I just returned from a Scotland road trip with my wife and my father-in-law. Our aims were to explore their family history, enjoy good food and beverage, and, most importantly, take in one of the most beautiful countries on earth. Mission accomplished on all fronts.

One night, over dinner in Uig, we talked about things that surprised us about Scotland. The general consensus is that rural Scotland is unspoiled. There are no chains like Starbucks or McDonald’s along the way, you might not be able to find something to eat after 9 p.m., and all of the Scottish people we have met have a deep sense of connection to their land.

It is the perfect place to take a deep breath. The perfect place to realign your worldview. To remember how to keep the big things big, and the little things little.

Rural and unspoiled is not always easy.

Part of visiting an unspoiled place like this is learning to navigate inconveniences. As soon as we left Glasgow in our rented Renault Captur, we began to face the inconveniences of life in rural Scotland. Things that never cross our minds in Canada.

First, we adjusted to driving on the left. I hear time and time again that the hardest part of driving on the left is figuring out your lane position. Everyone seems to drift left. This turns your passenger-side tires into pothole magnets.

We got a flat tire less than two hours into having our rental car. Oh boy. The tension between Tiffany and her dad was thick like molasses. But, you can’t blame the driver unless you are willing to drive. So, we drove in near-silence from town to town, repair shop to repair shop, looking for the right tire.

When we finally found one, we forked out a brutal £198 to replace it. Thanks for nothing, rental insurance. Have I mentioned how I hate rental car companies? I think they are all thieving scoundrels!

Sometimes you have to force yourself into a positive mindset to have a good time.

Everyone I know who has been to Scotland recently has had to deal with a flat tire at some point, so I guess we had the pleasure of an authentic experience. Plus, we got the frustrated-as-hell part of the trip over with nice and early.

The flat tire also gave us the opportunity to verify Scotland’s reputation for kindness and hospitality. We found someone wiling to help us find a way sort it out around every corner. A repair shop in Oban squeezed us in early the next morning, so we could catch our ferry.

Single track roads are either ridiculously stressful or incredibly relaxing.

Our first ferry crossing brought us to the Isle of Mull. This is where we learned about single track roads. Single track roads exist in rural areas, and use one narrow lane to move traffic in two directions. Passing has to be done at designated pull-outs.

If you are not in a hurry and willing to go slow, they are actually kind of nice. But if you are trying to get somewhere quick, or if you get anxious about the line of cars behind you, they are downright scary.

Look at the road below, and imagine going 40 mph, hoping nobody is going to whip around the corner, and wondering where the next passing point is going to be. Oh, and try not to drive on the shoulders, because it’s been raining for days and that ground looks pretty soft. Also, the more obvious point made by this photo: there are sheep and cows all over the roads. They’re adorable, try not to hit them.

I’m not going to say much more about driving in Scotland, so as not to further incriminate my father-in-law, who graciously did all of the driving. In the end, we all chilled out and it was fine. But I encourage you not to take driving in Scotland lightly. It is a different kind of experience.

Take a deep breath, take it slow, and be kind to the driver.

My closing thought on setting out on a Scotland road trip is that inconveniences will happen. The more you can roll with the punches and consider it all a part of your true Scottish experience, the more fun you will have with all of it.

Seriously, though, public transit goes everywhere in Scotland. Next time I travel around the country, I’m definitely taking the bus!