Loch Lomond & Darkest Argyll

My story - over 10 years ago I worked in construction. I hated it. I worked too many hours and was missing out on seeing my kids growing up. I was just never around. Then one day I fell from a roof and smashed my legs. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. After a couple of years I was out of the wheelchair and looking for work but no one would hire me. Frustrated, I said to my wife that I would sit on a checkout at the local supermarket if I had to. Exactly one week later a job came up at the local supermarket to sit at the checkout. I sat there for over a year just to prove to future employers that I could hold down a job. It was insanely easy with terrible pay but I was just putting my time in so I decided that I may as well have a laugh whilst I'm doing it. I had fun every day even though I was the ugliest checkout lady in the store, by a country mile. Eventually I began to receive excellent customer service reviews which I used to help me get a job selling tickets at Stirling Castle. (I really liked the funky tartan trousers they wore to work. ) I began to just soak up the history and stories of this magnificent place. I would natter away to customers about where to look for some really cool stories and stuff to see. I laughed a lot and had loads of fun every day. I was regularly given extra encouragement from the management to speed up my transaction time. It seems that I was telling too many stories! For all of the magnificence of the castle, the restorations, the preservation, the history, its' excellent presentation, the guides and the costumed guides; a helpful cashier called Andrew began to receive first class reviews on trip advisor. Not long after, the castle management asked me if I would like to be trained up as a guide. I jumped at the chance. I absolutely loved being a guide at Stirling Castle and injected heavy doses of fun and laughter into what was sometimes very serious and uncomfortable medieval history. Then the first class reviews starting rolling in from visitors who had either been on one of my guided tours or folk that I had told stories to or helped in some way personally. It was a joy. I loved every minute. I heard of a job with a company that needed a freelance driver/guide for all of Scotland. My first class reviews helped me to secure that position and now all of Scotland would become my playground. It also solved a rather large problem that had been plaguing me. I could now create the quality time that I needed to be a present father to my children in mind as well as body. Before long I had my own vehicle and the necessary insurances to begin creating and offering my own private tours. I recognise that all of my clients are on holiday and want a good time whilst exploring Scotland's history, food, music, shops, mountains, glens and lochs. I even know where the best toilets are! (More importantly, I know where the worst ones are). The really cool stuff in Scotland is just off the beaten path and I specialise in finding these extraordinary places. If I am not having a good time with you then I am not doing it right. I've always felt a great deal of responsibility towards my clients in ensuring that they have a world class experience in my country on what might be their trip of a lifetime to a destination that they have long had on their bucket list. I'll show up when I say I'll show up and we'll explore Scotland with sincerity, kindness, honesty, curiosity and laughter. I love my job. It's almost as if somebody up there loved me enough to shove me off that roof! Guide since 2016. None