American cousins

Friday 28th May 2010

I had a lovely evening last night when I met up with a small American horticultural group who are touring Scotland after having been at Chelsea and gardens in the south east.
I met them in Dunkeld, which I have to say was looking splendid with stunning trees and bright colours from azaleas and rhododendrons. We were so lucky with the weather because at one point during the afternoon you could hardly hear yourself think in my office in Cupar with hail drumming off the skylight windows! However when I arrived at the Hilton hotel on the banks of the mighty River Tay, the sun was out and all looked a picture.
The group were free that evening to dine out from the hotel, so I had suggested that I meet up with them and take them to a local pub in Birnam from where we could walk down and see the famous Birnam Oak (of Shakespeare's Macbeth fame). The tree was looking in good health - not bad for 1000 years old - with lots of new growth. Our American friends were tickled pink. In fact there are some stunning 'champion trees' along the banks of the river - with huge Sycamores and other big oaks - but they were just youngsters at a mere 300 years old.
We had a decent supper at the Birnam Hotel and a look at the Beatrix Potter Garden before continuing to The Hermitage and Ossian's Hall just a short distance along the A9 road. Again the group really enjoyed the sights and sounds of a beautiful spring evening in Perthshire. Finally back at the hotel I gave the group a light-hearted talk about Brightwater Holidays, and shared the fun and nightmares we have dealt with over the last 18 years. A really good night was had by all. Back in Cupar by midnight.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Wednesday 26 May 2010

Fife is in full bloom and is looking rather splendid and colourful as I drive into the office this morning.
I am met with a large pile of Holiday Questionnaires from recent tours.
Benbecula and Lewis - 'Greatly enjoyed the holiday, driver and guide excellent'
St Kilda - 'Extremely good holiday'
Brugge - 'Michael Gill (Tour Manager) is 1st class'
Arran - 'What an asset you have in Gillian (Tour Manager) Her enthusiasm and local knowledge added greatly to our enjoyment.'
Mull and Iona - 'This was a splendid holiday and my first coach tour'
Islands of the Clyde - 'A very interesting and enjoyable trip, and a very happy group'
Welsh Railways - The accommodation was rather undersold in the itinerary - it was excellent and in a very attractive position'
Heligan and Eden Project - 'First class holiday. Well chosen gardens and a good hotel. Will be happy to book another tour and recommend you to friends and family'
Highlands and Islands - 'Must mention Trish the courier - Excellent!'
Barra - Top class holiday!

(That's enough - there are many more but it gets a bit boring after a while)

But it wasn't all good news - one lady had lost her walking stick, one passenger complained that we should have known about roadworks on the Isle of Arran (?!) Someone else said we should have warned about the number of stairs in Broddick Castle (fair enough) Two vegetarians had poor meal choices in France (what is it with the French, that they just do not get vegetarianism?!) and the coffee was cold at breakfast at Stonefield Castle (fair enough - but why not ask for fresh coffee?)

I spent a good hour and a half engaged in proper Tour Operating i.e. stuffing envelopes!

Monday 24th May 2010

It's too hot in the office!
Now there's a statement that you would not believe only a couple of weeks ago. At last a spell of good weather, just in time for the Chelsea Flower Show.

Don't worry it will be fine!

Thursday 20th May 2010 (already!)

On Monday Andrew was like the proverbial Cheshire Cat - for his beloved Dundee United won the Scottish Cup at the weekend - and didn't we know it! It takes quite a lot to make Andrew smile, so we all enjoyed the moment while it lasted!
I was fairly pooped for my plans at the weekend were turned to dust (or ash) as was the case, as my family's return flight to Bristol on Sunday afternoon was cancelled due to the Icelandic ash. The joy of driving from Edinburgh to Somerset pretty much non-stop with three grumpy children and one grumpy wife - well, you can imagine!
I was also overjoyed to get up at 5.00 am on Monday morning to drive all the way back to Cupar again - although admittedly the drive was much quieter!
The phones were very busy on Monday and Tuesday with calls and enquiries coming in from our recent mailing - it is hardly surprising to see that the vast majority of bookings at present are for UK tours given the uncertainty over flights at present.
Andrew has been working hard on an array of private groups that are about to depart, Jenni almost has a heart-attack when she takes a call on Tuesday that our Tour Manager for a tour departing on Friday has taken ill and now can't do the job! Fortunately by Wednesday we have found cover - but we've got to get the tickets from the sick guide across the country to the replacement. Jenni says in her usual un-flappable way ' Don't worry Graeme, it'll be fine!'
I don't think in all the years that Jenni's been at Brightwater (which has got to be 12 or 13 now - forgive me Jenni for not knowing) I have never seen Jenni flap, or crack - burst into a fit of the giggles -yes, but never flap. The consummate Tour Operator.
On Wednesday Kay and I have our all day 'Year-end' number crunching session with our Accountant (Iain) - we were dreading it, because the last financial year has been our 'anus - horriblis' - with the full force of the recession kicking in. We battle with Iain from 8.30 in the morning until 5.30 in the evening until I think a whiff of white smoke came out of the chimney - and at last we had made it through another year!
Today - Thursday, is a bit of an anti-climax after the drama of yesterday, however I am getting stuck into some correspondence and some proper tour operating - booking lunches, writing to the group going to Barra in mid June to see the wonderful wild flowers, to advise them to try and get hold of a hand-held Field glass. Jenni seeks some advice about some pick up routing's, and our guide Trish Strang sent in some wonderful photos from our latest group to Barra who all seemed to be having a whale of a time.

Beech Trees

Wednesday 12 May 2010

We have two beech trees outside our office - two beauties, they must be 80 to 100 feet high and I guess were planted when Eden Park House was built some 150 years ago. Right now they are looking their finest. The fresh new leaves are almost fluorescent green in colour and every day that goes by in early May the tree's canopy is filling in. Such energy that must be flowing through these mighty trees. Perhaps I should go and give them a hug (I shouldn't knock it until I've tried it!) Some of it might rub off - the energy that is!
It is a varied life at the moment - Today I've been in communication with our Japanese Agent about an exciting new tour for next year; a hotel and itinerary in Tunisia; looking at our Wild Flowers of the Hebrides (Barra) tour logistics; Lunch stops in the Far North West of Scotland; preparing an advertisement for the Daily Telegraph for our Orchid tour to Ecuador; wondering what the new Government will do with the air taxes? answering some correspondence from a series of recently completed tours, and trying to fit in an evening visit to meet up with an American group we have coming to Scotland - so it is not dull!
I wonder what sights those Beech trees have witnessed over the years - they certainly give the impression that we are just incumbents passing through, compared to their deep rooted grip.

Thursday 6th May 2010

All clear

The CAA's last notice yesterday about the ash cloud said that it would be updating things at one in the morning, but I was so tired from lugging heavy brochure boxes I thought I would give that update a miss, but I did wake at five and logged on to Glasgow Airport's site to find that all was clear and flights were back on schedule - I rolled over and went back to sleep with a clear conscience that Mr and Mrs Lundie would soon be on their way to Rome and the Gardens of Ninfa.

Wednesday 5th May 2010

Return of the ash!

The welcoming news of the return of the Volcanic Ash hit me during the 10 o'clock news last night, however I made it into Edinburgh this morning by the skin of my teeth as the airport closed at lunchtime - Great!

I spoke with one customer who is supposed to be flying out of Glasgow tomorrow morning, out to Rome and the Gardens of Ninfa - the latest is a review at 0100hrs tomorrow morning (fingers crossed he makes it).

In the office Operations are flat out as our busiest weekend of the year is approaching (14-17th May) so it is all hands to the pumps to get tickets and joining instructions out on time. It was all hands to the pump as well this evening as the mail room was like a 'sweat-shop' with a squad of staff staying on to get the last of our 'Here comes summer' mail shot out. What a laugh we had with John (Evelyn's son) in with a couple of his mates to get some extra cash and to help us out. He never stopped talking - yakking away, singing and joking - the boy should be on the stage! But at least he kept us entertained throughout a very tedious job.

A nice thank you card came in from one of the passengers who recently went to Mull 'Thank you this much and more' with a cartoon of a lady with her arms outstretched - that was nice.

Fingers crossed that the ash clears for tomorrow (what else can you do?)