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There is something quite exotic and perhaps even existing about going to sleep aware that at some hour known only for the shipping forecast, you are going to awake to the sensation of a hot shower, and the smell of cups and cups of coffee. And then it happens, and something which scientists say is closely connected to adrenalin keeps you going until the sound of rumbling in the distance ruins the light radiating from the morning star, the sweet melody of an orchestra of birds and crickets, and yes it is Jeff, a great remedy for a sleepy eye if ever there was one!
A few albums later, and we are off the A1 and pull into Thirsk, a little market town in North Yorkshire. The market, was awake, but sadly not the cafe's, so our full English breakfast turned into mere continental from the Co-Op. We sat admiring the morning ambience and then it was back into the car towards Berwick-Upon-Tweed, perhaps they may have something to offer for the ever hungry traveller, I mean after all who was it that said that a real traveller never turns down a meal?
Berwick, as the photo's show, is a lovely border town, you can certainly understand why the SNP are actively seeking to win back the city into the blue side of the border. The cities walls, make Chester or York seem dour an in need of a little turfing! I mean what other city can bost a golf course on its parameter?
We soon found ourselves in a bustling little cafe, with bright orange walls and strong Geordie accents. A pot of tea each that could serve half an invading Scottish army, and of course some cake and off again! A little treat on the way though was a sign neatly translated into Norsk! It turned out just to be the town hall, or rådhuset, but it certainly makes the Scandinavians amongst us feel at home!
So...Edinburgh alas, only 20 minutes later than planned and straight to Waitrose. Jeff felt a trolley might be tempting trouble, but hay the day had a certain holiday feel and logic is thus restrained to care freeness! Im just glad most saturdays are confined to waitrose back home, because the £155 price tag was reduced through the privilege of my little orange discount card to a mere £1xx...After we shopped for the populous of Mull, we had merely half an hour before our scheduled departure, so the botanical gardens will sadly have to wait; but we still managed to meet up with an old friend, Salvatore Tomaniso, an elder ex of Edinburgh Waverley congregation but now serving in the Spanish group in Edinburgh and Glasgow. He used his usual Italian charm to pick our spirits up for the next leg of the journey, north again towards mull!
DISASTER! Traffic hits us near Falkirk, and we are delayed by at least 15-20 minutes, and with highland roads ahead, we are up against it! Then the rain sets in, and the beautiful scenery of the south western highlands turns into a dramatic, fear-inspiring world unique to this part of the Scotland. A couple of hours later, quite breath-taken by the scenery, we arrive at the Corran ferry, a elequent little vessel capable of but a few cars, and of course some highland cattle. Once across though you are in the thick of the highlands, a road that which bends and turns like a spiders web, with enough blind summits to explain why Scotland produces so many rally drivers; and then...BRAKES! No, its not a car, there is non of them about, but simply another cow stubbornly stood in our way, fortunately however it was parallel to a passing place, or whole in the heather covered road sides if the truth be known, so we managed to continue forth!
Finally we arrive at the ferry terminal, a real highland scene once again, a small club full of the the half dozen locals who inhabit this part of the world, watching with a puff of a cigarette the ferries come and go, at which appears to be at a timetable written by the deckhand of the ship who spent the first five minutes of the scheduled departure organising his evening plans on his mobile and then finally we were able to hassle him into boarding!
So alas we were in Mull, our home for the next 10 days, and how beautiful it is! But more of that during the week. And I feel I have used up enough my evening writing this blog, and now I need to return to my cheese and wine and sigur ros DVD! Could life be any better?
P.S. a thought and probably several prayers must be for harry this evening, we have be unable to get in touch with him all day! But as I write he should be setting up tent somewhere on the mainland, we hope to see him in the morning at the ferry port...watch this space!!
- comments
Angela Great blog! Lovely part of the world. I was walking the West Higland Way recently. Years ago sailed around Tobermory. Ps I know a great cafe in Berwick for tbe return journey.