Hedge Funds To Hedgerows

The morning started with the purchase of the local tipple…Deeside Water. It’s supposed to have healing properties so I got a couple of bottles from the service station. I mean, you can’t have too much of a good thing. I’ve had so much “healing water” on this trip, I must be super human by now! It was then off to Balmoral, making our way through the blizzard of snow. Ok, so it wasn’t a blizzard, but it definitely was snowing. I probably wouldn’t go racing back to Balmoral because, although it is very pretty and set in such a gorgeous landscape, £8.00 just to see the ballroom is a tad steep in my book. How many dead animal heads can you fit on a wall??? The grounds were lovely and the actual building is beautiful but I wish the Scottish would stop calling any old house a castle. It reminds me of that favourite Australian movie. Just because you consider it YOUR castle, doesn’t actually mean it is one! Balmoral, by the way, is a hunting lodge. Next it was off to Edinburgh and although we were sure we were travelling the same road as yesterday, the sat nav told us differently and we really were going south to the capital rather than back to Inverness. Edinburgh reminds me of Ireland for some reason, though I think they could do with giving the place a good scrub. The castle is something to behold….and yes, this one really is a castle! At last!! There’s been a castle on this spot since the 12th century and this castle was occupied until 1603. It later became a military base and is today still officially in the hands of the Ministry of Defence. After wandering the streets for a while, it was off to a “secret location”, where we arrived at about 11pm, luckily right at the steps of a hostel! Thank you Universe!

I should have done this a week ago, but forgot. Norbert will not be happy. Norbert is my travelling companion. I’ll let him introduce himself….

I can’t work out why they wear kilts up here in the wilderness. Why no undies????????? I mean, you could have your clan’s tartan printed on thermal long johns. Surely! Having been to a school where the uniform was black watch tartan and tamoshanter, I was keen to find out the history. It turns out the was also known as the government tartan and patrols were sent out in the highlands to protect against unsociable behaviour so to speak, including cattle thieving…also know as the black market. Basically they were the highland police. Now, as everyone probably knows, they are an army regiment. So, I guess the question is what is a private girls school in Australia doing with it???? Oh well, it’s pretty I guess.

I awoke (not that much sleeping has had) to the words in my head, “I am Spartan!!” I always find that a good battle cry when things get a bit tough….namely the cold in this situation. However, it turned out to be the right mindset with which to start the day as the UK’s highest peak had to be conquered! Some people plan and train for this sort of thing, but sometimes I think that ignorance is bliss. And I think in this case it was! Mind over matter. If you want something badly enough, you find that the mind is all powerful and will pull you through. I could be over dramatising things a tad though. Ben Nevis is a good and challenging climb but it’s hardly Everest. And with so many charity groups racing up and down with Scafell Pike and Snowdon yet to climb in the next few hours, it makes your efforts seem a tad feeble. The going was quite rough and with a full cover of snow on top and reaching the destination in trainers and in 2.5hrs (most people take about 3-4), it was worth the memorable photo moment that was had. And even though it wasn’t Everest, it bet the views from the summit were no less impressive. Glorious, rarefied place on the planet!

They really do! Sometimes I think I’m in a non-English speaking country! The kiddies sound cute, though.

I couldn’t decide on the title for this one, so I gave you a choice of two. I think I prefer the second one! There’s a wee prize for those who can tell me what “Failte” means.

Sorry I’m a bit behind but it seems electricity sockets and wifi are in short supply up here in Scotland!

Sandwich is tiny, but as we all know, good things come in small packages! It’s hard to believe that it used to be one of the four biggest towns in England. It is so quaint and still looks medieval. I guess you could thus say it looks quite modern seeing the Saxons had it up and running in 600AD. To be honest though, the Romans were probably their first having landed very close by earlier on. Later, it was given to some monks. Aside from me, other impressive visitors have been: Thomas a Becket and Richard The Lionheart. It was mentioned in The Doomsday Book and yes, sandwiches were invented there.

Well. This is it. The day I really wasn’t sure would arrive is here. Fare thee well London Town. Ok…so I’ll be back in June for a little while, but really only as a visitor. My time as a Londoner finishes today. I’m not sure it has sunk in yet. I’ve successfully kept myself manically busy. That’s always a good distraction from what’s really going on! The weather is grey and miserable. Perhaps fitting for a farewell. This is as London as it gets!

If you’re in the ocean and being battered a bit by waves, it’s always better just to float around on them rather than try to fight the current (I know, I know…the knowledge one gains growing up in Aus!!). Go with the flow not only works in water, but in life. Don’t fight the bad bits but just bob around knowing that if you just hang tight, they’ll pass by and you’ll be in smoother waters in no time. Now, for a control lover like me, that’s not always easy. But time and time again it’s shown to me that if I release my grip and stop being a know-all, trust the flow of the universe and breathe, everything will be just fine. “This too will pass”. Thanks to Mr Persian Sufi Poet for coming up with that one!