Will I see you tonight.... On a downtown train

Himself and I took a trip. 

We boarded the train 300 yards from our house, and set off on adventure. 

First stop Glasgow... it had been so long since both of us had been in Glasgow, that was a revelation in itself. 

Then we had a people watch in Queens Street Station, and discovered it full of people, all taking advantage of the same deal we did ( which I will not reveal because it will involve admitting something I don't want to :-) )

And Everyone was going to the same place. 

:-(

Happily, when we got on board the train, on our reserved seats, there were very few other people in  our carriage.  The train was split in to three sections, one section broke off at Crianlarich, and then another section went off at Fort William, and ended at Mallaig. 

After Crianlarich, we went the most glorious route through Rannoch Moore -I have often said to Si, that is the place I would happily die ;  But after spotting a beautiful ruin, I'd happily live there.  Quite how we'd cope with no utilities, or access, I have no idea, but wow, it was beautiful.  

In Fort William, we wandered down the main street, where I spent the Day of Live Aid happily pissed, and found our hotel.  After a hour or so spent freshening up :-)   we headed out for food.  Gazillions of restaurants, food wouldn't be a problem.  - Huh! Wrong.   Wetherspoons downstairs with around seating for 100 - full up to bursting.  The next place, full, the next place... full.  In the Grog and Gruel, we had a 40 minute wait for a table -but we had a table, a great selection of real ales, and a seat :-) 

While we sat, a further maybe 40 folk turned up in the restaurant - 10 of them maybe got seated at staggered intervals, the rest were sent downstairs for "bar food" - We watched as every table in the place maybe turned over 4 times.  "Is it always this busy" we asked the waitress (Not Betty though, cause Betty was terrifying),  "This isn't busy", she said, "on a busy night we're queued out down the road for the wait list.   This is the third week in September - schools are back.    We were the only Brits in the place. 

Our biggest giggle of the evening was when a young french couple came in, "We would like to eat", they whispered to Betty.  Betty looked at them, and said "Wur no taaking onymore thi night, kitchen shuts in 13 minutes an wuv goat foak waiting doonstairs fur tables". 

The couple looked at her, at the door and wandered downstairs, looking confused.  I said to Si, "I give it 13 minutes and they'll be back". 

Right enough, 13 minutes later, he and she re-appeared, and he said sweetly, "We would like to join list". 

Betty looked at them and said, equally sweetly, "Naw, wur closed, nae mair tables the night". 

Poor wee souls.  I wanted to go and explain, but I was feart Betty might chase me.