As a “city slicker,” you’ll want to start off in someplace civilized. There’s no place more civilized than Perth, so that will no doubt be your first stop. From there, you can fly in any direction, but going by road is the only way to really see it. You can do this in a few ways. You can travel in a comfortable coach, but if you’re the adventurous type, you’ll hope the bus breaks down, allowing you to explore all the little spots you pass on the way from one town to the other. You can rent a car or 4WD, but if it breaks down, you’ll wish you had a seasoned local to help you.

The best way to explore Western Australia is with an experienced guide. They will not only get you to your destinations safely, they will know they best destinations for you to see, ensuring that you don’t miss out on anything. An exhaustive list of all the available routes could fill a book, so we’ll limit our selection to the Perth-Esperance-Perth loop, one of the shortest and easiest trips you can make.

Perth to Esperance and Back Again

After setting out from Perth, you’ll travel through the Darling Ranges to a place called Wave Rock. Although it doesn’t have an exotic aboriginal name, it is descriptive, because that is exactly what this incredible rock formation looks like: a breaking wave. After having your picture taken “surfing” Wave Rock, you’ll stop for lunch before proceeding on to Fitzgerald River National Park on the wild and rugged coast.

You’ll get up the next morning and proceed to Esperance. If you were hoping for a beach resort, you’ll be disappointed, because it is a wild and untamed part of the Western Australia coastline. It’s so wild, in fact, that the only “bathing beauties” you are likely to encounter will be the kangaroos and wallabies that come to visit you in your campground at Cape La Grand National Park. There won’t be any easy way to take in a sweeping view of the coast, either. To do that, you’ll have to hike up to the top of Frenchman’s Peak.

After spending a couple of days exploring the region around Esperance, you’ll head off to the Stirling Ranges, a natural wonderland filled with rivers, waterfalls and, in springtime, acres of gorgeous flowers. From there, you’ll continue on to the aptly named Valley of the Giants, where you will pose for photographs inside a 200 foot tall tree and explore more of the rugged coastline, where your camera will probably never leave your hands as you stumble across one amazing sight after the other.

A tour like this lasts only about six days, but the memories will last forever. Whatever you do, don’t accidentally leave your camera in Perth, because you’ll need your photographs to prove to your family and friends that the sights you saw were real.

Rob enjoys exploring Australia’s great outdoors. Would you like to take a walk on the wild side of Australia? Then hop onto our website for some great deals on accommodation Perth as well as many other top destinations around Australia.

How to have a great camping holiday

Where can I camp?

For novice campers, it is best to stick to organised sites. There are camp sites up and down the country which provide a huge number of facilities for campers such as electricity points, showers, water taps and shops. All you need to do is turn up with your tent and enjoy your stay. These sorts of camps are the ideal choice also for families with young children as there will often be other children of similar ages for them to play with and some of the larger sites have kids clubs and other activities for them to get involved with. Smaller sites may be in a more scenic location, but may not offer as many facilities. At the other end of the scale, rough camping involves camping in the wild, in a field or other piece of land with no access to facilities at all. This kind of camping offers the best “back to the wild” experience but always check with the landowner before pitching your tent.

Essential equipment

Obviously a tent is the essential item of equipment needed by all campers. The choice of tent will depend on the number of people camping as well as what weather is expected. Practise pitching the tent in the back garden before going away as it will make life less stressful for everyone at the camp site. Sleeping bags, camping stoves and other outdoor equipment will also be needed. The British climate changes quickly, and a lightweight jacket such as the North Face Nuptse Vest is an essential for chillier days. The advantage of the North Face Nuptse Vest is that it is filled with down and is very lightweight, making it the ideal item to pack for space saving and warmth.

Glamping

One of the newest trends in the camping world is that of “glamping”, which means glamorous camping. At many locations in the UK there are campsites offering top of the range tents with fitted carpets and proper beds, or other more unconventional places to stay such as Mongolian yurts or native American wigwams. Although glamping does offer a less basic experience than traditional camping, most of the time is still spent outside so leave the stilettos and designers jeans at home, and pack the North Face Nuptse Vest along with sturdy walking shoes, warm jumpers and waterproofs.

Food and Cooking

Cooking when camping usually involves a small gas burner stove, so think carefully about what to pack to eat. Tins of food such as beans or soup are ideal, as are meals which can made in one pot. It may also be difficult to keep food cold, so pack powdered milk to use in drinks rather than relying on fresh.

Citations: Image courtesy of Philipendula

Trekitt offer a fine range of top quality equipment, clothing and accessories for climbers, hikers and extreme sports enthusiasts including the range of North Face Nuptse Vests

A romantic Getaway in the USA

Love is in the air and you’ve decided you’re due for a romantic getaway with your partner. While Paris may be regarded as the ‘city of love’, not everyone has the time, money, or desire to head to Paris for a much-needed vacation. The good news is that there is no shortage of destinations within the United States that will provide plenty of romance, each in their own unique way.

Kaua’i, HI
Tropical beaches make for an obvious choice when it comes to a romantic getaway. Kaua’i offers numerous private, secluded beaches for some quiet alone time together. Some of the most amazing sights Kaua’i has to offer can be reached only by catamaran, kayak, or on foot, making it a great location for the adventurous type. Waimea Canyon and Sleeping Giant ridge are just two of the marvelous natural wonders near Kaua’i that are worth checking out.

Napa Valley, CA
For mouth-watering food, alluring sights, great wine, and plenty of romance to go around, Napa Valley is a fabulous option to consider. Beautiful secluded bed and breakfast locations provide the perfect backdrop for plenty of love-making and reconnecting.

Vail Valley, CO
While many people think of Aspen when cabins and ski resorts are mentioned, Vail Valley is the often overlooked romantic ski destination in Colorado. Absolutely pristine powder, fine dining, and the great nightlife set this charming mountain village apart.

Niagra Falls, NY
This beautiful wonder of the world is simply magical during every season, not just the summer months like many are led to believe. The summertime is packed with outdoor entertainment options, while the area turns into a glittering wonderland during in the winter. Various accommodations around the falls provide amazingly breath-taking views, especially during the night when colored spotlights illuminate the water and make it sparkle.

Cape Cod, MA
If you are looking for a more relaxing and quiet getaway location, Cape Cod is the place to go. Browse antique shops, stroll along historic harbors, or go biking through town on a tandem bicycle together. Enjoy the company of one another instead of relying on the chaotic hustle and bustle of other popular vacation spots.

New Orleans, LA
For a unique cultural experience together, New Orleans is the ultimate destination. However, unless you want a ridiculously wild and crazy time, it’s best to avoid New Orleans during Mardi Gras in February. The party goes on year-round near Bourbon Street, so take that into consideration when making your sleeping arrangements. New Orleans is filled with mouth-watering Creole cuisine, jazz, and tons of mysticism for all its guests.

Key West, FL
For utterly breathtaking sunsets and the most active nightlife found in the Florida Keys, Key West is where it’s at. The fresh ocean breeze is filled with rich history and romance alike. Sandy beaches, shipwreck museums, and the purest blue waters set Key West apart from other Florida locations.

Savannah, GA
While it might not be the first place you think of when trying to come up with romantic vacation destinations, Savannah is both beautiful and friendly. You can look for ghosts in haunted manors, have a day filled with wine tasting, watch for dolphins, or find a themed tour to suit your tastes. Spend time doing the things you love to do together or try something new.

Chicago, IL
If you’d rather visit a city with top-notch attractions and tons of history to go around, the Windy City is an option worth considering. From museums to amusement parks, Chicago has it all. Visit the Sears Tower or go shopping along The Magnificent Mile, and don’t forget to snap a few pictures at Millennium Park before you head back home.

Seattle, WA
The city may be known for its rain, but if you don’t mind dealing with a little water, Seattle has plenty to keep you occupied. Visit the Space Needle, take an underground tour of the city, find the legendary Fremont troll, or take a cruise into the Puget Sound. If you have a GPS, try geocaching together to find local treasures.

Every city has its perks; it depends entirely upon what you and your love enjoy doing together. There is a certain amount of romance and excitement that comes when exploring a new city, whether you’re on a daring adventure or relaxing on a beach with a margarita in hand.

Citations:

• Photo Credit

Olivia Nicholas loves to travel and share her experiences with others.  She loves to visit new and exciting places and take note of all the wonderful places this world has to offer.  She writes about her travel experiences for Storkie.

Las Vegas - The Home of Poker

If you do the same, be sure to find some time to visit some of the poker rooms in town, as Las Vegas is viewed by most as the center of the poker universe, especially in the summer when the World Series of Poker is running. While Macau and other destinations in Asia may be growing when it comes to casinos and gambling in general, Vegas still holds a special place in the hearts of poker players (even those who mainly play at an online poker site).

Even if you’re new to the game and only know the basic poker rules, simply visiting the poker rooms at casinos such as the Bellagio can be exciting, as some of the world’s top players such as Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, and Daniel Negreanu regularly play in the high stakes games there. For a nostalgic look at one of the classic Vegas poker rooms, give Binion’s a visit downtown (but don’t hang around after dark).

If you’re looking to play some poker, Texas Hold Em games are spread throughout the city in both cash games and tournaments. Some of the top Las Vegas poker rooms can be found at the MGM Grand, the Wynn, the Bellagio, the Venetian, and Caesar’s Palace. Games are available in a wide range of limits and the bigger poker rooms generally always have games running, with larger tournaments typically held on the weekends.

The poker action in Vegas reaches a crescendo each summer in June and July when the World Series of Poker (WSOP) gets underway. The series of more than 50 poker tournaments culminates in the WSOP Main Event, which is a $10,000 buy-in tournament that gets thousands of entries and typically pays the winner nearly $10 million in cash.

Image Credit: Images_of_money Flickr

Travel in Hong Kong

From the airport

Transport in Hong Kong - Efficient, but sometimes chaotic!

As you’d expect from one of the most advanced cities in the world, it’s very easy to get into town. Getting through customs and picking up your bags will probably take 20 minutes – Hong Kong is probably the most efficient airport I’ve travelled through (and there have been a few). Once you’ve done that you’ll pop out at either exit A or B. Either way, just go straight ahead through the arrivals hall and you’ll see a booth and some machines for tickets for the airport express train. These cost HKD100 (about 8 quid) each.There is usually a queue at the booth, so go to the machine – its a piece of piss. They are in English and always work – just choose a ticket to Hong Kong Station and put your money in the slot when asked. If you have to pay by card use the booth. If you see a train at the platform already just run and hop on – you can buy tickets at the other end too!

Taxis

MTR

Bus

Ferries

Tram

Hong Kong – The General Advice Bit

Weather

Hong Kong at Night

Apparently there are 5 days a year when it drops below 10 degrees, and these are usually in Jan or Feb, although you can cop it in December – so bring a jumper and an umbrella. Otherwise expect it to be like Edinburgh on a nice week in late spring/early summer.

People are rude. You often just need to ignore it, and don’t take it personally. I think it’s because of the density – if you try to be polite to everyone you’ll spend so long holding doors open and shuffling around people on the pavement that you’ll never get anywhere. Service in shops and restaurants and stuff is generally efficient, sometimes polite and rarely friendly. Don’t take it personally, it’s not because you aren’t Chinese. Everyone is rude to everyone. There are a lot of tourists about, mostly from the mainland. They are, if anything, ruder, and don’t be surprised if you see them taking photos while you enjoy a beer in a bar. Gweilos (white devils) going out and getting hammered seem to hold the same fascination for them as pandas do for us. Tour buses actually stop at the central booze street to let mainlanders get off and photograph the westerner’s debauched antics.

Tipping

Safety

Burds

Language

Hong Kong is made up of 2 main areas – Hong Kong Island itself (island-side), where most of the big skyscrapers and night time activities are and where I live, and Kowloon (Kowloon-side), which is attached to China and is a bit more mental. I don’t think either is any more “authentically” Hong Kong than the other.

Hong Kong is a ridiculously modern, progressive place that is reflected as much by giant skyscrapers and ludicrously high end shopping malls as it is by dodgy geezers trying to sell you suits in the midst of Mongkok night market. If you’re after a hint of the old days of Suzie Wong and the Walled City of Kowloon then you should pop over to Shenzhen for a day. You’ll be (literally) itching to get back to the Kong.

See below for a summary of the main areas. Details what to do, eat and drink to follow in later parts of the guide.

Island-side

Central and Western District

This includes…

Central: Business district, Lan Kwai Fong and Soho for boozin and eatin, ferry terminal to Kowloon and outlying islands, start of Peak Tram.

Sheung Wan: Older school area, probably ties up well with your image of old Hong Kong. Also has the Macau Ferry Terminal.

Mid-levels: Largely residential ex-pat holiday village, like Butlins for overpaid rich bawbags.

Admiralty: Nothing to see here, carry on.

Wanchai District

This includes…

Wanchai: A business district by day, rough and ready booze district by night. Good fun. Ferry terminal to Kowloon.

Causeway Bay: Ludicrously busy shopping and eating district. Most expensive shop rents in the world. Worth a look on a Saturday afternoon to make it clear just how busy Hong Kong can be.

Happy Valley: Quiet residential area with the (in)famous racetrack.

Further West

Kennedy Town: Residential area popular with locals and expats alike. Pretty dull.

Further east

Quarry Bay, North Point, Chai Wan: Mostly residential for locals (Quarry Bay, Chai Wan) and Japanese ex-pats (North Point). Probably not worth the trip.

Island North

Stanley: Pleasant wee seaside town, famous market, a few bars and restaurants along the promenade. Worth a visit – get the number 6 bus (not the 6X) as it will take you right over the top of the island rather than through Aberdeen tunnel, so you get good views (although you may crap yourself, some of it is pretty high)

Aberdeen: Not been here, but it’s basically a big ass residential town with big apartment blocks.

Repulse Bay: Exclusive residential town with a nice beach. Pretty beachable even into the winter for us cold weather types.

Kowloon-side

Lack expertise here so far, so some of this is hearsay.

Tsim Sha Tsui: The “ts” is pronounced like the English sounds “sh” “ch” “j” “z” and “zh” all at the same time. Just say TST. Busy, hectic and pretty cool, lots of hotels, restaurants, dudes selling suits and fake watches. Ferry terminal to central and Wanchai.

Mongkok: Pretty bonkers apparently, a few markets, lots of locals, the only bit of Hong Kong considered even slightly dangerous (even though it is no way dangerous). Good for cheap/fake electronics.

The Rest of Kowloon: lots of locals live here. Not sure if there is much to do.

Outlying Islands

Both reachable from central piers, and Lantau is on MTR.

Lantau: Big buddha and a couple of cool wee villages.

Lamma: Hippys and hills, and no towerblocks!

Hope that gives you some idea of where to go – check out the later guides for details on what to do when you get there.

It started off with heading back from Australia via the States and fitting in a little road trip down Route 101 from Whistler to San


Fransisco, not to mention one of the most hedonistic and liver-melting weekends of my life on the legendary Vegas strip. From skiing at Lake Tahoe to wine tasting in the Napa Valley, that trip had enough variety to make it one of the best I’ve ever done.

Then, following that, it was back home to rejoin the drudgery of working life… I was pretty lucky though and landed my old job again which is interesting enough to keep me going and flexible enough to let me get away again for more adventures. Considering I had been away in Oz and the rest for nearly 5 months I probably couldn’t complain that it took 5 months before I got away again, this time to Japan for the first time. A fortnight on Honshu with a friend of mine, Richard, showed me some amazing things, including the A-Bomb dome in Hiroshima, sumo wrestling in Tokyo and oily-black Onsens near Sendai. The food played its own part too with my stomach fighting with wasabi octopus, slippery ramen and crab-egg sushi before finally drawing the line at raw chicken. Two weeks wasn’t enough though and I returned home having not seen even a fraction of the Japanese country. That’s a return journey for the future.

Next we had a short hop to Ireland with my family, Mum and brother to be exact, to revisit our old stomping grounds at Lahinch. That was a pretty unexpectedly great few days where vats of Guiness were sunk, Irish steaks were celebrated and the nightlife of Galways surprised Bruce and I with it’s pretty over-enthusiastic prices, but equally enthusisatic locals, a few of which showed us exactly where to get the best uber-fatty food at the end of the night before consuming at least ten times as much as the two of us combined.

The penultimate trip of the year came about thanks to work in the form of a conference in Bari, Italy. A little manipulation of flights and a couple of days leave earned me 3 nights in Rome where I had my first experiment in solo travelling in a while. It worked out great though and I ended up spending Halloween evening with a Roman and a Ukranian, eating African with my hands the following the night with a cute aussie girl and finishing the trip in a rustic little bar by the river with about 5 random nationalities, all thanks to Couch Surfing. Throw in Collosseums, Pizzas, Forums (Fora…?) and Gelatos and you get the best city-trip I’ve had in 30 years. And I’ve only been alive 30 years.

The final fling was a wee hop to Madrid with another friend – just two nights and a rush around the parks, galleries and tapas bars it offers up. While being a completely pleasant city Madrid was, maybe following Rome, a bit unremarkable. But, hey, they can do food. The simplest meal I had all weekend was easily the best – a quarter melon, a gi-bloody-normous quarter, slathered in thin slices of the local cured ham. I’ve never tasted a melon like it and the ham was amazing, so much so that I’ve not been able to recreate either since, and I live mourning the fact that I’ll never eat the like again because it’s unlikely I’ll return to Madrid.

So, one year, five trips, tons of food and plenty of banter – not a bad year that. Can 2010 live up to it

I was off to Hiroshima today, via Okayama on the 10am train and, against all odds, I made it. This was the first big Japanese city I’d seen in the daylight and, as I squinted into the distance outside Hiroshima station, it looked good. I’ve found since that Japanese cities can sometimes look pretty bleak – endless blocks of concrete high-rises in the centre and hastily upgraded wooden shanties surrounding – but Hiroshima was better dressed than that. There were even more colourful lanterns and curtains hanging in the shops and restaurants than usual, and the concrete makers seemed to have came to Hiroshima late, discovered patterns along the way.

I caught the number 2 street car across three rivers and walked south along the banks of the third to find J-Hoppers, a nice wee hostel just off Peace Boulevard. After checking in I was straight off to the Peace museam, only about 10 minutes away, to do the compulsory Hiroshima tourist attraction. The Peace Museum was built to remember the victims of the first ever nuclear bomb used in anger. It takes you through the whole story – how the war began, Japan’s involvement, how the US chose it’s target and, eventually, what the consequences were. It’s a pretty impressive place, and tells the story well with no bias and no agenda, other than to hope that the same will never happen again. There are some horrific images in the archives, burned victims and blasted buildings, and it’s hard not to get a lump in your throat when you come across the preserved, burned clothes of a group of children caught near the hypo-centre. It’s the kind of attraction that wont exactly leave you feeling good, but you’ll be really glad you saw it, especially when paired with the A-Bomb dome at the other end of the park, which brings the whole thing to life.

The A-Bomb dome was previously a large government building which had the misfortune to be almost directly underneath the bomb when it exploded. Now, it’s the only part of Hiroshima which has been kept as it was after the blast as a reminder of the destruction wrought. To be honest, I’m impressed there’s so much of it still standing, but it’s still an awesome sight seeing the ruined building, copper roof melted clean off the frame and burned stone surrounding it, and it puts all that you read inside the museum in perspective.

That evening I walked along Peace Boulevard in search of some local grub and, inspired by the first decent looking place which had pictures on the menu, ended up in a little place called Chaya Mario. Not the most Japanese sounding restaurant I’ll admit! I’m not much used to eating out by myself, but I had noticed along the way that the Japanese seem to have got that bit right. Restaurants, even some pretty high class looking ones, generally always have a long table facing into the kitchen, pretty much exaclty like the bar in any pub at home. To me it feels far less strange sitting at the food-bar eating away by yourself than sitting at a table. The extra unexpected advantage is that the chef and his assistants seem to always end up talking to you, and when you’re out yourself that’s usually a good thing! Thus began a weird and wonderful 2 hours in chaya Mario in which I had precisely no idea what I was ordering because it was all in Kanji and the waiters were equally ignorant as to what I was saying because they spoke next to no English.

You might think that that would stilt conversation a bit, but no, banter continued apace! After I got out my guidebook and stuttered through,

“Sorry sorry sorry, very sorry, I speak no Japanese. I am an ignorant foreign dog,”

or something along those lines, the staff at the restaurant got their phrasebook out and we proceeded to read random phrases to each other like a bunch of 1st years in their first French lesson. I discovered that the manager/chef’s name was Ize and they discovered/decided that mine was Corinu (It’s a good new name, I like it.) They were so ridiculously friendly that we had a great laugh, despite the fact that we probably exchanged about as much information as a newpaper headline from the Sun. As I paid up and headed off to mutual shouts of “Pleased to meet you!”, me in Japanese and they in English, I thought about how boring that might have been had I been sat at a table on my todd.

The lighthouse was mainly pretty lighthousey, but the views from the cliff were impressive and reminded me a lot of the craggy coast off the great ocean road in Australia. We hiked back up to the car past stalls selling dried sharks, stopping to poke a dessicated hammer-head about a metre long.

After that we were straight into the kilts and off to the wedding at Izumo Taisha, reportedly the 2nd biggest shinto shrine in Japan (the japanese love ranking everything in sight). Scottish garb definately isn’t made for Japanese summer though and Richard and I were sweaty messes by the time we reached the shrine, Richard more so than me as he’d elected to wear the full she-bang, waistcoat and jacket included. We managed to be late for the bus, adding a bit of Scottish punctuallity to the strict Japanese schedule. Despite our best efforts there was still time for the green tea and formal introductions as well as a little tour around the temple grounds. Here we discovered another disadvantage of being Scottish in Japan – the otherwise very civilized custom of removing your shoes before entering a building. This is fine in a pair of flip-flops, but anyone who’s had to lace up a pair of formal brogues might imagine the challenges involved in having to constantly put the damn things on and off. We caused a few more delays while twisting the laces for the 12th time.

The wedding was actually taking place in a separate building from the Taisha itself, but it was just as elaborately decked out and had the same impressive and craftily woven 1m thick rope crowning the entranceway – supposedly it’s good luck if you can flip a coin so that it sticks into the rope, but sadly my sporran was bare. Soon we were ushered into the Taisha for the ceremony, and walked in to see two rows of stools lined up along the long sides of the hall, with an altar in the middle at the end (sorry, I’m using the british religious equivalents here, I have no idea what it was called in Japanese, ignorant Gaijin that I am). Similar to home, the bride and groom’s guests took a side each, but here each side faced each other in a big pre-nuptial stare-off.

The ceremony was really interesting to watch, and started with a kind of prayer-come-dance performed by 4 shinto monks. Droning church organs were replaced by booming drums and a haunting wooden flute, and the monks moved around the shrine in a choreographed slow dance. Ryan and Keiko then stood up and were offered bowls of sake from a sacred jug, which looked like any normal jug, but instead of a small handle on the rear it had a long stick protruding from the side with a handle on the end, which was used to turn the jug to pour. Sake drunk and words of vow said, they clapped 4 times, inviting the Kami (spirits) to bless their union. After that I got an unexpected surprise as the guests were asked to line up and take their own little nip from the sacred chalice. Only too happy to oblige I strode up, necked my sake, bowed to the holy dude and retook my seat, full of relief that I hadn’t tripped on my brogues and landed head-first on the altar, or something equally shameful that a gaijin in the shrine would most likely be expected to do. All that was left now was to sit out for 10 minutes to lace up my brogues (again) and then head back for the party!

The evening do was held in the smallest bar you’ve ever seen, but apparently a barn by Japanese standards. Everyone had crammed in well enough though and it was kicked off by an informal christian version of the wedding for Ryan’s family. Andrew, one of Ryan’s friends, apparently made a good living in Japan by working as a wedding conductor. No need to go to divinity school or any such like, in Japan you can perform Christian weddings just by doing a quick test – “Follow this script please sir. Ah, well done, you can read!” – so he performed a quick ceremony for the happy couple, after which a few speeches were read out, the most memorable being Keiko’s dad who could barely get the words out through the tears. Having always imagined Japanese men as stone faced, hardened Samurai it was pretty moving to watch!

That evening I was plyed with all sorts of drinks, ranging from the local sake, very tasty, to a pretty nice malt whisky, bought for me by Ryan’s Glasweigan mother. Posh bourbon like Maker’s Mark cost the same as a Jack Daniel’s so that made the late night refreshments an easy choice too, and we rolled out of “Edge: Spirit of Hangover” (yep, that’s it’s actual name) about 1am. Not wanting to make the following day any easier though we nipped into Area Due, the bar from the night before, on the way home for a quick nightcap, and were promptly offered 3 drinks and a huge bowl of noodles. This guy had obviously heard of our standard chip-run at 3am on Forrest Road in Edinburgh and planned accordingly. Not ones to turn down a man’s hospitality we attacked it with gusto, and soon three Gaijin in Izumo were staggering home, our best clobber covered in sake, whisky and noodles. You can take the boy out of Scotland…