The Jamie and Claire tour!

My name is Samantha MacKenzie. I am a great fan of Diana Gabaldon's novels about Jamie and Claire Fraser. Although I am of Scots descent, I was brought up in Maine and California, so the first time I came to Scotland, I too was an "Outlander". There, I met and married my own Highlander ("Mmph").

My husband, Scot AnSgeulaiche

Having run story-tours for visitors for a few years, I wondered in 2006 if I could create a "Jamie and Claire" tour for other fans of Diana Gabaldon - a tour to let people experience the REAL Scotland, as close to that which Claire found, both in the 20th and 18th centuries.

The idea sat for a couple of years until now, 2008. The tour plan is so new that I haven't finished work on it yet. Would you like to contribute ideas? Below is a questionnaire that you can answer to let me know what you would like from a tour.

Scot and I are already two of the best historical guides in the Highlands, so we'd like to create the best Jamie and Claire tour. The best. That's why we're asking sooo many questions.

Please only answer these questions if you would CONSIDER making a journey to Scotland and you are a Diana Gabaldon fan. You are filling in the questionnaire anonymously, so there's no obligation to take a tour!

What season would you like to the tour to be in?
Winter Spring Summer Autumn or a specific date / month:

How long should the tour be?
3 days / 2 nights 6 days / 5 nights 8 days / 7 nights other:

Would you like a day within the tour to just relax? Yes No other:

What type of accommodation would you like to stay in?
B&B (3 star) 4 Star Hotel Bothys (rustic) and hostels Combination of the above (pamper & rustic) other:

What's your own reading of Outlander and the series?
I have read the first book I have read some of the books I have read all of the books

Would you like to bring a friend or partner?
Yes maybe No
If yes or maybe to the above, has he/she read Outlander and the series?
They have not read any Jamie and Claire books They have read the first book They have read some of the books The have read all of the books
If you have a non-reading partner, would you like to see some separate activities geared towards partners?
Yes maybe No Comment

The following are some specific locations from the book. Although they are ficticious or greatly changed since the 1700s, places similar to them do still exist. Please rate their "must visit" status.
Choose about 3 top priority visits.
	Top Priority	Quite important	Don't mind	Not important
A stone circle like Craig na Dun:
A castle like Leoch:
A house like Lallybroch:
A broch like Broch Tuarach:
Jamie's Prison of Wentworth:
A Bothy or Cottar's House, like the ones Jamie and Claire visit and stay in in the Highlands:
A chapel VERY like the one Jamie and Claire were married in:
Inverness:
A bleak moorland like Ardsmuir:
A place like Silkies Island (of the Jacobite Gold):
Fort William (nothing left from the 1700s but a good museum with Jacobite period exhibits):
Culloden battle field:
A close like Carfax close in Edinburgh (home of A. Malcolm, Printers):
The seedy side of Edinburgh (like the room of Alex Randall and Madamme Jeanne's Brothel):
Holyrood Palace (seat of Charles Edward Stuart during the '45), Edinburgh:
A stately home like the Duke of Sandringham's or Helwater where Jamie was indentured:
Did we miss any?	See next question

Which "reality" is important to you:
castle image The real locations named in the books, even if they are not as Diana Gabaldon describes them
Locations most like the ones in the books even if they are elsewhere
Please feel free to add comments about locations (including non-DG locations/experiences)

What type of walking would you like to do?
Only from the vehicle to the specific sites (1-2 miles per day)
Casually around town and flat surfaces (1-3miles per day)
Trail walks in the low hills (2-5 miles)
Follow some of the more rigorous and remote routes of Jamie and Claire (10 miles on one day of the tour)
Other

Would you like your evenings unplanned?
Yes No Comment

The following are some experiences had by Jamie and Claire, or conjour the atmosphere of their lives. Please rate their "must experience" status.
Choose about 3 top priority visits.
	Top Priority	Quite important	Don't mind	Prefer Not
How important would it be for you to hear and perhaps learn some Gàidhlig language on the tour?
Experience Highland life in the 1700s through a visit to a Living History museum:
Would you like to make some rural journeys by horseback?
Within the tour, would you like to make a two day journey by horseback, camping one night, hunting with mounted hawks and eating mostly what we gather?
Would it be important to you to meet and talk with a practicing Folk Herbalist, like Claire?
Would you like sessions of reading Claire and Jamie episodes, perhaps at locations, or of an evening?
Would it be important to you to see a Highlanders and Redcoats re-enactment?
Would you like traditional, live music to be a part of the tour?
Would you like a storytelling session by Scot of traditional Highland Tales one evening?
Would you like an Outlander / Dragonfly quiz session(s) during the tour?
Would you like a formal evening in quasai period costume?
Feel free to comment on the above inclusions:

How important is eco or green toursim to you, e.g low impact travel, organic or local food, buying from other eco-suppliers?
Important Not important Comment

Are you interested in visiting some of the places in France visited by Claire & Jamie?
Versaille Paris An Abbey France comment

Given your wants, listed above, what do you think would be an appropriate cost in Dollars (excluding flight) for your tour?

What would be a deciding factor(s) for choosing to join a tour?

Are there any other comments about the tour, the page etc:

Would you be interested in further helping to develop this tour, being a guinea-pig on a trial run, or becoming a commissioned promoter?
Yes (fill in a contact below) No

If you would like to give us your contact (optional), we'll let you know how the tour is developing. We'll NEVER spam you or give your contact to another party.

Thank you! Tapadh leibh
Samantha MacKenzie

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