It’s a Coach Tour

Well my eyes are being opened by British coach tour groups. I decided that since my trip was paid for, I’d come on this coach tour and just isolate really really well. Because I drove myself, am dining at my own table for one, and there are at least 3 other tour companies here from all over the UK, I have no idea who the people are from my group. And I won’t be finding out as I am not going on the coach excursion to Inverary. It’s only 10 of us on a full sized coach, which would probably be safe but I don’t care. There are several people here who don’t wear a mask in the hotel or are sloppy about it. Omicron, people, Omicron.

Oban is v pretty – am going to walk around here all day. My hotel room is tiny, which is fine; I knew that would be the case. But I also know almost half our group cancelled and neither the tour company nor the hotel took the opportunity to upgrade me to one of those now-empty but still paid-for rooms. I could have asked but it hadn’t occurred to me until I had unpacked everything and (a) my room is only one flight up and (b) has a great view, and who knows what I’d end up in instead.

One of my neighbours in Milton keeps going on about how awful British cuisine is, but up until now every meal I’ve had out here in Scotland has been delicious. Last night’s hotel dinner (smoked mackerel, then cod in a parsley sauce was quite good – uninspired, but good – I get the feeling the coach-tour clientele prefer the familiar for their meals).

But then came breakfast. Oh dear. There is a young family of tourists staying here (I’m assuming tourists from their accents) – I wanted so badly to tell them at breakfast that not all UK food is like this. The potato scones were like shoe leather and the Lorne sausage was like a rock. My knife literally (and I use the word ‘literally’ correctly here) – my knife literally couldn’t cut through either. The toast was fine and you really can’t screw up canned baked beans so I won’t starve. But I could almost hear my neighbour’s voice whispering, “See, I was right.”

I am almost certainly the youngest person here – clearly this is a holiday option for the elderly. A gentleman from Newcastle explained that what I’m seeing is more of a Corona-coach tour – fewer organized events, people distancing, a lot more alone time, etc.. So I really can’t tell if this something I would do again. Scout is the belle of the ball – everyone’s fave.

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