Since You Asked...Our UK Adventure

Last month's views touched briefly on my first trip overseas, and I feel too briefly. This was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream - to visit the homeland - our (as Alex Haley put it ) roots.

Two Scots

Since both my wife and I come from mainly Scottish origins, when planning the journey we decided to spend about one full week touring this country. One week was devoted to England and we also planned to see a little of Wales.

Unexpected Journey

One year ago we had no idea we would be going on an outing of this magnitude. It came about as a way to honor my father, who passed away in February. He had spent a good deal of time traveling the world and was especially excited about his visit to the city that bears the family name, Peebles in the Borders County of Scotland. A small insurance policy benefit allowed us to take this journey.

Playing Favorites

When one travels anywhere outside of camping in local mountains, the inevitably question arises: What was your favorite experience? Rather than choose one or two favorites, I've decided to do a shotgun aproach to listing the most memorable moments.

THE LIST

Here is a list of places and things that made our holiday special:

• San Diego Airport (Lindberg) and British Airways' 11 hour flight
• Tracing the footsteps of William Shakespeare in London and Stratford Upon Avon
• The rebuilt Globe
• The Tube - London's fabulous underground
• Turning a corner and seeing Big Ben looming overhead for the first time
• Tower of London and a private viewing of "Man for All Seasons" Thomas Moore's crypt thanks to new friend Beefeater Mick
• Statue of Peter Pan in Hyde Park
• Museum of Moving Images
• Charles Dickens' house
• Finding information about lost relatives
• Driving 2,000 miles on "the wrong side of the street"
• Eating, drinking and talking in pubs
• Bed and Breakfasts in three countries
• Touring castles in all states of repair and disrepair
• Meeting people Hearing the wonderful dialects
• Seeing sites in London
• Leaving London for the English countryside
• Royal Shakespeare Theatre production
• Sitting with Adele in the "courting seat" Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway used
• Touring Liverpool with Nigel and Cathie "Oh, Ringo..The cat just coughed up a hair ball. Clean up, will you..."
• Talking Macintosh on Penny Lane with a graphic artist
• Strawberries and clotted cream in Manchester courtesy of Michael and Barbara
• English breakfasts with sausage (bangers), tomato, eggs, etc.,etc.,etc...
• Quaint villages
• Narrow streets and roads
• Smashed side mirror (result of the above)
• Wrong turn on the motorway with no offramps for 30 miles
• Lancaster side of "War of the Roses"
• "Welcome to Scotland" sign
• Our first thistle
• Scottish countryside
• Spending time in the "lovely" town on the river Tweed that bears our name
• Kilts (It's true)
• Hagis and Scotch (A winning combo!)
• Sheepdogs in action
• Jousting
• Edinburgh's Royal Mile
• William "Braveheart" Wallace Monument in Sterling
• The majestic Scottish Highlands
• Adele's Nanny's village and the castle ruins where she played as a child
• The awesome quiet of a barley farm B & B
• Glencoe
• Scotch distillery tour (Glenfiddich)
• Bagpipes and a bagpipe factory with an angry young Scot
• Loch Ness
• Scottish Independence Movement
• Nessie
• On the "bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond"
• Sun roof videoing
• Glasgow
• Viewing Olympics from an area (UK) with few winners
• Welsh countryside
• Signs in two languages in Wales
• Welsh Independence Movement
• Walled city of Conwy and its castle
• Sheep farm B & B
• Friday night with the locals in a Welsh pub
• Saturday night in Bath
• Avebury-Brits favorite over Stonehenge
• Brighton Beach pier and Victorian Taj Mahal
• Phone cards
• London Airport (Gatwick) and British Airways return flight
• Flying over Ireland, Greenland, Iceburgs, USA
• Home.

Hugh Peebles________________Mid-Septmeber, 1996