DAY 20: EDINBURGH

EDINBURGH is a right royal Scottish wonder.

My neck is sore from turning around, looking up and straining to see yet another magnificent building, monument, statue, memorial, church, old pub, not to mention the castle from every angle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

While hubbie watched the British Open at Muirfield, I got up close and personal with Edinburgh Castle before delving deeper into the shops of Royal Mile, discovering the pubs and al fresco dining of Grassmarket, relaxing in the mid meadows of Quarter Mile, having a coffee in The Hub (a former church that plays host to Edinburgh International Festival events), and Greyfriars Kirk and its legendary  Bobby the dog (the Skye terrier became legendary in 19th-century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died himself in 1872).

Then there's the closes and wynds, or little alleys, that reveal cool and shady gardens and cafes, centuries of history in homes and courtyards, as well as hidden gems like the Writers Museum (in Lady Stair's Close) where I learnt more about Robert Louis Stevenon and his home, Vailima, that I visited in Samoa.

After a stroll down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (the Queen's official residence in Scotland but also the 16th century home of the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots) and a gaze at the spectacular Arthur's Seat backdrop in Holyrood Park, I was seriously suffering from tourist overload and heatstroke

We completed a great Scotland day with a walk through town and a drink in Deacon Brodie Tavern, named after the infamous respected councillor of the same name who was found to be a cunning burglar by night.

Nice to see Edinburgh has played host to scallywags as well as royalty.

Lesson of the day: Top up your Irish-bought SIM card in Ireland before buying a useless top-up voucher in Scotland that leaves you without credit to call your wife to find her in Edinburgh when, after a long day in the sun walking the Old Course at St Andrews, all you want to do is get back to your hotel for a rest before a well-earned drink.