11th June 2019
Before I speak of my next adventure, I want to let you know what put a spanner in the works…
Last Friday, I went on my usual cycle training – preparing for the voyage to Harris. We all went on dirt tracks, past fields, water & saw some spectacular views of my Dunfermline home. I ended all that fun with eagerness and bravery, however. I decided going down a wet hill on the bike would be a clever idea. Well… Now I am on the Isle of Harris with a fractured metatarsal.
I woke up for my grand adventure at 6am, ready to meet my friends at the Park & Ride for 7am. It felt so surreal to me; I was going away on an excursion that I’ve planned. That I’ve prepared for. It is a massive moment in a person’s life to leave the flock for a while. Seeing my Parents wave as the bus left filled me with many different emotions.
The 1st step of travel was not enjoyable whatsoever. Half way through the journey to Glasgow, the bus driver told us he was having a 30 minute break and we had to go on the bus behind. This wasn’t the idealist of circumstances; 2 heavy bags, busy, stairs & a moon boot. It was luck that I was still alive when we got to Buchanan bus station.
Quickly, I gathered my belongings and my lunch along with a Greggs sausage butty and hot chocolate for the next stage. Glasgow – Fort William. This bus ride brought along some of the most breath-taking views. My eyes were glued to the window. The Loch Lomond landscape and hills of Glenn Coe proved why Scotland is voted the most beautiful country in Europe. Nothing was left to the imagination.
The bus arrived at Fort William at precisely 1.18pm. We had 40 minutes to stretch our legs – very needed because of the boot – before the next stage. Fort Williams – Uig, Skye. More and more stunning scenery. Wow. Just wow.
The bus ride was over fairly quickly, and we were stranded somewhere in Uig awaiting the ferry. The wind was ferocious as we forced our luggage down the pier. The ferry was huge and we huddled on in need of dinner. I got pepperoni pizza, which was rather tasty. The waves were choppy and there was difficulty moving around on the ferry for the 1 hour, 40 minutes travel to Harris.
Stobie was feeling something strange on that ferry – the most quiet he has been on this entire trip! The views of docking at Tarbert were tremendous as our Outer Hebrides trip begun.
The taxi gave us a few spoilers of what to expect, then we checked in to the hostel. It took us at least an hour to organise our bed, then we went on a wee walk.
Lost in Travel 