The idea for this trip began on our previous trip to France in 2003. On that trip we became friends with a family who invited us to come back and visit them in 2004 for the 60th Anniversary of D-Day on June 6th. No plans were made because at the time it was very unlikely that we would be back. However at Christmas 2003 my mother gave us a substancial amount of money as a gift. Right then and there I said to Terri that we should use it to visit our friends in France again. Terri agreed and our planning began.

We flew into London and spent three days there seeing St. Paul's Cathedral, the London Eye, the Cabinet War Rooms, the Globe Theatre and Buckingham Palace. Then we took the train down to Newhaven on the Sussex coast. We visited a Fire Station there and met some of our brother Firefighters. The next morning we took the ferry over to Dieppe and spent a day visiting the beach and looking through the local shops for needlework antiques.

From Dieppe we rented a car and drove to the Normandy coast. We met the Queen's Own Rifles Association who were on a trip of their own. We were all there to see the 60^th Anniversary of D-Day events. Terri and I were also there to visit our friends, the Hoffer family. We spent the weekend with them renewing our friendship and enjoying the celebrations.

We cut that section a little short so we could get the car back to Dieppe and ourselves across the channel and up to Leister in England. I found out on the Internet that England has a National Space Centre and it is in Leister. We witnessed the transit from there. The local astronomy club set up telescopes and they were very friendly toward us. We sat ing on a lecture in the Space Centre and had a quick look at the displays. Afterwards we took the train up to Glascow, Scotland.

For our Scottish portion of the trip we rented another car and drove up into the Highlands. For me, this was the best part of the trip. Partly because it was generally unplanned, we just went where we felt like going. That was very different from the "we've got to get there on time" schedule we had been following for the past week and a half.

The other reason it was so enjoyable was that Scotland is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. You drive along a winding mountain road up into the mists and then suddenly it clears and you are looking out onto a valley with a Loch and an old ruined castle somewhere beside it. I would go back anytime.

We made our way up the west coast to Eileen Donnan Castle, the home of the M^cCraes (Terri's clan). We stayed overnight in a bed and breakfast then visited the castle in the morning. Next we drove across the Highlands to Inverness. We had a little trouble when the transmission in the car gave out (Terri still thinks it was my fault). It took an overnight stay in Inverness to get the car replaced but then we turned south and made our way to Stirling Castle. From there were drove east to Edinborough, stayed overnight and visited the castle in the morning.

Our last night we spent at the Holiday Inn at Glascow Airport. The European Cup had just started so everyone was watching "football". The next day we flew home. It had been a good trip but very hectic in places.

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Here are the stories of other travelling I have done:

• England, France and Scotland
• Juno Beach Centre, France
• Voltigeurs du Quebec
• Paris, France
• The West Coast Trail