Thank you to Sheila Ritchie!!
 

I have learned a lot about Scotland through your many replies to various posters. The Scottish Tourist Board would do well to take you on!!!

I agree- Sheila always gives lots of useful info -has anyone else noticed someone who contributes positively to this forum?

Why thank you, kind sirs; we aim to please

Ursula is another one who often replies to questions.

Wendy hi and thanks. Well, I try but really do wonder if Europeans would worry that much when going to the States. When I first did, in 1980, to NYC, I *was* kind of excited indeed, but did not bother too much about what to pack and what to wear. I just let things happen. Now, for all those who come to Europe, weather is fine for the moment (around 30°C), but might change for the weekend to be a little worse. <BR>:-( <BR>So, take a windbreaker, an umbrella and always, comfortable shoes, please. Remember all the cobble stones... Take sneakers, if you feel fine. After all, we all do travel and most important thing is to be comfortable. <BR>PS: Planning to go back next year to NYC. Do you think the subway is safe during the day? This is probably the only thing I am little worried about. <BR>But not yet. I will come up with some (stupid) questions, once the flight is booked. <BR>Have all a great time over here in Europe and do not worry too much. A lot of people will be pleased to help you.

one more to add to the list(I've just read a posting of his)- Art. always willing to help and always polite unlike some posters.

For Ursula--the subways are MOST safe (and crowded)during rush hours--8-11AM and 4-6PM. Far fewer people travel on them 11AM-4PM, but they're still safe, as long as you make sure there are at least 5-6 other people in the car. I myself much prefer to travel by bus in NYC during the daytime, even though it takes considerable longer to reach your destination. Some words of advice for safe subway travelling: NEVER stay in an empty car, and, if someone's bothering you in a crowded car, get off at the next station and take the following train; and finally, you'll find that you can push your way to the door in a very crowded subway, as long as you say EXCUSE ME to every single person in your way!

Carol thanks so much for answering my question. I think we shall the bus whenever possible. But you see, Europeans are also a little worried about using the subway especially in NYC. But I remember, when I was there (very young at that time), we used in later in the evening and I did not always feel that comfortable. But now, with all the good advices and being quite an experienced traveller by now, I do not worry too much about it.

Sheila, <BR>So many people singing your praises. Can I ask some advice? We are Aussies planning our trip for May/June next year. We are in the first stages of trying to work out how long to spend in each area of Britain. Not withstanding the fact that months would not be enought time to 'do' somewhere properly, do you feel we could skim the top and get a good taste of Scotland in 7 - 8 days? I am also wondering if we should plan on going up to John o'Groats if we are limited on time? We would like to go to the Isle of Skye but I don't think we will do any other islands, preferring to stay on dry land. We want to see , scenery, scenery and history, history and more of both. Cities are great but I thought one night in say Paisley and maybe two in Edinburgh would be sufficient, what do you think? <BR>Any advice will be much appreciated.

Well that's a first! Why on earth do you want to stay in Paisley. If I were to pick the ten most depressing towns in Scotland, I think Paisley would be on the list. <BR> <BR>I assume you are driving? What I would suggest is 2 nights in Edinburgh then from a single base; maybe Plockton? or Invermoriston, or somewhere from wher you can easliy reach a lot of other places, day trips all round. persoannly I'd hugely prefer that to dashing from pillar to post. <BR> <BR>If you stayed in Plockton- very picturesque village at the mounth of Loch Carron, you are 6 miles from the bridge to Skye, less than an hour from Loch Ness, less than an hour from Gairloch and Poolewe, less than an hour from Torridon, about an hour and a half from the entrance to Glencoe; <BR> <BR>Lots of opportunity for round trips- <BR>Skye-Mallaig-Morven-Fort William -home <BR>Skye-Mallaig-Glenfinnan-Fort William-home <BR>Achnasheen-Gairloch-Ullapool-Garve-home <BR>Inverness-Loch Ness-home <BR>Inverness-Aviemore-Kingussie-LochLaggan-Spean Bridge-home <BR> <BR>You could EVEN do John O' Groats in a day trip, tho' if I were in charge I want a very serious understanding of why you should. <BR> <BR>please feel free to come back for more

Dame Sheila (or whatever the equivalent title would be in Scotland) is a wonderful lady. <BR>She mailed me an extra fodors pin which she received when she knew how much I wanted one. <BR>She is both extremely knowledgeable and generous. <BR>Boy...is your head gonna fit through the door after this post? LOL <BR>Thanking you again

I know it has been some time since someone has registered a reply/message but I have to say - I will be traveling to Great Britain this summer and I have, in my estimation, worn Sheila out with my endless questions. She has, however, continued to reply, with great insight AND humor. I am quite certain that I will be forever indebted to her for her many pearls of wisdom and for her generosity. We are all busy in this life but somehow she makes us all feel special with her interest in us.
Truly an asset to her homeland and to all of those who have Scotland on their &quot;list&quot; - or in their dreams. Thanks as always Sheila......... Lynda

I have to agree with everybody else. Sheila has provided me with her invaluable input for our upcoming trip in May. I envy her for living in such a beautiful place and thank her for sharing her insights with us.

Too bad she's not as knowledgeable or friendly as janis . . . she's probably a barrister or a solicitor.

Cheers, to Sheila, a kind and generous lady.

Snoopy, I hope you are a friend of Sheila and are just poking fun. You know she is a solicitor.

Sheila is a pillar of this Fodors community and is greatly respected and appreciated by me and many others.

Janis is very helpful as well.

I completely agree! I have asked her numerous questions and she answered them all!

That'll be fifteen guineas please, Snoopy.

(British legal joke- please spare my blushes- I'm a mere amateur, when it comes to telling people how to enjoy theri holidays:))

Sheila, you're not an amateur at all, and you really made Scotland such a delight for me!

BC

3 cheers for Sheila...and for Janis as well!

I will get blasted for what will be perceived as critical or negative... and I mean no disrespect to Lynda nor Sheila, since you have given tirelessly on this forum...

... but I don't find any posts from Lynda, with all these questions on Scotland since last September. There were quite a number of questions in a short span in September, and then all of a sudden, they stopped.

Presumably, your personal e-mail communication with Sheila took off from there. And readers of this forum never got to share in any of what was shared. if some of it seemed personal in nature to you, then so much the better.

But questions that are really NOT personal get mailed to many &quot;regulars&quot; on this forum, and it undermines how the forum works for everyone.

If Sheila, or anyone else... spent the majority of time answering questions in private e-mails, and a much smaller fraction contributing here...

... then how would anybody know that people like her exist?

Hope you have a great trip, Lynda.. and come back here and share your impressions...

Best wishes,

Rex

M&ograve;ran taing to Sheila for her good counsel and humour!

Hi there, Rex. I see you're back to being the Forum policeman:)

Now, I KNOW that you know how many times I've posted here, since I discovered this place. I haven't a clue.

I can tell you that I have sent her 31 email since she appeared here; many of which are in the &quot;have a bottle on wine on the terrace&quot; level. we've also discussed, without acrimony, both politics and the Superbowl.

I have undertaken to do a complete route guide once Lynda's itinerary is fixed. It, like my 104 saved documents, will be posted here for all to see. So you'll get some benfit (or some boredom) after all.

Sheila, I think you should charge Snoopy at least fifty guineas!

It shouldn't matter to the rest of us how many private emails you have made to Fodorites and I don't think explanations are necessary. I just appreciate how you have helped me.

Gosh, I never realized that people who contribute here aren't supposed to spend their time on personal e-mails. Live and learn.

jeez Rex, I've always defended you but that post is uncalled for. So what if She has personal contac-- but she equalizes it here, and is not a poster who just throws out URLS. She is the only source of info in her area WHO CONSTANTLY POSTS.We appreciate all who give their advice in other areas, but she's special because she extends herself like someone wanting a pin or a small map odf an area.Let's give advice, information and not knock other posters. We are all here. I hope, to share travel, and life styles without being made to feel small.

YOU GO..MIMI!!!

You've got it RIGHT!

I knew in advance that I would be criticized, and I accept your criticism.

It's an opinion. I wanted to share it first and foremost with Lynda.

I share it with everyone who writes directly to me. and then I try my best to answer their questions, and encourage to take - - as much as possible, if they are not seeking PERSONAL information - - to take it back to the forum.

I hope that the forum benefits from all opinions.

Personally speaking here, I love hearing everyones opinions on these boards, about Travel,Hotels,etc..not other posters.
I think there are times when one should keep ones opinions to himself.

Dang! I'm way out of line. I've had literally hundreds of emails (sent and received) with travel info from and to Fodorites. I guess I better start cutting and posting. :-)

Shelia, I think you are great. Always cheerful, never bossy, always helpful. Thanks for your gracious, interesting, and frequently humorous postings.

There is nothing further I can add, and I will not dig my heels in and mount a defensive stance. The contributions by Sheila, by grasshopper, and many others are - - yes, of course - - greatly treasured.

I apologize for the fact that my posting led to this inflammatory exchange.

That's very gracious of you Rex. I'm impressed.

Now let's all take chill pills! There's so much vitriolic stuff flying around here lately. I think I'll go howl at the moon for awhile.

And so have you been very helpful, Rex, lt us not attack one another.
happy travels, happy talk...:)

Yes, Judi, my comments were in jest, although it pains me to admit that . . . And I would be honored to be able to call Sheila my friend. I try to inject as much vitriolic stuff and ascerbic claptrap as possible onto this forum while trying to couch my comments in terms of travel. Sheila called me for what I am (narrow minded, right-wing, bobble head, so I called her a wide minded, left-wing static head) and earned my respect with her candor.

Snoopy

Wow, if I ever thought that sending a compliment- for all to see - in Sheila's direction, would create such a stir.....I imagine I would have done it anyway. She so deserves such gratitude.
I was reading along seeing that others agreed when I came across the message from Rex. My heart sunk and I felt the same feeling that I had back in September - or whenever it was that I dropped off. Incidently, this was my 1st posting since then.
Messages like his actually sent me &quot;off-line&quot;.
I 1st discovered this forum after having bought Fodor's Great Britain '03. I also was reading other publications beginning my planning for a Summer '04 trip to the UK. Once I isolated the locations I thought we might want to visit, I began posting various questions to this forum. Having never participated in such an excahnge before, I kind of fumbled through - even doubling up on my questions at times. By and large I was receiving helpful and friendly advice but there were a handful of replies that began to make me feel a bit out of my element. I am not easily discouraged but I figured I didn't need to subject myself to feeling so awkward.Thus, I stopped posting. One individual even suggested that I had not done any research and that I was just throwing out questions, as if to be asking everyone else to do the work for me. It was through countless hours of research that I was even able to ask any questions!!
Anyway, Sheila offered to critique my plans, I accepted, and we struck up an on-line friendship. Yes, I have continued to pose many questions to her re: my upcoming trip AND we have discussed numerous other things. I feel blessed to have found her and I have this site to thank for that.
I will, at the conclusion of my trip, post our highlights ( and likely lows ) in gratitude to what I have learned here - which has been a lot. That is how I feel I can contribute.
Thanks to all of you above who offered supportive comments and for also offering gratitude to Sheila.
And thanks again Sheila - you're the bomb!!!

I must add my admiration for Sheila as well. A year ago she was extremely kind and helpful to me while I was planning a trip to London. Thanks to her I had the experience of a lifetime. Since there is no way for me to adequately thank her, I have tried since then to find some way to pay-it-forward, as it were, but with little success. I just hope she knows how grateful I am, and how much her help means to so many of us.
Erica

virtual flowers and champagne for everyone with good wishes.
And to everyone out there who are kind posters, with no ax to grind, with no upmanship, and who love to share their knowledge without &quot;&auml;ttitude&quot;
&quot;That describes Sheila.

I actually have a Sheila Shrine that I built in my back yard to honor her travelogue greatness. I suggest a pilgrimage to Dallas,TX to view the shrine and offer some sort of appropriate sacrifice, such as empty malt Scotch bottles, in hommage.

I'm sorry, Sheila. I JUST couldn't help myself.

In loving jest,
Snoopy

I agree. Sheila sure is a sweetie. Hi Sheila!! Still using my spurtle!!

Aahhhhh Spurtles! Thank you dancin, reminds me that I must go dig mine out of the boxes from the move and use it some day :)
Thanks from a wee Yank to a wee Scot ((F))