Tiki Tour, day 1

I swam and it was great. The pool was nearly empty so plenty of space. 

After that it was a day of being stopped and waiting.

First roadworks at Straiton, long tailbacks. I had to go that way to fill up with petrol. I'd left 30 minutes later than I hoped so it was almost 10 when I was really on the road. 

Good run up to Stirling and then across to Loch Lomond. Managed to go through Balloch instead of bypassing him and then a small unplanned deviation. I should have switched on my navigation. 

Comfort and photo stop at Firkin Point and a callback to #1 soon who wanted to rant about BSKL school uniform system. 

Next wait was at the Old Military Road waiting for the convoy escort. Not a hardship as the views are great. 

Continued to Inverary and as it was mizzling I had my picnic lunch in the car. So novel for me to carrying food and thermos flasks! Had a wee walk round. The town is as full of tartan tat as Edinburgh but it wasn't busy.

The decision then about which way to go and as I wanted to keep stress as low as possible I went for via Dalmally. More stops at red lights. A lot of construction work going on. Looks like electricity. 

I'd liked to have stopped in Connel but no obvious place to park and onward to Oban where I got 2 hours free out the main centre. 

A walk around Oban and an ice cream. Quite a lot of tourists and I watched the Isle of Mull leave on it's previous voyage.

There not being a lot to do in Oban I sat in the ferry queue for ages before we were allowed to queue officially. And then it rained, two squalls coming across from Mull. I could have taken the longer route to Oban but resting perhaps better.

The rain went off long enough for me to spend some time on the deck as we came into Mull. When was I last here, '80/'81?

As the hotel is 2 minutes from the pier I was there by 7.30. It's a long hotel and I'm 2 goes down and miles from the main part and unfortunately no mini fridge for my consumables. 

Has a lovely (not cheap) dinner in the restaurant with a view of the pier (but I'm worth it). Then bed. 

The weather isn't going to be great but somehow the west of Scotland in cloud seems more normal! I've done 150 miles, about the same distance as I would to Inverurie but the world is so different. Scotland is so diverse.