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• was picked up at Ingliston Park & Ride for a weekend trip to Pitlochry with Neil, Brian, and Carene
• got a wee bit lost by ending up in Perth first, but got to our guest house, Carra Beag, at 8pm (methinks Brian, the owner, was a bit annoyed at us turning up just at the start of a Rugby World Cup match)
• had mussels for dinner at Victoria’s
• had a drink at a small pub that played country music near the loch (Drummonds, I think it was called)
• had eggs, bacon, tomato, and a tattie scone for breakfast (and one piece of toast and multiple glasses of orange juice and milk and a pot of tea)
• walked through the woods to Edradour distillery for the free tour (it’s so nice the novelty hasn’t worn off yet, plus I wanted another bottle of their cream liqueur) and tried the Tokaji whisky (and re-affirmed my long-held dislike of whisky)
• walked through the woods and a field containing Black Castle and cows (avoiding cow poo) to Moulin for a quick lunch at Moulin Inn (not impressed, unfortunately)
• walked back to Pitlochry and had a nap before dinner
• had dinner at Spice of India (where the Balti was too hot for me but the garlic dhal was great, and Neil ordered the hottest thing on the menu, the chicken phaal, and we have been waiting for the phaal-out ever since)
• went to the Kingfisher bar for a few drinks and saw the band (a group called Shamanic, they’re a cover band)
• woke early enough to have the full Scottish breakfast (bacon, sausages, eggs, tomato, fried bread, haggis, black pudding, baked beans), though I couldn’t clear the plate (but still managed a pot of tea, two glasses of orange juice, and a glass of milk!)
• went back to the Soldier’s Leap at Killiecrankie (this time we walked / climbed down to the rocks where the soldier made the leap instead of just viewing it from above)
• headed off to Dunkeld for another view of the cathedral (had breaded and fried mushrooms for a snack / lunch)
• met up with Kevin so Brian and Kevin could do the Sphere thing (they get in a big rubber ball and are bounced / rolled down a hill) just outside Dunkeld
• took the long way home (by accident)
• had a pizza for dinner
• had no sympathy for Neil who was depressed the weekend was over (I got used to it, he’s gonna have to!)

Spent the weekend in Pitlochry, and we…

• checked into the Strathgarry Hotel (cosy, great, comfortable beds)
• wandered around the high street (there is only one Chinese, but two Indian takeaways)
• had dinner at Bistro No. 1
• walked around some more (along the loch — Faskally?) and then went back to the hotel
• woke early-ish (i.e. before noon) for breakfast and headed to the Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder
• walked to the Edradour Distillery through Moulin (went up via the stinkier East Moulin Road, and returned via the not stinky West Moulin Road), where Neil tried a few whiskies and bought a couple of the ones he liked (fire water, IMHO)
• had dinner at Victoria’s Restaurant
• walked around a little bit more, then went back to the hotel (finished reading Gold and watched Neil realise how bad the movie Swordfish is, and giggled at Wayne’s World)
• woke early-ish for brekkie and to check out
• went to the Soldier’s Leap at Killiecrankie (I’m still sceptical)
• drove to Blair Atholl and considered paying the £7.50 to visit Blair Castle but thought better of it
• paid our £7.50 to visit Scone Palace (pronounced skoon), which was quite worth it (it’s kind of sad or ironic that the nobility have to open their homes to the plebs in order to afford its maintenance)
• had dinner in Perth
• got home, had a shower, got into bed and started reading The Shadow in the North (a book purchased in MARCH when Jeff was visiting, and it’s the first time I’ve actually touched it — Jeff, I’ve only managed to read one issue of ReadyMade!)

Pictures will follow when I have the time to download. They is funny.