To plan a road trip can be
a mammoth task but it sure is an ideal way to see the countryside. During our
entire road trip this drive was my personal favorite; gorgeous weather,
peaceful long road, not a soul visible for miles and not a care in the world. Like
all the worldly worries and stress were stripped away from us. From time to
time there were herds of sheep and flock of birds that you could see and hear,
and we felt like we were one with the nature. The natural beauty of Isle of
Skye, the largest island of Scotland, is truly unique. The dramatic change in
the landscape is spectacular and diverse. Driving through the mountain range
surrounded by the clouds is surreal and intriguing. The fog that seems to hang
over the beautiful land of unpredictable weather with the magical mist covering
the greenery makes you feel like you are in a dreamy enchanted forest that will
make you believe in magic.
We drove past so many
waterfalls, but I remember one waterfall that we stopped at and hiked up to
greet was the Brides veil waterfall. The hike can be slightly unsteady with
loose rocks on some parts of the trail, but it makes you appreciate the
landscape even more. This beautiful waterfall weaved its way down the rocky
landscape creating crystal clear water in its wake like a bride’s beautiful
veil. We stopped here for a while to admire the view and took some photos.
Driving through tiny hills,
passing so many cottages, waterfalls and little lochs, our next stop was the
Kilt Rock and Mealt Waterfall at Isle of Skye. This jaw dropping panoramic
scenery across the mountain out to the rugged sea was beautiful. From the top
of the cliff when you look straight down to the sea my heart did give a
flutter. Scotland is known for kilts and the rock formation from the viewpoint
on the coast of Isle of Skye looks ridiculously like a pleated kilt hence the
name. Although the weather was windy and cold, we did make the most out of the
magnificent view. Despite the cold and rain, the natural beauty around was
making me fall in love with Scotland. Whether you are beneath the clouds or
under the bright sunshine, Scotland does find a way to captivate your heart. 
Sometimes just to see a
gorgeous view we would shrug off the wind, run to the viewpoint, capture the
scenery and run back to our car. We finally reached Fort Augustus where we saw
this beautiful Caledonian Canal and we stopped to explore it. I think this was
one of the best things I found about this road trip - the liberty to stop
anywhere, anytime, without a schedule to follow, impromptu plans and places to
see. Luckily the weather was in our favor and it stopped raining and we could
enjoy the beautiful canal walk. 
From there we headed to
hunt something for which so many people had dedicated their entire lives and we
were going to have a small taste of their dedication. I could feel it rising in
my chest- that feeling you get when you embark upon a new adventure. I know it
sounds childish but when you are in Lochness the aura is such that it makes you
a believer for a while at least. We were going to go on a hunt for the world
famous lochness monster Nesse. It was the last evening cruise for the day and
with hope we took on the journey to see the famous monster of the world. The
orange background of sky was set for us, the only thing left to make it a
successful cruise was for Nesse to show up. The boat radars were trying to
track any activity under the water, any indication that she was there somewhere
close to us lurking below the deep, dark and stunningly beautiful water shying
away from human contact. We weren’t lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her and
the moon had made its appearance in the horizon and we knew it was time for us
to drive towards Inverness where we had made our hotel booking.
During all our travels
across the world, we have never been so impromptu about anything. Our booking
is always well in advance. However, this place called Fort Augustine, a quaint
town had enticed us enough that we wanted to stay the night here rather than
driving to our destination in Inverness. We quickly googled to see if there
were any bed and breakfast available and fortunately, found one available near
to us. We cancelled our previous booking and decided to spend the night in Fort
Augustine.
