A Scottish Journey

Sitting in a rental vehicle in the airport parking lot, I was a little nervous. Yes, I knew I’d be driving on the “wrong” side of the road, but I was still a little intimidated. I had done it in Australia years ago, but that was… years ago. They say to do something every day that scares you – well, this was it.

Slowly but surely, I edged my way out of the lot, and kept to the left while simultaneously trying to keep a safe eye on GPS directions with my backup road maps sitting within easy reach. I had punched in a local breakfast spot, suggested by the friendly rental lot attendant who by the way, expressed his interest in visiting Canada. It was to become a regular comment from those whose paths I happened to cross throughout my journey. They seemed just as interested and curious when it came to Canada, as I was about Scotland.

I was in Paisley, not far from the Glasgow International Airport and to my relief as I drove I became more comfortable fairly quickly. I searched for parking then sat down at the cozy little spot and ordered my first truly Scottish meal: a wonderfully fluffy and tasty omelets served with some thick cut bread and salad. It was more than I could finish, but as I savored the food, I pondered my fortunate circumstances.

My first sights of Scotland had been from the air, but it was early morning and somewhat cloudy with some rain, so nothing was too discernable. But stepping out of the airport I was greeted by a colorful Glasgow sign and then it truly hit me: I had arrived. My plan was to pick up a car and start my journey towards Edinburgh, with a couple short stops along the way. Later, I would make my way back to my starting point, and spend a few days in Glasgow. I had a lot I wanted to pack into my week’s adventure.

Arriving was like a dream. Partly because I had hardly slept on the overnight flight overseas, and partly because suddenly it was real and I was here, in Scotland. On the flight, I was as excited as one could be, and had the great luck of sitting beside a lovely Scottish lady who now lives in Canada but was returning to Alba (the country’s Scottish Gaelic name) to attend a family funeral. To me, her accent was delightful, and her attitude so welcoming. She even handed me her airline earbuds when she realized I hadn’t brought mine. Such was the first example of Scottish friendliness I would continue to encounter.

The idea of traveling to this country to do some genealogical research and experience the land first hand had been percolating within me for years. A plan had never quite materialized. But I was being internally nudged and made the decision to set an immediate date pretty much spontaneously one day. And what an amazing experience it turned out to be.

As I finished breakfast, I had no time to waste. First stop on the journey was to be Dumbarton and then the Loch Lomond area. Perhaps even a visit up to Loch Ness to spot the monster if I could fit it in. Part of my route was planned, part of it was spontaneous. The best way to travel, in my mind. I entered my destination and set off.

Over the next newsletters I will share some of the flavor of Scotland, by describing some of the many highlights from my journey. From Stirling, to Ayr to the Royal Yacht Britannia moored in Leith, and from an international music festival to a lecture about Mars.

One thing is for sure, once you get a taste of Scotland, you can’t get enough.

By Nujma Bond