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The impressive looking Lovat Arms Hotel dominates the main street, and we knew we
were pushing our luck when we entered. After a long chat with the friendly manager, he
informed us that they had no rooms available, but if we were able to find somewhere else
in town to stay, we could come back for a free meal that night. This was almost a better
reward than somewhere to sleep.
We chatted to a coach driver who was parked up outside the front of the hotel. He was
stayinginBeaulyovernightaspartofacoachtourandwascheckingonthebusbeforedin-
ner with his group of oldies.
'Any chance we could sleep on the coach tonight?' Ben suggested. 'We wouldn't dirty
the seats or anything. We'd just sleep in the aisle.'
'Are you serious?' he asked. 'You're that desperate you would sleep on the bus?'
'Completely.'
He thought for a moment.
'Well, I suppose you could. I can't see a problem with that. I've just got to pop into the
hotel to get the keys. Back in a minute.'
'Nice one,' I said to Ben. 'You've blagged us a bus.'
'It'll be like we're the Famous Five or something. Only there's just the two of us, and
we don't have a dog.'
'Errr, yeah, and I don't think the Famous Five ever slept on a bus, either. Otherwise it's
just like that.'
'I'm really sorry, guys,' said the coach driver when he returned. 'I've had a think about
it and I'm not going to be able to let you sleep on the coach, I'm afraid.'
'Oh, ok,' I said dejectedly. 'Can I ask why you changed your mind?'
'It's for insurance reasons, I'm afraid. I remembered that I'm not covered for people
staying on the bus overnight. If it was to catch fire or something I would be held respons-
ible.'
'We promise not to start any fires,' said Ben.
'It's still a no, I'm afraid. I'm really sorry that I can't help you out.'
WetriedatanotherB&Bjustoffthemainstreet,butwerepolitelyrefused.Furtherdown
the main street we reached the Caledonian Hotel; a slightly shabby looking hotel/pub. The
lightswereoff,butthestairwellwaslitandwecouldhearthenoiseofatelevisionfromup-
stairs.Assumingthatthereception wasupstairs,wemadeourwayupandopenedthedoor.
A dog began barking frantically and a lady, who was sat on the sofa in the dark, shouted at
it to be quiet.
'Excuse me, we're really sorry to disturb you,' I said hesitantly.
'Och jesus christ ye scared th' life out ay me. Ah didne hear ye come in. Ah wondered
whit Rufus was barkin' at.'
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