I am alive!
Now this may seem a bit of an extreme statement, but if you think this then I do not think you have quite grasped my previous situation (Please read Part's 1& 2) and the circumstance I had found myself in on a random island.... !
I suppose the previous becomes irrelevant as I now sit in the luxury dryness of a plane, I believe this is the first time I have appreciated the uncomfortable tiny seats on a charter flight, something about them being warm and dry...?!?
HOWEVER what you don't know is the tribulations of my journey to this very seat. If you have had enough of my rantings I suggest you stop reading now, though I do feel that the following could help you appreciate the luxuries of personal transport, even if it is just for a second...
When I left you last I believe it was the point that I had started 'eyeballing' a mountain goat with a less than friendly look.. I am glad to say 'Morris' the goat and I did not become better acquainted other than a wave of his hoof as he trotted away on the arrival of my transport to the mainland.
Now this all sounds very pleasant, but please do not forget that it was gale force 8 wind conditions and heavy rain throughout my island stay and it just so happened that an island tour rib had picked up some VHF marine radio banter from the ship regarding the rather amusing situation that had left me stranded on a deserted island and in a passionate moment had offered me a lift.
Thank goodness I was only to suffer 80 minutes of island torture prior to my 'knight in soaking armor' arriving astride his 7metre orange inflatable horse... No sorry I mean rib (an open top rigid inflatable powerboat to the uninitiated). Thank goodness the Hebredians are such kind people, or perhaps its just because they needed something to do? I can't imagine there's an awful lot going on when you live on an island with a total population of 9....yes NINE!
Anyhow, I got a very wet and bumpy ride back to Malliag (mainland) where I was planning to catch the train to Inverness, unfortunately as my luck was continuing I missed the last train of the day by 6 minutes.....so, what now?
I am sure you can appreciate that by now I was not managing to look at situations in the most positive manner (especially since I had also just figured out why my bag was so incredibly heavy, unfortunately my supposedly waterproof bag is NOT as waterproof as advertised, yes, I have a bag full of not just damp, but soaking wet clothes).
So what else is there to do in the truly English manner but go and get a cup of tea....
Now this may seem a bit of an extreme statement, but if you think this then I do not think you have quite grasped my previous situation (Please read Part's 1& 2) and the circumstance I had found myself in on a random island.... !
I suppose the previous becomes irrelevant as I now sit in the luxury dryness of a plane, I believe this is the first time I have appreciated the uncomfortable tiny seats on a charter flight, something about them being warm and dry...?!?
HOWEVER what you don't know is the tribulations of my journey to this very seat. If you have had enough of my rantings I suggest you stop reading now, though I do feel that the following could help you appreciate the luxuries of personal transport, even if it is just for a second...
When I left you last I believe it was the point that I had started 'eyeballing' a mountain goat with a less than friendly look.. I am glad to say 'Morris' the goat and I did not become better acquainted other than a wave of his hoof as he trotted away on the arrival of my transport to the mainland.
Now this all sounds very pleasant, but please do not forget that it was gale force 8 wind conditions and heavy rain throughout my island stay and it just so happened that an island tour rib had picked up some VHF marine radio banter from the ship regarding the rather amusing situation that had left me stranded on a deserted island and in a passionate moment had offered me a lift.
Thank goodness I was only to suffer 80 minutes of island torture prior to my 'knight in soaking armor' arriving astride his 7metre orange inflatable horse... No sorry I mean rib (an open top rigid inflatable powerboat to the uninitiated). Thank goodness the Hebredians are such kind people, or perhaps its just because they needed something to do? I can't imagine there's an awful lot going on when you live on an island with a total population of 9....yes NINE!
Anyhow, I got a very wet and bumpy ride back to Malliag (mainland) where I was planning to catch the train to Inverness, unfortunately as my luck was continuing I missed the last train of the day by 6 minutes.....so, what now?
I am sure you can appreciate that by now I was not managing to look at situations in the most positive manner (especially since I had also just figured out why my bag was so incredibly heavy, unfortunately my supposedly waterproof bag is NOT as waterproof as advertised, yes, I have a bag full of not just damp, but soaking wet clothes).
So what else is there to do in the truly English manner but go and get a cup of tea....
As always the jolly lady behind the counter started up conversation, rather than it being in the typical friendly hostess manner; I believe it was more in horror that a dishevelled, half drowned tramp had just walked into her proud establishment.
The questions of where I had been, where I was going, how I was getting there etc passed and finally I got away to sit down and contemplate my next plan of action....
Finally my luck changed (and about time too)...there were a group of builders on the next table driving through Inverness to go home, "Would I like a lift?", heck of course! I was far beyond caring about being mugged or piledged by random strangers; but instead happy to take up the offer.
With a skip in my step we headed out to the car park in the rain where the load bed door was swung open and I was gestured into the back, nestled in amongst some tool boxes and electrical equipment I took comfort in my iPod until the engine started and so did the rollercoaster ride that was about to last 3 hours. What must have been at least 100mph round hair pin bends, down single lane dirt roads and coasting the edge of Loch Ness for much of the journey, it felt like being in the comfort of a stretch limo..NOT...more like a washing machine on an extreme spin cycle. We finally came to a rest, the door was opened and we were at Inverness train station where I could catch a bus to the airport.
Having just spent 3 hours in darkness the natural light was a killer, between that and being totally disorientated, I struggled to even find my way out of the back of the van. Many thanks to the kind gentlemen and I was off to the airport to get my flight to London, then onto Corsica where warm weather and sunny beaches await me....here's to hoping anyway...
What adventures one can have in the British isles!
Go explore folks, the pleasures await you x
Finally my luck changed (and about time too)...there were a group of builders on the next table driving through Inverness to go home, "Would I like a lift?", heck of course! I was far beyond caring about being mugged or piledged by random strangers; but instead happy to take up the offer.
With a skip in my step we headed out to the car park in the rain where the load bed door was swung open and I was gestured into the back, nestled in amongst some tool boxes and electrical equipment I took comfort in my iPod until the engine started and so did the rollercoaster ride that was about to last 3 hours. What must have been at least 100mph round hair pin bends, down single lane dirt roads and coasting the edge of Loch Ness for much of the journey, it felt like being in the comfort of a stretch limo..NOT...more like a washing machine on an extreme spin cycle. We finally came to a rest, the door was opened and we were at Inverness train station where I could catch a bus to the airport.
Having just spent 3 hours in darkness the natural light was a killer, between that and being totally disorientated, I struggled to even find my way out of the back of the van. Many thanks to the kind gentlemen and I was off to the airport to get my flight to London, then onto Corsica where warm weather and sunny beaches await me....here's to hoping anyway...
What adventures one can have in the British isles!
Go explore folks, the pleasures await you x
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