| Got a booking for Shieldaig, from a lady on email, great, so I looked up auto route, saw a few, clicked on first line as it said highlands, got directions and off I went. It was, I think roughly, 110 miles, up Gairloch/Ullapool direction. Got passed half way on the map, and read this sign 'Shieldaig 15 miles'. Looked at the map, not what it says on here. But followed the signs anyway, and five miles on thought of having another look. Surprise!!! I noticed there was two Shieldaigs on the map. This is typical me, always jump in two feet first, instead of standing back and having a look, this explains why I always get into awkward situations, but that's me. If I did have a deeper look, I would have noticed on auto route, there were two in the Highlands. Used my initiative, which isn't much, and thought well since I know the phone number, I stopped at the restaurant and asked if this was the phone code. Good, because it was. I know, I could have phoned customer, but I don't like to bother customer unless necessary. So I was on the right path. I met the guy outside a hotel, and followed him up to this chalet, up a single track road. SPOOKY!!! Now, I remember the way back home from this house. Back to single track road, turn left, get back to Shieldaig and turn right. So after the show, he asked if I knew way back, and I replied the exact line I just typed. "No, just turn right, you get back to Loch Carron quicker". So I thought this was a short cut to Loch Carron. Got on single track road, turned right???????. Meanwhile?????'later on ?????? ¾ hour later???.., I saw this signing saying 'Welcome to Applecross', "Shortcut, Applecross, EH!!!!!!!! I give you shortcut", couldn't see any sign for Loch Carron, and whilst looking at the signs, one read 'Shieldaig, 25 miles', 25 miles, it was only 15 miles when I passed the Portree part at the start of journey. I had no choice but to carry on. Asked a guy coming out of local pub where loch Carron was and he pointed the way, but strangely advised it would be safer and quicker going the 25 miles way back. Don't ask me why, I saw a sign up the road which read, 'Loch Carron 18 miles'. "F***********F***********F**********"  Driving on this road, I mean, don't ask me where the hell I was, in fact, thought I flying for a while, because I was driving through clouds. Got to this corner, it was that sharp I had to reverse. At the end of the single track, and I reached the sign I read at the start 'Loch Carron 15 miles'. By the time I reached Loch Carron, I was nearly crying, that was an extra 25 18 = 43miles, hour and half extra on journey. So, me, texted this guy saying 'Please next time do not give directions, I somehow reached Applecross', he text back "What, you are joking" or those words to that effect. "I was going 2 go left then rite, u said if u turn rite its quicker, got a few white hairs" He replied
"I bet u did! U drove over a bloody mountain! I meant rite wen u got back 2 the junction at shieldaig. Sorry again! Thanks 4 an amazing show, u were absolutely fantastic! Cheers Scott" (Guilt trip here ) Now take a look at my first sentence, what did I say, well, this rests my case, when I state specifically that men don't listen to you, well?????. what does this tell u? But he was such a nice guy, I couldn't be annoyed, I sure I will look back and smile. Any females, women, whatever you want to be called, learn from this story? 1. Do not listen to men's directions, especially when you already have an idea 2. Even though it may be longer, it's better to be sure than sorry. Been told, the cloudy bit I drove on, the height is 1053 feet, just as well it was dark, I would have completely freaked out, as I am scared of heights. Ask my dogs, I have to crawl on stomach when near a munro edge to take photos. |