Prestwick and Ayr - April 18, 2012

The room is so wonderfully dark we almost slept through our first wonderful Scottish breakfast. Scrammies, vege sausages, baked tomatoes. Yum. Deni had the same with Ayrshire bacon. Then we planned our day. Off to get a car.

A fifteen minute walk to the train, which we just missed but no problem they come every half hour. 2 pounds for a ticket to Prestwick Airport. I go to one car place. Deni goes to the other. WOW. 100 plus pounds to rent a car for the day. It would have cost us less than 50 if we rented it online in Canada. NOTE TO SELF. Next year rent from Canada

Being ever so versatile, plans changed and off to Prestwick we went using our dead sexy feet. We ask one of the unbelievably friendly scots for directions and after a wee talk with lots of arm pointing and being told. Ach no you can walk, it is only about fifteen minutes down the road.

Thirty minutes later we land in the picturesque little seaside resort of Prestwick. As we are walking down the road we notice a pub called "The 19th Hole". Could we ask for a better place to wet our whistle after our long walk. So in we go. Looking out their front window lo and behold is the home of the first British open. Prestwick the old course. A quick walk over to the clubhouse, which was stunning.

From there we hit the coast again, tide was going out.

Next stop Ayr. Off we head for the train. Just as we approach the station the train pulls in. Oh no we have to run (probably more of a very light jog). Just as we get there the doors close. I look at the doors. I look down the train. I look up the train. Dang we are snookered and I her this voice. "push the open door button" you idjit. Sure enough on the door is a green button saying "open door". We quickly jump on laughing our bleeding heads off realizing we haven't paid. Oh well it is only one stop the conductor probably won't catch us so we stand by the door to do a quick dash off. Ayr comes up and off we get with the rest of the train as this was the last stop. We look ahead and realize you need a ticket to get off. Sheepishly we approach the security. No problem she will sell us a ticket and give us directions to the seaside . Another NOTE TO SELF it is much cheaper to buy a return ticket. The ticket was only 3 pound 20 there and back and we could have hopped off and on compared to the 2 pounds just to go one stop.

Ayr is quite a bit larger than Troon and Prestwick and very busy. As it is now lunch hour we look for a pub and lo and behold they are everywhere. So we pop into a very traditional looking pub, lots of dark wood, large bar and plop down into a window seat. The locals look at us, the bar tender looks at us we smile and then nothing. So up I pop and ask for a menu of which I get a definite look of "hello are you an idjit". Sorry lass this is a BOOZERS only no food just drink. Well this time we needed more than a pint so off we head.

Looking for a friendly face, they're everywhere I zero in on a nice looking couple and after a wee chat they send us off to their favorite pub Willy Wassle, named after Robbie burns best friend.

On the way to the pub Deni spots a coat sale and five minutes later we are walking out with her purchases. For a change I showed some restraint lol. It probably won't happen again.

We finally find a pub and order our lunch fish and chips for me and a beef strip chili for Deni. Delish and it was 2 for 1 day. Well we were eating a car pulls up pops a large keg of Guinness out of his trunk and brings in into the pub. The bartender being a large portly guy lifts the carpet in front of the door, next goes two pieces of wood and a piece if support wood, lifts up the keg and drops it into the basement, by this time Deni and I have our hands over our heads expecting to be covered in the lovely frothy Guinness. Nope nothing happens other than it boinging around on the cement floor.

Now we head down to the coast again, another beautiful coast with lots of entertainment for the little ones. By now our feet are a little bit sore so off we head hoping we can get a bus to the train. We see a bus and ask the driver if he goes near the train station of which we get another look. It's only five minutes up the road, a wee turn here through the lights over the bridge and off we go. Twenty minutes later we arrive at the train station. We dash again hop on the bus and head back to troon.

Back in our rooms Deni takes off her shoes and oh my two gigantic enormous blisters.

No walk on the beach tonight but a nice swim is perfect. The pool was wonderful.

Dinner was a repeat of the night before and just as delish. We discovered Skype and made a few phone calls, I talked to answering machines, Deni talked to John and Jackie. And off we went to bed. A great day