Carbisdale Castle

Best weekend ever. Seriously.

We left horrifically early on Saturday morning - after having been at Hot Chip the night before, so not fun. Most unlike me I had done no research about the place we were going. I had no idea how far north we were going. But look!


Very north. HIGHLANDS! It was so cool. We went up the west coast, through Fort William and Inverness, it was so beautiful. This is us at somewhere in the Grampian Mountain range.
More mountains...

Pretty!

This was nearish Fort William. We stopped there for lunch. Getting pretty sick of British food to be honest. Pub meals are so bad for you. And chips here are average. And normally theres only egg sandwiches for the vegetarians in a sandwich shop. Its alright, I compensated but having lettuce for dinner. Feel better. Anyway, after Fort William we carried on to Inverness via... LOCH NESS
Didnt see Nessie.

We carried on further north and by about 5 we were at the CASTLE! Its so freaking cool. It was built in 1904 maybe, something like that. Some history about a Norwegian King owning it and gifting it to Britain during the war. This led to a running joke that Trond was actually the Prince of Norway undercover in Scotland trying to have a normal student experience. It was good. He woke up with 'His Royal Highness the Prince of Norway' written all over him. Haha.

This is the Trond talking to the King on the phone in Inverness. I like to photograph him when he speaks Norwegian. Understandably, he thinks Im a bit weird.

I like castles.
Exciting times. Of course there were many Harry Potter references all weekend. Theres an amazing grand entrance hall filled with paintings and statues and Jess and I stared at one for a while to see if it would move. It didnt. And we tried to make the staircases move. After we got our room, the six of us ran around like small children for like an hour. It was so fun. There was a dining room, two loungy library rooms, a billiard room (we pretended we were in the Cluedo mansion for a bit when we made this discovery) and lots of other amazing discoveries. IT WAS SO COOL.

Then we retired to our quarters for some drinks. We felt like the naughty kids on camp. We were rather silly at dinner. Later there was a DJ set up in the top floor hall and we danced to the crappest music. Fun though. Things generally decsended in to chaos pretty quickly. There are a lots of ridiculous photos but they are all on Jess' camera. You will just have to imagine it. It really was the best night ever. We were sitting in out room for ages, just talking, drinking and eating chips. There was a fire alarm at one point. What an adventure. Its was quite easy to get lost actually. So yes, went to bed at maybe 3.30; ripper hangovers the next day. I was so confused when I woke up. The ceiling was really fancy and I could see a mist covered loch out my window. Seriously took like a minute before I remembered.

I though my new cape was particularly appropriate for my highland adventure.

We went walking around the castle for a bit (feeling around in front of ourselves in case we bumped into some thestrals). We had slept through breakfast which was lame. So hungry. Left Carbisdale about 12 and didnt stop for food until Pitlochry at 4. Starving starving. Then drove through Perth and back to Glasgow. The bus ride was long but it was a good way to see everything. The highlands are beautiful. Trond and I have sat together on most of these long bus trips we've done, and Phil said he liked it because it was like having the discovery channel on in the background. I know a lot about Norway now I tell you, and Trond knows a lot about New Zealand. His favourite thing that Ive said was when I was defending the use of the word 'dairy' to describe a corner shop. The Aussies think thats rediculous (they call it a Milk Bar though so I dont really see their angle on this one). Anyway, Trond was like - if you call a shop a dairy, what to you call a dairy?.
Niki: Whats a dairy?
Trond: you know, where they package milk products.
Niki: (bewildered) Ummm, I dont think they have a name.
(Trond breaks out into hysterical laughter)
Niki: Isnt that just a milk factory?
Trond liked that my defence was that it doesnt have a name.

All rather silly. But I can also tell you a lot about Norwegian politics, music, industry, social issues, average income... yeah you name it, on that 6 hour journey we probably discussed it.

Trond is fantastic.

So yes, back now in Glasgow. AMAZING weekend. Now I have to write a damn essay. Groan. But going to Spoon at King Tuts tonight! Yay!

xx