Day 41: Inverlauren - Taynuilt

We slept wonderfully in our little corner in the middle of the countryside, with no company other than some early-rising birds and, of course, the dreaded midges. In the morning the sky was grey like an English bulldog, so we weren't in a hurry. Breakfast, routine, and then to the car, heading for Inveraray.

As soon as we got going, still with sleep in our eyes (the humans, of course, I was already ready in case a second-round breakfast fell), we saw something that made us stop dead: some sheepdogs at work, handling a flock of sheep as if they were bumper cars at a fair, but without crashing. What coordination! At first, I was looking out the window, mesmerized... but then I couldn't resist: I barked. Of course I barked! How could I not? Sheep running! Dogs working! Ordered chaos! Daddy Edu looked at me with a "here we go again..." face while he went down to record a video. The sheep didn't flinch, the dogs ignored me with great professional dignity, and I barked a couple more times, just in case they forgot who was in charge of this camper. It was a great moment.

After an hour and a half of curves and sheep, we arrived at Inveraray Castle. We parked right in front (in theory it costs five pounds, but no one came to collect it). The castle looks like it came out of a prince movie with a wig: towers, pointed roofs, many windows... but no dogs. So, nothing, we only saw it from the outside. On top of that, it was raining. On top of that, it was very expensive. And on top of that, they wouldn't let me sniff a single battlement. However, there was a parade of old cars in front of the castle, all very shiny and smelling of old leather. I, who am only interested in the smell of steak, didn't care much, but Daddy Edu and Tito Joan took a look.

From there we walked to the town of Inveraray, which is a stone's throw away. The plan was fish & chips, but the only chippie in town didn't accept cards, and no one had bills (not even Tito Joan, who usually carries crumpled bills everywhere). So... back to the car.

Next stop: Kilchurn Castle. This castle is next to a beautiful lake, in ruins and with a very photogenic air. We parked, took a little walk to the ruins in the rain (for a change) and, when we returned, surprise! There was a mobile chippie in the parking lot. Burgers, chips and two happy humans getting less wet because they ate inside the camper. I also had dinner, of course, my dear dog food (you know... no comments).

After eating, just a couple of minutes more by car and we arrived at St. Conan's Kirk. This time only Tito Joan went in, because Daddy Edu already knew it and stayed with me. The church is like a mixture of Scottish castle and vampire movie set: dark stone, towers, stained glass, corridors that make you want to howl. Very atmospheric, they say.

We continued on our way to Oban, where we parked right next to McCaig's Tower, which is not a tower, but a Scottish coliseum without Romans inside. From the outside it already impresses, but inside there are gardens and tremendous views of the city and the sea. While Tito Joan and I were exploring the arches, a couple from India approached to talk to Daddy Edu. They were fascinated with our camper, because they have a Toyota Hilux with a rooftop tent, but they want a cell like ours. And they have a YouTube channel! So they recorded a complete "van tour", inside and out. Maybe we'll be on their channel soon: Chuly's International Fame incoming.

After saying goodbye to our new fans, we went to Lidl to do some shopping. Tito Joan took care of the good things (sweets), Daddy Edu of the green things (salads), and I watched everything from the window.

With the bags full and the stomach half empty, we went to look for a place to sleep. Half an hour later we found it: a clearing between forest and lake, in the middle of nature. Sounds idyllic, doesn't it? Well yes, except for the midges. While Daddy Edu was showering next to the camper, the bugs threw a party with snacks included. I quickly got inside, I already know them all.

Now we are well tucked in the camper. Outside you can only hear the murmur of the lake and some tricky mosquito bumping against the window. But inside there is peace, warmth and the occasional snoring paw.