eye la. BEAUTIFUL. It is a huge island with 3 1/2 thousand people and 10 distilleries. We got to our bed and breakfast (The Monarchs) after being on a one lane road, seeing a beautiful rainbow and Ireland off in the distance. The b&b stands on a hill and is run by Marhe and Ronnie. They welcomed us (along with their dog... I can't remember its name but it is Gaelic for faithful, so I just call him Faithful).
The rooms are great and the views from the sitting room make you want to just sit. Dad's room is on the ground floor and is big. Mary and I are sharing a room on the second floor overlooking the water. Lovely.
Dad had some tea as Mary and I freshened up for an early dinner.
Dinner was in the bar at the Port Charlotte hotel and restaurant. It is a cosy place with a fire place and plenty of whiskey and friendly people.
Dinner was good... portions were very large and we had too much food despite the fact that we only ordered two appetizers and two main courses. The hit for Mary and Dad was the Steak and Ale pie with veggies and potatoes (the potatoes were cooked perfectly!). I enjoyed the plate of three kinds of smoked salmon.
Driving back to the hotel was just lovely with the night air, the sun going down and the cloud formations. Mary and I had a small peach vodka and fell asleep almost immediately. It is so quiet and peaceful here. BUT then true to jet lag.. I am awake writing this blog.
I better try to sleep as Mary and I are getting up early to walk, and then we have 3 distilleries to visit!
If there is anything you want to hear more about, let me know. I am sleepy and may have missed good details.