September 25, 2025 • 57 mins
We Finally Made It to Scotland – After 3 Years, a Pandemic, and a Traumatic Brain Injury?!
After three years of delays (thanks, global chaos and a traumatic brain injury), my mom, Heidi, and I finally ticked off our bucket list dream: a mother-daughter trip to Scotland! And wow — it was so much more than bagpipes and shortbread.
In this episode, we’re spilling all the details of our epic journey: from getting lost in Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival madness, to conquering the misty highlands of Fort William (and the many stairs that tried to stop us). We laugh through the challenges, share emotional wins, and somehow survive accommodations that seemed to be in a constant competition for "Most Stairs, Least Elevator."
**Yes, we hiked Ben Nevis.
** Yes, we met a blind man climbing it with a walking stick and a dream.
** Yes, the dogs are all off-leash, and somehow more polite than most humans.
We also break down:
1. Our favorite places (and some overrated ones)
2. Travel tips for anyone with mobility issues or chronic conditions
3. What shocked us about Scottish culture (spoiler: tipping is weird)
4. And why this trip turned out to be not just physically demanding, but emotionally healing too.
Whether you're planning your own trip to Scotland or just want to live vicariously through ours, tune in for quirky travel stories, honest reflections, and a side of humor with your Highland adventures. Subscribe now and join this exploration of what it means to live a happy life in an increasingly complicated world.
Host: Nicole Swisher
Guest: Heidi Swisher
Recommendations:
- FitOn App
- The Thursday Murder Club movie
Connect with Nicole:
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Bon Charge Affiliate Link - Get some red light and block those nasty EMFs!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's something crunchy or zen you've done
lately.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I went horse camping a few weeks ago.
I had never done anything likethat before and it was kind of
wild.
I slept in the back of my carand rode my horse more than 20
miles over weekend, but therewere some scary times.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Like when.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
When we went up this really steep hill and it was
raining, muddy, went over rocks,around roots, around trees, and
I just had to trust that myhorse didn't want to fall
backwards or anything and wemade it to the top and it was so
scenic, it was a great, greattime.
(00:46):
I would definitely want to dothat again yeah, elbert, your
horse elbert elbert e-l-b-e-r-tcorrect, gotta get it yes and I
purchased him on saint patrick'sday.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Well, well, welcome to my crunchy zen era.
I'm your host, nicole Swisher,and today we have a very special
(01:21):
guest, my mother, heidi Swisher.
Welcome, thank you.
This podcast is a weeklypodcast with a little bit of fun
, a little humor and a whole lotof curiosity.
If you're watching, this weekwe've got a little bit different
setup because we are inEdinburgh, scotland, because my
mom and I went on a trip and weare still here.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
We made it Through a lot of steps, hills, mountains.
We made it through a lot ofsteps, hills, mountains.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
We made it A lot of steps.
We'll talk about that later.
Mom, what's a memory you'd liketo relive and why?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
A memory I'd like to relive is the first time I went
to Cayman with your dad BecauseI was in a stressful job.
But Cayman took me away andthere were beautiful sunsets and
we went scuba diving, walked onthe beach, would have lime
(02:19):
slushies it was just sobeautiful and relaxing.
I had never experienced avacation like, quite like this.
That I mean we went back asecond time, but I'd like to.
I'd like to relive that again.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Well, I feel like all of our vacations growing up
were camping.
I remember the toilet situationnot being great.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well you were a little picky.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
I don't like it.
At one point I wanted to be anarchaeologist and then I was
like wait, they have to beoutside a lot and use outhouses,
so I don't think that's goingto fit, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, we had to think about what kind of facilities
the campgrounds had.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, but Cayman was good and I remember the lime
slushies the second time.
Yeah, wasn't that good.
I mean, what finally made youdo a vacation like that?
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, I was at a class reunion and Dad and I had
been thinking about going to theCaribbean and I ran across or I
talked to a former classmate,gary if you're watching, hey,
gary and he said that he and hisfamily had been going to Cayman
for years, and so he helped usfigure it out and it was a wise
(03:40):
choice.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, and I feel like since then you've been more
open to doing different things.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I've been more open to spending more money on
vacations, instead of doing thecheap way.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
you said it.
I was thinking it.
It kind of helped that ourcamper got eaten by mice, so it
was totaled.
Can't do the camping anymore.
Do you remember when I openedit up?
Were you there?
(04:17):
No, it was gross Little micehanging on the net.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
It was a sign from God to start spending money,
Heidi move on.
You were a bit stingy, onemight say, growing up sometimes.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yes, but it got us a long way.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yes, and dad was the total opposite.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Why buy one when you can buy two?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I think that's his motto.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yes, mandarin oranges so many of them, um, but we
made it.
We made it to scotland, yes,and that's what we want to spend
a lot of time talking abouttoday.
Um, because originally we weresupposed to go in May 2020.
Yes, and we couldn't.
We got within a month and hadto cancel everything we did.
(05:11):
That was very sad, but it was arelief at the time because it
was confusing, like what to doand then everything shut down.
We didn't have to decide Rightand the decision was made for us
, yeah.
And then we were supposed to golast year, yes, but I had a
traumatic brain injury it's allyour fault, nicole.
(05:32):
Yeah, we didn't think it was agood idea.
No, and this trip it'sdefinitely popped up a little
bit, but for the most part I'vedone really well.
Yes, um, but we finally did itI wasn't sure we'd make it
really.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah, because I thought we already missed out
twice.
What's gonna happen now?
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I'm glad I didn't know that I didn't dare tell you
which there were some thingsthat happened leading up, but we
managed it yes, so um, but I Ithink I've wanted to come to
Scotland since high school andthen Grandpa Swisher, my dad's
dad, did a whole genealogy of,like the book, going back to
(06:16):
Scotland and came up with theclans that were associated with,
and so part of my interest waskind of seeing the area, but we
ended up not going to the area.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
There's just so much to cover.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Yeah, which I think some of that was because
originally we were planning ondriving around the country.
Yeah, and this time weacknowledged we were both scared
to drive.
Correct, you're older and wiser.
Yes, so we took a train.
Do you want to share ouritinerary?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Well, we came to Edinburgh and climbed up a
mountain.
It felt like I don't know.
If you want to talk about thatnow.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Well, it was.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I mean, it was the fringe we didn't know.
Comedy festival going on androyal mile was clogged, yeah,
with comedians and actors, andwe were pulling bags and had
backpacks and I had a little bagon my suitcase that kept
flopping over, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And it wasn't supposed to be as far, but the
map kept saying it was the sameamount of time, even after we'd
been going for a while, becausewe were going so slow.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I was going slow.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
So we thought it was like a 15-minute walk from the
tram, I think it ended up beingabout 25, 30 minutes.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I think it was 45.
Was it 45?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
You blocked it out.
I think it ended up being about25, 30 minutes.
I think it was 45.
You blocked it out.
I think I did.
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Which I think you know in retrospect maybe it's
just me getting back at you forthe death marches that used to
take us on.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yeah, that could be.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Yeah, you'd surprise us with how far.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, just a little bit further around the next
corner.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
There was one time we went on a long hike with the
dogs and Clifford, the big blackdog, refused to go back to that
trail in the future Because hedidn't want to walk again.
But yeah, so we started off alittle rough but we made it.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Yes, so then we were in Edinburgh for four days.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Four days and we stayed at the University of
Edinburgh student housing.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Yeah, summer stay, it was a dorm room.
Yeah, it was a dorm room, hardbeds.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yes, twin beds, little beds which I haven't
slept in in.
And there was another spot.
I slept in a twin bed and Ikept almost falling out.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
yeah, because I have a king bed yeah, so I stayed in
edinburgh for four days and thenwe took the train to fort
william and had a really niceAirbnb.
Yeah.
But, I didn't count how manysteps we had to go up or a hill.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
There's actually steps to get not just at the
Airbnb, but Fort Willem is veryhilly.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Yes, so we had to go up a ton of steps and then we
got to the house, had to go downsome steps to get to the door.
I'm like hallelujah, we're here.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And then we open the door and it's like 15 steps up,
but once we got up there it wasgreat it was very nice, a
beautiful, beautiful view outthe kitchen window and your
bedroom window.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, it was really nice.
Yeah, that was good.
So we were there three nightsand then to Inverness.
Then, while we were there, wefigured out oh, the train
doesn't go to Inverness.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
We have to take a bus .
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Which I think I actually knew that I just think
my brain works in mysteriousways now.
And I think I actually knewthat.
I just think my brain works inmysterious ways now, and I think
I blocked it out until werealized we had to take the bus.
The bus.
I got really sick on the bus.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yes, you did.
That is one where my braininjury still kicks in Plus we
think the bus driver left latebecause he was gabbing with
another person and he drove likea crazy person.
Yes, Fast furious around.
Corners braked fast.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Tailgated.
Yes, cars were moving out ofhis way.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Yes, that was terrible, nicole's like oh, oh
my head I almost started cryingand the last part is just
weaving back and forth like along loch ness.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, yeah, that was interesting.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, but we made it to inverness and the walk to
that place wasn't bad at all.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
No, that was fine, but then there were stairs
inside.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Oh my gosh, to go up to our bedroom.
So we had no choice.
It was steeper than climbingBen Nevis, nevis, nevis.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
I told you I wasn't going to get that right.
Yes, nevis.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I've been ignoring it the whole time.
But then after we were thereThree nights and then we came
back to Edinburgh Because we flyout and we needed A break a
little bit.
Before so we fly out tomorrowand here we are and we're
staying in leith, which I reallylike.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Oh, it's a cute place much quieter there's a lot of
restaurants and walking on thewater and that the airbnb we're
in now is like luxurious.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
It's very nice yeah, on the third floor more stuff.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Steps I counted the steps, it's 32.
At least there's small steps,yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
No, it's fine.
And then?
We went for a walk along thewater and there's more steps,
it's a lot of steps, which Imean we knew it was silly, but
maybe yeah I'm just not used tothat.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
No, no, so it seems really flat now after.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Yeah and so does nashville, which, for our
audience who don't know you,which a lot of them do um you
live in minnesota.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yes, near Princeton, between Princeton and Cambridge
yes, so we met in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah, which it worked out it did, but I was a little
nervous.
For some reason your flightwould get delayed and then I
would have left without you.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Would you have?
Yes, I would have.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I think I had like 45 minutes, it was close and even
going back now, I think I haveabout an hour.
And we have to get our luggagego through customs and board.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
I'm trying not to think about that.
I have two and a half hours.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Sorry.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
How experienced would you say you are traveling?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I've never done anything like this before,
although let's see, earlier thisyear I went on a mission trip
to mexico and that was a longtime, yeah, in a van driving,
but, um, I don't think I've everdone from place to place place,
other than when your dad and Idid a mission trip to israel
(13:53):
like 25 years ago which I can'tbelieve.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
That was 25 years yeah yeah, but you'd never been
to europe never, so it's new.
I mean, I went to Istanbul andI've been to France, montpellier
, france but that was with one,was a mission trip and then one
was with school.
So this is a little differentplanning it out, figuring out
(14:17):
where we're going.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
It took a lot of planning.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
I'd say yeah it did, and I think it would have been
nice to have one more week.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Yes, because we would have liked to have seen the
Isle of Skye and gone to whereyour dad's relatives were from
Silverbite, glencoe.
Yep, and then maybe stay anextra day in Fort William.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Take a couple more naps.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah yeah, we could have couple more naps.
Yeah, yeah, we could have useda little rest.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, what were you nervous about for?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
the trip that you'd get sick.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
That I would get sick .
Yeah, yeah, there were closeencounters of the COVID kind
before leading up, but I wasfine was fine, thankfully.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
I just figured I'd maybe you, if you got sick, you
know what do you do yeah, I wasdefinitely nervous about that
too.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I was nervous that I would get tired too easily with
my head, um, but I don't thinkthat.
I think the only times Istruggled there were a couple
times in edinburgh castle,because it just was too small
space so I just exited a lot ofpeople yeah a lot of people, a
lot of small space.
And then I think, well,obviously, obviously, the bus
(15:40):
was an issue yes um, I thinkthere was one more time, but it
wasn't overly bad, just recoverytime.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
The other thing I worried about is, you know, my
knees are not the best.
I had cortisone shots about twoweeks ago and I didn't want to
slow you down, yeah, but wecovered a lot of ground.
We did, it took a few stops forme to stretch, but we made it.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
And how many miles do you think we've gone?
We're close to 100.
I think we could title our tripTraveling in Scotland with
Chronic Injuries.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
If we can do it, anybody can do it.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
What do you wish you'd known before the trip?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Oh goodness, I didn't think that one through.
I think I wish I had known howmuch walking to do.
I would have bought that kneebrace earlier and I didn't do
that and I would have probablytried to get in better walking
(16:50):
condition.
So, I didn't realize how muchground we would cover.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Yeah, I think that I would have liked to build in a
rest day, right in the middle.
Yes, I wish I had known howbusy we would be, but it turned
out fine.
But we didn't want to miss outon everything, right.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
And I would say that the busiest days were in the
beginning, and then we've kindof been tapering, so that's nice
.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Maybe are you glad you didn't know something.
Uh, I'm glad I didn't know howmany hills and steps it was
going to do.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
I'm glad you didn't know that the last airbnb also
had steps.
Yes, I think this was a part ofwas.
Different, though, is there'sso many older buildings here,
whereas back in the us we havemore elevators and yes you're
just not.
It's just not the same correct.
But you know we've gotten shape.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It's been definitely yeah, packing okay, I brought
too many jackets.
One too many jackets.
I brought too many pairs ofpants, at least one pair, I
wouldn't yeah too many of otherthings unmentionables and
(18:17):
everything adds weight andvolume and when you've got a
backpack on your back and you'repulling, it gets to be a lot so
.
I would have streamlined andbeen ready to just wash clothes.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Yeah, I think I could have gone without my tennis
shoes.
Just wearing my hiking boots isbasically what I did every day
except one.
So, yeah, yeah, because thatreally takes up space.
Um, I I don't think there'sanything I wish I had brought,
that I didn't, no.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I don't think so either because we did.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I think we did pack pretty lightly.
I would have.
I would like to try to get itall in a carry-on next time and
I could see that possibility.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I mean, I had to think of a few things just
because my type 1 diabetes yeahbring.
I had always had to have plentyof food with me, plenty of
snacks.
I have a continuous glucosemonitor, so I had to have I of
food with me, plenty of snacks.
I have a continuous glucosemonitor, so I brought an.
X1 in case the one I had tochange to didn't work, and so
(19:32):
those things take up room.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yeah, and there was only one time where you had an
issue, though, in Inverness,when you just plummeted.
Your number just dropped, yeahum, was that after the pancakes?
No, that wasn't.
Even after the pancakes shot itway sky high we had pancakes at
wild pancakes, in inverness,while we pan, while we pancakes,
(19:58):
and they were like eating acake for breakfast.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Oh yes.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Fabulous.
Thankfully it was the last dayand we just could be knocked out
on the train.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah, I mean white chocolate chips and the whipped
cream.
The whipped cream was good, wowyeah.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yes, yeah.
What did you find mostchallenging, uh?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
the steps, the steps.
Yes, yeah, going up and almostlike going down is the worst
yeah, and I mean we.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
I think one thing I found pretty challenging was ben
Nevis, but it was worth it andthat was one of the most
memorable things to me.
So we went up to the halfwaylock and it was beautiful and
hot and we climbed all morningand we had like some of the best
(20:57):
weather they said I was hot.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Yes they said I was hot, yeah, yes, and um, um, even
though my knees have given meproblems.
It was like praise the lord, Igot up and down and it wasn't
that bad and it it was achallenge.
We were out of breath,especially me and people kept
passing, passing, but it was soworth it and I just felt like we
(21:27):
had really accomplishedsomething and at the top it was
just this gorgeous.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I don't even know what you I mean there was a lock
, but then it felt like a meadowor right something, um, and
then we came back down.
I think a weird thing that waschallenging is knowing what side
to walk on, because, like we'reused to walk, you go on the
right, but a lot of people werewalking on the left and you
(21:54):
didn't know, because there's somany tourists, you don't know
like what side they're goingyeah, I feel like there was a
lot of playing chicken trying tofigure it out.
We even said we're gonna agreeto walk on the left, but then I
think we'd run into otheramericans.
Yeah, didn't know where to go,yeah, so that was like a weird I
don't know that was a weirdright but it worked out what was
(22:16):
your favorite day?
Speaker 2 (22:19):
my favorite day.
Well, I loved going up Ben.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Nevis.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
But I liked going to.
We took the train.
What was the train?
Yeah, we took the train downand back to Dunbar and that was
just a quaint little village.
There weren't very manytourists there.
We got fresh seafood for dinner.
We sat out in the rain and ateand in fact we first met up with
(22:54):
a fisherman who said I askedhim what he was fishing for and
he said prawnss.
And he said if you go over tothat restaurant you'll get what
I caught last night.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
And there we were it was delicious yeah, I mean in
minnesota you cannot get freshno, it surprised me how much
seafood we ate here.
Oh, it was a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
I don't like seafood, but I liked it a lot so I think
I don't like bad seafood andI'm not a big fish fan and the
salmon and trout here, that bothwere smoked.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
It was fabulous yeah yeah, so I think dunbar was one
of my favorite days because thetide was out along the coast and
so I went.
You stayed up and I went downand walked all over.
And it was just very differentthan anything back home and very
peaceful.
Anything where we were innature outside of the main city
(23:54):
was kind of my favorite thingRight yeah, and I really liked
the Loch Ness Cruise.
That was very pretty the LochNess cruise.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
That was very pretty.
I saw Nessie Took some photos.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
We'll post it.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
It did make me want to look more into Nessie now,
because they said only recentlythere was a sighting.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
It just reminds me of bigfoot back home yes, well
it's.
Maybe I haven't overly, overlyinterested in bigfoot.
Maybe maybe we'll add nessie tothat.
Um, but yeah, that wassurprising, because I don't
normally like touristy.
I I don't, I don't like beingwith a lot of people where
(24:42):
you're just like stuck there andsomeone's just talking at you
and you have to pretend to beinterested.
You're just trapped yeah, but itturned out good because we did
the cruise, went to um urquhartcastle and then the bus ride
back was actually really great,like she took us up a different
way and so we got to see thingswe wouldn't have otherwise.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Right, and she was giving good background
information on the history anddifferent sites that we passed.
That was really good.
Well, I was going to say,speaking of cruises, that cruise
we had in Fort William wasreally good.
Yes, on Loch Linney.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Yeah, that one was great, cause we saw like seals
and it was just nice.
It was very nice.
And those the two women whowere the captains.
Yeah, the captains, they werereally good, they were very good
yeah.
And I think with because we diddo the trains, we couldn't go
off into other areas.
(25:42):
So, like the tours were helpfulto the extent we did them
because we were able to seeother things, right and I guess.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Uh, I felt like, despite not being able to drive
to other locations, we did somuch.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Yeah and I wouldn't.
I still wouldn't want to trydriving.
No, it's just it took so longto remember to look to the right
first for cars that I just Idon't know, I don't know how you
start, just drive in that yeahbecause it's just such a natural
, ingrained thing.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Well, it's not only do they drive on the left, but
the driver is on the right sideof the vehicle yeah, and then
it's the streets are muchnarrower than we're used to.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Yes, um, so it's just , I don't know, it's just
different.
And also like the street signs,like I thought one meant they
were coming this way, but thenall the cars were coming from
the other side, so I don't knowwhat that means still, but oh
well, we'll see.
Okay, if you came back toScotland, what would you do?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
I would like to see the Isle of Skye and we didn't
get to see the castle up in FortWilliam, which we found out
later was closed anyway, butthere's other islands.
I think that would be fun tosee, and then also to see the
area where your dad's relativescame from Another day in Fort
(27:16):
William, I think would be good.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah, I feel like I could skip Inverness.
I'm glad we went there thistime because loch ness is there
and I liked it, but I feel likewe saw everything pretty quickly
yeah but there was one thing wedid in inverness that was a
little different.
We got a recommendation from alocal and what was it called?
(27:40):
murk, murk and that it was anature reserve, yeah, and we
like walked through randomneighborhoods and then we went
into the woods and came out andit was the um is the bay looking
out on the black isle, and thatwas very beautiful, that was
very nice not at all what I wasexpecting no, because we were
(28:03):
walking through trees and all ofa sudden there was a hill,
maybe 10 feet high, and youcouldn't see what was on the
other side when we got to thetop of the hill.
It was like wow, yeah, it'sbeautiful what else about our
trip, like as in, like what wedid.
I have other other questions,but what do you think Anything
else you want to share aboutexperiences, things you enjoyed,
(28:25):
things you do differently?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Well, one thing is I don't think I'd want to stay at
the university again.
But, I do have to say thelocation was good because right
behind it was Arthur's seat.
Yes, and we haven't talkedabout that yet.
Yeah, but we hiked that andthat was that was beautiful it
was.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
And again, there's something the landscape is just
very different.
It is it's and I actuallyenjoyed the weather.
I was nervous that we wouldhave bad weather but because I
tend to get cold easily, but Iwas fine, I think, the entire
time.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
I was good yeah, I was expecting a lot more rain.
I brought rainproof pants whichmaybe on another week would
have come in quite handy so I'mglad I brought them.
I would bring them again, yeah,but we or I and you too, I
(29:24):
think wore my rain jacket a lot,just as a jacket, and so we
were always ready for anydrizzle that came along and we
didn't bother with an umbrellabecause we had heard it was
super windy and we didn't needone.
No, and it was very windy insome spots inverness was really
windy.
Yes, and then when you'reamongst all the crowds, to try
(29:45):
to handle an umbrella.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, the crowds are.
That was my least favoritething.
Yeah, and everyone just likestops.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
They do and you're like why are you stopping?
They do At least like move offto the side.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Yeah, that's odd, at least like move off to the side
but I think, I mean, I think Iavoid Broadway in Nashville and
I think I would experience thatif I went back.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
You know, you just get that in the tourist places
it was nice to go up and downRoyal Mile just to say you did
it and and to see what's there.
Yeah, but once is enough.
Once is enough.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
I liked Greyfriar Cemetery.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Yeah, that was great.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
One thing I actually really liked Was looking for the
different closes.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Like the alleys.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
I had a list I was looking for and it was just kind
of pretty architecture.
So that's the only reason Iwould go back to the Royal Mile.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Victoria Street, was it?
Yeah, that was cute.
Yeah, that was really cute.
Yes, very colorful.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Very colorful.
That goes into.
One of our tips we wanted togive Was to go early yes early
to victoria street and royalmile, and then you can just like
see it and leave right, you canwalk yeah and really enjoy the
sights without having to see allthe people too.
(31:18):
Yeah, okay, mom.
How did the culture differ thanyou expected?
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Okay.
So we saw dogs everywhere andmost of them were not on leashes
and they were very well behaved.
That is not what we experienceat home.
People have to have their dogson leashes.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
Their dogs are out of control Out of control.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I was totally impressed with the dogs around
here and they were so sweet.
When you could pet them, theywere in restaurants and trains
and buses.
Yeah, not a problem.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
I don't know how that I don't know.
I'm amazed, I'm kind of curiousto our background producer here
Is that like a thing?
Speaker 3 (32:05):
The dogs.
I never noticed that.
You never noticed.
I never noticed.
If you came to the US, you'dnotice the difference.
You would notice the difference.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Yes, they're so well-behaved here, yeah, I mean
like at the restaurant we wereat this morning the waitress
brought a bowl of water over tothe dog yeah, they get served
yeah, whereas in the unitedstates you can't have a dog in
the restaurant unless it's aservice dog and you can have
(32:34):
them outside at a table.
That's about the extent of it.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, yeah, and I mean, they're just like in parks
, off leash, yeah I mean thefirst one I saw.
I was like, oh no, and then itwas totally fine yeah so I would
like to know how to train a doglike that so it's amazing.
I would say cheers to the scotsfor the well-behaved dogs yes,
(33:01):
and it was fun to be able to petall of them.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
It was so yeah what else do you got um, let's see
culture.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
There was something else I can't remember so I'm
gluten free, oh yes, andeverywhere we went they knew
they would ask is it celiacs orgluten intolerance?
And they were veryknowledgeable and like there are
, of course there's places inthe us, but not that
consistently and depends on thecity too.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
They they seem to know what they're talking about
and they were very responsiveand it was very.
It made it easier for you,didn't?
Yes?
Speaker 1 (33:41):
it did, because I I wondered how that would go.
I looked it up a little inEdinburgh, but not anywhere else
, and I didn't have any issues.
Fort William was great,inverness was great, yes, so I
mean the bread at EdinburghLarder is so good Gluten-free
bread.
Gluten-free bread.
(34:01):
Never had as good a bread.
It was delicious.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
So good yes.
It had lots of nuts and it wasmoist and tasty.
It was really good.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Yeah, and then tipping that yes.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
That's amazing.
So back in the States, as weall know, 15% is low.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
I'm tipping probably.
Well, I don't know if I want tosay how much I'm tipping.
However, the range is more like20% and I've seen up to 40%
when they flip those things andtheir selections are like 20, 25
, 30.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
They get so high up there and it's expected and it's
super rude if you don't tiphere, here they're like oh,
there's a service charge, butdon't worry about it, you don't
have to pay it if you don't wantto.
Yeah, almost like they'reembarrassed embarrassed that
it's there and it's 10 percentyeah, it's not anything.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
And then we tried to tip a couple of times when it
was bar service and theyliterally told us not to do it,
which is amazing so it's verypleasant, whereas in the US I
have been asked by a robot totip.
So I don't know why.
Or like you go up and you youdon't really do any, like the
(35:26):
server's not doing anything atall and you're getting your own
food and drink, but like it'sstill there and you're expected
to tip.
Yeah, I don't get that, so maybepeople need to be paying our
folks more.
So that was surprising.
Yeah, yeah, it was kind ofrefreshing.
(35:46):
Yeah, it was um the one.
I've definitely seen a lot moresmokers here.
Yes, that surprised me rightthere on the street.
Yeah, but I don't know becauseI think it's more.
I think it's more, I thinkthere's more shaming in the US,
like they're trying to do thatmore.
Any other cultural things nothat's it.
(36:10):
Did you learn anything aboutScotland while here that you
didn't know?
Speaker 2 (36:14):
History, because one place we went to was the
Culloden, culloden, cullodenBattlefield Right.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
And.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
I mean there's such long history here compared to
the United States, which is 300,400 years, because that battle
was 1740 something.
Right, right before theRevolutionary War.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
I thought that was really interesting.
We found McLean, the what werethose stones called?
Uh?
Gravestones, yeah, like thegrave memorial and then mcdonald
, which are a couple of theclans that my dad is associated
with.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
So right, and it's just so sad.
So, many people killed.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Yeah, it was very weirdly peaceful though.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
The place itself yes.
At one spot it said somethingabout stay kind of quiet.
Because, this is, you know, thegravestones.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I think it was as we walked, because they're actually
graves Right, which I didn'trealize.
Yeah, it was very, which Ididn't realize.
So, yeah, it was very, I don'tknow, that was pretty.
That was also sad.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
It was.
It was kind of impactful whenyou think of what people have
sacrificed to have what's heretoday.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Yeah, yeah, I think that we definitely learned a lot
of Scottish history.
Yes, for sure, we have sometips for our audience, because
obviously everyone should comeand tour here, enjoy Scotland
have a holiday you had the firstone about the email.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Right and I was going to bring it in, but I forgot.
I had a charger for phones,just a little black box with
some wires.
You can.
Nicole was able to plug in heriphone, I could plug in my
android and then would charge itup every once in a while, but
it was really nice to have along, especially since I have a
(38:22):
continuous glucose monitor.
I always have to have my phonecharged and working.
So for me it gave me a sense ofcomfort knowing that if we were
out and about and my phone wasabout to die, I could charge it
again.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, that was really helpful.
I hadn't even thought, neveroccurred to me.
Yeah, so we use the buses a lotin edinburgh, everywhere.
Actually, inverness and fortwilliam like how we got to ben
nevis was using a bus, otherwisewe would have had to walk.
It was 38 minutes and as we goton the bus and passed all those
(39:00):
people walking back into townafter climbing, I felt very
great.
It felt so good.
I was like you silly people,but yeah, they were super easy
and using the apps was easy.
Oh, very easy, you could do daypass or whatever, so I
definitely look at that.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
The bus service here and then the tram we rode from
the airport was very nice too.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Yeah, that was easy Trains were easy, trains were
good.
Yeah, we did the Spirit ofScotland pass, and so we just
show them our pass and we justoff we go.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
And it worked for the bus in Fort William too.
Yes, so we didn't have to payanything additional for that.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
Thank God, yeah, dreaded bus.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
So that Spirit of Scotland pass is for what?
15 days, 14 days or somethinglike that?
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I think we did 15 days, 8 days actually Of travel.
Yeah, 8 days of travel over thecourse of 15 days.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
And I think we maybe only did 5 days of travel, but
it was well worth it.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
Yes, yeah.
A couple other things we hadwere sit on the left side of the
train when you're going fromGlasgow to Fort William, because
it's gorgeous.
It is there to fort williambecause it's gorgeous.
It is there.
We wanted to go all the way tomalay, which is where then you
take the ferry to sky, but wejust didn't have time, out of
time, yeah, um, and then Ialready shared like go early to
(40:33):
everything yes, so, and we'd goto bed early.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
We went to bed at like 8 and 8 30 and I thought of
another tip too, that I hadNetflix.
So in the evening when wewanted to just veg out, we were
able to pull up Netflix.
So that was kind of nice.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yeah, we were watching Leanne.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Yeah, it was good.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
Alright, so we have some awards to give out.
Yes, did you have your.
You had wanted to have them onyour phone too, so you could
read them.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Yeah, I forgot.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Okay, well, I will give out the awards then.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
All right, most unique, valuable travel
accessory, oh my charger.
Phone charger Most practical,valuable travel accessory Hiking
boots.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Yes, best city.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Fort William and then Dun bar.
Best accommodations where weare now in leith um least
favorite accommodations the dormroom.
The dorm room Well, let'sexpand a little.
It was smaller than my dormroom that I had at the
University of Minnesota and itwas two small twin beds.
(41:56):
I think the mattress might havebeen this thick and the pillow
was this thick.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
Luckily we had two of them this thick.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Yes, and there was no space to put anything.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
No drawers to speak of.
No, so it was a mess, but wedid get a breakfast with that,
yes, which was cafeteria styleand not bad.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
No, and then one of the doors squeaked so bad, but
yeah, it's not that we wouldn't,it just wasn't the best.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
Right, and they did have washer and dryer service,
which you had to download an appand put money on it.
So frustrating.
It took about five minutes tofigure that out.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Yeah, I think it could be good for more of like
solo traveler.
Maybe, yeah, think it could begood for more of like solo
traveler.
Maybe yeah, um, but I thereason we ended up doing it is
because of the fringe festival.
Everything was really expensiveon the front end and that was
the most affordable right, um,so, anyway, anything else
horrible about walking to it?
Speaker 2 (43:02):
walking to it and the mold in the shower yes, there
was that, yeah okay, bestrestaurant uh, in fort william,
the geographer it was amazing ohthe hamburgers were yes so good
we had a hamburger and thenchicken strips and we split them
(43:24):
.
Yes, and they were yummy.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
They were both really good, but I didn't like the
Kranich in there as much, sowe've been trying Kranich in
because we had it early on,really liked it, but there it
was just really, really whiskeyflavored.
Yeah, and it was mostly cream,Whereas Kranich in is supposed
to have the cream some whiskeyand raspberriesberries and oats,
(43:49):
and it hardly had any oats init Right, and then we had it the
next night, yeah.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
And that one had ice cream with it, so that was good.
That was almost like a sundae.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Yeah, that was good, best Scottish food we tried.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
Well, you ordered.
What is it called?
Colin skink it was soundedgross to me, so I didn't want to
do it and it was delicious Itook a taste of it.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
I would get that some sort of fish broth with
potatoes yeah, it was reallygood it was delicious, which I
don't know.
It sounded like something likeskunk, and then I don't normally
like um fishy fish and I don'tnormally like soup and that was
basically.
But best tourist trap uh, theEdinburgh castle.
(44:40):
Yes, that was well worth it andI on that one we ended up.
We went on the west side.
There's a part that hardlyanyone was going to, where you
go down some stairs and it sayslike it's a one way and you walk
around and there was hardlyanybody there.
I would highly recommend.
Speaker 2 (45:01):
And we made reservations ahead of time.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
And the kind of reservation we got was the
flexible kind, so you could goat any time of the day, and that
worked out really well for us.
They were turning back peoplewho had bought for a specific
time and the people were tryingto slip in earlier, I guess.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Yeah, they said only 10 minutes ahead of time, and I
don't like being stuck to aschedule that closely.
I like to have a general ideaof what we're doing, but you
just don't know how longsomething is taking, so I wanted
the flexible right, it wasn'tthat much more.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
No, it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
It was worth it yeah, um hidden gem I can't remember
what we said.
Dunbar.
Speaker 2 (45:46):
Oh, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
Which we found Dunbar because of watching Escape to
the Country.
Yes, and someone was looking inthe Lothian area and it ended
up being a really relaxing day.
I liked it.
It was.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
And it's not the kind of place you would maybe move
to.
But I would.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
Retire there yeah.
Yeah too, but I would retirethere, yeah, yeah, we went to a
coffee shop and the littleladies in there were just
talking about being friends, yes, and they were waving at
everyone and then they weresaying, oh, it's been so hot,
and I was like hot yeah, fromnashville so you don't know what
hot is?
Yeah, and then our runner upwas dean village.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Yeah, that was so great.
There's no shops there, butit's just so beautiful.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
It's the water of leith, and then there's areas to
walk and we were actually ableto go down to the water and I
just waited in, and so it'srelaxing.
Um, is there a story you thinkyou'll be telling for a while?
Speaker 2 (46:46):
yes, so on our hike up and down, ben, nevis nevis
nevis so on our way up, actuallywe met a man who was blind and
he was climbing the mountainwith the assistance of a guide
(47:09):
and the guide would tap in frontof him so he could hear what
was in front and know whichdirection, and then the guide
also would tell him where tostep.
Can you imagine telling someonefor that distance?
(47:29):
telling someone for thatdistance and then we saw him at
our, at the midpoint where westopped, and we had gone down to
that block, yeah, where youwaited again in there, yes, and
the blind man came down.
We were.
We spoke to his friend who saidthat the man hadn't always been
blind.
At one time he wasn't aprofessional dancer.
Speaker 1 (47:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:48):
And karate, I think, like national awards.
And then one day he woke up andhe was blind.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
Which is terrifying to think about.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
And then he's climbing a mountain.
Speaker 1 (48:03):
And his friend made the point.
He can't even see it.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
Right, he could barely see shadows, shadowy
things, light and dark mountain,and his friend was made the
point he's like he can't evensee.
It right, it's he couldn't yeah, he could barely see shadows,
shadowy things, light and dark.
The other thing is we, on ourway down, we were passed by four
men carrying a young boy onlike a platform with a chair and
the boy was disabled and thesemen were carrying him down and
(48:27):
I'm assuming they carried himall the way to the top they had
to do it right, unless theyswitched off with somebody.
Speaker 1 (48:33):
But it didn't look like they had that big of a
group and they were movingfaster than me yes, they were
yeah, and then finally, peoplewere running up and down they
were running up the person whothey something like the fastest
person to do it had run up anddown in like an hour and 20
minutes right which is crazy.
(48:54):
Okay, so we started at 9 45, yes, and we did stop for a bit at
the top and we had to takebreaks, but we got back at like
2 45 I think yes, so yes, sofive hours.
Yes, I'm not doing the math, soI'm assuming that's correct.
Yes, yeah, that's a yeah, anhour and 20 minutes now.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
So that's what I'll be telling people yeah.
Because I just found all thosepeople who I just mentioned very
inspirational, very encouragingfor anyone who thinks, oh, I
can't do that yeah it wasunbelievable I think for me it's
really like how relaxed I felt,in a way I hadn't in a long
(49:40):
time because I
Speaker 1 (49:41):
feel like it's always so busy now but being in like
dunbar and walking along theocean.
Busy now, but being in likedunbar and walking along the
ocean without a time frame, likewe didn't have to rush, and I
really liked seeing that bridgeto nowhere.
It's over the stream when thetide's out and then when it
comes up we couldn't stay, butwhen it comes up it is just like
surrounded by water um and thenI think fort william waking up
(50:05):
in the morning and just sittingand seeing out onto the lake.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
It was just very beautiful and remember the day
before we left or the morning weleft, there was a rainbow.
Yeah, it was beautiful.
Speaker 1 (50:19):
It's just I think Scotland is.
I mean, I knew from picturesand stuff that it was beautiful,
but I just think it'scompletely like you can't
describe it.
The highlands of are justgorgeous, which I wish I were
better with cold weather, but ityeah, I liked it and all the
(50:40):
people were really nice, like alot of people stopped and talked
to us, so I liked that a lot.
Getting to hear their storieswas fun.
Yes, the accent in theHighlands was much stronger than
I expected.
Speaker 2 (50:53):
It was.
Speaker 1 (50:55):
It was.
We have background laughter.
One thing I heard I had to keepsaying to you was listen to
them.
They're saying use, plural use.
Yeah, I never heard that beforeyeah, use kind of like y'all in
southern united states right,but yeah, it took you a moment
(51:16):
to hear yes, I did and I amproud to say I understood people
better I translated, you didvery true maybe it's because I'm
used to translating southernersnow, but all right, mom, what
have you been obsessing overlately?
Speaker 2 (51:35):
okay, I love the beverage bubbler yeah, you do.
Speaker 3 (51:40):
Is that a lately thing or forever?
Speaker 2 (51:42):
well, maybe about two years or three.
So, and wild cherry is myfavorite, and you know I love
ice and I love me, my crushedice.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
She just crunches and crunches, and crunches on it.
Speaker 2 (51:58):
So I can't wait to get back home for that.
Yeah, my crushed ice with abubbler.
And I have to say I don thinkthe scotts appreciate ice as
much as I do I'm not sure anyonedoes ice and they fill it up
halfway and it's like bring onthe ice.
You know, yeah, I love I justlove ice.
Speaker 1 (52:20):
I didn't notice that because I don't like ice in my
drinks, but now that you saythat there was significantly
less right than we normally have, I don't like how it melts and
waters, everything down, I likethat yeah I'm obsessed yeah, you
are, it's the most annoyingsound maybe that explains why,
(52:45):
when I was in a meeting at workcrunching on ice, were you in a
work meeting?
Oh, my gosh Did they saysomething.
Speaker 3 (52:56):
No, but they kind of looked at me Like how old are
you?
Speaker 1 (53:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (53:02):
Like, hey, I'm going to retire soon, I can crunch on
ice as much as I want Funny Oldlady thing.
Speaker 1 (53:13):
You just don't care anymore, that's about it.
Yeah, I should have thought Idon't know what I've been
obsessing.
I was so obsessed with planningthis trip, maybe we could say I
was obsessed with itineraryevery day and making sure we
navigated you did great.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
Like I told you, it was nice.
Usually I'm the one who has tofigure out all the logistics and
it was nice to sit back, thankyou nicole, you're welcome.
Speaker 1 (53:42):
I was like, all right , let's go now, yes, and then
I'd write down what we actuallydid, yes, so I could compare how
it went.
Do you have a recommendationfor our audience today?
Speaker 2 (53:55):
Yes, I like the app FitOn Mm-hmm.
It has so many differentexercise routines you can do,
from yoga to back to hit.
I really like it.
And then for about $30 a year,you can get the deluxe version
(54:20):
and you can put it on your TVand exercise at home with it.
But it's on my phone, so duringour trip I did one yoga routine
.
So I would recommend that appFit On F-I-T-O-N.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
And that's the one that you and dad do every day,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (54:40):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (54:42):
So I would recommend the Thursday Murder Club movie.
That was something we watchedand you had read the book.
I really liked the ThursdayMurder Club movie.
That was something we watchedand you had read the book.
Yes, I really liked the movie.
I would probably read the booknow.
Speaker 2 (54:52):
It was good yeah.
Speaker 1 (54:55):
Well, mom, what are you looking forward to this week
?
Speaker 2 (54:58):
My bed.
Yeah, my husband Seeing thegrandkids.
Speaker 1 (55:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (55:06):
And ice, ice um seeing the grandkids.
Speaker 1 (55:09):
yeah and ice, ice.
I am looking forward to my bed.
I'm also looking forward to thefact that we get back friday
night and then we could justlike sleep for the weekend,
because we did not want to.
I well, you work.
How do you work these days, mom?
Speaker 2 (55:29):
I work remotely whenever you want, whenever I
want about 12 hours a week andthen I go ride my horse.
Yeah, and life is easy.
Speaker 1 (55:40):
She is a retired lawyer.
Look how happy she is.
Yay.
But yeah, I didn't want to gostraight back to work, so yeah,
there is a difference there,yeah you have time to clean the
clothes, all the things.
Speaker 2 (55:53):
Um, mom, thank you for being here in edinburgh and
thank you, nicole, for you didmost of the planning.
I appreciate it yeah, I loveyou I love you too thank you,
thank you, yeah.
Speaker 1 (56:07):
When I asked you what you want to do, you said
whatever you want to do.
Speaker 2 (56:11):
And when people would ask me what I was looking
forward to the most, I saidbeing with you.
Speaker 1 (56:16):
Oh well, all right, I enjoyed being with you too.
Okay enough of thissentimentality here.
Well, thank you for being here.
Please subscribe to our YouTubeand wherever you listen to
podcasts, I'll see you from theUnited States next time the end.
(56:37):
Thanks for listening to mycrunchy Zen era.
Please subscribe and leave areview wherever you listen to
your podcasts.
This podcast is produced by me,nicole Swisher and my good
friends Summer Harkup and LizColter, editing is by Drew
Harrison Media and recording isdone by Lagos Creative in
Nashville, tennessee.
Thanks for hanging out.
(56:58):
We'll be back next week.
We'll be back next week.
What's something crunchy or zen you've done
lately.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I went horse camping a few weeks ago.
I had never done anything likethat before and it was kind of
wild.
I slept in the back of my carand rode my horse more than 20
miles over weekend, but therewere some scary times.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Like when.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
When we went up this really steep hill and it was
raining, muddy, went over rocks,around roots, around trees, and
I just had to trust that myhorse didn't want to fall
backwards or anything and wemade it to the top and it was so
scenic, it was a great, greattime.
(00:46):
I would definitely want to dothat again yeah, elbert, your
horse elbert elbert e-l-b-e-r-tcorrect, gotta get it yes and I
purchased him on saint patrick'sday.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Well, well, welcome to my crunchy zen era.
I'm your host, nicole Swisher,and today we have a very special
(01:21):
guest, my mother, heidi Swisher.
Welcome, thank you.
This podcast is a weeklypodcast with a little bit of fun
, a little humor and a whole lotof curiosity.
If you're watching, this weekwe've got a little bit different
setup because we are inEdinburgh, scotland, because my
mom and I went on a trip and weare still here.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
We made it Through a lot of steps, hills, mountains.
We made it through a lot ofsteps, hills, mountains.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
We made it A lot of steps.
We'll talk about that later.
Mom, what's a memory you'd liketo relive and why?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
A memory I'd like to relive is the first time I went
to Cayman with your dad BecauseI was in a stressful job.
But Cayman took me away andthere were beautiful sunsets and
we went scuba diving, walked onthe beach, would have lime
(02:19):
slushies it was just sobeautiful and relaxing.
I had never experienced avacation like, quite like this.
That I mean we went back asecond time, but I'd like to.
I'd like to relive that again.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Well, I feel like all of our vacations growing up
were camping.
I remember the toilet situationnot being great.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well you were a little picky.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
I don't like it.
At one point I wanted to be anarchaeologist and then I was
like wait, they have to beoutside a lot and use outhouses,
so I don't think that's goingto fit, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, we had to think about what kind of facilities
the campgrounds had.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, but Cayman was good and I remember the lime
slushies the second time.
Yeah, wasn't that good.
I mean, what finally made youdo a vacation like that?
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, I was at a class reunion and Dad and I had
been thinking about going to theCaribbean and I ran across or I
talked to a former classmate,gary if you're watching, hey,
gary and he said that he and hisfamily had been going to Cayman
for years, and so he helped usfigure it out and it was a wise
(03:40):
choice.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yeah, and I feel like since then you've been more
open to doing different things.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I've been more open to spending more money on
vacations, instead of doing thecheap way.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
you said it.
I was thinking it.
It kind of helped that ourcamper got eaten by mice, so it
was totaled.
Can't do the camping anymore.
Do you remember when I openedit up?
Were you there?
(04:17):
No, it was gross Little micehanging on the net.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
It was a sign from God to start spending money,
Heidi move on.
You were a bit stingy, onemight say, growing up sometimes.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yes, but it got us a long way.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yes, and dad was the total opposite.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Why buy one when you can buy two?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I think that's his motto.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yes, mandarin oranges so many of them, um, but we
made it.
We made it to scotland, yes,and that's what we want to spend
a lot of time talking abouttoday.
Um, because originally we weresupposed to go in May 2020.
Yes, and we couldn't.
We got within a month and hadto cancel everything we did.
(05:11):
That was very sad, but it was arelief at the time because it
was confusing, like what to doand then everything shut down.
We didn't have to decide Rightand the decision was made for us
, yeah.
And then we were supposed to golast year, yes, but I had a
traumatic brain injury it's allyour fault, nicole.
(05:32):
Yeah, we didn't think it was agood idea.
No, and this trip it'sdefinitely popped up a little
bit, but for the most part I'vedone really well.
Yes, um, but we finally did itI wasn't sure we'd make it
really.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah, because I thought we already missed out
twice.
What's gonna happen now?
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I'm glad I didn't know that I didn't dare tell you
which there were some thingsthat happened leading up, but we
managed it yes, so um, but I Ithink I've wanted to come to
Scotland since high school andthen Grandpa Swisher, my dad's
dad, did a whole genealogy of,like the book, going back to
(06:16):
Scotland and came up with theclans that were associated with,
and so part of my interest waskind of seeing the area, but we
ended up not going to the area.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
There's just so much to cover.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Yeah, which I think some of that was because
originally we were planning ondriving around the country.
Yeah, and this time weacknowledged we were both scared
to drive.
Correct, you're older and wiser.
Yes, so we took a train.
Do you want to share ouritinerary?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Well, we came to Edinburgh and climbed up a
mountain.
It felt like I don't know.
If you want to talk about thatnow.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Well, it was.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I mean, it was the fringe we didn't know.
Comedy festival going on androyal mile was clogged, yeah,
with comedians and actors, andwe were pulling bags and had
backpacks and I had a little bagon my suitcase that kept
flopping over, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And it wasn't supposed to be as far, but the
map kept saying it was the sameamount of time, even after we'd
been going for a while, becausewe were going so slow.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I was going slow.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
So we thought it was like a 15-minute walk from the
tram, I think it ended up beingabout 25, 30 minutes.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I think it was 45.
Was it 45?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
You blocked it out.
I think it ended up being about25, 30 minutes.
I think it was 45.
You blocked it out.
I think I did.
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Which I think you know in retrospect maybe it's
just me getting back at you forthe death marches that used to
take us on.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yeah, that could be.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Yeah, you'd surprise us with how far.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, just a little bit further around the next
corner.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
There was one time we went on a long hike with the
dogs and Clifford, the big blackdog, refused to go back to that
trail in the future Because hedidn't want to walk again.
But yeah, so we started off alittle rough but we made it.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Yes, so then we were in Edinburgh for four days.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Four days and we stayed at the University of
Edinburgh student housing.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Yeah, summer stay, it was a dorm room.
Yeah, it was a dorm room, hardbeds.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yes, twin beds, little beds which I haven't
slept in in.
And there was another spot.
I slept in a twin bed and Ikept almost falling out.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
yeah, because I have a king bed yeah, so I stayed in
edinburgh for four days and thenwe took the train to fort
william and had a really niceAirbnb.
Yeah.
But, I didn't count how manysteps we had to go up or a hill.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
There's actually steps to get not just at the
Airbnb, but Fort Willem is veryhilly.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Yes, so we had to go up a ton of steps and then we
got to the house, had to go downsome steps to get to the door.
I'm like hallelujah, we're here.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And then we open the door and it's like 15 steps up,
but once we got up there it wasgreat it was very nice, a
beautiful, beautiful view outthe kitchen window and your
bedroom window.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, it was really nice.
Yeah, that was good.
So we were there three nightsand then to Inverness.
Then, while we were there, wefigured out oh, the train
doesn't go to Inverness.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
We have to take a bus .
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Which I think I actually knew that I just think
my brain works in mysteriousways now.
And I think I actually knewthat.
I just think my brain works inmysterious ways now, and I think
I blocked it out until werealized we had to take the bus.
The bus.
I got really sick on the bus.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yes, you did.
That is one where my braininjury still kicks in Plus we
think the bus driver left latebecause he was gabbing with
another person and he drove likea crazy person.
Yes, Fast furious around.
Corners braked fast.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Tailgated.
Yes, cars were moving out ofhis way.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Yes, that was terrible, nicole's like oh, oh
my head I almost started cryingand the last part is just
weaving back and forth like along loch ness.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, yeah, that was interesting.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, but we made it to inverness and the walk to
that place wasn't bad at all.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
No, that was fine, but then there were stairs
inside.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Oh my gosh, to go up to our bedroom.
So we had no choice.
It was steeper than climbingBen Nevis, nevis, nevis.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
I told you I wasn't going to get that right.
Yes, nevis.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I've been ignoring it the whole time.
But then after we were thereThree nights and then we came
back to Edinburgh Because we flyout and we needed A break a
little bit.
Before so we fly out tomorrowand here we are and we're
staying in leith, which I reallylike.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Oh, it's a cute place much quieter there's a lot of
restaurants and walking on thewater and that the airbnb we're
in now is like luxurious.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
It's very nice yeah, on the third floor more stuff.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Steps I counted the steps, it's 32.
At least there's small steps,yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
No, it's fine.
And then?
We went for a walk along thewater and there's more steps,
it's a lot of steps, which Imean we knew it was silly, but
maybe yeah I'm just not used tothat.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
No, no, so it seems really flat now after.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Yeah and so does nashville, which, for our
audience who don't know you,which a lot of them do um you
live in minnesota.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yes, near Princeton, between Princeton and Cambridge
yes, so we met in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah, which it worked out it did, but I was a little
nervous.
For some reason your flightwould get delayed and then I
would have left without you.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Would you have?
Yes, I would have.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I think I had like 45 minutes, it was close and even
going back now, I think I haveabout an hour.
And we have to get our luggagego through customs and board.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
I'm trying not to think about that.
I have two and a half hours.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Sorry.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
How experienced would you say you are traveling?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I've never done anything like this before,
although let's see, earlier thisyear I went on a mission trip
to mexico and that was a longtime, yeah, in a van driving,
but, um, I don't think I've everdone from place to place place,
other than when your dad and Idid a mission trip to israel
(13:53):
like 25 years ago which I can'tbelieve.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
That was 25 years yeah yeah, but you'd never been
to europe never, so it's new.
I mean, I went to Istanbul andI've been to France, montpellier
, france but that was with one,was a mission trip and then one
was with school.
So this is a little differentplanning it out, figuring out
(14:17):
where we're going.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
It took a lot of planning.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
I'd say yeah it did, and I think it would have been
nice to have one more week.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Yes, because we would have liked to have seen the
Isle of Skye and gone to whereyour dad's relatives were from
Silverbite, glencoe.
Yep, and then maybe stay anextra day in Fort William.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Take a couple more naps.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah yeah, we could have couple more naps.
Yeah, yeah, we could have useda little rest.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, what were you nervous about for?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
the trip that you'd get sick.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
That I would get sick .
Yeah, yeah, there were closeencounters of the COVID kind
before leading up, but I wasfine was fine, thankfully.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
I just figured I'd maybe you, if you got sick, you
know what do you do yeah, I wasdefinitely nervous about that
too.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I was nervous that I would get tired too easily with
my head, um, but I don't thinkthat.
I think the only times Istruggled there were a couple
times in edinburgh castle,because it just was too small
space so I just exited a lot ofpeople yeah a lot of people, a
lot of small space.
And then I think, well,obviously, obviously, the bus
(15:40):
was an issue yes um, I thinkthere was one more time, but it
wasn't overly bad, just recoverytime.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
The other thing I worried about is, you know, my
knees are not the best.
I had cortisone shots about twoweeks ago and I didn't want to
slow you down, yeah, but wecovered a lot of ground.
We did, it took a few stops forme to stretch, but we made it.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
And how many miles do you think we've gone?
We're close to 100.
I think we could title our tripTraveling in Scotland with
Chronic Injuries.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
If we can do it, anybody can do it.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
What do you wish you'd known before the trip?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Oh goodness, I didn't think that one through.
I think I wish I had known howmuch walking to do.
I would have bought that kneebrace earlier and I didn't do
that and I would have probablytried to get in better walking
(16:50):
condition.
So, I didn't realize how muchground we would cover.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Yeah, I think that I would have liked to build in a
rest day, right in the middle.
Yes, I wish I had known howbusy we would be, but it turned
out fine.
But we didn't want to miss outon everything, right.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
And I would say that the busiest days were in the
beginning, and then we've kindof been tapering, so that's nice
.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Maybe are you glad you didn't know something.
Uh, I'm glad I didn't know howmany hills and steps it was
going to do.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
I'm glad you didn't know that the last airbnb also
had steps.
Yes, I think this was a part ofwas.
Different, though, is there'sso many older buildings here,
whereas back in the us we havemore elevators and yes you're
just not.
It's just not the same correct.
But you know we've gotten shape.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It's been definitely yeah, packing okay, I brought
too many jackets.
One too many jackets.
I brought too many pairs ofpants, at least one pair, I
wouldn't yeah too many of otherthings unmentionables and
(18:17):
everything adds weight andvolume and when you've got a
backpack on your back and you'repulling, it gets to be a lot so
.
I would have streamlined andbeen ready to just wash clothes.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Yeah, I think I could have gone without my tennis
shoes.
Just wearing my hiking boots isbasically what I did every day
except one.
So, yeah, yeah, because thatreally takes up space.
Um, I I don't think there'sanything I wish I had brought,
that I didn't, no.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I don't think so either because we did.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I think we did pack pretty lightly.
I would have.
I would like to try to get itall in a carry-on next time and
I could see that possibility.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I mean, I had to think of a few things just
because my type 1 diabetes yeahbring.
I had always had to have plentyof food with me, plenty of
snacks.
I have a continuous glucosemonitor, so I had to have I of
food with me, plenty of snacks.
I have a continuous glucosemonitor, so I brought an.
X1 in case the one I had tochange to didn't work, and so
(19:32):
those things take up room.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Yeah, and there was only one time where you had an
issue, though, in Inverness,when you just plummeted.
Your number just dropped, yeahum, was that after the pancakes?
No, that wasn't.
Even after the pancakes shot itway sky high we had pancakes at
wild pancakes, in inverness,while we pan, while we pancakes,
(19:58):
and they were like eating acake for breakfast.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Oh yes.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Fabulous.
Thankfully it was the last dayand we just could be knocked out
on the train.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah, I mean white chocolate chips and the whipped
cream.
The whipped cream was good, wowyeah.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yes, yeah.
What did you find mostchallenging, uh?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
the steps, the steps.
Yes, yeah, going up and almostlike going down is the worst
yeah, and I mean we.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
I think one thing I found pretty challenging was ben
Nevis, but it was worth it andthat was one of the most
memorable things to me.
So we went up to the halfwaylock and it was beautiful and
hot and we climbed all morningand we had like some of the best
(20:57):
weather they said I was hot.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Yes they said I was hot, yeah, yes, and um, um, even
though my knees have given meproblems.
It was like praise the lord, Igot up and down and it wasn't
that bad and it it was achallenge.
We were out of breath,especially me and people kept
passing, passing, but it was soworth it and I just felt like we
(21:27):
had really accomplishedsomething and at the top it was
just this gorgeous.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I don't even know what you I mean there was a lock
, but then it felt like a meadowor right something, um, and
then we came back down.
I think a weird thing that waschallenging is knowing what side
to walk on, because, like we'reused to walk, you go on the
right, but a lot of people werewalking on the left and you
(21:54):
didn't know, because there's somany tourists, you don't know
like what side they're goingyeah, I feel like there was a
lot of playing chicken trying tofigure it out.
We even said we're gonna agreeto walk on the left, but then I
think we'd run into otheramericans.
Yeah, didn't know where to go,yeah, so that was like a weird I
don't know that was a weirdright but it worked out what was
(22:16):
your favorite day?
Speaker 2 (22:19):
my favorite day.
Well, I loved going up Ben.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Nevis.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
But I liked going to.
We took the train.
What was the train?
Yeah, we took the train downand back to Dunbar and that was
just a quaint little village.
There weren't very manytourists there.
We got fresh seafood for dinner.
We sat out in the rain and ateand in fact we first met up with
(22:54):
a fisherman who said I askedhim what he was fishing for and
he said prawnss.
And he said if you go over tothat restaurant you'll get what
I caught last night.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
And there we were it was delicious yeah, I mean in
minnesota you cannot get freshno, it surprised me how much
seafood we ate here.
Oh, it was a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
I don't like seafood, but I liked it a lot so I think
I don't like bad seafood andI'm not a big fish fan and the
salmon and trout here, that bothwere smoked.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
It was fabulous yeah yeah, so I think dunbar was one
of my favorite days because thetide was out along the coast and
so I went.
You stayed up and I went downand walked all over.
And it was just very differentthan anything back home and very
peaceful.
Anything where we were innature outside of the main city
(23:54):
was kind of my favorite thingRight yeah, and I really liked
the Loch Ness Cruise.
That was very pretty the LochNess cruise.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
That was very pretty.
I saw Nessie Took some photos.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
We'll post it.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
It did make me want to look more into Nessie now,
because they said only recentlythere was a sighting.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
It just reminds me of bigfoot back home yes, well
it's.
Maybe I haven't overly, overlyinterested in bigfoot.
Maybe maybe we'll add nessie tothat.
Um, but yeah, that wassurprising, because I don't
normally like touristy.
I I don't, I don't like beingwith a lot of people where
(24:42):
you're just like stuck there andsomeone's just talking at you
and you have to pretend to beinterested.
You're just trapped yeah, but itturned out good because we did
the cruise, went to um urquhartcastle and then the bus ride
back was actually really great,like she took us up a different
way and so we got to see thingswe wouldn't have otherwise.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Right, and she was giving good background
information on the history anddifferent sites that we passed.
That was really good.
Well, I was going to say,speaking of cruises, that cruise
we had in Fort William wasreally good.
Yes, on Loch Linney.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Yeah, that one was great, cause we saw like seals
and it was just nice.
It was very nice.
And those the two women whowere the captains.
Yeah, the captains, they werereally good, they were very good
yeah.
And I think with because we diddo the trains, we couldn't go
off into other areas.
(25:42):
So, like the tours were helpfulto the extent we did them
because we were able to seeother things, right and I guess.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Uh, I felt like, despite not being able to drive
to other locations, we did somuch.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Yeah and I wouldn't.
I still wouldn't want to trydriving.
No, it's just it took so longto remember to look to the right
first for cars that I just Idon't know, I don't know how you
start, just drive in that yeahbecause it's just such a natural
, ingrained thing.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Well, it's not only do they drive on the left, but
the driver is on the right sideof the vehicle yeah, and then
it's the streets are muchnarrower than we're used to.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Yes, um, so it's just , I don't know, it's just
different.
And also like the street signs,like I thought one meant they
were coming this way, but thenall the cars were coming from
the other side, so I don't knowwhat that means still, but oh
well, we'll see.
Okay, if you came back toScotland, what would you do?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
I would like to see the Isle of Skye and we didn't
get to see the castle up in FortWilliam, which we found out
later was closed anyway, butthere's other islands.
I think that would be fun tosee, and then also to see the
area where your dad's relativescame from Another day in Fort
(27:16):
William, I think would be good.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah, I feel like I could skip Inverness.
I'm glad we went there thistime because loch ness is there
and I liked it, but I feel likewe saw everything pretty quickly
yeah but there was one thing wedid in inverness that was a
little different.
We got a recommendation from alocal and what was it called?
(27:40):
murk, murk and that it was anature reserve, yeah, and we
like walked through randomneighborhoods and then we went
into the woods and came out andit was the um is the bay looking
out on the black isle, and thatwas very beautiful, that was
very nice not at all what I wasexpecting no, because we were
(28:03):
walking through trees and all ofa sudden there was a hill,
maybe 10 feet high, and youcouldn't see what was on the
other side when we got to thetop of the hill.
It was like wow, yeah, it'sbeautiful what else about our
trip, like as in, like what wedid.
I have other other questions,but what do you think Anything
else you want to share aboutexperiences, things you enjoyed,
(28:25):
things you do differently?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Well, one thing is I don't think I'd want to stay at
the university again.
But, I do have to say thelocation was good because right
behind it was Arthur's seat.
Yes, and we haven't talkedabout that yet.
Yeah, but we hiked that andthat was that was beautiful it
was.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
And again, there's something the landscape is just
very different.
It is it's and I actuallyenjoyed the weather.
I was nervous that we wouldhave bad weather but because I
tend to get cold easily, but Iwas fine, I think, the entire
time.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
I was good yeah, I was expecting a lot more rain.
I brought rainproof pants whichmaybe on another week would
have come in quite handy so I'mglad I brought them.
I would bring them again, yeah,but we or I and you too, I
(29:24):
think wore my rain jacket a lot,just as a jacket, and so we
were always ready for anydrizzle that came along and we
didn't bother with an umbrellabecause we had heard it was
super windy and we didn't needone.
No, and it was very windy insome spots inverness was really
windy.
Yes, and then when you'reamongst all the crowds, to try
(29:45):
to handle an umbrella.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, the crowds are.
That was my least favoritething.
Yeah, and everyone just likestops.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
They do and you're like why are you stopping?
They do At least like move offto the side.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Yeah, that's odd, at least like move off to the side
but I think, I mean, I think Iavoid Broadway in Nashville and
I think I would experience thatif I went back.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
You know, you just get that in the tourist places
it was nice to go up and downRoyal Mile just to say you did
it and and to see what's there.
Yeah, but once is enough.
Once is enough.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
I liked Greyfriar Cemetery.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Yeah, that was great.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
One thing I actually really liked Was looking for the
different closes.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Like the alleys.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
I had a list I was looking for and it was just kind
of pretty architecture.
So that's the only reason Iwould go back to the Royal Mile.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Victoria Street, was it?
Yeah, that was cute.
Yeah, that was really cute.
Yes, very colorful.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Very colorful.
That goes into.
One of our tips we wanted togive Was to go early yes early
to victoria street and royalmile, and then you can just like
see it and leave right, you canwalk yeah and really enjoy the
sights without having to see allthe people too.
(31:18):
Yeah, okay, mom.
How did the culture differ thanyou expected?
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Okay.
So we saw dogs everywhere andmost of them were not on leashes
and they were very well behaved.
That is not what we experienceat home.
People have to have their dogson leashes.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
Their dogs are out of control Out of control.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I was totally impressed with the dogs around
here and they were so sweet.
When you could pet them, theywere in restaurants and trains
and buses.
Yeah, not a problem.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
I don't know how that I don't know.
I'm amazed, I'm kind of curiousto our background producer here
Is that like a thing?
Speaker 3 (32:05):
The dogs.
I never noticed that.
You never noticed.
I never noticed.
If you came to the US, you'dnotice the difference.
You would notice the difference.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Yes, they're so well-behaved here, yeah, I mean
like at the restaurant we wereat this morning the waitress
brought a bowl of water over tothe dog yeah, they get served
yeah, whereas in the unitedstates you can't have a dog in
the restaurant unless it's aservice dog and you can have
(32:34):
them outside at a table.
That's about the extent of it.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, yeah, and I mean, they're just like in parks
, off leash, yeah I mean thefirst one I saw.
I was like, oh no, and then itwas totally fine yeah so I would
like to know how to train a doglike that so it's amazing.
I would say cheers to the scotsfor the well-behaved dogs yes,
(33:01):
and it was fun to be able to petall of them.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
It was so yeah what else do you got um, let's see
culture.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
There was something else I can't remember so I'm
gluten free, oh yes, andeverywhere we went they knew
they would ask is it celiacs orgluten intolerance?
And they were veryknowledgeable and like there are
, of course there's places inthe us, but not that
consistently and depends on thecity too.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
They they seem to know what they're talking about
and they were very responsiveand it was very.
It made it easier for you,didn't?
Yes?
Speaker 1 (33:41):
it did, because I I wondered how that would go.
I looked it up a little inEdinburgh, but not anywhere else
, and I didn't have any issues.
Fort William was great,inverness was great, yes, so I
mean the bread at EdinburghLarder is so good Gluten-free
bread.
Gluten-free bread.
(34:01):
Never had as good a bread.
It was delicious.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
So good yes.
It had lots of nuts and it wasmoist and tasty.
It was really good.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Yeah, and then tipping that yes.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
That's amazing.
So back in the States, as weall know, 15% is low.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
I'm tipping probably.
Well, I don't know if I want tosay how much I'm tipping.
However, the range is more like20% and I've seen up to 40%
when they flip those things andtheir selections are like 20, 25
, 30.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
They get so high up there and it's expected and it's
super rude if you don't tiphere, here they're like oh,
there's a service charge, butdon't worry about it, you don't
have to pay it if you don't wantto.
Yeah, almost like they'reembarrassed embarrassed that
it's there and it's 10 percentyeah, it's not anything.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
And then we tried to tip a couple of times when it
was bar service and theyliterally told us not to do it,
which is amazing so it's verypleasant, whereas in the US I
have been asked by a robot totip.
So I don't know why.
Or like you go up and you youdon't really do any, like the
(35:26):
server's not doing anything atall and you're getting your own
food and drink, but like it'sstill there and you're expected
to tip.
Yeah, I don't get that, so maybepeople need to be paying our
folks more.
So that was surprising.
Yeah, yeah, it was kind ofrefreshing.
(35:46):
Yeah, it was um the one.
I've definitely seen a lot moresmokers here.
Yes, that surprised me rightthere on the street.
Yeah, but I don't know becauseI think it's more.
I think it's more, I thinkthere's more shaming in the US,
like they're trying to do thatmore.
Any other cultural things nothat's it.
(36:10):
Did you learn anything aboutScotland while here that you
didn't know?
Speaker 2 (36:14):
History, because one place we went to was the
Culloden, culloden, cullodenBattlefield Right.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
And.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
I mean there's such long history here compared to
the United States, which is 300,400 years, because that battle
was 1740 something.
Right, right before theRevolutionary War.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
I thought that was really interesting.
We found McLean, the what werethose stones called?
Uh?
Gravestones, yeah, like thegrave memorial and then mcdonald
, which are a couple of theclans that my dad is associated
with.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
So right, and it's just so sad.
So, many people killed.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Yeah, it was very weirdly peaceful though.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
The place itself yes.
At one spot it said somethingabout stay kind of quiet.
Because, this is, you know, thegravestones.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
I think it was as we walked, because they're actually
graves Right, which I didn'trealize.
Yeah, it was very, which Ididn't realize.
So, yeah, it was very, I don'tknow, that was pretty.
That was also sad.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
It was.
It was kind of impactful whenyou think of what people have
sacrificed to have what's heretoday.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Yeah, yeah, I think that we definitely learned a lot
of Scottish history.
Yes, for sure, we have sometips for our audience, because
obviously everyone should comeand tour here, enjoy Scotland
have a holiday you had the firstone about the email.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Right and I was going to bring it in, but I forgot.
I had a charger for phones,just a little black box with
some wires.
You can.
Nicole was able to plug in heriphone, I could plug in my
android and then would charge itup every once in a while, but
it was really nice to have along, especially since I have a
(38:22):
continuous glucose monitor.
I always have to have my phonecharged and working.
So for me it gave me a sense ofcomfort knowing that if we were
out and about and my phone wasabout to die, I could charge it
again.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, that was really helpful.
I hadn't even thought, neveroccurred to me.
Yeah, so we use the buses a lotin edinburgh, everywhere.
Actually, inverness and fortwilliam like how we got to ben
nevis was using a bus, otherwisewe would have had to walk.
It was 38 minutes and as we goton the bus and passed all those
(39:00):
people walking back into townafter climbing, I felt very
great.
It felt so good.
I was like you silly people,but yeah, they were super easy
and using the apps was easy.
Oh, very easy, you could do daypass or whatever, so I
definitely look at that.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
The bus service here and then the tram we rode from
the airport was very nice too.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Yeah, that was easy Trains were easy, trains were
good.
Yeah, we did the Spirit ofScotland pass, and so we just
show them our pass and we justoff we go.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
And it worked for the bus in Fort William too.
Yes, so we didn't have to payanything additional for that.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
Thank God, yeah, dreaded bus.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
So that Spirit of Scotland pass is for what?
15 days, 14 days or somethinglike that?
Speaker 1 (39:57):
I think we did 15 days, 8 days actually Of travel.
Yeah, 8 days of travel over thecourse of 15 days.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
And I think we maybe only did 5 days of travel, but
it was well worth it.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
Yes, yeah.
A couple other things we hadwere sit on the left side of the
train when you're going fromGlasgow to Fort William, because
it's gorgeous.
It is there to fort williambecause it's gorgeous.
It is there.
We wanted to go all the way tomalay, which is where then you
take the ferry to sky, but wejust didn't have time, out of
time, yeah, um, and then Ialready shared like go early to
(40:33):
everything yes, so, and we'd goto bed early.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
We went to bed at like 8 and 8 30 and I thought of
another tip too, that I hadNetflix.
So in the evening when wewanted to just veg out, we were
able to pull up Netflix.
So that was kind of nice.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yeah, we were watching Leanne.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Yeah, it was good.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
Alright, so we have some awards to give out.
Yes, did you have your.
You had wanted to have them onyour phone too, so you could
read them.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Yeah, I forgot.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Okay, well, I will give out the awards then.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
All right, most unique, valuable travel
accessory, oh my charger.
Phone charger Most practical,valuable travel accessory Hiking
boots.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
Yes, best city.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Fort William and then Dun bar.
Best accommodations where weare now in leith um least
favorite accommodations the dormroom.
The dorm room Well, let'sexpand a little.
It was smaller than my dormroom that I had at the
University of Minnesota and itwas two small twin beds.
(41:56):
I think the mattress might havebeen this thick and the pillow
was this thick.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
Luckily we had two of them this thick.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Yes, and there was no space to put anything.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
No drawers to speak of.
No, so it was a mess, but wedid get a breakfast with that,
yes, which was cafeteria styleand not bad.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
No, and then one of the doors squeaked so bad, but
yeah, it's not that we wouldn't,it just wasn't the best.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
Right, and they did have washer and dryer service,
which you had to download an appand put money on it.
So frustrating.
It took about five minutes tofigure that out.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Yeah, I think it could be good for more of like
solo traveler.
Maybe, yeah, think it could begood for more of like solo
traveler.
Maybe yeah, um, but I thereason we ended up doing it is
because of the fringe festival.
Everything was really expensiveon the front end and that was
the most affordable right, um,so, anyway, anything else
horrible about walking to it?
Speaker 2 (43:02):
walking to it and the mold in the shower yes, there
was that, yeah okay, bestrestaurant uh, in fort william,
the geographer it was amazing ohthe hamburgers were yes so good
we had a hamburger and thenchicken strips and we split them
(43:24):
.
Yes, and they were yummy.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
They were both really good, but I didn't like the
Kranich in there as much, sowe've been trying Kranich in
because we had it early on,really liked it, but there it
was just really, really whiskeyflavored.
Yeah, and it was mostly cream,Whereas Kranich in is supposed
to have the cream some whiskeyand raspberriesberries and oats,
(43:49):
and it hardly had any oats init Right, and then we had it the
next night, yeah.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
And that one had ice cream with it, so that was good.
That was almost like a sundae.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Yeah, that was good, best Scottish food we tried.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
Well, you ordered.
What is it called?
Colin skink it was soundedgross to me, so I didn't want to
do it and it was delicious Itook a taste of it.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
I would get that some sort of fish broth with
potatoes yeah, it was reallygood it was delicious, which I
don't know.
It sounded like something likeskunk, and then I don't normally
like um fishy fish and I don'tnormally like soup and that was
basically.
But best tourist trap uh, theEdinburgh castle.
(44:40):
Yes, that was well worth it andI on that one we ended up.
We went on the west side.
There's a part that hardlyanyone was going to, where you
go down some stairs and it sayslike it's a one way and you walk
around and there was hardlyanybody there.
I would highly recommend.
Speaker 2 (45:01):
And we made reservations ahead of time.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
And the kind of reservation we got was the
flexible kind, so you could goat any time of the day, and that
worked out really well for us.
They were turning back peoplewho had bought for a specific
time and the people were tryingto slip in earlier, I guess.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Yeah, they said only 10 minutes ahead of time, and I
don't like being stuck to aschedule that closely.
I like to have a general ideaof what we're doing, but you
just don't know how longsomething is taking, so I wanted
the flexible right, it wasn'tthat much more.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
No, it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
It was worth it yeah, um hidden gem I can't remember
what we said.
Dunbar.
Speaker 2 (45:46):
Oh, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
Which we found Dunbar because of watching Escape to
the Country.
Yes, and someone was looking inthe Lothian area and it ended
up being a really relaxing day.
I liked it.
It was.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
And it's not the kind of place you would maybe move
to.
But I would.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
Retire there yeah.
Yeah too, but I would retirethere, yeah, yeah, we went to a
coffee shop and the littleladies in there were just
talking about being friends, yes, and they were waving at
everyone and then they weresaying, oh, it's been so hot,
and I was like hot yeah, fromnashville so you don't know what
hot is?
Yeah, and then our runner upwas dean village.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Yeah, that was so great.
There's no shops there, butit's just so beautiful.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
It's the water of leith, and then there's areas to
walk and we were actually ableto go down to the water and I
just waited in, and so it'srelaxing.
Um, is there a story you thinkyou'll be telling for a while?
Speaker 2 (46:46):
yes, so on our hike up and down, ben, nevis nevis
nevis so on our way up, actuallywe met a man who was blind and
he was climbing the mountainwith the assistance of a guide
(47:09):
and the guide would tap in frontof him so he could hear what
was in front and know whichdirection, and then the guide
also would tell him where tostep.
Can you imagine telling someonefor that distance?
(47:29):
telling someone for thatdistance and then we saw him at
our, at the midpoint where westopped, and we had gone down to
that block, yeah, where youwaited again in there, yes, and
the blind man came down.
We were.
We spoke to his friend who saidthat the man hadn't always been
blind.
At one time he wasn't aprofessional dancer.
Speaker 1 (47:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:48):
And karate, I think, like national awards.
And then one day he woke up andhe was blind.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
Which is terrifying to think about.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
And then he's climbing a mountain.
Speaker 1 (48:03):
And his friend made the point.
He can't even see it.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
Right, he could barely see shadows, shadowy
things, light and dark mountain,and his friend was made the
point he's like he can't evensee.
It right, it's he couldn't yeah, he could barely see shadows,
shadowy things, light and dark.
The other thing is we, on ourway down, we were passed by four
men carrying a young boy onlike a platform with a chair and
the boy was disabled and thesemen were carrying him down and
(48:27):
I'm assuming they carried himall the way to the top they had
to do it right, unless theyswitched off with somebody.
Speaker 1 (48:33):
But it didn't look like they had that big of a
group and they were movingfaster than me yes, they were
yeah, and then finally, peoplewere running up and down they
were running up the person whothey something like the fastest
person to do it had run up anddown in like an hour and 20
minutes right which is crazy.
(48:54):
Okay, so we started at 9 45, yes, and we did stop for a bit at
the top and we had to takebreaks, but we got back at like
2 45 I think yes, so yes, sofive hours.
Yes, I'm not doing the math, soI'm assuming that's correct.
Yes, yeah, that's a yeah, anhour and 20 minutes now.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
So that's what I'll be telling people yeah.
Because I just found all thosepeople who I just mentioned very
inspirational, very encouragingfor anyone who thinks, oh, I
can't do that yeah it wasunbelievable I think for me it's
really like how relaxed I felt,in a way I hadn't in a long
(49:40):
time because I
Speaker 1 (49:41):
feel like it's always so busy now but being in like
dunbar and walking along theocean.
Busy now, but being in likedunbar and walking along the
ocean without a time frame, likewe didn't have to rush, and I
really liked seeing that bridgeto nowhere.
It's over the stream when thetide's out and then when it
comes up we couldn't stay, butwhen it comes up it is just like
surrounded by water um and thenI think fort william waking up
(50:05):
in the morning and just sittingand seeing out onto the lake.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
It was just very beautiful and remember the day
before we left or the morning weleft, there was a rainbow.
Yeah, it was beautiful.
Speaker 1 (50:19):
It's just I think Scotland is.
I mean, I knew from picturesand stuff that it was beautiful,
but I just think it'scompletely like you can't
describe it.
The highlands of are justgorgeous, which I wish I were
better with cold weather, but ityeah, I liked it and all the
(50:40):
people were really nice, like alot of people stopped and talked
to us, so I liked that a lot.
Getting to hear their storieswas fun.
Yes, the accent in theHighlands was much stronger than
I expected.
Speaker 2 (50:53):
It was.
Speaker 1 (50:55):
It was.
We have background laughter.
One thing I heard I had to keepsaying to you was listen to
them.
They're saying use, plural use.
Yeah, I never heard that beforeyeah, use kind of like y'all in
southern united states right,but yeah, it took you a moment
(51:16):
to hear yes, I did and I amproud to say I understood people
better I translated, you didvery true maybe it's because I'm
used to translating southernersnow, but all right, mom, what
have you been obsessing overlately?
Speaker 2 (51:35):
okay, I love the beverage bubbler yeah, you do.
Speaker 3 (51:40):
Is that a lately thing or forever?
Speaker 2 (51:42):
well, maybe about two years or three.
So, and wild cherry is myfavorite, and you know I love
ice and I love me, my crushedice.
Speaker 1 (51:54):
She just crunches and crunches, and crunches on it.
Speaker 2 (51:58):
So I can't wait to get back home for that.
Yeah, my crushed ice with abubbler.
And I have to say I don thinkthe scotts appreciate ice as
much as I do I'm not sure anyonedoes ice and they fill it up
halfway and it's like bring onthe ice.
You know, yeah, I love I justlove ice.
Speaker 1 (52:20):
I didn't notice that because I don't like ice in my
drinks, but now that you saythat there was significantly
less right than we normally have, I don't like how it melts and
waters, everything down, I likethat yeah I'm obsessed yeah, you
are, it's the most annoyingsound maybe that explains why,
(52:45):
when I was in a meeting at workcrunching on ice, were you in a
work meeting?
Oh, my gosh Did they saysomething.
Speaker 3 (52:56):
No, but they kind of looked at me Like how old are
you?
Speaker 1 (53:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (53:02):
Like, hey, I'm going to retire soon, I can crunch on
ice as much as I want Funny Oldlady thing.
Speaker 1 (53:13):
You just don't care anymore, that's about it.
Yeah, I should have thought Idon't know what I've been
obsessing.
I was so obsessed with planningthis trip, maybe we could say I
was obsessed with itineraryevery day and making sure we
navigated you did great.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
Like I told you, it was nice.
Usually I'm the one who has tofigure out all the logistics and
it was nice to sit back, thankyou nicole, you're welcome.
Speaker 1 (53:42):
I was like, all right , let's go now, yes, and then
I'd write down what we actuallydid, yes, so I could compare how
it went.
Do you have a recommendationfor our audience today?
Speaker 2 (53:55):
Yes, I like the app FitOn Mm-hmm.
It has so many differentexercise routines you can do,
from yoga to back to hit.
I really like it.
And then for about $30 a year,you can get the deluxe version
(54:20):
and you can put it on your TVand exercise at home with it.
But it's on my phone, so duringour trip I did one yoga routine
.
So I would recommend that appFit On F-I-T-O-N.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
And that's the one that you and dad do every day,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (54:40):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (54:42):
So I would recommend the Thursday Murder Club movie.
That was something we watchedand you had read the book.
I really liked the ThursdayMurder Club movie.
That was something we watchedand you had read the book.
Yes, I really liked the movie.
I would probably read the booknow.
Speaker 2 (54:52):
It was good yeah.
Speaker 1 (54:55):
Well, mom, what are you looking forward to this week
?
Speaker 2 (54:58):
My bed.
Yeah, my husband Seeing thegrandkids.
Speaker 1 (55:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (55:06):
And ice, ice um seeing the grandkids.
Speaker 1 (55:09):
yeah and ice, ice.
I am looking forward to my bed.
I'm also looking forward to thefact that we get back friday
night and then we could justlike sleep for the weekend,
because we did not want to.
I well, you work.
How do you work these days, mom?
Speaker 2 (55:29):
I work remotely whenever you want, whenever I
want about 12 hours a week andthen I go ride my horse.
Yeah, and life is easy.
Speaker 1 (55:40):
She is a retired lawyer.
Look how happy she is.
Yay.
But yeah, I didn't want to gostraight back to work, so yeah,
there is a difference there,yeah you have time to clean the
clothes, all the things.
Speaker 2 (55:53):
Um, mom, thank you for being here in edinburgh and
thank you, nicole, for you didmost of the planning.
I appreciate it yeah, I loveyou I love you too thank you,
thank you, yeah.
Speaker 1 (56:07):
When I asked you what you want to do, you said
whatever you want to do.
Speaker 2 (56:11):
And when people would ask me what I was looking
forward to the most, I saidbeing with you.
Speaker 1 (56:16):
Oh well, all right, I enjoyed being with you too.
Okay enough of thissentimentality here.
Well, thank you for being here.
Please subscribe to our YouTubeand wherever you listen to
podcasts, I'll see you from theUnited States next time the end.
(56:37):
Thanks for listening to mycrunchy Zen era.
Please subscribe and leave areview wherever you listen to
your podcasts.
This podcast is produced by me,nicole Swisher and my good
friends Summer Harkup and LizColter, editing is by Drew
Harrison Media and recording isdone by Lagos Creative in
Nashville, tennessee.
Thanks for hanging out.
(56:58):
We'll be back next week.
We'll be back next week.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.