Thursday 27 July, 2000

8.15 am found us waiting in a queue for the car ferry to Skye - a very overcast Skye- just a misty shape in the distance. It was only a 25 minute trip and obviously the ferry was only a fraction of the size of the one that crossed the Irish sea, but it was just as smooth with big comfortable lounges, restaurants, bars and an outside sitting area. The trip took 25 minutes. Unlike the heat of yesterday, quite cool this morning so we mainly travelled in the cabin/ area with good views all round.

So here we are........ our ultimate destination accomplished.

We docked at Armadale at the south end of the island and travelled north to Broadfork where we made inquiries about e-mail services and were directed to Kyleakin. Unfortunately one machine out of order, the other unavailable 'til 4.30 PM.

We decided to check out our B&B at Portree before venturing too far but no one was home. We went on to Staffin where we found an Internet cafe. We've been madly taking photos in spasmodic sunlight as the clouds look threatening and the forecast isn't the best for the rest of the week.

We noticed the sheep have tails! Apparently they don't need docking, as there wouldn't be the fly problems we have at home. Come to think of it......they also don't have cockroaches, white ants, leaches, poisonous ticks, mosquitoes, sand flies, snakes.... but they do have Midges (like sandflies,) which drive the locals mad but haven't worried us (yet). Maybe they don't fancy Aussies!

We filled up with petrol at the local BP garage 86.9pence per litre.

We have taken loads of photos, some of which we'll take again weather permitting. We went a bit overboard as the clouds were really threatening, as was the forecast for the next few days so we thought.... Better cloudy than raining.

Our B&B looks across to Portree with 'The Old Man of Storr" in the background. We took photos oh him.... the old man..... (a stony outcrop off Trotternish Ridge) from both sides. Once again the wildflowers are beautiful with carpets of yellow and white daisies red clover and a soft yellow fluffy flower about 12-15 inches high and resembling wattle. Lots of heather but not nearly as much colour as I had expected.