Day 1 (for some of us)

The New York contingent arrived in Edinburgh on time while the Chicago contingent made it in about 90 minutes later.  Once again, the Minneapolis and Seattle contingents were stuck in Paris in the morning, having missed the connection to Edinburgh.

However, Day One in Scotland, for those that actually arrived in Scotland, started with frustrations over luggage.

The luggage for one of the JFK Tourists (Bret) did not make it, even though Bret was at the airport for a full 6 hours before his flight and it was a direct flight tomEdinburgh with none of those pesky connecting flights.  Apparently, 6 hours is insufficient time to load a suitcase onto a plane for Delta.

While 5 out of 6 Tourists with their luggage for the New York Tourists by Delta is nothing to be proud of, it far exceeds the 0 out of 5 Tourists with their luggage achieved by AirFrance.  Allowances should be made, however, for Air France as at least in this instance there was a tight connection of less than 90 minutes to transfer luggage between terminals.

Upon arriving and realizing the only option for their luggage was completing an online form, the Tourists proceeded through customs and were met by the 2017 Scottish Tourists.  After quick introductions and some ultimately unsuccessful last minute efforts to get their luggage, the Tourists were whisked away from the airport in our quasi-home over the next 3 weeks, the Tourbus.

Welcomed aboard by the 2017 Scottish Tourists with beer and Whisky, the Tourists headed from the Edinburgh airport to the Glynhill Hotel in Glasgow and were treated to some views of the bucolic Scottish countryside on the way.

Once the Tourists checked in to their rooms at the hotel and quickly refreshed themselves, it was back on the bus for a ride to the Clydeside Distillery for lunch and a tour, but not before Tour Mascot Charlie Brown could indulge in a beer at the pub at the hotel.

At the Clydeside, the tourists were treated to a charcuterie board lunch and a tour of the Distillery which was started in 2017 on the site of the historic Glasgow Pump House.  Following lunch the Tourists received a guided tour of the facility and a Scotch tasting.

Upon returning to the hotel, the Tourists had an opportunity to refresh themselves and then attended an informal dinner hosted by the 2017 Scottish Tourists that included pizza, chicken satay, beef kebabs, Scotch pies and sandwiches.

Day One ended on a high note, however, as the Minneapolis Tourists arrived right around midnight with the luggage for the Chicago crew.

Now all we need it the arrival of the Seattle contingent and Bret’s luggage.  Fingers crossed that tomorrow we get them both.