1. Aviemore

It is a hill resort in Northern Scotland. The journey was a three hour trip by bus. On the way we stopped to visit a factory that produces paper weights and glasses of all kinds; wine and ordinary glasses. The paper weights were beautiful and of various sizes. The glasses too were beautiful and hand crafted. All these were rather expensive so I did not buy anything. Anyway I was not really interested in them but I was more attracted in the skill of the craftsmen going about in the process

of making their products. It was a real experience watching them handling equipment and producing paper weights of real quality. I took a few photographs there.

The journey up the hill to reach the resort in Aviemore was terrible, with turns and windings, snow bellowing down due to the wind, thus making the coaches crawling up the way. There were two coaches because everyone from the two campuses were allowed to go along this trip.

At the hill resort we were only allowed about an hour to enjoy ourselves. I walked about in the thick snow covered ground. We watched people skiing along the slope. Some of my friends wanted to try the skis but due to the time limit, they gave up the idea.

I had my lunch of packed breakfast cum lunch, with a flask of hot chocolate. I had bought the thermos flask the day earlier. The restaurant was packed with skiers and visitors. Anyway I enjoyed my meal and left. Later I took more photographs to remind me of this visit.

I met many Chinese tourists, probably from Hong Kong because I recognised the Cantonese accent and Malaysians who were from London.

Leaving the resort, we went to the town of Aviemore, a small town at the foot of the hill. There were some shops and pubs and B and B along the one road that goes right through it. I bought a few postcards of the beautiful scenery around Aviemore. We left the town at 3.30 pm and reached the halls at 6.30 pm just in time for a nice dinner.