The wind is blowing a gale and the rain is not too far away and so it seemed that the best thing to do was to go to Springbank Distillery and buy whisky. I bought a bottle of Longrow Whisky which is around 56% and it tasted really nice. I forgot to take pictures of the distillery but it’s well worth a visit.

Lunch was Lentil soup and an egg and bacon roll followed by coffee x 3 and it only cost £22, which seemed very cheap. After lunch a brief walk around the wee toon and then back to the house to get out of the wind. By the way I was not alone at lunch, and no I wusnae a greedy bastard!!

After a respite from the wind back at the house we then went out to finish our stay but having Indian at the Taj Mahal on the sea front and it was delicious apart from the really really hot green chilly I ate.

Today was supposed to rain, however the sun shone through the clouds and won which was great…. Mind you the wind would still blow your wig off.

Campbeltown doesn’t wake up until about 11am and due to the clocks going back we were all awake by 6am. After breakfast a walk around the town was needed and then we headed off around the peninsula.

I said goodbye to mum back in 2004 at Davaar island which is behind me, unfortunately I could walk out to where we spread mum’s ashes because the tides were not playing the game. I would have had to be up at 4am to start the walk, no chance.

It’s a lovely drive going over the hill road and heading to Southend. We stopped at a cafe on the way for a egg and bacon butty and a huge piece of cheese cake.

I could not finish it, way too big ☹️

As the day wore on the weather got better and we went to just about everywhere you can and took lots of pics. Here are a few.

The Mull of Kintyre is a very beautiful part of Scotland and when the sun shines it looks spectacular.

I picked up Margaret and Catherine from East Kilbride and then we headed to Campbelltown via Helensburgh and then stopping at Arrochar for lunch.

Getting through Glasgow was a bit of a challenge as the traffic was very heavy and we were constantly being caught at red lights. After an hour or so we finally crossed the Clyde and we were on our way.

We stopped here for lunch just as we entered Arrochar, it was a lovely wee place and if you’re in the vicinity I would recommend stopping.

Next stop was Inveraray Castle, we had coffee and cake before we heading off on the final leg to Campbelltown. The rain threatened as we approached the town and so we stopped at Tesco before going to our Airbnb which I may add is very good. I’ll put it link below.

When we arrived in Campbeltown we checked in and then went for a walk around the old town, it was good to stretch my legs after a long day at the wheel and it was great to be back in Campbeltown once more.

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I’ve never seen Paisley so busy for years, I think the last time was when St Mirrren one the league many moons ago.

All things Halloween, Vampires and Ghouls and strange beasties all over the place. Fire eaters and flying dancers suspended from a massive crane. There were amazing drummers too and the crowds were huge.

I haven’t been here for years and so I thought I’d pay a visit. It’s been here since 1454 and I think it’s the oldest university in the UK. Of course there’s not much of the original left, still it’s a mighty impressive building.

I went to the Hunterian Museum and also the Art Gallery which was good.

I only found out about the Govan Stones the other day when I picked up the car and I thought, I think I’ll have a wee look.

Mum is from Govan and I do have a memory of going there with Ma when I was very young going to pick up orange juice at a big building near the docks. The building is still standing, but I’m not sure what it does these days.

Before going to see the stones I went for lunch, lentil soup and a cheese and black pudding roll, bloody marvellous. Filled a space and warned me up because today was rather chilly.

The Govan Stones were discovered in the church grounds and graveyard and some date back to the 8th century and many have Viking influences. I thought when I walked into the church of would be a relief from the cold but it seemed colder in than oot.

I picked up a Corsa hire car this morning, it’ll be easier to get oot and aboot. Having to go to the two funerals would be almost impossible by public transport from Houston. Nice place but it’s a bit cut off.

For those that don’t know it’s a small hatchback and this one is manual. The pedals are small and my shoes keep catching the foot rest next to the clutch. It’s nippy enough, however the visibility is rubbish, the A, B & C pillars are way too big and when you go round a roundabout for instance the A pillar is in to line of sight. But it will do for two weeks.

I tried to connect the Android Auto but it won’t talk to my phone which is a bit of a pain.

Going down to Campbelltown at the weekend, went to Largs yesterday with Christine and we had a good day although the wind would cut you in two. I had black pudding fritters and Christine had Haggis fritters, both delicious. We then went for coffee and Ice cream at Nardini’s.

I like Largs, one day I’ll have to go across to Millport.

Got up at 8am, had a bit of breakfast and took a few panadol for the niggling headache, too much whisky last night on an already dehydrated body.

Mid morning Ken, Linda and myself went for a walk ending up at Bridge of Weir where we had bacon rolls and coffee. The sun was shining and it was bloody marvellous.

The bacon rolls went down a treat.

It took about an hour to get back to the house and then Ken and I headed to have a look at Corseford. We both noticed the same thing, everything looked so small to what we remember. It was great to stroll down memory lane and when we did we bumped into Christine… It’s a small world.

Drove around the area and passed the two gravestones of two dogs that died many moons ago, I crashed into the Afghan Hound’s years ago one night I was out playing in the snow and ice in the car. I made a right arse of the corner and ploughed into the wall.

The sun was shining coming into Glasgow. Looking out the window I couldn’t get over how green everything is. I got through to the baggage carousel fairly quick and waited five minutes and then I saw my bag in amongst the chaos. I’d used the a red strap on the case which makes it a lot easier to spot.

I called Ken on my Australian mobile because I couldn’t log onto the WiFi, thank goodness for global roaming. I nipped across to the BP and within a couple of minutes Ken arrived in his new BMW I4 electric car, very nice.

Ken was heading to the football and so he quickly ran me home and then dropped me back off in Johnstone where I went in search of a sim card. It seems more complicated than the last time I was here. I bought a sim card for £1 and then I have to go and top up the card with credit. I’ll have to do some research on that this evening.

I went and checked my lottery ticket that I bought give years ago and then to my surprise the shop keeper tells me that it needs to be checked within six months and so I guess after five years it was a bit too late. So I bought a new one for tonight’s draw so I might get lucky.

I went to see about the bus home and it looked like it would be an hour before it came and so I decided to walk back, I mean I’ve been sitting on my arse for the past 24 hours.

Five minutes from home and the bus drove by and I was beginning to run out of juice. Got into the house, took my case upstairs and then had a shower which felt bloody marvellous.

So now I’m kind of watching Only Fools and Horses and waiting for Ken and Linda to get back and the jet lag is beginning to catch up with me. Not sure what time zone I’m in at the moment.

I’ve no been here since 1986 and back then it was a tiny wee place and the toilets were no better than a hole in the ground and there wasn’t even any grab handles and if your glutes are no up to scratch and of course you’re completely sober then you have no chance of aiming true and surviving unscathed.

Now, the place is mahoosive and it had taken me nearly an hour to navigate the many corridors and shops to get to me gate and I’m knackered.

Ma een are needing a rest and they are nippin’, I’m hoping that I will get a few hours kip on this next flight and that when I arrive in Glasgow that the rain will have stopped, the sun will be shining and that I will have won the lottery.

All the answers to those questions will be divulged at a later date.