Post-Europe thoughts

I've heard that one invariably ends up feeling a little disappointed when one revisits a memorable destination, so it was not without apprehension that I embarked on my second trip to Europe, a journey intended in great part to address my sense of regret at being unable to properly take in the Scottish highlands due to a lack of time the first time I was there.

It is true the immense excitement I felt at being surrounded by the sights and sounds of London or Lucerne the last time was absent.

But, free from an anxiety to take in as much as I could that I experienced back then, I felt that I was able to soak in more of the sights this time.

And it's not only the magnificent ruins of the Tintern Abbey, the bright lights of the Eiffel Tower or the snow-capped peaks of the Jungfrau region that I remember fondly; the people I encountered along the way left an impression too.

The Chinese student we met in Bath who hopes to settle down in Britain with his family, the mildly eccentric David who runs the guesthouse in Windermere, the humorous and ever helpful Scott who saved us a long walk to the bus station in Fort William, the waitress who went out of her way at a restaurant in Berne where we had our first taste of cheese fondue and even the friendly and cute waiter at a cafe along Paris' Champs Elysees.

Then of course, there's my inimitable travel companion C, whom I sent to check out the shower each time we entered a foreign bathroom and without whose valuable map-reading skills I would be hopelessly lost. We had our fair share of disagreements and flare-ups along the way, but I'd like to think we're shaping up to become the best travel mates ever.

Still, without a doubt, what I most relish is being able to say with satisfaction that yes, I conquered Ben Nevis - Britain's tallest mountain, albeit in about eight hours. And yes, Isle of Skye is so much more than Kyleakin or the Skye Bridge.