On Friday morning, we were back in business (well, after a few hours of sitting at the Budget Rental trying to work out a few problems). As per usual, Garin and I headed out via Glasgow subway to take care of the rental car, while the "littles" stayed behind in the comfort of our Piper's Tryst hotel room, watching television (some people have all the luck). Dealing with rental cars is never an easy venture. Garin is a master at helping me to navigate all the issues that arise (understanding the features of the new car, navigating our way back to the hotel, etc.), for which I am eternally grateful.
Although I appreciated the week off from driving, after our unrelenting schedule in Ireland, I was ready to get behind the wheel again and explore. We were on the outskirts of Glasgow for less than 30 minutes when I felt a sense of calm come over me. I saw the familiar lush green landscape, the sheep dotting the hillsides, and the harrowing narrow roads. I knew we were in the country once again. We headed northwest to Oban and saw some fabulous sights on the way.
We were over the moon about our new car! Compared to our bean can from Ireland (which cost over three times as much to rent, literally) this car was heaven-sent You would have thought that Budget loaned us a Rolls Royce with how excited everyone was at the sight of a shiny, clean, and dent-free car. This Peaugot is the same model we rented in Portugal last year, so we had fond memories of it. I was hoping for an automatic, but wasn't that fortunate. Nonetheless, it drives great, has AC in the back (what a novel concept in 2023), a car charger that works (another novel concept), and the lovely shade of teal suits us. We were ready to hit the Scottish roads in style!
After passing by some stunning Scottish countryside scenery, we arrived at our first stop of the day, Inverary Castle. According to Wikipedia, "Inverary Castle is a country house near Inveraray, in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland's longest sea loch. It has been the seat of the Dukes of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, since the 18th century. The 13th Duke and his family live in private apartments occupying two floors and set between two of the four crenelated circular towers." For lovers of British nobility, this place is heaven. Our charming, cheeky, and handsome tour guide, Thomas, rounded out our wonderful experience at the castle. To learn more about Iverary Castle and see some fabulous photos use this link: https://www.inveraray-castle.com
After another 90 minutes of driving or so, we reached our destination for the next few days, Oban. Oban is the unofficial capital of the West Highlands of Scotland and the Gateway to the Hebridean Isles. We stayed at an Airbnb with a stunning view of the harbor. To learn more about Oban use this link: https://www.oban.org.uk
By the time we arrived in town and settled into our accommodations, the only place that was still serving food within a reasonable walking distance was Gelatoburger. This was a bit disappointing, to say the least, since Oban professes to be the seafood capital of Scotland! And guess what they served? You got it, burgers and gelato!