S C O T L A N D : D A Y   1 6

SEPTEMBER 3 (Sunday) -- Glasgow to back home again

Departure day for me, and as hard a time as I've ever had leaving any place. It caught me by surprise how my friends really seemed sad to see me go; it wasn't easy to maintain my composure as I settled myself into the taxi taking me back to the airport at Paisley. But somehow I managed to do all the things I was supposed to do to get myself and my luggage on the right plane, to change over at Heathrow, and to wind up (this time!) with a seat by the emergency exit where I could stretch my legs and spare my aching knees. My seat-mate was a woman from Maryland, who startled me by actually speaking to me (not a typical thing when I travel, since I usually try to emit "leave me alone so I can read" mind-control rays). She was a congenial neighbor, though, and spent a good part of our flight telling me about the two weeks she'd just spent touring Italy, Switzerland and France.

If I hadn't been returning from my dream vacation to Scotland, I might have been jealous.