Day 70 - Invergordon - the Scottish highlands and lowlands - and some low people.

Another Princess Tour so an early start, which wasn’t too early, so that was easy enough.  Time for a bite, just fruit,  for breakfast before our assembly in the Symphony dining room again.  Looking outside there seemed to be rather too many oil rigs.

Coach Purple #3.  Our guide was Pat Murray, who proved to be excellent.  Very fluent and interesting throughout the tour.  It is always a good sign when the guide elicits your home base before starting the tour.  It just emphasised the single and most import major difference from our previous guide, in terms of first impressions.  Pat was a teacher…

We’d opted for this simple drive as we felt that Inverness itself might not have kept us amused for long and with the threat of rain hanging and another cool day, this proved to be a wise choice.

Pat explained that the oil rigs weren’t in fact drilling for oil, but this was a major repair and overhaul area for the rigs.

The first stop was at Dornoch, where we had time to wander through the tiny village and shop - well, poke our head into one souvenir shop anyway.  The Jail!  This rather tucked away place is however a very popular millionaire’s golfing resort, with a 5 star hotel on the edge of the golf course.  Pat reeled off a list of the rich and famous who were regular visitors.  Quite impressive.

Her commentary was very informative and apparently Al Fayed is well thought of in the area, as although he owns 1,000’s of acres and a castle (probably), unlike some other wealthy owners, he is far from just being a very rich land banking absentee landlord and keeps the estate and properties in very good condition, which means a plenty of work for the locals.  Scotland has any number of substantial properties that are not well maintained.

By the way, apparently some animal activists in Scotland have been campaigning against this circular bailing of hay.  They claim that the cattle aren’t getting a square meal. 

On then to the Shin Falls, where salmon head up to spawn.  Although this was some way past the beginning of Fayed’s estate, he owned what was his planned visitor centre that apparently got burned down.  Pat led us down to a couple of viewing platforms where we patiently waited to see the salmon.  The visitor centre area is now owned by the council or local tourist board and there are ambitious plans to develop it – in the shape of a salmon, of course.

We went up into the highlands area and back again – obviously just a taster of the real Scotland.  The history of the area was very well put over by Pat, and just like Ireland, the poor often lost their homes and their land many years ago, and for once, I wasn’t bored with that aspect of it, as she didn’t get bogged down in detail.

Back at Invergordon on time and it looked distinctly cool – in fact, it was distinctly cool.  A walk along the fairly long pier and back on board to deck 5, but as the gangway was also to deck five, it was distinctly chilly in there with the doors open, so we headed up to the buffet for a warming late lunch instead.

Whilst Paula headed back to the cabin I did a bit more exploring on decks 17 and 18.  I even kicked a football around for a couple of minutes.  Although it wasn’t being used (far too cold), there is a ‘retreat’ area up there with a pool and loungers, not to be confused with the paid for adjacent sanctuary, at the very front of the ship.

Back to the cabin and I decided to plug in the Tom-Tom.  No GPS signal in the cabin, so I stuck it on the outside of the balcony door and managed to get a signal – and found it was exactly an 8 hour drive to our Nottingham HQ!

Horizon Court evening menu was Mexican!  So I had Malaysian chicken curry after a superb shrimp bisque and also a small serving of split pea soup.  I couldn’t decide which to have as they are both favourites, so I did what any self-respecting food lover would do. I had both. I have been extremely good in resisting the fresh rolls. Whenever we have eaten in the dining room on fixed dining, I couldn’t resist two or even three bread rolls – and butter.

The range of food available is still most impressive with at least 2 carvery roasts per night, three soups, 1 of which is salt free.  There were loads of Mexican dishes but although I had the curry, I didn’t overeat.  I’m very aware at the moment that I am more cargo than passenger, but having so much great food around makes it a real test of willpower not piling the plate high at every opportunity.

The theatre show was Chris Watkins on violin.  He’d already told us that it was being recorded for a DVD and the last thing we wanted was a poor seat, so we were there just before the doors opened, 45 minutes before the show – and still didn’t get seats where we wanted!!!

A fantastic show as always.  There were two video cameras recording half way down the theatre, where deck 6 and 7 entrances meet.  It was staggering just how many people rolled in late, looking for a seat and then just walking straight in whilst he was playing, past and in front of the video cameras. Unbelievable.  Rudeness in the extreme.  Other rude ones, particularly several parents with young children, left part way through the numbers and again just walked in front of the cameras.  Add to that, those talking whilst he was playing and one really has to wonder about the passengers on this cruise.  Whatever critics may say about Australians and Kiwis, very rarely have we seen such signs of rudeness on our cruises out of Australia.  We don’t count those walking out in disgust from very poor performers as a protest, but even that is a real rarity.

Anyway, a 10/10 performance from a guy who without doubt is one of the very best.  The good news is that he has 2 brothers in Perth and is increasingly to be seen on the Australia based ships and they are even building a show around him, called ‘Bravo’, complete with the full orchestra, the string quartet, the singers and dancers.  

He still has two more shows on this cruise so we have those to look forward to.

Afterwards, we made our way through to the Vista lounge – and believe me, that is long hike and it was very busy, but we just managed to get in to see David Cats, the illusionist, again.  With no trapdoors or other gizmos in the Vista lounge, it was all about sleight of hand and card tricks, but the lounge was deservedly full.

A late hot chocolate in the Piazza before bed. 

Our last Scottish port tomorrow and for us an Edinburgh city drive and Edinburgh castle.  Another half-day morning tour, which we can usually cope with OK and the forecast is another summery (sic) 15 degrees.  The sun tan will have totally disappeared by the time we get back to Southampton.

We then have a sea day before our last port, Le Havre, again.  No doubt the (re)packing will begin again very shortly. At least when we get back to Nottingham, there will be a pile of stuff we can permanently pack.

On my list of things to do is contact Customs and Excise in Nottingham, to see if I can claim back the VAT on my brand new MG crown wheel and pinion, which I really don’t think should be carried on as hand luggage!  The usual system is that you have to show the item AFTER check in, to prove that it is in fact being exported.  The crown wheel might be OK, but I can’t afford to get the pinion confiscated as a potential offensive weapon.  Watch this space.