(no subject)
I am sitting in a small internet cafe in the heart of london, having paid a quid for sixty minutes of time. I have been traveling alone since Inverness, and will chronicle my adventures thus far in the text that follows.
Sunday, July 15th, 2am: I decide I can't handle this shit and go read a book.
Sunday, July 15th, 3am: I try to sleep again, fail and go read a book.
Sunday, July 15th, 4am: I try to sleep again, fail and go read a book.
Sunday, July 15th, 5am: I try to sleep again, fail, pack up my things and leave the hostel with no idea where I'm bound.
Sunday, July 15th, 6am: I approach a taxi cab driver.
Will says, "In your opinion, what is the most beautiful part of Scotland?"
Cab driver says, "That'd be Inverness"
Will says, "Anywhere but Inverness."
Cab driver says, "Day like today? The north and the West will be especially beautiful."
Will gets an idea and says, "Where is the Isle of Skye... you know, Dunvegan, and the MacLeods?"
Cab driver says, "West."
Will says, "Thanks," and walks west.
Sunday, July 15th, 7am: I get directions from a series of friendly Scotsmen and Scotswomen who direct me toward the Great Glen Trail (which is a good 20 kilometers away from where I am)
Sunday, July 15th, 9am: I have been walking for three hours now, and had no breakfast or sleep the night before. I happen on a family of french tourists who save my life by giving me a liter and a half bottle of water, and a chair to sit in with some company. They offer to share breakfast with me, but I decline. (foolish)
Sunday, July 15th, 1pm: I am exhausted and sweaty and want to sleep, however, I have reached the Great Glen Trail, and learned that I am 12 kilometers from a town called Drumnadochit (or something like that).
Sunday, July 15th, 3pm: I pass a group of English campers, who stop long enough to exchange stories. They were going camping and were daunted by the long distance they had yet to travel. When I told them I had come from Inverness and why, they went away mumbling about 'crazy Americans'.
Sunday, July 15th, 3:30pm: I come into Drumnadochit and get the first hotel room I can find. I take a shower and then a bath, stock up on granola bars and water, check my emails and Facebooks, and then pay a riddiculous sum of money for a super snazzy dinner.
Sunday, July 15th, 8pm: Sleep.
I wake up the next morning, and decide to keep walking to Skye. I take two steps and my legs say "Alright, you abusive bastard, here's the deal. We will walk you to the bus stop, NO FARTHER. Your treatment of us yesterday was beyond the pail, and if you pull that kind of stunt again we will walk away from this relationship SO FAST your eyes will spin."
Now, I was unaware that legs could talk, so I agreed before I had time to think about it, I was that startled. Anyway, I took the bus to Drumnadochit, where I got a bunk in an empty hostel. I went to get dinner at a really nice restaurant again, and spent too much again, but in the process met who might possibly be the most beautiful woman in Scotland. I didn't catch her name at the time, but she agreed to meet me when she got off of work at 11:30 at the local pub. Never happened. I imagine she didn't get off of work until after midnight. I shall write the restaurant an angry letter as a result (and a less angry one to her, whoever she is).
The local pub-goers were about the friendliest people ever, though. Bought me a total of six drinks from the time I arrived (4 in the afternoon) til closing (midnight). This might not seem that impressive, but I spent only a total of an hour in the bar (4-4:30, and 11:30-12).
The next day I visited castle Dunvegan and saw where my ancestors came from, and then took a bus to Portree where I found out that to take the sleeper bus to london, I would have four minutes to get from the bus station to the train in Inverness. This is impossible, so through creative means (a bus to Kyle of Lochalse and then a train to Inverness) I made sure I'd make it on time.
BUT WAIT! The train has reached areas of FLASH FLOODING and won't be able to make it through! I'm going to have to spend another night in Inverness! (this isn't that bad, actually, it's just going to be a hassle to get a room at this time of night. not particularly keen on the prospect). Oh well... I'll live...
Will reclined in his chair and began to read his book, when the voice of an angel broke his concentration. Angrilly, Will looked up to swat the celestial being, but whom did he see, but Claire, from 1st Scot Rail. "I've got a bus for you and the others on the sleeper to london" she said. Will could not believe his ears. In his home country, should something like this happen, he would be "SOL" as the saying goes. He stammered out a thank you, but Claire just smiled.
Will made the sleeper train, and true to it's name it slept him the whole way to London. He got there at 8 am, reserved his harry potter book, and got a hostel room for three days. Now he has a few days to do whatever he wants! Hooray!
To be continued
Sunday, July 15th, 2am: I decide I can't handle this shit and go read a book.
Sunday, July 15th, 3am: I try to sleep again, fail and go read a book.
Sunday, July 15th, 4am: I try to sleep again, fail and go read a book.
Sunday, July 15th, 5am: I try to sleep again, fail, pack up my things and leave the hostel with no idea where I'm bound.
Sunday, July 15th, 6am: I approach a taxi cab driver.
Will says, "In your opinion, what is the most beautiful part of Scotland?"
Cab driver says, "That'd be Inverness"
Will says, "Anywhere but Inverness."
Cab driver says, "Day like today? The north and the West will be especially beautiful."
Will gets an idea and says, "Where is the Isle of Skye... you know, Dunvegan, and the MacLeods?"
Cab driver says, "West."
Will says, "Thanks," and walks west.
Sunday, July 15th, 7am: I get directions from a series of friendly Scotsmen and Scotswomen who direct me toward the Great Glen Trail (which is a good 20 kilometers away from where I am)
Sunday, July 15th, 9am: I have been walking for three hours now, and had no breakfast or sleep the night before. I happen on a family of french tourists who save my life by giving me a liter and a half bottle of water, and a chair to sit in with some company. They offer to share breakfast with me, but I decline. (foolish)
Sunday, July 15th, 1pm: I am exhausted and sweaty and want to sleep, however, I have reached the Great Glen Trail, and learned that I am 12 kilometers from a town called Drumnadochit (or something like that).
Sunday, July 15th, 3pm: I pass a group of English campers, who stop long enough to exchange stories. They were going camping and were daunted by the long distance they had yet to travel. When I told them I had come from Inverness and why, they went away mumbling about 'crazy Americans'.
Sunday, July 15th, 3:30pm: I come into Drumnadochit and get the first hotel room I can find. I take a shower and then a bath, stock up on granola bars and water, check my emails and Facebooks, and then pay a riddiculous sum of money for a super snazzy dinner.
Sunday, July 15th, 8pm: Sleep.
I wake up the next morning, and decide to keep walking to Skye. I take two steps and my legs say "Alright, you abusive bastard, here's the deal. We will walk you to the bus stop, NO FARTHER. Your treatment of us yesterday was beyond the pail, and if you pull that kind of stunt again we will walk away from this relationship SO FAST your eyes will spin."
Now, I was unaware that legs could talk, so I agreed before I had time to think about it, I was that startled. Anyway, I took the bus to Drumnadochit, where I got a bunk in an empty hostel. I went to get dinner at a really nice restaurant again, and spent too much again, but in the process met who might possibly be the most beautiful woman in Scotland. I didn't catch her name at the time, but she agreed to meet me when she got off of work at 11:30 at the local pub. Never happened. I imagine she didn't get off of work until after midnight. I shall write the restaurant an angry letter as a result (and a less angry one to her, whoever she is).
The local pub-goers were about the friendliest people ever, though. Bought me a total of six drinks from the time I arrived (4 in the afternoon) til closing (midnight). This might not seem that impressive, but I spent only a total of an hour in the bar (4-4:30, and 11:30-12).
The next day I visited castle Dunvegan and saw where my ancestors came from, and then took a bus to Portree where I found out that to take the sleeper bus to london, I would have four minutes to get from the bus station to the train in Inverness. This is impossible, so through creative means (a bus to Kyle of Lochalse and then a train to Inverness) I made sure I'd make it on time.
BUT WAIT! The train has reached areas of FLASH FLOODING and won't be able to make it through! I'm going to have to spend another night in Inverness! (this isn't that bad, actually, it's just going to be a hassle to get a room at this time of night. not particularly keen on the prospect). Oh well... I'll live...
Will reclined in his chair and began to read his book, when the voice of an angel broke his concentration. Angrilly, Will looked up to swat the celestial being, but whom did he see, but Claire, from 1st Scot Rail. "I've got a bus for you and the others on the sleeper to london" she said. Will could not believe his ears. In his home country, should something like this happen, he would be "SOL" as the saying goes. He stammered out a thank you, but Claire just smiled.
Will made the sleeper train, and true to it's name it slept him the whole way to London. He got there at 8 am, reserved his harry potter book, and got a hostel room for three days. Now he has a few days to do whatever he wants! Hooray!
To be continued