Off to Scotland

Up early for the breakfast bit of B&B, then we’re in the car for a day on the motorway. First port of call is the Cadbury factory in Birmingham, for – er – sustenance. Indi’s eyes lit up when we noticed this one in the guidebook. We set “Glasgow” – our new name for our female computerised voice in the dashboard – for Bourneville and took off Good as gold, the GPS took us straight there. The Cadbury factory tour is somewhat based on the US theme park mould, where moving people from display to faux ride is all important without boring them, and we certainly learnt a thing or two about chocolate – but the best bit without doubt was the look on Indi’s face. Yes, we spent some time in the gift shoppe.



Then it was back on the highway and set Glasgow for Glasgow. I was surprised that she took us through the middle of Birmingham, and not back south to the ring road, but set to find the fastest route we couldn’t complain, especially as we were led into a maze of freeway not unlike those around Sydney’s CBD. Thank god for computers! I just did as I was told, “exit left, stay right, take the third exit on the roundabout” and before we knew it we were on the M6 heading north – at a snail’s pace. Congestion. The Motorways here are not unlike the US freeways – about the only place in Australia that comes close is the F3 north of Sydney. With trucks to the left of us and regular 90mph over takers on the right we headed on North.

Some hours later… after a stop at some factory outlet stores (which didn’t appear that cheap once we’d done the maths) just over the border, we continued into Glasgow. We took a quick turn around Baillieston, just off the motorway and now one of the outer suburbs of Glasgow – because that’s where Indi’s teacher is from, then followed instructions through the, again, freeway rabbit’s warren that is the middle of the city. Poor Indi had hit the daily wall and fallen asleep, but dad was all eyes ahoy, especially as he didn’t have to do any navigation!! Our trusty computer delivered us to David Mollison’s house in Bearsden to within a centimeter and our trip was over – well, that bit anyway.

Indi says…

The chocolate factory was practically built of chocolate, not literally but we did get free chocolate. There are loads of different types like shortbread and chocolate mixed together. We traveled through this whole expedition and learnt loads about how Cadbury make chocolate and where it comes from. At the Essence show you got to choose your own filling and then smother it with chocolate. After we left Birmingham we drove and drove and drove and stopped at some factory outlet stores outside Glasgow. Then we drove into Glasgow, stopping at Baillieston, where Ms Robertson is from, then we went on to Bearsden, where Granpa Dave’s friend lives.