HAMISH: We went to the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh on Wednesday. It's a tall skinny building in Edinburgh with heaps of cool illusions to look at and play with. My favourite room was the mirror room. It was a maze that you had to make it through. The lighting was dim in there, and the maze was made out of the mirrors and neon strips. It wasn't easy to tell what was what! My second favorite room was the spinning room. What you had to do was stand in a doorway, then walk across a bridge to the other doorway without falling over. But there was a catch - as it's name gives it away, the room is moving. Not the bridge, it was fixed in position, but around the bridge was a drum-like tunnel which spun round you. You might say that it wouldn't affect your walking at all, but you had to be there to see how much it actually did affect your walking. It was hard not to sort of fall to the side and run into the walls of the bridge. You felt that the bridge was going up the wall, even though it wasn't. I suggest not trying to cross the bridge at a run - I tried it and it was even less successful!

In the evening we went to the Edinburgh Tattoo. It was big, loud and late. It didnt start till 9pm. To start it, the announcer told us to look to the east because there was going to be a fly past. Next thing this fighter jet appeared right above us. It was SOOO loud it nearly made me explode, and I am not over-exaggerating. Well, yes I am but more to the point it was LOUD. And the funny thing was that we didnt hear it coming - just all of a sudden both it and the noise were there. Then the jet was gone - really fast. The motorcycle display was my favourite bit of the Tattoo. The riders were aged from 5 years old, right up to a 73 year old who did a big jump over a car and a line-up of bikes and riders. There was a group of 17 year olds who made a big pyramid. These guys were so good they could even ride their bikes while facing backwards, which is pretty skillfull because it makes the controls all back to front, which affects how you steer your bike. The bag pipes made me sleepy though, and when we put the rug over ourselves I was in the middle and warm, and I went to sleep and missed the last bits.

NGAIRE: We started our day in Edinburgh by catching the train in from Uphall. Just like in Glasgow, we headed out on the double decker bus trip, and the plan had been to do the whole run so that Steina and Hamish could get their bearings. However, once we arrived up on the Royal Mile we made a sudden change of plans, and leapt off at the top by the Camera Obscura. We headed straight for the castle, as we had had the sudden thought that perhaps it would shut early to allow the performers to get ready. Highlight of the castle tour was arriving in the Great Hall in time for the end of a performance by two guides in costume. One of them allowed time for photos afterwards, so we got to handle some real old weapons. Hamish was keen to hold the sword, especially when the guide said quietly to him that "real men prefer swords", while I opted for the musket when it was my turn. Obviously I'm not a real man.........

Everyone had fun at the Camera Obscura. Mind you there is plenty to play with there. Hamish had fun morphing his face, and photographing his shadow. My bit of fun was tripping over a stool in the dark, and landing on the floor with my foot jammed in the middle of the stool! Talk about feeling a wally!!! A nice man un-stuck my foot, helped me to my feet, and graciously said that it had been silly place for someone to leave a stool - perhaps it had been, but I had been looking ahead to the lit doorway I was about to head through and not looking at where I was walking, so that was a bit daft on my behalf. At least it was dark enough for people not to see how red my face was!

I hadn't thought when I booked the Tattoo tickets that of course the Fringe Festival would also be happening in Edinburgh. The Royal Mile was packed with tourists, buskers, tents, street performances, you name it. We caught a performance by a Spanish chappie who clowned and juggled. Quite a lot of fun to watch, but I am glad not to have been one of the audience members he dragged into his mischief! Warwick would have done splendidly!! After watching the performance we shot off down the News Steps to the toilets at the Station and to grab a bite of tea, then realised we had missed the start of the last run for the double decker bus, so we had to walk back up the News Steps again. Once up there, we headed for Greyfriars, but managed to pick up the bus tour by the Royal Mile, so we stayed on it to finish our tour. Which was just about the finish of us, because we ended up back at the Waverley Bridge, and then had to climb the News Steps again! Undaunted, we headed back aong the road to Greyfriars, after which it was neatly time to join the queue of Tattoo patrons.

The Tattoo was fabulous. We got fireworks, massed bands of both sorts, a motorcycle display, dancers, horses, precision footwork and weapon handling, amazing lighting displays and great music. Highlight for us was the NZ Army Band - they lived up to their usual innovative style, even working a haka into their performance. So slick and good, and so full of fun at the same time! We had gone prepared for all eventualities as we were in Edinburgh for the day and not returning to Tom's until after the show so had wet weather gear with us just in case. Margaret Meikle had also lent us her picnic rug which was waterprof on one side. We didnt need to use it against the rain but did use it to ward the chill off our knees. Hamish ended his day warm as toast under the rug, snuggled down between Steina and I, asleep.

We thought the Royal Mile was jam packed earlier in the day, but when everyone was heading out at the end, it was just wall to wall people. Slow moving, for a start, then once we hit the New Steps (again!) it was down them and off for the train home.

Thursday: NGAIRE

Up early to drive Steina to the airport for her flight to Copenhagen. By the time I had parked the car and got back to the Terminal, she had checked her ticket on the computer, and was just ready with her boarding pass to put her luggage through. Off up the escalator she went, telling me I didnt need to wait around with her. Swear she had done this all a zillion times before!

Back to Tom's then Hamish and I went of down to Burnhouse Farm to see Margaret Meikle and update the blog. After a quick lunch, the plan was to head into Edinburgh and see Dynamic Earth. However the best laid plans of Hamsters and Mothers gang aft aglae when you miss the train at Uphall though, so we went with plan B and headed to Livingstone and Bathgate for shopping. All in all a lazy day. Finished off the day by talking to everyone at home, and singing Grannie Happy Birthday. Interestingly, our Grannie's birthday is 27th August, and Steina's Grandma celebrates her birthday on 26th August!

Friday: Heading for parts North.

HAMISH: The first thing we did was drive to Cairnpapple. Its not far from Tom's place. What a funny name. Its a really old gravesite. The first graves there were 5000 years old, and just covered in a pile of stones - a cairn. They put up 24 poles in a circle around it, and they also dug a sort of moat thing around the lot, called a Henge. Then 4000 years ago, more people were buried there and they covered all the graves up with a mound of earth. Every time they buried people there, the mound of earth got bigger. Then sometime in the 1940's or 1950's archaeologists excavated the graves. When they finished looking at the site, they covered the graves with a dome with trapdoor and ladder so people could look at it. There is dirt and grass over the whole dome to make it look as original as possible - if you dont count the steps up the side and the trapdoor at the top.

After that we drove through Stirling, but we only got to see the castle from the outside because the car park was so full that they were only letting single cars in as a car left. We decided not to wait in the queue! On to Strathearn. I took a photo across Strathearn when we were nearly in Muthill (You say this as Mooth-ill) First stop in Strathearn was at Muthill School where the Heart of Strathearn tartan came from. We got some more tartan and spoke to the teacher and one of the kids who had emailed Mum at the time of our family reunion. After that we went to Creiff. We found 39 Burrell street for Grandpa and took its photo. It wasnt the original house though. We had a bit of a look around Creiff and something to eat.

NGAIRE: I couldnt believe our luck when we pulled up to park the car in Burrell St, and found ourselves looking right at no 39! I took a photo of the houses either side of it as well, as one in particular looked fairly original. We had a quick tour around Creiff, before heading off up the Earn River to Comrie, Loch Earnhead and places further north. We struck a lovely afternoon/evening for the trip. When I txtd to Margo that we had "had a lovely drive thru Glencoe" she quickly quipped back about a McDonald's drive thru in Glencoe - Anyone for a Campbell burger?" LOL! But seriously, the light was lovely and Rannoch Moor and the Glen were at their best, so for two cruising McDonalds it was a good visit.

On to Inchree where we had booked our B&B for the night. Great fun there for Hamish, as they had 3 kids - June (15) Megan (12) and Euan (5). Euan in particular once he got over being shy, thought that Hamish was the Bees Knees. He and Megan and Hamish had great fun together, and we enjoyed a lovely stay. Unfortunately we werent able to extend it to a second night.

HELLO EUAN, MEGAN and JUNE! HELLO JULIE! Thanks for a great night's stay in Inchree.

NGAIRE: Saturday saw us heading up through Fort William, and up Loch Ness. We had a quick look around the main street of Fort William then away. A stop at Laggan Locks saw us find a spot for a wee bite of lunch - interestingly, on a boat in the lock! Then on we headed for Urquhart Castle - I will let Hamish take up the most interesting tale here.

HAMISH: We saw the Loch Ness monster!! When we got to Urquhart Castle there were some funny waves out in the loch. Mum and I went running down the hill to get a better look, and we could still see the funny waves. There wasnt a boat anywhere near them. The lady in the Loch Ness Centre said we should show our photos to the newspapers. We might yet. We think it was Nessie swimming by.

NGAIRE: Our stop in Inverness for the night turned out to be a little problematical! We hadnt booked a B&B as I wasnt just sure how our travels would pan out for the day, and anyway Christina and I hadnt had any issue last time. So, through Inverness onto the Culloden side I went - only to find No Vacancy signs everywhere. Finally, back into the centre of Inverness we went, and we did manage to pick up a nice wee place quite reasonably. Turns out that not only had there been a big football match on that day, but Westlife were playing at Cawdor Castle just out of Inverness as well. Quick txt to Steina in Denmark to let her know just how close we were to Westlife - not that we were teasing at all!!! - and the reply came sailing back about how jealous she was!! We didnt get to see her idols on the streets though.

A night's sleep behind us, and we were on the go again. This was to be the longest travelling day of our entire trip. We woke to a cold blowy day, with skiffs of rain so not the most pleasant day for walking on Culloden Moor, but perhaps appropriate. Of course, we visited the Clan Donald stone on the edge of the moor. Our southward journey was held up in the middle for a good hour as there had been a bad accident on a stretch of the road where there was no possible detour. It certainly looked a nasty accident, and I believe that one person died as a result of the accident - I was surprised that it had only been 1 person.

We stopped next at Blair Athol, and visited the Old Mill, where the Taylors had lived before they went to Creiff. We were lucky to be able to look around the working part of the mill even though they werent milling that day. Apparently they can only mill when there is sufficient water coming down the Lade with sufficient force, so the miller is a very happy chappy when there is a lot of rain. We had another bite to eat at that point - I had the yummiest bowl of vege and lentil soup. We both had delicious bread that had been made on the premises from flour milled in the mill.

From here it was on to Tom's again, and we got their just after 7.30 at night, having left Inverness at 10a.m. No wonder neither of us were up early the next morning!

Being at Cian and Ann's, we are now in a spot with certain internet access for the next 2 days, so we will do a catchup while we are here. Hamish needs to write some more, but he is tucked up in bed already. A task for him tomorrow!!