Good morning everyone!!! We’re back!!! It’s been such an emotional few weeks!!

We left home yesterday afternoon with my niece Piia, she was on her way to meet friends in Leicester Square. At King’s Cross station we said our farewells and made for the exit to have an early dinner…something light was needed, but only one restaurant we found served a salad….ok, backup plan was put into action (any food will do 🤣🤣🤣)…checked Code and found Happy Face Pizza!!!! Lovely food!!! The pizza base was nice and light. We had a half and half (yep Vikki, they did a half half 🤣🤣🤣 waiter thought I meant we’re paying Dutch 🤣🤣🤣) 50% marinara and 50% margherita, bottle of white and a tiramisu to share. They actually honoured the code discount even though it’s only valid for their Victoria branch!!! Stuffed and ready to walk back to St Pancras to board a train to Luton Airport!! St Pancras is truly cosmopolitan, we felt like tourists with our backpacks!!!

We weaved through the throngs of locals tourists to the National Rail ticket office, 2 tickets to Luton Airport Parkway please…are you sure it’s Parkway and not Luton Aiport asked the lady…Nisha was puzzled, I just said yep, that’s where the shuttle passes (well, I hope it does 🤣🤣🤣)…8 minutes till the train departs….DAMN…no time to get a coffee…yep…decaf with oat milk 😜😜. Platform 1 here we come!!! Up the escalator and there’s the platform. We’re on, and even found a couple of seats. No delays!!! That’s a bonus…we’re on our way!!! First stop is Luton Airport Parkway…RESULT!!! We could have stayed onboard to Kettering or even Corby (yes Vikki, we know your a Coby lass 🤣🤣🤣) but Kris is in London, Vikki in Turkey…we’ll stick to our original plan 🤣🤣🤣

20 minutes and we’ve reached Luton Airport Parkway, we rush out and board the shuttle bus, the driver says we should get off at the first stop!!! Journey time is 5 minutes..RESULT!!! 5 minutes walk time from the bus stop to the hotel…RESULT!!! Check in…5 minutes…(I think you know the drill 🤣🤣🤣🤣)…A quick check of the room, an order for an additional bath towel, phone cal to our parents and down we go for a drink…we’re parched, we’ve had a long journey…we’ve ventured out of London 🤣🤣🤣

Holiday Inm has no Guinness!!! That’s a huge NO NO…barmaid said to try the other hotels…nudge nudge wink wink 🤣🤣🤣. We head for the exit, inform the barmaid we’re off hunting for a Guinness!! Ibis is next door…we trek through the bushes and we stop….in front of us we see the Ibis…the long trek of 2 minutes has left us gasping for a drink…I think I’ll have a Guinness 😜, no oat milk so a soya latte for Nisha…she’s still hanging from the wine 🤣🤣🤣

I wouldn’t order another Ibis Guinness!!! So a trek back to Holiday Inn…are we hungry…no….thirsty….water will do…what’s on the box…BGT…early night it is then 🤣

Good night all…sweetest of dreams!! Oh, by the way, we have breakfast included…will we be eating breakfast at the hotel??? Read on to find out!!!

Breakfast was at the hotel, just add water pot porridge for me, with fresh fruit, coffee was better left in the packet!!! Nisha had fried egg on toast with a hash brown and mushrooms, the hot water should have stayed in the machine!!! Generous rating of 5 / 10. Sorry breakfast was not worthy of photos…😜

We’ve been back to London and now we’re at Luton airport to board a flight to Inverness, yep, we walked from Holiday Inn…online checkin so onto departures and security…which queue isn’t going to ask me to remove my belt and boots….I think I’ll choose that one…not may in this queue…belt off, shoes on!! Nisha got stopped, searched and even her bag got a once over, looks like she forgot to separate her liquids 🤣🤣🤣 my bag contained a full water bottle which went through the scanner 🤣🤣🤣.

Looks like the flight is full, we’ve been allocated seats slap bang in the middle of the plane. We’re seated and all I can hear is a balling kid…don’t have my headphones 🤣🤣🤣

Touchdown!!! Welcome to Inverness where the weather is cloudy and temperature is 14c. Blah blah blah and we hope you choose EasyJet again.

The car started!!! Looks filthy but all is safe and well. After getting our overnight clothes sorted, the hunt to find petrol was next…Tesco had run out of diesel, not to worry, navigator Nisha found a Morrison a mile up the road…they’ve got diesel but only 4p more expensive!!! Needs must…the tank is filled up to the brim…let’s get started on the NC500 route!!! Soooo many caravans and slow drivers…well, it is a Sunday and everyone has nowhere to get to!!!

Such beautiful views on the route, and before long we see a sign for the Glenmorangie distillery. We drove through the gate but something didn’t feel right, it was so quiet, not a sole in sight…except a sign…Distillery Closed. Of course, it’s a Sunday (sorry Kris, no distillery edition). Back on the A9 and on to Wick. As per usual, Nisha had a stop planned, an hour and a bit later we took a sharp right onto a narrow and short road, cars and motor homes took up the 10 parking spaces but there were two empty at the far end. While Nisha put her warm layers on, I just put on my walking boots and windproof jacket. Off we set to follow signs for ‘steps’. Yep steps, named Whaligoe Steps…we walked down the steep steps and were met with breathtaking views…

Now the walk back up the stairs was more like a workout but we somehow managed…huffing and puffing our way to the car.

Next stop was Wick and to find somewhere serving lunch. Navigator Nisha found a hotel which stated it does the best fish and chips in Wick…the sat nav said the hotel was only 10 minutes away. We found the hotel and even found parking outside the entrance. Not many cars today, not many people today. The reception was unmanned so we waited and eventually housekeeping found someone. Bear in mind that rhe time now was 2.30pm, we asked the approaching receptionist if lunch was still being served. She looked at us and said the restaurant is now closed and reopens at 5.30pm…oh yeah, it’s Sunday. We leave, get back into the car and set off. Where can we get food??? We have a fresh batch of thepla, that’s an option, the local Wetherspoons didn’t look inviting. Navigator Nisha found a place…go left at the junction, 2nd left, then after 100 metres take a sharp right…oops, sorry Jes, wrong turning…(that’s the Navigator Nisha I know 🤣🤣🤣). By now we’re on a country road , fields and farms on both sides, we even passed a huge derelict school…by now I’m concerned, are we going to some farm where we don’t get to leave?? (Too many horror movies)…eventually we pull into a rather lovely looking farm…

We drive in, it looks small but we turn a corner and wow, there’s a newly built shop and restaurant. We park up and venture inside. Nisha rings a call bell and all of a sudden, a waitress and the owner appear. Table for two please….we’re led upstairs and to our table. This place is so clean and busy with customers.

Nisha and I both order Cullen skink soup and a Brie and cranberry sandwich to share. Oat milk decaf latte for drinks. When the food arrives, it’s piping hot!!! We tuck in, it’s not bad, the soup could do with more fish and less potato, the sandwich is nice as is the latte. Dessert was a vegan and gluten free orange chocolate tart…very sticky…Rating 8 / 10.

Next stop is our boat ride in Wick!!!

The water was calm, but it was still cold, lucky we had layered up and had on our woolly hats!! Our motto…ALWAYS BE PREPARED!!! The water was choppy, ride totally exhilarating and the views were fantastic, views which can only be seen from the sea…

Back at the harbour, and with the captain’s permission, we disembarked, headed to their hut to return their life jackets and water proof macs. At the car, we took our layers off and programmed the sat nav to take us to Duncansby Stacks!!! 30 minutes later we pulled into a near empty car park, was this the place?? There was a lighthouse and exquisite views but no stacks. Yes yes, you want me to tell you what stacks are…well, let me show you…

Couldn’t stay her for long as the time was 7.30pm and we had two places to get too…

Next was John o’Groats, literally 8 minutes from where we were. A quick drive and we were there…not much to do here apart from take a photo at the sign, yep, just like everyone else!!!

It was raining now, the light was fading and the clouds descending so off to our hotel in Thurso. Only a 30 minute drive. The rain was getting heavy and luckily hardly any vehicles on the road. The journey was straight forward. The hotel, a Premier Inn is new and the rooms look new. Check in was on a self service terminal, very quick and straight forward. We’re exhausted tonight, so an early night…but hold on…Spurs qualified for Champions League football today so will be watching MOTD!!!

We’re heading to Durness tomorrow…