I heard about the Gathering at the Highland Games in San Diego last year. It sounded like a great time, so I contacted a travel agent in the Kansas City area who was recommended to me by one of my customers. She put together a trip to Scotland for him this last summer and he was quite happy with her services. She grew up in Scotland and gets back there frequently, so she is up to date on what it takes to make a successful trip.

Her take on The Gathering was that it was designed to separate the tourists from their money and that all of the prices would be high. She suggested a trip either in May or September, the "shoulder seasons" when there would be fewer crowds and prices would be more reasonable.

Alas, it doesn't look like it will happen this year, perhaps in 2010.