@ken-hulme Your trip sounds incredible!  I'm especially happy you survived hurricane Ian! 

WHAT AN ODYSSEY!   Nearly perfect month in the UK  from the far south (Steyning on the coast of West Sussex) to Lincolnshire on the east coast.  Then up north beyond the northern tip of Scotland to the  Orkney islands, when humans first came to the UK tens of thousands of years ago.  Home to stone monuments, underground villages and religious centers as old or older than the pyramids and at least as impressive as Stonehenge.  From there driving diagonally Scotland to Oban on the west cost, down the The Great Glen (which includes Loch Ness).  Then diagonally the other way to Dunbar south of Edinburgh and on to the West March where my ancestors held sway around the towns of Coldstream, Kelso, Eyemouth and the stately homes/castles of Wedderburn, Duns, Marchemont and Hirsel (including the lands of the Blackadder branch of the family for you Rowan Atkinson fans).  After our Clan Gathering, we went south to Birmingham for a week or so before returning to the US.

I'm glad Ken is fine and am sorry for the many who have fared badly.  Thank you for posting here, @richard-streib ! 

Thank you so much, Richard, for passing along this word since we know he was right in the worst hit area.

I spoke with KenH this morning. He is fine. No power. No damage to his house. Some folks staying with him who did not fare so well.

Ken H, when you get a chance, please let us know how you are doing since hurricane Ian.  

Sounds like a fun time, Ken!  May God protect you and yours from the hurricane in the area.

Played some Border Ballads in The Scottish Borders, it's true -- Hugh the Graeme (mentions Clan Hume), Kinmont Willie, Tramps & Hawkers, Lammastide,  Lock the Door Lariston and more...   Spent four nights in Wedderburn Castle and used their kitchen to cook breakfast for the 20 or so clansmen and women staying there with us (the others had to do with whatever the could).

Now I'm hunkered down to endure the coming of hurricane Ian.

Welcome home, Ken! I'm sure you have stories to tell.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

That's a crazy adventure Ken. Hope you don't get hit too badly by the hurricane now.

Glad you are safely back Kenh.

Welcome home, weary traveller!  Glad to hear you're back in one piece, and that you (mostly) enjoyed your time there on The Islands.  Hope the hurricane skips your area.

@ken-hulme I'm glad to learn you have arrived home all in one piece!  Y'all batten down the hatches and stay safe!  

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...."  Almost everything went perfect -- flight over, visiting friends and family in Sussex and Lincolnshire, Orkney and the Scottish Borders. 

Our Clan chief, the 15the Earl Home passed away about 10 days before the Queen.  His son, Michael succeeded as 16th Earl, and Charles succeeded a King Charles III.  The Clan Gathering went really well, and our new Chief was able to attend even though he's a member of The Company of Archers --  the Royal bodyguards when in Scotland.  We even saw him on TV as part of the processions and parades of the royal funeral.

Then we went down to Birmingham and ran into snags.  First Sally got Covid (relatively mild), which deleted our canalboat trips and delayed  our flight home.  Then an Aer Lingus SNAFU has our luggage somewhere at Birmingham International (we have iTrackers on them) and cost us a $175 taxi ride from B'ham to London Heathrow airport (all good there).  Caught a British Airways flight to the Dulles, near DC. Then home today to Florida.

And now.... we face the possibility of a hurricane!

Sounds like a magnificent triip.  ENJOY!

Yeah that does sound awesome Ken. Have a great time!  Don't catch covid.

Safe travels, Ken!  I hope you have a delight-filled visit to what sound like magical places.  

Off to the UK tomorrow morning early.  Spending four weeks seeing old friends, Lady Sally's sister, The Ring of Broca on Orkney and other archaeological delights,  plus spending 4 nights at Wedderburn Castle attending the Clan Home/Hume Gathering for the first time and visiting/revisiting many of the Clan sights around the Scottish East March.