Isle of Skye

I was in agony with my burned hand, but luckily I did not have to drive.
Of course it was a mission to get Liz ready to leave, as apparently she was in the pub until three in the morning, and after I almost knocked her door down, she opened it, and told me in her low voice not to harass her when she is still sleeping!
So after one hour, a bally record for Liz, she was dressed, and we could start packing the car. The dogs were going with, so I knew I had to be well protected from the cold, as Benny always stood behind me with his paws on the back of the seat, breathing desperately, trying to get more fresh air, as he got terribly car sick. The breathe of that little dog was unreal it was so bad, so I sat with my coat on against the cold, as we had to keep the windows open, and it was already middle November and cold, and a scarf around my nose to keep that deadly exhaled fumes from getting into my nose!
Poor old Benny was just about the worst traveller ever, while Stouty on the other hand, took all in his stride, even Benny's breathe. I could not believe that Liz never seemed to notice that I was near to passing out every time we stopped! We headed southeast on the a82, Liz still a wee bitty morose, but I was not too worried, as she usually thawed after the hour of twelve struck.
Our first stop was at the Welly Shop just passed Tyndrum, where the dogs were let out for a pee and a drink, and we had a coffee. Poor Benny had to be forced into the car, and he put up a huge fight to try and get his neck out of his leash, and my heart went out to him, while I was also not too happy to get in and get bombarded with Bennys's killer breathe!
But we got started again, and continued on the a82 , through the beautiful Glencoe, whereafter we pulled off the road overlooking Loch Linnhe, and unpacked our breakfast and flask with coffee that I made early that morning. It was a glorious day, and to stand sipping a cuppa, looking out onto such beautiful a landscape was indeed a privilage, but it was bitterly cold, and soon we were freezing as a light wind started blowing.
It was getting late, as we had to stop now and then to give Benny a respite from his heaving and wretching, and Liz was getting uptight because she did not like to drive in the dark, and now it looked like she would do just that. Clouds had started forming, and by the time we turned off the a82 and onto the a87, the weather had changed completely, with a strong wind blowing in the clouds from the sea.
It was still light enough to have a look at Eilean Donan, the castle on a small island just before we went over the bridge across to Skye. We could take the ferry, but decided that it was better this time of the day where time and daylight was limited, to rather take the faster choice!
Liz was visibly shaken, and smoked one cigarette after the other, Benny was in dire need for a pitstop, and I had sunk as deeply into the seat to try and escape the icy wind and drops that was blowing in through the half open window. I wasn't insured to drive her car, well I never knew I had to be, as in South Africa you could drive somebody's car without that, so I couldn't even help her out.
When at long last we arrived at Uig, all four of us was in a bad way, and my legs felt maar a bitty lame, as Liz kept on driving off the road, so I tried to talk to her, thinking that she was falling asleep, but she shortly told me to shut up, for she was concentrating! I later realised that it was long passed five, that being the time she poured her first glass of red!
My hand was aching like the devil, I think from the cold, and I was getting a bit worried about it, thinking that I might have to maybe go to the hospital to have it seen to.
We were all happy when we closed the caravan doors behind the owner, and the wonderful warmth engulfed us. But we had to first unpack all our stuff, as we had frozen foods that had to get into the freezer immediately, then we had a strong and warm cup of coffee before starting on dinner, Liz taking enjoyable sips from the wine she was craving for, and the pain of my burned hand subsided enough to be quite comfortable.
We all slept like babies, dogs included, but when we saw in the morning that we were in the middle of all the activities around the coming and going of the ferries to the outer Hebrides, we were not so happy, as it was quite dirty and commercial.