Blog

Met Ron and Sherry Colburn from Dallas, Texas yesterday for a full day tour. The wind was strong, westerly and cold ( the TV aerial was blown off my roof overnight). The day was interspersed with showers of horizontal rain but we soldiered on in the spirit of Culodden meets the Alamo. Ducking in for coffee, lunch, the odd comfort stop and sheltering in the Royal Mile’s 100 closes, wynds, courts and entries, I nevertheless had a great time with 2 interesting, mature and hardy people. Exhaustion finally brought us to a stop.

Spent yesterday with a group of students from Germany, Holland, Belguim, England and Finland on a coach tour of Stirling and the Trossachs. Scotland threw its worst November weather at us. Nevertheless the students were polite, well mannered and attentive and we had some good laughs along the way. I think they enjoyed their first introduction to the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and, despite the grey, murky, dreich weather they loved the beauty of the area. Safe home kids and haste ye back!

When Lyn, Erwin’s wife, asked me to give her husband a half day tour, I was struck first of all by the incongruity of his name. Erwin and Montgomery, the first and last names of the opposing generals at the Battle of El Alamein in World War II.

What a wonderful month of mild weather we have had. Not too much wind to blow the colour from the trees, lots of sunshine and mild temperatures. Such a day it was yesterday when I spent a half day in the company of Kati from the Czech Republic and Lini from vermont. Kati manages my friend John MacGregor’s Prague office and Lini, who has been staying with me for 3 days in her quest to land a new job. I offered Lini my guest room as she was having difficulty getting accommodation during the english school holidays and Edinburgh was, as we say in Scotland, ‘hotchin’ with people yesterday.

I spent a lovely 4 hours yesterday in the company of 2 female teachers from Moscow and their 3 teenage kids. Irina and Natalia were extremely enthusiastic about Edinburgh, particularly Irina who had been here before. Scots have played a significant role in Russian history, from the architecture in St Petersburg through founding the Russian Navy and one, James Wylie was personal physician to Cszar Peter the Great, While Edinburgth’s own, Elsie Inglis set up the Scottish Womens Hospital in Russia during the Great War of 1914/18..

I have just heard that some ticketing websites are advertising tickets for the Military Tattoo and they are offering them at twice the face value. I lost count this Summer of the number of people who asked if I knew where they could get tickets because the event was sold out. The answer is book early, but not this early. The official date for the opening of the box office is December 1 and no tickets are available yet. So these sites are selling tickets that don’t exist. Think about that before parting with your money.

Apart from many Scottish names, This year its the spectacular Fall, or as we call it Autumn. On Monday I spent a glorious Autumn day in the company of Sandy Craig, his girlfriend Zelie and their 2 boys. Sandy had prepared well for the tour by reading up on Scottish history so it was more of a seminar on the hoof than a tour. He is a doctor from the North of Vermont, so I did some tweaking to bring in a bit of what Scotland has contributed to the field of Medical Science. It was a super day spent in the company of intelligent and enthusiastic people.

Getting ready to participate in the annual Walk the World for Brain Tumour Awareness event..Its when support groups for people who have suffered from this condition and are recovering from surgery, along with their carers, people from all around the world, try to walk the equivalent of 3 times round the world. I am priveleged to have been asked again to lead the Edinburgh group. Its a humbling experience to spend time with these incredibly brave people, and one I wouldnt miss.

I woke up in darkness this morning, Approaching winter at 56 degrees North and the clocks go back on Saturday. I am lucky to do what I do and that I get most days off at this time of year so I turned over and went back to sleep. Next time I woke up and the day was lighter but ‘dreich’. Let me explain.

Spent the day yesterday with the Lacys, a delightful, elderly American couple from Indianapolis, Indiana and boy could they walk. The tour lasted best part of 8 hours. The weather was fabulous and Edinburgh was looking at its best. We met lots of interesting people along the way and I introduced them to that fabulous Scottish delicacy, Cullen Skink. I have to sign off now to mail the recipe to Julia. enjoy this taste of Scotland when you get home. Bill.

On Monday I was working for the Howden Group, a major multi national engineering company. They asked me to take a group of VIPs from Weihai, China around the Castle and the Old Town and to organise lunch for them at the last minute. The tour went well thanks to the lovely interpreter, Helen. Highly intelligent and charming company good drivers too in Douglas and Miller This was the second VIP group I have had from China and they smile and laugh a lot but to keep them together was a challenge which I could have used a Border Collie to meet..

What a fabulous weekend of sunshine we have had at last! It has given me the chance to take Neil and Heather Karol from New Jersey for 2 half day tours. Neil has a bit of a mobility problem due to back surgery and though he found if hard was uncomplaining and good natured throughout. They have been in Scotland for a week and go back tomorrow, resolved to return. they were a delight to be with, enthusiastic about every experience, especially the fish and chips in the restaurant I recommended for them. I hope to see them back.