Journey Home

Tuesday 31st August.

Sitting having breakfast at 8.0am I viewed Stromness for the last time, what I could see of it. Mist and cloud covered much of the town and the surrounding hilltops. However, during the time I sat eating the mist slowing retreated leaving the tops of the hills with the thicker cloud caps.

I said my goodbyes to Tom and Kate and hoped to see them again one day.

The ferry reversed slowly out of the harbour and headed for Thurso on a light breeze.

Photo opportunities arose again passing the ‘Old Man of Hoy’ and offered an interesting image with the top of the monolith shrouded in a light mist. (I will post all the photos on Picasa soon).

The connecting time between ferry and the Thurso train to Edinburgh was only

30 minutes, but full credit to the operators, as a bus was there to take us to the station in time.

The views going back were just as intoxicating as on the first journey last week, but now I was facing the front on the opposite side overlooking a flatter landscape, and for some of the journey, more locks and the North Sea.

The changeover at Inverness was very quick – just 8 minutes, then onto Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh leg was the longest, 7 hours. I would not recommend the ‘seat sleeper’ unless you went 1st class, as I am sure that would have been more comfortable.

So finally I arrived home, weary and cross with myself. I discovered I had done a very silly thing – I left my rucksack on the Waterloo to Guildford train. So far it has not been handed in but I have to wait until Friday to be sure all trains have been cleaned and any lost property sent up to London. Apart from my spare camera and passport, both of which can be replaced, I had a file of my travels including leaflets, maps and souvnir booklets I had collected during the week.

Luckily, I have all my photos, and memories of a great week which I will never forget.

As they say up there . . . . Hast ye back . . . . and I certainly will.