The 2015 Challenge: Getting to the Start (8)

Of course, there is only really one thing to see in Dornie, and that is Eilean Donan castle. So I went and saw that. I didn't attempt to gain admission (I think it was probably closed, in any event, by that hour) but just poked around the outside. And it was while I was thus poking that I had my first ever encounter with a peculiar device which may yet, I fear, come to be seen as the defining invention of the 21st century. I refer, of course, to that utter abomination: the "selfie stick"!!! As I returned from the castle I watched, totally bemused, as two Japanese tourists used this device to try to take a photograph of themselves in front of the castle (why didn't they just ask me to take it for them???)

Leaving the Japanese tourists to their own devices, I wandered off shaking my head in bewilderment at the peculiar things that some people will do, and found a nice place where I could wander down to the water's edge and ceremonially dip a finger in the water to signify the start of my 10th TGO Challenge. (I normally use a pole; but I had left them in my hotel room, so a finger would have to do instead. But at least this time I DID remember!!!) I then returned to the hotel in search of supper.

Supper was a langoustine starter, which was not particularly great, followed by an absolutely EXCELLENT rack of lamb. (I had not, you will note, learned the lesson of Acharacle 2011; and just as well too, for this rack of lamb more than made amends!!) As ever in small hotels in remote places, however, there was not much they could do in the way of providing me with a dessert that I both could eat and actually wanted to eat; so I settled for two courses and retired to my room. There had been a general election that day; but I was really just far too tired to want to try to follow the coverage of the results; and with a hard day tomorrow, I didn't relish the idea of sitting up late. The television, even when it was switched off, made an irritating noise and filled the room with a dull red glow; so I unplugged it and went to sleep.