Thanks to everyone for their responses - much appreciated. Noe847 - I'd love to see your photos. And d1carter - sorry to hijack your thread lol.

lifeofmytime:
It is no hijack, I want to see those pics as well. Tehe
d1

Thanks d1carter - I'll check with Cingular, which I have also, and see what it takes to add the international feature. I'll also do a search on phones.

I'd like to see the photos too! noe847, looking forward to it!

JulieAA:
We order a International phone from Roadpost whenever we travel. Roadpost programs the North American overseas codes, sends it by courier to our home approximately 1 week before we leave, and we return it by courier in a prepaid return envelope.
This method works for us as my partner has to check on his business daily, and return the odd call to Canada & US.
We wouldn't be without a cell phone on vacation, and this time it was vital... when the Scottish police happened to phone whilst we were en route to Edinburgh to say a bicyclist found the lost wallet on the road and took it in the the local police station, and could we return to Mull and pick it up. YES!
(Read above).
You just have to check around and see what type of cellphone works for you.
www.roadpost.com

I've posted a bunch of pictures of Glen Affric at: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...d=8DZsmzZuzbN0
You should be able to click on "view pictures" and "view as slideshow" without having to sign in.

The first ones are of Tomich, and then the rest are from our drive into Glen Affric, the short walk that goes to the commemorative viewpoint, and a walk/hike we took back into the glen beyond where cars can drive. We walked up a hill for some great views. It was raining, hard at times, which made the scenery moody and the greens very fresh. When the rain stopped, we tried for a picnic snack of whisky and oatcakes(!) along the path but the midges found us and we hoofed it for the car.

My pictures from a previous visit are also lovely (slightly better weather) but aren't digital. Regardless, pictures don't do justice to the feel of the place.

noe847 - Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos. You are right...cameras do not capture the true feeling of the place, but your's did a excellent job.

Simply gorgeous! Thanks so much for posting.

Noe:
Thanks for the pics. I do appreciate your giving me a tip to Glen Affric. It made a memory for my family that we will not forget.
d1

Back in 1999, way before my days picking up great info from fellow Fodorites, I found out about the Glen and several of our other favorites in Scotland from the book <i>Scotland the Best</i> by Peter Irvine. It's still my Scotland &quot;bible&quot; and I make sure we have a current edition each time we go to Scotland.

Anyway, all these trip reports and prospective trips are making me envious! After going 3 of the past 5 years, there is no trip to Scotland on the horizon for us I'll just have to continue to live vicariously, I guess, so keep those reports coming!

Thank you, noe, for the pictures and thank you, d1carter, for a very enjoyable trip report.

celticmoon, thanks so much for the roadpost info. I'm going to check it out - already found out that my cingular phone is too old and won't work on international roaming.

Thanks for the great pix noe847.

Julie

Amazing Pictures Noe!!
Thank you for sharing

Here is a link to our Scotland favorite pics:
picasaweb.google.com/d01carter
Hope you like them!

Great pictures, d1carter. You had some really pretty weather on Skye and Glen Affric. It's also nice how the gray skies can bring the greens to life.

I'm trying to decide if the pictures make me miss being there more!

beautiful!

The weather gods shone on you for sure. I think it was my 3rd or 4th trip to Skye before I actually &quot;saw&quot; any of Skye. They don't call it the Misty Isle for nuthin . . . .

I remember standing there at Kilt Rock and sayiing &quot;I know there is a waterfall there somewhere&quot;

noe847 &amp; d1carter,

I should never have looked at your pictures. Scotland is calling me back. Is it possible to be homesick for a place that's not really home?

The photos are beautiful. Thanks for brightening my day.

Thanks for your comments. We are already talking about how we can go back for an extended visit. We have received some emails from folks we met there and yes, historytraveler, we are having that &quot;homesick&quot; feeling. I guess we will just have to live through Fodorites until we return?

You are right - absolutely beautiful- we took our third trip to Scotland in March this year(still haven't seen the Isle of Skye!). Beautiful country and people. This time we stayed in the Kingdom of Fife, in a little village near St. Andrews called Kilconqhuer. (can oo ker)
BTW...are midges some sort of bugs?

awesome pictures!

sandyatlanta! It's kin yuck er