Alan of the Tannochbrae B&B served us breakfast. Again, I will digress: Alan with one “l” is a forename (first name) while with “ll” it is a surname (last name). Poor Allan has had a last name for a first name his entire life. So now he realizes that his name, Allan Ross Goodman, is made up of three last names. Breakfast was the majestic, famous English fry-up. I had toast, juice, fried eggs, sausage, bacon and warm tomato halves. This can get one started for a morning of almost anything. For us it was driving to Culloden Battlefield first off.

Snag in the plans! Marian is not feeling well, did not sleep last night and apparently has the dreaded Allan-her-husband’s virus from Stirling, which will incapacitate her for 24 hours and leave her ready to travel well again. She was so quiet in the back seat we thought we had left her in Dufftown.

We stopped off at the Culloden Battlefield. Ann and I had been there in 1971. It was only a moor where a battle was fought against the British in 1746 when we last visited. Today it is a multi-media historical happening in a huge building opened just over four months ago. I learned more about this one-hour battle in the one hour there than I imagined possible. From the Scottish Jacobite side and the British side the events leading up to, during and after the battle were vividly explained. The finale was a huge horizontal video screen say 5’x12’ which ran a computer simulated movement of troops in the battle showing the terrain with an audio description as events played out. This was an outstanding time well spent. All this for the final battle fought against the British. One in which the Scots were soundly trounced. Apparently, the Scots are celebrating the agony of defeat. Or the English showing their triumph.

Lunch was for once NOT a loud embarrassing event for the three of us. Without Marian, we three were as quiet in the restaurant as were the well-mannered British tables. Marian was asleep in the back seat of the car out in parking lot the whole time.

After many more hours spent driving than anticipated, we arrived on the Isle of Skye. Now we only needed to get to our B&B, Carters Rest. The day had turned warm and sunny after a windy cold morning at Culloden. We drove across the island on a winding two-lane road. Then we hit the town of Dunvegan. From there to our B&B we drove on 10 miles of twisting, turning, up and down single track roads with turnouts for passing. Finally, we arrived.

I wished a unique experience for A&M and booked this place at the furthest point west on the Isle of Skye from the bridge. Here are some words to describe it: rural, sparse, lonely, windy, beautiful, awesome, and unforgettable. The B&B is two years old and in magnificent condition. We look out our window to see the Isle of Uist in the Outer Hebridean Islands. This is a special place, possibly the most romantic, remote location imaginable.

Ann and I went out to a restaurant in Dunvegan ten miles (30 minutes each way on the single track road) away for dinner while Allan stayed home with poor Marian. We went to the only place in this remote part of Skye open on a Sunday night. The food was edible but straight out of the freezer. It was filling but lacking in inspiration - much like the hotel where it was located. We brought home two cheese and tomato sandwiches for A&M.