My Birthday / Highlands Trip

I had my birthday in the middle of our highlands trip, but I think that there was enough going on to warrant it's own Blogg entry. I got up in the morning to Gwen giving me presents (get you mind out of the gutter). I got a USA Lonely planet book and some nice aftershave as well as a IOU for a trip on the Harry Potter train, that will be great. I've been reading that book in the bookshops and I did plan on getting it before I headed off, but it's nice to have it so I can get some planning done. We headed off fairly early, at about 0810, but not before we had a Jager Bomb to get the day started. Neil and Mustard also got me a CD (MOS Annual 2006)I have been after for a while but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to listen to that before we headed off. That was all that was said about my birthday for a while, that is until we arrived at the Loch Ness where I was told by Marty (our tour guide) that as it's my birthday I have to go swimming in the Loch. After a bit of coaxing Neil and I went in for a swim, joint by another bloke from the tour Ben. It was cold, dam cold but I felt alive once I got out.

That in it's self is a great story, the water was so cold that I got pins an needles as soon as I got in and after I had been in there for about 30 seconds I was numb all over and a strange tingly feeling was creeping over me. It turned out that I could feel my feet so walking over the rocks back to shore was a bit of fun and I ended up paddling through the water until I was as close as possible before standing up. We stayed in Kyleakin for the night where went to the pub for dinner and Marty brought me over a scotch, then way the scotch drink it, straight. It was nice to start with with a honey flavor but then as you swallowed it I felt it warm up, then burn.......... :-)He also organized a song for me, the catch was that I had to sing it, so up on stage singing Down Under off my face only to be lead to the bar after that was over and fed more drinks :-)All in all it was a great night.