Road trip

My son used AirBnb’s for business stays, so the following was less relevent to him, but when I looked at them, they seemed good value until you added in the cleaning costs – especially for 1 night stays – you were adding about another 50% to the cost!!

The other problem you’ll have is Scotland contains the highest concentration of Scots in the UK!! There must be better places you can go!!

Having said that, we’ve just had friends come back after a week and they said that the heatwave down here meant it was very pleasant up there.

Just use Trip Advisor to look at the route and find B&Bs.

Unfortunately Scotland shares some of the worst aspects of the UK, it is expensive and the weather can be bleeding miserable. When I used to visit Aberdeen all the shivering English expats used to complain that Scotland only had two seasons 14th of July and Winter. (I suspect that the July date was a random one.).

In proof of this  they also said don’t go to the Aberdeen Duthie Park Winter Gardens on a Sunday as the Cactus House will be full of Scots reading their Sunday papers and revelling in the ‘free’ heat. They actually were not joking as we wandered along the beach, froze in the Siberian winds and popped into the Arid House to warm up!

September was supposed to have more reliable weather than the summer period.

Try this:

http://tinyurl.com/y99necdr

Which is “Home away”, a company I have used several times for cottage, hotel and B&B holidays. There is a good mix of expensive, MOR and less expensive establishment. The only caveat I have with them, is the amount of “Offers” I get when I have returned home, so I unsubscribe from emails every time, until I need them again.

Scotland has a totally different climate to us down here, enough to make it almost a different country.?? I have relatives up there and have visited the East and West, from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the far NW, far NE and the Highlands. I am told there is an increased anti-Sassenach feeling amongst certain Scots, although I have not been up there for some years. Last time I went was to a nephew’s funeral: he had lived, wed and divorced, worked there on the NE coast until his untimely death at 51. His son my Gt nephew lives far north of Aberdeen, but I have not seen him since the funeral. I found only friendship in Stonehaven and from most people in the area. My son and grandson recently visited Glasgow City centre to deliver household goods for a friend who moved up there. They record that “Road Rage” is much more intense when directed at Sassenachs! However, the people they met ‘on the ground’ and at places visited, were fine with them both.

IME. the Highlands and Islands have the friendliest people, the best scenery and the clearest English speakers, even though most are bilingual in Scots Gaelic and English. Probably because they speak slowly and clearly.

May is usually regarded as the best weather experience up there. In view of your current cash flow problem, perhaps it might be better if you could request your mate to wait until then. Booking well in advance usually gets a good discount anyway and gives you time to explain the details of such a long trip, to an inexperienced holiday planner. Good luck!