0:00:21 > 0:00:25This story belongs to Isla and Mummy Sarah.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34It's a tiny tale about Mummy Sarah's life
0:00:34 > 0:00:36growing up in a hotel.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Isla and Mummy Sarah just love going for long walks on the beach.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59And now it's time for Mummy Sarah to take Isla on a journey of discovery
0:00:59 > 0:01:02and share her stories of when she was younger.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Isla is helping Mummy Sarah in the hotel lounge.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11- Isla, is that Granny's car?- Yes. - That looks great.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15I need to count the rooms that are booked for tonight.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20We've got three doubles, three twins and one single. How many is that?
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Seven.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24That's great. Thank you.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28When I was a little girl, I used to help my Mummy and Daddy in the hotel.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31They did the same job that I do now.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34They looked after reception, answered the telephone
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and made sure everything worked properly.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Isla and Mummy Sarah live on a small group of islands
0:01:54 > 0:01:55off the coast of Scotland.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Many years ago, you would have to have your own boat
0:01:59 > 0:02:01if you wanted to travel to the island.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Or you could travel on the mail boat
0:02:04 > 0:02:07that delivered letters to local people.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Nowadays, the ferry sails into their village twice a day
0:02:11 > 0:02:14and brings lots of visitors from all over the world
0:02:14 > 0:02:16to the island and its hotels.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Mummy Sarah is a hotel manager.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22A hotel is a big building with lots of bedrooms
0:02:22 > 0:02:25that visitors can stay in when they're on holiday.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Lots of people work in hotels and do lots of jobs.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33Look at these old pictures of receptionists, chefs and waiters.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Isla's family have owned this hotel for a very long time.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Over 100 years.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Isla's great-great-grandad, William,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45bought the hotel all those years ago.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50Look how the hotel has changed since Mummy Sarah was a little girl.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52I remember when we were young
0:02:52 > 0:02:56and Uncle Camie and Uncle Andy and I used to have lots of fun
0:02:56 > 0:02:59playing in the hotel garden. It's huge.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02And we used to play hide-and-seek in the trees,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04sometimes we played on the swing
0:03:04 > 0:03:08and sometimes we played in our little pretend houses.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13We also had a little paddling pool which we played in
0:03:13 > 0:03:15in the summertime.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Aren't old photographs fun to look at?
0:03:28 > 0:03:32This is one of the rooms I had to share with your uncles
0:03:32 > 0:03:34when I was a little girl.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37It was different back then. My bed was over there
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and Uncle Camie and Uncle Andy slept over there.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Would you like to share a room with your brother, Hamish,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- and your little sister, Flora? - No way!
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Do you like being a hotel manager?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Oh, yes. I love meeting new people
0:03:52 > 0:03:55and hearing all about their interesting stories.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59- And there's always things to do. - What kind of things?
0:03:59 > 0:04:02I have to make sure all the rooms are clean and tidy
0:04:02 > 0:04:07and I need to make sure that nobody has been messing with the pillows
0:04:07 > 0:04:09or having a pillow fight.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18ISLA LAUGHS
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Pillow fights are so much fun.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Look at those amazing old cars.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33I wonder who they belong to.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37- This is my grandad.- Hello!
0:04:37 > 0:04:41And he used to be the manager of the hotel, like my mum.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44- This is my granny.- Hello!
0:04:44 > 0:04:46She used to work in the hotel, too.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51I think we'll go for a wee trip. Which car would you like to go in?
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Granny's car. The blue one.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Very good. Let's go.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Look at Granny Helen's lovely car.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And look at the beautiful countryside.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25There are lots of hills, rocks and sandy beaches around the island.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29The roads aren't very wide and they're called single-track
0:05:29 > 0:05:33because only one car can travel on the road in one direction,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36while another waits in a passing place.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39The island has an old road called the Golden Road.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Local people say it's called this because it cost a lot of money
0:05:43 > 0:05:46to build through the rocky and hilly land.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Isla, do you know what these books are?
0:05:58 > 0:06:01They're called visitors' books.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03People who come to stay,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06they sign their name and they leave a little message.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Do you know what that says, Isla?
0:06:09 > 0:06:10No.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13That says "Charles" and "Camilla".
0:06:13 > 0:06:16It's Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18That's Prince William's dad.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20That's correct, Isla.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Prince Charles is also grandfather to Prince George.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Look at this old book. It's older than Grandad John.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33That says "J.M. Barrie". Do you know who he was?
0:06:33 > 0:06:34No.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39He was a famous writer and he wrote a story called Peter Pan.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41I know that story.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44He had a friend called Wendy.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47There's a little fairy called Tinker Bell
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and a bad man called Captain Hook.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54That's right. And when J.M. Barrie stayed here, he sat in that chair.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58And he wrote his name in that window
0:06:58 > 0:07:03and we still have that piece of glass in the hotel today.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Look at this very old photo of J.M. Barrie.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13And this is the most famous character he created - Peter Pan.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17Here's the actual signature he scratched onto the glass
0:07:17 > 0:07:19in Mummy Sarah's hotel.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22What an amazing piece of history.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24J.M. Barrie has signed the guest book
0:07:24 > 0:07:28and I think it's time for our own little star to sign it, too.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32- Would you like to leave a message in the book?- Yes, please.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46What beautifully neat handwriting you have, Isla.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53Let's find out what Mummy Sarah and Isla are up to now.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59- Isla, would you like to help me set the breakfast table?- Yes, please.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05When I was a little girl, I helped my mummy set the tables...
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and I did the dishes, and I helped make the beds,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11and I served food to the guests.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Here's Granny Helen having a well-earned rest after
0:08:15 > 0:08:17the morning's breakfast rush.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Here she is again. Can you see the other lady in the background?
0:08:21 > 0:08:24I wonder what strange object that is.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26When Granny was a little girl,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29everybody had dinner at half past seven.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- Do you know how they knew it was half past seven?- No.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Granny used to ring a gong.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37This is the hotel gong.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- Would you like to ring it?- Yes.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44- Dinner time. - GONG BLARES
0:08:58 > 0:09:01There are plenty of things to see on the island,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03including lots of wildlife.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08Mummy Sarah and Isla are looking for something very exciting.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Isla, this is a special place.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Visitors to the island come to see if they can spot golden eagles.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- Have you ever seen a golden eagle? - No. Have you?
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Yes. I'm lucky. I've seen quite a few.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24- Will we try and see if we can see one today?- Yes.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Let's have a look over there, over that mountain.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32Golden eagles have lived on the island longer than the people,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34and are Britain's largest birds.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38From wing tip to wing tip, they're longer than a small car.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42The golden eagles live on the island all year round
0:09:42 > 0:09:47and don't fly off to warmer countries like some birds do,
0:09:47 > 0:09:52so that means visitors can see them in the summer and the winter.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54I can't see any.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Shall we try over this side?
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Can you see anything?
0:10:02 > 0:10:05What's that at your feet, Isla?
0:10:05 > 0:10:06Look! Look!
0:10:06 > 0:10:09- What is it?- A caterpillar.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Oh, it's a shame Isla didn't see an eagle,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18but a big, hairy caterpillar is a good find, too.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28This is my dad and he is the manager
0:10:28 > 0:10:31of the restaurant next to Mum's hotel.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35He makes the best macaroni in the whole world.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36Hello.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Daddy Bill came to the island to work in Mummy's hotel as a chef,
0:10:40 > 0:10:45and they fell in love, got married and they have three children -
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Hamish, Isla and Flora.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51This is my little sister, Flora, and my big brother, Hamish.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Hello, Hamish. Hello, Flora.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Oh, Flora, did you pick that beautiful flower for me?
0:10:58 > 0:11:00THEY LAUGH
0:11:13 > 0:11:17One of the best jobs in the hotel is working in the reception.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21- Would you like to be the receptionist today?- Yes, please.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24- Here comes a guest now.- Hello.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Hello and welcome to my mum's hotel.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31- My name is Isla and I will help you check in.- Thanks.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- What is your name, please?- Mr Smith.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39Mr Smith, I see you have booked a single room for two nights.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Do you want a newspaper or an alarm in the morning?
0:11:42 > 0:11:44No, thanks.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49I see you are in room 25, which is a very, very good room.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53- My mum used to sleep there when she was young.- Oh.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58- It's just straight up the corridor and turn left.- Thanks.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04That was great, Isla.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08I think you'll be the hotel's next manager.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Thank you, Mummy, for telling me stories about when you were little.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26My pleasure.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30- Can you remember all the special things we did together?- Yes.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33I helped you check the room bookings.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36Granny and Grandad took me for a drive.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39We looked at the old visitors' books...
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and I wrote a message in one of them.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48I helped you lay the table...
0:12:49 > 0:12:51..and rang the dinner gong.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58You showed me the room you used to sleep in and we had a pillow fight.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03We went to see golden eagles...
0:13:04 > 0:13:07..and we didn't see any.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10But you did see a big, hairy caterpillar, Isla.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12And I got to be a receptionist.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17- What was your favourite thing? - The pillow fight.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19That was lots of fun, wasn't it?
0:13:19 > 0:13:22What was your favourite thing?
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Spending time with you, Isla.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30What a fabulous heap of fun.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34That was Isla and Mummy Sarah's tiny tale about the things
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Mummy Sarah used to do and the fun she had.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Mummy Sarah has shared her story with Isla,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43and now Isla is starting her own story.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Do you know someone with a story to share?