Friday 15 July 2011

Hello to all
This is our first blog for a week. We left Inverness on Saturday 9th July, 2011 and arrived at Sam’s cousin Katie and her husband Joe’s home in Huntly in the North East of Scotland. I had not met them prior to this but they welcomed me like one of their own family, the following day Sam’s other two cousins Margaret, and her husband Jimmy, and Donald (who is the same age as Sam, Donald and Sam spent many holidays together as young boys either at the farm of the family or at Dionald and Katies (brother and sister) family home , it was quite a reunion as none of them had seen one another for 40 years. It was as though they had seen one another yesterday. Katie and Joe’s daughter Dianne, and her husband George, and also their son Duncan and girlfriend Anne were there, we had a really lovely day. Donald, Margaret and Jimmy stayed along with us and we just had such a lovely week. Lots of laughs and reminisences by all the cousins.
Over the next few days Joe and Katie and Donald took us to many places where the family had lived, and to Wallakirk the family resting place and many other places besides. I was completely overawed by the absolute beauty of the landscape. There are many beautiful places in the world but Scotland is the frosting on the cake. I am sure when God made Scotland he left strict instructions not to mess anything up and no one has. I really did not quite know what to expect, Sam had not told me (even after 37 years) how lovely it all is, it has only been brushed by time not invaded, such beauty like a panoramic postcard that never ends. One really needs to see it for themselves. I could live here in a heartbeat,mind you all the locals have said you just wait until January. Perhaps this is true but gracious me January in Victoria is a challenge as well.
We also went to see Strathdon where Sam lived from the age of one year until the age of 14. His Dad was the schoolmaster at the local school and his Mum taught there as well. What a beautiful place,the River Don across the road, castles around the corner, things we cannot even imagine.
During our visit we were taken to little fishing villages such as Crovie (pronounced as ‘Crivie’) where there is no road thru the village and the residents have to bring all their supplies in by wheelbarrow. There are only two full time residents in the village the rest holiday accommodation. We also visited the village of Pennan where the film ‘Local Hero’ starring Burt Lancaster was filmed. The coastline was spectacular to say the least.
We very reluctantly left this morning to head for Edinburgh.We said farwelled Katie and Joe and they are going to come to Aust erarly next year. On the way we called in to see Donald, the three of us then went on to see St Andrews (the famous golf course and university town). So much beauty and history in such a small area. Sam and I said farewell to Donald in the carpark of the golf course it had been quite a reunion for them and for me as well but we know we will all see one another again. We then set off on our journey to Edimburgh where we are now. We are at a Marriott always very good accommodation. We have been out for dinner and have two very busy days ahead. All the best Sabine & Sam