El’s Final Thoughts

Just for fun I Googled “Why do people travel?” There were over 83 million hits! When you think about it, there are probably just about that many reasons too. I think we’re curious by nature and interested in seeing how others live. I know we can stay home, save money, surf the Net to learn about countries and cultures, and watch colourful videos of far away lands, but somehow that doesn’t always address the urge to stand on other ground. Travel opens up new horizons and encourages us to embrace others whose life experiences are different than our own. In turn, travellers become ambassadors for their own cities and country. Travel expands our minds and hearts and, in our experience, proves that people are people no matter where they call home.

Here are some of the folks we met and don’t want to forget. Each one made a positive difference in our lives and we hope we did in theirs as well. Whether we had planned our meeting several months in advance or encountered folks quite unexpectedly, we are grateful to everyone for the memories we now cherish.

Carrie, Brian, Lily and Mimi – We were honoured to tag along on this adventure with them and ever grateful for their generosity. We had so much fun together and each day with the girls brought new insights and learning. They are so engaging and we love them to bits. We are very proud to be their parents/grannies! Thanks so much!

New found family and new friends – I think you can tell from our blog posts that meeting Frank, Joan and Allan in Belfast (second cousins on my Larkin side of the family), and spending several days with Sheena and Alan Findlay (again, related distantly on the Low side) were highlights of our trip. Frank showed us around Belfast and took us down memory lane on the Shankhill Rd, and later drove the family out to Portrush on the Antrim Coast to share a meal with us. Sheena and Alan picked us up in Inverness and spent the next 5 days showing us the sights of Scotland. More importantly, they shared their home, their lives, and their pets with us. We enjoyed each other’s company and we hope they really do come to Canada soon….maybe next fall when we’re out West taking care of Matt and Troy’s Alpaca Farm! Victoria/Sooke here we come again! David and Inga Oddie became instant friends when they rescued us from our “blue funk” after Mer’s fall in Orkney, taking us to Skara Brae and through St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall before taking us out for a wonderful dinner in a favourite local restaurant.

Our Bed and Breakfast Hosts – We can’t mention everyone but several were outstanding. Rory whose Dublin apartment we took over for two nights. He spent time with us orienting us to the apartment and the city. He was really our first contact in a new land. Mary Ann and her daughters in Tralee babysat the girls and made sure we got to a local pub, helped Brian print copies of much needed forms for the Games, and gave Mer a block of peat to bring back to Clark (don’t tell the Border Service). Valerie and Eric at Honeysuckle Cottage B & B were outstanding with their casual and familiar welcome and great advice on local attractions. It was Valerie who suggested we drop in on the kite festival – another highlight! Paula at Namaste Lodge in Belfast was our hostess just before we left for the Isle of Mann. She drove us to the Titanic Exhibition as she was on her way there to watch part of the Police and Fire Games. Again, these small and not so small kindnesses by our hosts really helped. Of course, we blogged about our encounter with our hosts on the Isle of Man. This is where Mer was caught putting marmalade on her toast – the WRONG toast, apparently! Ha, ha. But in all honesty, Pam and Graham were amazing in terms of the local knowledge they shared. Their love of the Island and its people was palpable. It was here that Graham unexpectedly picked us up at the airport on our arrival and gave us a scenic tour with commentary on the way home. On our last morning, he took the time to drive us to Craigneath……Both incredibly generous things to do. Joy Ritch at Burnside Farm, Stromness, Orkney was the retired nurse/hostess who received us on her doorstep after Mer’s fall. She cared for us both, prepared special food, drove us to town and was prepared to be our tourist guide out to Skara Brae. “It’s nothing”, she said. “You would do it for me too.” Yes, of course we would! Wilma at Carbisdale B & B in Inverness recommended what must be the two best restaurants in town and it was here that we enjoyed Indian food again for the first time on this trip. Husband Colin kept us company and then ran down the street to help Sheena and Alan who were lost on the morning they picked us up to travel through the Highlands. He had come off night shift, had served us breakfast, and was ready for a nap by the time he had completed his jog up the street!

Who could forget the people we met in and around Belfast during the World Police and Fire Games! A brotherhood/sisterhood of its own. After the Opening Ceremonies, local firefighters helped us when we got ourselves lost and brought us back to the hall for tea; the Russian police hockey team warmed up to us and shared a hockey bear and other souvenirs with Lily and Mimi; the waitress in the dining room at the Park Avenue Hotel playfully told us we’d be asked to leave if we didn’t try her Pavlova; and the taxi driver who gave us a tour told us he was raised on the same street as my grandparents and our cousin Frank, whom we were about to meet. Small world!

Meredith talks about the many random, serendipitous encounters we had with folks every single day. I will mention a few more: Javiar, with his Master’s in Glacial Geology, who spent a day with us in Iceland sharing his knowledge….and his magic with Mimi; Matthew – yes, from good old Peterborough – who was our guide on the hawk walk at Ashford Castle; the young man on the desk at Kilronan Castle whose English sounded so unlike our English that the only result was confused laughter, not communication; the kite flyer who steered his kite towards the kids and allowed them to chase “Garfield” the cat through the air and who acknowledged our wave of appreciation; Norman and Seamus McQuade, owners/operators of Antrim Spring Water who gave us a tour when we were caught red handed using their property as a toilet stop for the girls….and who stood and discussed the plight of farmers in Northern Ireland….at least from his perspective. In Ireland we learned to listen and later reflect quietly on the political situation there. We met fellow travelers who shared their stories with us. We had breakfast with a woman from Tasmania who was touring on her own and was obviously quite the adventurer…and birding expert. A young Irishman we met in a pub told us about a league of sportsmen who gather to play half a game of “Hurling” (a very rough Irish version of lacrosse) and half a game of Aussie Football (also a very rough game!) Then there was the man from The Shetland Islands who belongs to a troupe of “Vikings” that celebrate the end of winter after the solstice by burning a huge wooden boat. And last but not least, we will never forget the quick attention, compassion and generosity of Dr. Adrian Jowett and nurse, Sheena Murphy in the Emerg Dept in Kirkwall after Mer’s fall. When you are in shock, hurt, confused, and burdened with many pieces of luggage, you really DO need that kind of support.

I know I will reread this and remember others whose paths crossed ours. As Meredith says so well in her final thoughts, we are overwhelmed with emotions, filled with gratitude, and greatly relieved to have successfully travelled for five weeks and arrived safely home. We will miss those we met, but have enjoyed reconnecting with friends and family here too. As I type, I am gazing out the front window to our own Otonabee River. We might travel the world but we are oh so happy right here.

Mer’s Final Thoughts

Mer here…
Coming home time is one filled to overflowing with emotions and reflections. It’s also an ambiguous time because it’s such a mixture of regret that the adventures are over and relief that the adventures are over … happiness to be home and anxiety because being home means picking up responsibilities and duties that have been left fallow for quite some time … thoughts of friends met abroad accompanied with the sadness that those connections will fade and thoughts of friends back here accompanied with such warmth in seeing them again… recognition that time moving on means, sadly, the trip will become a thing of the past but also, happily, that the unknown will open up. My swirling emotions make me wonder if I can put any coherent , final reflections together. Herewith, my attempt to name them.
Emotion #1 Gratitude. … For the crazy life circumstances that came together in a way that enabled such a trip. For the relationships with family members that deepened the multiple meanings of days and days of adventure. For the beauty of the colour green. For all those chances to observe and learn how unique human communities organize themselves and structure their built environments. For a renewed sense of the depth of the past, and the complexities of our stories. For the existence of the technologies that made it possible to do the research and put together all those pieces of accommodation and transportation. For the “M and E effect” as we came to call it that seemed to bring sunny weather wherever we went. For my beloved El for dragging two sets of luggage on planes, boats, trains and buses after my fall.
Emotion #2 Delight. Over how wonderfully well it worked out travelling with our grand-girls; their observations and commentary bubble up in our memories and give us repeated giggles. Over the serendipitous bits and pieces that either solved a problem or enriched a day … like having David’s phone number in my wallet so a restaurant owner could call him and set in motion the recovering of said wallet when I left it in a washroom …. like asking the driver of a fire truck in Belfast for directions because we were lost and ending up having tea in the fire hall … like finding a beautiful book about holy wells in Ireland … like my sister Spence meeting a couple in May in Orkney who in turn became our guides to the island when all else fell apart … like the subterfuge by the husband of a bossy B and B hostess and his offer to subvert her plan and drive us to the farthest beauty spot on the coast of the Isle of Man … like stopping to let two little girls pee in what we thought was the back of beyond, being surprised by the owner’s arrival, and ending up with his gift of half a case of pure Antrim spring water and his commentary on the life of Northern Ireland’s farmers. There wasn’t a day in the whole five weeks that lacked this kind of lovely memorable nugget that we’ll recall and smile about, over and over again.
Emotion # 3 Relief. We are “home, safe and sound”. Yes, I fell and there will be some medical and dental follow -up ahead. BUT, just think: we took nine airplane flights, two ferry crossings, three train rides (one steam, one electric, one diesel) ten or more buses (long distance, tour buses with commentary, and city transit) and we drove at least two thousand miles (on the other side … and did we mention narrow roads and stone walls). All that and we’re home to tell the tale. It may be the norm in the world of the travel industry, but I still see it as miraculous. And then to continue with the relief theme … coming home involves the happy embrace of the familiar: I know how the taps work here; I control how much food is on a plate; this garden is the work of our hands; the green that greets me here is the reflection of our big maples on the edge of our river; friends’ smiles and hugs make my heart sing. I am truly blessed.

Edinburgh

El and Mer here….”Lions and tigers and bears, oh my” becomes “pipers and buses and crowds, oh my” in Edinburgh in August! Where to begin? We’ve already talked about our arrival (still giggling about that) but haven’t mentioned the lovely flat we found through Air B n B. Lauren and Jefferson, from the USA working here in Edinburgh, live two minutes from the Queen’s palace and offered us a comfortable spot to unwind and spend our nights here. Jefferson baked us fresh coffee cake for each morning. What a treat.

Tea on the Royal Yacht Britannia was memorable and they even had a yellow day lily on the table for us. It was also memorable to learn that every piece of silverware and other assorted do-dads was polished every single day by one of the 220 sailors who staffed this floating palace. Setting the banquet table for visiting statesmen took three hours to complete. We won’t get Mer started on Monarchy and hereditary privilege. Enough said. Having said that, we both enjoyed seeing the state rooms and gawking into a world that defies belief. Actually, in terms of bedroom accommodations, the Queen and Prince Phillips’ suites were quite simple, kind of like the Best Western……well, OK, maybe a bit classier than that.

The Royal Military Tattoo was such a highlight that we didn’t even mind the fact that it was teaming rain. Everyone was in good spirits, the crowd control was terrific, and it helped to have had two glasses of wine in a restaurant overlooking the Royal Mile before making our way up the castle hill to the grandstands. Mer wasn’t sure if she would enjoy this performance but was convinced after the first few bars of the massed pipes and drums. Who could not be!! Makes me cry every time. International acts performed to our delight and it is intriguing that all cultures seem to create some form of music and procession that involves drumming, brass instruments, and synchronized movement. We particularly enjoyed the New Zealand Army Corp who alternated between complex marching tunes and pop music, complete with choreography….note them doing Gangnam Style! We could go on but you get the picture. A great evening!

Our other memorable event took place as part of the Fringe Festival. We were transported on a journey called “Leaving Planet Earth”. Much work had been done in preparation for our leaving prior to us getting to the venue (through ongoing email updates and participatory exercises). Once there, we were “tagged” with electronic tracking devices and divided into three groups. We were transported by buses with closed drapes out to the real venue at the Climbing Centre. We now found ourselves involved in a social experiment as we were the last migrants leaving Earth to jump to New Earth. We were taking memories and our belief systems with us so that we could take humanity forward in a more positive way. It was all a bit surreal. A huge amount of work was put into this project by the creative team and the venue was spectacular. The five story climbing centre is used for pleasure climbing and mountain training usually but it makes one hell of a stage for Leaving Planet Earth. We thought of David several times as we watched the lighting and sound effects as we were moved from floor to floor and room to room. This was a play, of course, and we were all observers/participants in it. It was surreal. Not surprisingly, New Earth is fraught with the same human weaknesses……duh, we ARE human. However, it was a great critique of modern society and where we might be heading. Made us think.

If you do not like crowds and crowds of people we would never advise visiting Edinburgh in August. Having said that, you have to in order to see the Tattoo. However, with two other major festivals on in the city at the same time, it was nuts! We also have to say, however, that everyone we met was very friendly and helpful and we also enjoyed some excellent Indian food while we were here. One thing we will not miss however is the lone pipers strategically placed on most street corners. You could not be in the city centre and not hear this sound. We love a good pipe band BUT…………….

We were able to get assistance from the folks at Scots Rail to board the train to Glasgow on Thursday morning. Turns out this train runs frequently and we happened to land up in a car all by ourselves. After the crowds, this was mighty cool.

We’ll finish this part of our blog here in Glasgow as we leave for the airport momentarily. Here we checked into the downtown Best Western and were happy to stroll the streets, have another Indian lunch and some ice cream and spontaneously decide to attend the Kings Theatre to see Dreamboats and Petticoats. So last night we rocked again!! It’s been a blast but we’re happy to be heading back home. We might add some final thoughts on our travels but will sign off for now.

Thanks to all who have followed us and thanks to Peter for posting everything.

Travelling to Edinburgh….Oops!

El here…..Monday was our last day with Sheena and Alan, at least until they return the favour and come to Canada. Generously they had offered to drive us to our B and B in Edinburgh which gave them the opportunity to drive the coastal route through Dundee and St Andrews and many other small towns in Fife. We headed out around 11 AM, Laddie and Leo in tow and again playing the role of obedient sardines in the back of the car. They amaze us! As has been the case all along, the scenery was stunning, very different from the Highlands and more like rolling Ontario farmland….except with the sea to the east. We stopped frequently to walk and poke about, especially in St Andrews, while Alan patiently entertained L and L and waited for us to stop shopping.

Although we were enjoying ourselves, Mer and I were feeling under some pressure to arrive at our B and B between 3:30 and 4:00 PM. Our hosts here had asked for an arrival time so that one of them could come home from work early to greet us. By 2:30 we realized there was no way we would make this time commitment. I think Sheena, Alan, Mer and I can all laugh about this now….or at least I hope so…because what happened next couldn’t have been more confusing. I know that everyone’s sense of timing and distance – and what can be fit into said time and distance – is different, very different. Mer and I are almost compulsively early or on time and we stew if we are going to be “late”. We had written out Google directions to our B and B and had had a good look at the Edinburgh map on line. We felt we had a sense of the city. If we had been driving we would have tried to follow these directions in our usual “oops we made a mistake, better make a U-turn here” kind of way. However, this time we weren’t driving and Alan and Sheena wanted to avoid the city centre and possible road closures (called diversions here) and approach the area of Waverley Park from a different direction. We called our hosts and explained to Lauren that although we were on the outskirts of Edinburgh we would be at least a 1/2 hour late – perhaps 4:30 PM. Mer and I were relieved that they knew we were nearby. Suffice it to say that we became entangled in busy traffic, on unfamiliar roads (even to Alan who is not used to driving in Edinburgh), in unknown areas and in the confusion of it all, looking for 5 Waverley PARK got inadvertently switched to looking for 5 Waverley PLACE! Let it be said that this city has the worst street signage of any we’ve encountered. Add to this Meredith’s increasing annoyance and impatience and El’s increasing indigestion/chest pain as she tried to restrain Mer to the back seat! We fell into an uncomfortable silence in the back seat as Sheena and Alan tried to navigate their way through this maze!

We finally found Waverley Place (note..NOT Park!) and were faced with the longest damned street of cars parked on one side with three feet of roadway left exposed plus a two foot sidewalk. Everyones’ mirrors were tucked in….NOT A GOOD SIGN! Number 5 would be at the far end of this so called street and all the cars were facing us. Nothing for it, but Alan turned and began backing up the street, two wheels on the road and two on the sidewalk, cars two inches on the right and stone wall two inches away on the left. That was it! I couldn’t keep Mer in the car as she was scared stiff. She took off up the street to find Number 5. Clearly we were in the wrong neck of the woods. Pulling out my written directions we could see the mistake immediately. We were supposed to be on Waverley Park. S%&T!! Back on the road, now going forwards, it took another few twists and turns to find our destination. Poor Alan and Sheena!! We were all wrung out from the experience and just so glad to have arrived….at 6PM. Alan and Sheena were then faced with more traffic while trying to get to Alan’s sister’s where they were to spend the night. They had earned a night off.

We have a new appreciation for the difficulties of navigating in modern cities which began as Medieval towns, complete with street names like Butt Wynd, Canongate and Grassmarket ………as opposed to Lawnmarket! Add to that, the fact that every building has a name plate, and for the longest time we thought these were street names…..and sometimes they ARE! Edinburgh is built on hills, BIG hills and the staircases between the Royal Mile and New Town are at least three flights long. Don’t even think about a grid system. If you miss your street, you cannot go around the block to correct your error. You might find yourself on another unnamed street, nowhere near your destination. Being back in the good old, flat, south end of Peterborough will give our legs a much needed break….although the exercise has been good for us too.

Our next blog will capture some of the highlights and reflections on visiting Edinburgh in August. Thanks again Sheena and Alan. You’re the best! See you in Canada. XO

Labour of Love

El and Mer here, sitting at the kitchen counter enjoying wine and crisps on a Sunday afternoon………We want to say more about Sheena and Alan’s slice of paradise here in the rural countryside near the town of Logie Pert, in the shire of Angus. As mentioned in our last blog, both Sheena and Alan are horticulturalists and work and live in environments which allow them to pursue their interest.

Thursday evening, just after dark, we arrived at what we North Americans would describe as a quintessential Scottish/Irish white stuccoed cottage with flowering baskets hanging near the eaves and dotting the walkways. We were barely aware of the gardens yet to be explored. That would have to wait until the morning.

What Alan and Sheena have done on their one acre over the past 12 years is truly dramatic and it has taken us three days to explore all the nooks and crannies….and we’ve probably missed some! Gardens abound: cleverly constructed stone walls, fences, trellises, patios, and tree plantings offer privacy and protection. Pathways lead to well kept smaller curved beds of perennials, shrubs, grasses, succulents, and trees. A vegetable garden is full of produce and three small greenhouses support corn, onions (LOTS of BIG onions!), melons, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Did we mention raspberry canes and blueberry bushes, perfect for blueberry pancakes and Canadian maple syrup two mornings in a row? Thirteen hens and a rooster provide a constant supply of fresh eggs; the gardens play host to bees, birds, butterflies; and the picture would not be complete without Laddie and Leo and Puss the cat (who at this point is refusing to be our friend!). Oh yes, I forgot to mention Alan’s 10 tanks of goldfish. They are completely self-sufficient with respect to vegetables and fruit throughout the year. It’s a mystery to us how two people who work at demanding jobs accomplished all this while working on further projects and maintaining what they’ve already created. Clearly, this is a labour of love.

We mentioned that Alan and Sheena both work in situations that allow them to pursue their passion for gardening. Saturday we had the privilege of visiting both their workplaces and being given the royal tours. Alan manages 43 acre Duthie Park in Aberdeen which has just been through a renovation/restoration process overseen by Alan. He began his work here some 13 years ago as a grower and although he has moved up the ranks, he still cherishes his time out in the greenhouses and stunning gardens of this Victorian park. We happened to visit on a windy rainy afternoon but normally the park is overflowing with local folks, picnicking, playing cricket, kayaking or paddleboating in the ponds, using the children’s play area, enjoying the immense Victorian greenhouses and restaurant, getting married and having their wedding photos taken on the site, etc. Alan says they have nowhere near enough parking to accommodate the crowds. For those of you who are interested in Park gardens, please google Duthie Park or the City of Aberdeen.

Sheena works at Milltown Day Workshop (a Camphill Community, with communities all over the world, which include residences and workshops) where she is the gardener, grower, and all round caregiver for several adults with varying degrees of disability. Again, her expertise at planting, growing, and maintaining a variety of plants and vegetables is astounding. In fact, as we’ve found out since we met, she and Alan can answer just about every question we might have on native and non-native species of plants. To us they seem like walking encyclopedias. The workshop and grounds provide work opportunities for clients who participate in the gardening chores, crafts, woodworking, and farming activities which are a part of the program. A retail outlet on site provides funding which can be used to purchase materials for the clients to continue their work. Check out the workshop at http://www.milltowncommunity.org.uk/day-workshop. Apparently, they have a blog as well.

As you can see, we have been surrounded by beauty here. Too soon we have to leave for Edinburgh.

Next Blog…Finally!

El here…..Apologies for the delay in posting but wisdom dictates rolling our last three days into one or two posts. First of all the days have passed so quickly and have been so full that it’s only now, in this quiet time, that I can even begin to reflect on our journey since meeting Sheena and Alan. Truly an epic adventure and the epitome of “Gaelic Gallivanting”.

Meeting new friends for the first time is exciting on the one hand and daunting on the other. Sheena and Alan had altered their own holiday plans to come and fetch us a day or two earlier than originally planned. So here they were, out of their way and somewhat lost, trying to locate our B and B in Inverness. Find us they did and after fond hugs all around we were faced with the challenge of fitting our luggage and two Labrador retrievers into the back of the car! If there were heroes over the next two days then Laddie and Leo would be them!! Once tails, snouts and ears were safely tucked out of the way and the trunk closed, they obediently sat like two sardines as we drove the Highlands. Good thing there were many, many photo stops so everyone was able to stretch their legs.

We’ve run out of new adjectives to describe the scenery and pictures will have to tell the tale. We worked our way north and west over mountains and through valleys, hillsides blooming with purple heather and other wildflowers. Vistas were wide and roads were winding…..yes, we were glad Alan was driving! I was able to see and appreciate much more of the countryside – the finer details of lichen on trees, rock formations, styles of fencing, waterfalls, stone walls and hedgerows. Ireland was equally stunning, but here I can let the environment wash over me without having to think of the next turn in the road. After settling into the Caledonian Hotel in Ullapool, wine and supper were welcome treats. Next morning at breakfast we learned that Sheena had become a Great Grandma! After a quick congratulatory toast with our juice and coffee, we were off on another long day’s adventure, branching off to the south east and heading for ‘home’. Again, Laddie and Leo were troopers. Such good dogs! What was awaiting us here at Sheena and Alan’s leaves us speechless, it really does. They have transformed their little slice of heaven as you might expect two gardeners would do. A walk around here is well worth a blog post of its own!

We are so blessed to be experiencing Scotland through the eyes and the stories of native born Scots……who also happen to be horticultural experts. Sheena and I are distantly related, back down the Low family line, and although this doesn’t guarantee that we’d think alike, in fact we do. So our new friendship, nurtured for almost two years on Facebook, seems so easy. Alan and Sheena live within two to three miles of where our Low family story begins. Jim and I and the kids were right here in 1977 but I have to admit that my memory is failing me. Village names are familiar: Laurencekirk, Arbroath, Montrose, Edzell, Forfar, Marykirk, Dun…..but old churches and gravestones all look very similar. Jim’s publication from 1986 would be so helpful now but did not come with me. Peter has been trying to help me by sending information via email. But in the end it won’t matter. It’s just wonderful to be here, experiencing the pastoral beauty of this part of Scotland.

(As an aside, Mer is doing well and becoming quite independent using one arm. As required, we saw another doctor yesterday to make sure all was well and to deal with a cyst on her back. Ever onward, as they say!)

Travelling

Mer here again………. Probably not for as long as I’d like b/c typing from a sling-held arm on a lap held keyboard is going to try my patience soonish. Still, I’ve been missing that sense of being connected to folks which this exercise gives us. The blog truly is the antidote to homesickness. My mental ramblings the last couple of days have been geared towards making two collections.

The first comes out of my combined love of language and my tendency to observe details of infrastructure and construction. I had recalled “Dual Carriageway” for a four lane highway, but I treasure the signs I’ve seen in the last weeks … such as: Severe Dip Ahead, Critical Bend, Traffic Calming Zone, Humps for 500 M, Await Rescue/ Free Recovery, Busses Caravans and Tractors Turn Back Here, Lorries Emerging and one in the “pedestrianized” High Street of Inverness that warns Automated Bollards Raising and Lowering … don’t ask me!! The best directional signboard I have yet seen had a combined list …. toilets, doctor, museum, abattoir. Really.

And my next collection consists of those real moments that arise totally out of the blue and create a treasured sense of connection, however fleeting. Like the afternoon in the hallway of a castle when neither the bell-hop nor I could understand a word the other was saying (and it was all in English) and we had to give up and laugh at our mutual puzzlement. There was the kite festival off the Antrim Coast where one expert kite flyer deliberately directed his huge flying inflatable Tigger into the girls’ arms and nodded to us with a huge grin as we thanked him. There was the grandson of the owner of the spring-water-bottling company who patiently toured the two girls and explained the workings of the machinery and then ducked his head shyly when we thanked him. In Orkney, we thoroughly enjoyed a moment of being the cattle experts; David Oddie had been answering our questions about cattle farming and when two Australian women touring Skaill House wondered about caring for the cows during the winter we jumped in with answers we’d learned not ten minutes earlier. That morning we’d shared the B and B breakfast table with a woman from Tasmania who told us about the gannets who caress and entwine each other’s long necks every time one returns to the nest … and we laughed about humans’ need to learn a thing or two from the birds. And the next morning it was a lovely man from the Shetlands who is really proud of that island’s commemoration of its Viking heritage, telling us about the annual ceremony held as the January days begin to lengthen in which a wooden galley ship is burned to mark the death of winter … and we wondered aloud about taking that practice back home. And then today, having chosen to meander along the side of the River Ness, we entered the cathedral as the organist sat down to practice … Bach and Handel … and then had a scone and a cuppa at the Highland Hospice Cafe … yes, really. So on and on it goes, little treasured moments day after day after lovely day. There truly are good reasons why I love travelling.

New Friends in Orkney

El here……….As we prepare to leave Orkney for the mainland of Scotland our hearts are full to overflowing with gratitude for the kindnesses we’ve received while here. Even intrepid adventurers need help and consolation and in the hours after Mer’s fall we received this and more.

Once home we will properly thank the staff at the Balfour Hospital – Adrian Jowett, SHO, nurse Sheena Murphy, and her colleagues. If we knew names, we would also thank the women in the tourist information centre who stayed with us and organized our ride to the hospital, and the many caring onlookers who circled us and were prepared to help. At the time we were too shocked and embarrassed to do that properly!

Arriving at our B and B and landing in the arms of our hostess, Joy Ritch (a retired nurse), was equally fortuitous. [Mer here…..given their propensity to rescue (meaning nurses), we couldn’t have been in a better place. Her farm B and B became a B, B and S as she cooked us a supper of scrambled fresh eggs and bere bannock, something I could dip into my tea and suck back through damaged teeth] El here again…..the king sized bed and 8 pillows made a perfect nest for the wounded. Pain pills and a gravol took care of the rest of the night. Amazingly, Mer awoke with very little pain and, except for her arm being immobilized, all systems were ‘go’.

Back in May, Mer’s sister Spence and hubby Tom struck up a conversation with David and Inga Oddie on the ferry to Orkney. This chance meeting turned into a week of hospitality and friendship for them on the island. As a result, when we were planning our time here, we set up a rendezvous with David and Inga after church on Sunday at St Magnus Cathedral where David sings in the choir. After Mer’s fall we reluctantly had to change our plans and not return to Kirkwall, some 15 miles away from our B and B. We could no longer expect to get around easily by bus and the taxi ride to our lodging from the hospital had cost us about $60. We had to settle for a quiet day in Stromness and swallow the disappointment of not seeing the Cathedral where a direct ancestor of Meredith’s had been the minister in the mid-19th century. But here again kind folks stepped in. Joy, our hostess, knew Mer also wanted to visit Skara Brae, a neolithic settlement, and she offered to drive us there herself. But the Oddies phoned and Joy and Inga set a different plan in motion.

Joy drove us into Stromness so that we could visit the Museum which is currently featuring an exhibit about John Rae, co-sponsored by the government of Norway and Historic Scotland. Rae, an Orchadian, travelled and lived in the Canadian north, mapping thousands of kilometres of our coast line. He was the first person to discover the fate of the Franklin expedition. Amundsen has always been credited with finding the northwest passage but Rae is now being resurrected as an equally important figure in the mapping and finding of the passage. Hence, the co-sponsored display. Fascinating! Then, in the early afternoon, David and Inga arrived to sweep us away by car to Skara Brae and through many more hills and dales before reaching Kirkwall. Inga drove so that David could provide the running commentary on their beloved homeland. How could we be so lucky! Add to all this an intriguing tour of the Cathedral where David is obviously well known. First we were treated to coffee and treats while watching an informative introductory video and then taken through an imposing red sandstone structure founded in 1137 by the Viking Earl Rognvald in honour of his uncle Saint Magnus. It was added to over the next 300 years. It is owned by the burgh of Kirkwall and is a parish church of the Church of Scotland. Meredith’s ancestor, the Rev William Logie (1786 – 1856) served this parish for 32 years! Meanwhile, as we exited the Cathedral, the end of the 2013 Riding of the Marches was taking place right in front. This event was revived in1986 to mark the 500th anniversary of the granting of Kirkwall’s Royal Charter by King James III in 1486. It involves a large group of horseman/woman riding the perimeter of the town and reporting back as to any problems they might encounter. At home we can barely get our minds around anything taking place before 1750. Old = 250 years or so. Well, here ‘old’ is really, really, really ‘old’. Ever since our trip began in Iceland we have been reminded of this. At any rate, I digress….

Next stop, a quick drop in to the Oddies to see their fantastic view and to go over some of Mer’s genealogy information with David. David has become involved in our story because his best friend, Ron Logie, has filled him in on Mer’s connections to Orkney through the Spence, Logie, and Scarth lines of her mother’s family. David will share Mer’s information with Ron. Circles and circles of connections continue to amaze us.

Off then to supper in a wonderfully out of the way spot with excellent food and wine…..and sticky toffee pudding. Perfectly soft for Mer to eat with her left hand and broken teeth…..or so she claims anyway.

What was to be a quiet day, moping about because of our disappointment, turned into a memorable day of learning and friendship.

Thanks to all from the bottom of our hearts.

Intrepid Couple?!

El here…..the evening we arrived in Glasgow we rolled into our airport hotel around 10 PM, dressed as usual in hiking gear, back packs and fanny packs in place, and dragging our suitcases. We shared an elevator with a couple from the south of England who were, let’s face it, drunk. But they were very friendly and engaging. It took me a few minutes to translate England English into Canadian English, but I finally figured out that they were calling us an “intrepid looking couple”….and certainly meant this in a complementary way. (Sometimes it is really hard to figure out what people are saying. lol). Yes, we said to each other later, we ARE intrepid!

Fast forward to yesterday, our first day in Orkney. If ever there was a day to call us intrepid it was then! We hopped off the plane from Glasgow around 11 AM, took the airport bus into the town of Kirkwall and checked our bags at the bus depot. Off we struck on foot for the big local agricultural fair/ show about a mile away. We had a great time mixing with the locals, taking photos of cows, alpacas and horses, eating hot dogs, fried onions and ice cream. You get the picture. We loved it! Our visit was short but sweet as we had to head back to the bus depot for a 2 PM tour of some of the Orkney highlights.

Without warning Mer missed a step and fell heavily off a low curb face first (she would say front teeth first) onto the pavement! She did not have time to react, did not reach out to break her fall, but rather went forward much like a tree being felled. I could only watch helplessly as this all unfolded in slow motion. Several people came to our aid so we were not alone. Eventually we knew that reporting to the local emergency room was our only wise choice. After gathering our aforementioned baggage (now with one handler), we were put in a taxi to the Balfour Hospital.

One never knows how these things will go, but from the outset we were treated with speed, courtesy, and compassion. We knew we had to notify our extended health insurance provider before any treatment could be started and they facilitated that call even though much time was spent trying to get an international line. Mer was examined quickly, x-rayed immediately, and reassured that as we were dealing with the UK National Health Service, no one was after our money. Right arm in a sling and analgesics in hand, this intrepid woman was discharged to continue our holiday…and continue it we will! Final diagnosis, damaged front teeth, currently remaining in place. Treatment = soft diet and see dentist on return to Canada. Fractured head of radial bone, right elbow. Treatment = sling and follow up in a week. Likely immobilized for 6 weeks. Analgesics. (Yes, she is right handed and now learning to do everything as a lefty. Simple tasks are not so simple as you can all imagine)

This all happened yesterday and now that we know Mer is coping well we’ve decided to blog about it. Otherwise it gets a bit difficult trying to explain the sling that now appears in pictures. Our B and B hostess has been very, very kind and helpful (a retired nurse) and we were taken all over the island today by new friends David and Inge, introduced through Spence and Tom who were here in May. I know we’ll write more about our day together soon. Meanwhile, we have many to thank for getting us back on our feet. Next challenge comes tomorrow morning as we head back to the mainland and move on to Inverness. Sheena, here we come! The “intrepid couple” will carry on.

Oh The Thrill Of It!

El here………….A great little side adventure yesterday morning capped off our time on the Isle of Man. Those of you who have been following along will recall the marmalade caper on the previous morning. Well, on our last morning breakfast passed pleasantly enough with lots of chatter and no criticism of our manners. However it was made clear to us that we would be advised to catch the 9:04 bus down the mile hill in Port Erin. Our hostess’s husband would run us and our luggage to the bus so we would make the most of our last day on the Isle. Well, you know what? We had intended to relax for the day having run ourselves stupid the day before. Now we were faced with an earlier send off and no real way of getting out of it. Dutifully we got in the car and that’s when we saw a new side to hubby. He seemed to sense we were up for a different kind of adventure and mischievously suggested that he run us out to Cregneash where we had been unable to go without a car. We were like three adventurers off to see the sights …..and what sights they were!! Best part of our time on the Isle of Man. Did you know Waking Ned Devine was filmed here? We can’t thank our host enough for breaking rank and throwing bus schedules to the wind to show us this remarkable corner of his world.