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Day 5
Breakfast: Served at the hotel from 7am-8:30am, with Scottish and American options available. Morning: We'll bid farewell to Glasgow around 8:30am and begin our overland journey to Oban by private motorcoach. Around 10am, we'll make a stop for an immersive experience in a local community during A Day in the Life of Gartmore Village. Small and quaint, Gartmore Village has a palpable sense of community. The 475 residents who live here have a strong tradition of looking out for one another--so much so that when the local pub and general store owners retired, and no buyers came forward, the community chipped in to buy the businesses and run them themselves. Throughout our time in Gartmore, we'll be accompanied by a local man named Peter Sutherland. Peter was the driving force behind this community buyout, the first in Scotland's history. Peter's success made the residents of the village so confident in his efforts, that they encouraged him to take over managing the buyout. He remains very passionate about the village, and invests most of his free time its ongoing success. Around 10am, Peter will take us on a walking tour of the village, pointing out the local pub, school, gardens, and the general store. As we walk, Peter will explain the "tic" system the village uses to keep track of expenses. Since the pub and general store are run by volunteers, there is not always someone on hand to assist with purchases. To solve this issue, each home in the village has a book in which they mark up (or "tic") purchases they make; at the end of each month, locals settle up their bills. This system is based entirely on trust and is only possible because of the tight-knit spirit of the village. You may get to meet some residents during our walking tour--Gartmore is rarely visited by Americans, and so the locals may be quite eager to chat with us to hear where we're from and learn what brought us to their village. Feel free to continue this cultural exchange by asking them any questions you may have about life in Gartmore, or about the community buyout. Next, around 11am, we'll visit Gartmore House, a non-profit organization that aims to train teens in the area with learning and social disabilities to get jobs in the gardening industry. We'll have time to wander the sprawling grounds and admire the teens' handiwork. It may also be possible to chat with the teens while they work, but due to the nature of their disabilities some can be shy and uncomfortable talking to strangers; it is important to respect their boundaries. Then we'll walk back to the community-owned pub for lunch. Lunch: Around noon, enjoy a meal of homestyle pub dishes at the pub. Our lunch will be prepared and served to us by volunteers for the community; if you'd like, you can roll up your sleeves and help them to serve drinks or set tables to get a feel for the work they do here. This is also a great opportunity to continue getting to know the people of Gartmore: You can ask them about their experience working as volunteers, and about how life in the village has changed since the community buyout. Afternoon: We'll depart Gartmore at about 1pm and continue our journey to Oban, arriving around 4:45pm. We'll check in to our hotel and you'll have some free time to settle in. Depending on where we stay, our hotel may feature a restaurant and bar. Typically, each of the hotel's rooms includes a TV, wireless Internet access, and a private bathroom. We'll gather around 6pm for an orientation walk around the vicinity of our hotel led by our Trip Experience Leader. During our walk, we'll acquaint ourselves with the area, while our Trip Experience Leader points out restaurant recommendations, ATMs, and suggestions for free time activities. Our walk will end at a local seafood restaurant. Dinner: Around 6:30pm at the seafood restaurant. We'll get the chance to see why Oban has earned its title as the seafood capital of Scotland during our meal of fresh fish and chips, and we'll also enjoy traditional Scottish music as we eat. Evening: On your own--you may choose to retire to your room to get some rest, or perhaps you'll set off on an evening stroll around Oban. Freedom to Explore During your three days in Oban, you have the freedom to explore this culturally-rich town on your own during your free time. Below are some recommended options for independent explorations:
How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute walk.
How to get there: A 5- to 10-minute taxi ride, about $10 USD one way.
How to get there: A 10- to 15-minute walk.
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5/6/21 |
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A Day in the Life of Gartmore Village
Exclusive O.A.T. Activity:
Today our discoveries will include A Day in the Life of Gartmore village--a chance for us to truly immerse ourselves in the daily activities small town life. The 475 residents who live here have a strong tradition of looking out for one another--so much so that when the local pub and general store owners retired, and no buyers came forward, the community chipped in to buy the businesses and run them themselves.