The United Kingdom: Leaving the Highlands and heading home

The last day of our tour, was also our last full day in the UK. We thankfully still had a full day of site seeing ahead of us. The day was super dreary and rainy, but as someone once told me, the Highlands are best experienced in the rain and mist. There is something even more magical and mystical about the imposing mountains being half covered in clouds rolling down their sides. It did make for more photos taken from the van!

We made our way back to Eilean Donan Castle and this time we got to take a tour of the inside. Sadly no photos allowed, but basically it is decorated to recreate what a Medieval castle would look like during it's heyday. They had kitchens with fake food and great halls with antique furniture and family crests above the fireplace.

We actually got stuck in the castle for a bit because the rain was coming down so hard outside.

We then made our way over to Loch Ness for lunch and a visit with the Loch Ness monster of course. We grabbed some sandwiches at a local shop and started hearing loud dance music and tons of car horns going off up and down the streets. We eventually found out that there was a massive scavenger hunt type tour company where people can rent cars and drive all over the place taking pictures and honking their horns and playing German dance music. It is called the Garbage run and you apparently also add garbage to your car as you go.

Garbage run car

Luckily as we made our way down to Loch Ness and the still waters where Nessie lives, we heard less and less of the awful music and cars.

Loch Ness is still creepy for me... I totally believe there is some underwater creature down there and whether it is some aquatic dinosaur or just a giant squid, it is there and it is creepy.

We said goodbye to Nessie and moved along through the Highlands taking in the last bit of scenery we could.

We even got to see some Highland Coos along the way

Just before the end of the tour, we made our last stop at Dalwhinnie Distillery for a bit of Scotch tasting. Aaron had been waiting all tour (really all week) for a good and proper tasting at a real distillery.

Each of the Scotch tasters came with a tiny piece of chocolate to compliment the taste of the scotch. Aaron was gracious enough to let the have the chocolate.

It was the perfect way to end a marvelous tour! Such a wonderful way to end a spectacular 3 days in the Highlands! 

We were dropped off in Edinburgh in the early evening. We were staying our last night at a hotel near the airport to be ready for our trip home the following day.

view from our plane window landing in London

Our trip home was very daunting. We made it from Edinburgh to London and then London to New York pretty ok, but I started feeling absolutely miserable upon arrival in New York. I even started falling asleep at the gate and nearly sobbing at the same time... exhaustion is really everyone!!

We ended up giving up our seats in order to stay over night in New York in order to recover before making our last journey home. We finally made it home, but our trip was so incredible!!!