NH Scottish Games

Today my mom and I went to the Scottish Highland Games. I heard about it on the radio last week and looked at their website and thought it would be fun to go to since we went to the same thing in New York and in Virginia. I ordered tickets online and they came in the mail. I also e-mailed the place to see about a wheelchair accessible bus since everyone has to take a shuttle bus to the Games. I was told that there was a special handicapped parking lot and there was also a shuttle bus that could accommodate us.

Today was supposed to be a nice Fall day, but instead it was cold, windy and rainy. At 8 am I dropped the dogs off at the kennel to spend the night (since we planned to spend the whole day at the Games.) Then we had breakfast at McDonald's and drove an hour to the Games. We found the handicapped parking lot and parked. The shuttle bus was there and so we quickly got into line. The bus driver (a woman) was very stupid and not doing a good job loading people on. They were also allowing 5-7 people (non-disabled) go with every disabled person and so the bus got full right when it was our turn to board. No one (neither the 6 parking attendants nor the bus driver) said anything to us. The bus just left. I asked one of the attendants if there was another bus and when that would come and he looked at me as though I was speaking in tongues. He said it was his first day and didn't know anything. I then asked another attendant and he said that today they only had one handicapped bus, but that Saturday and Sunday there would be more - which wouldn't help us. As it took the bus 30 minutes to load I figured another 30 minutes at the site to unload, then 30 minutes to come back and load us and then 30 more minutes to unload us at the Games - 2 hours in the rain for a bus. That is way too long. The parking attendants were beyond stupid - I don't think they had one brain between them. We gave them our tickets and got a refund. We were very p-ed off at how we were being treated.

I was going to call and complaint, but couldn't find the number and so decided to drive to another parking lot and get the number so I could call an official and let them know how badly they treat people.

It turns out that we went to the main parking lot and got the head parking guy. I told him what happened and at first he made excuses (ie "We never had anyone complain before", etc.) When we were about to leave and go home I just decided to open my door and ask the guy for his name. He then asked for mine and where I was coming from. I started saying "New H...", but it came out as "New York." He asked several times: "You drove here from New York today? Today? Today?" I kept saying: "Yes, today. Today. Today." He said that since we had driven so far he would drive us to a close parking spot where we wouldn't need a shuttle bus. So I thanked him and followed his car. Had I told him we lived an hour away I'm sure he wouldn't have cared and done nothing so I don't feel bad for stretching the truth. I do consider that I am FROM New York and just LIVE in New Hampshire.

We went to the Games and since it was raining we went into the closest building. They were having a sheep dog demonstration (like the one we saw in Ireland) and so we went up the stairs (in a wheelchair elevator.) We couldn't see anything and so we went back downstairs and outside - the rain had stopped - and went closer where we could actually see. They also had bagpipers playing. We stayed for some time and then went into a tent to get out of the strong wind. It was the food tent. I got Shepard's Pie (which wasn't that good.)

Neither of us felt like staying any longer. The strong wind, cold, rain and fight with the stupid parking people just didn't make us want to stay. So after all the trouble of getting in we left after 1 - 1 1/2 hours there. On the way home we just made it past the town highway department that was about to close the main road so they could fix it from the storm. I went to the mailbox and saw that we have 2 boxes that I have to drive to the Post Office in the next town to get them. I didn't feel like dealing with anyone else and so will either get them tomorrow morning (when I pick up the dogs) or Monday. I probably would never go back to the Games. The employees have soured any fun experience I could have there. The Scottish Games I went to in New York and Virginia were so much better.