Thursday 28 July 2011

Lucky or what ?

Thurs 28th July
This morning I had a quick drive up to Lamba Ness to have a quick walk around the headland. I was surprised (and , selfishly a little disappointed) that I wasn't the only one there. Right down at the bottom corner was a car and with it a tent pitched just back from the cliff edge. It's the first time I've seen anyone camping down there and I don't think they'd have done it a few days ago when there was a big north easterly swell coming in. In the past I've seen waves breaking up on to the cliffs there right where the tent was pitched.

Well, here I am now sitting in Lerwick having a cup of tea and recovering from a big shock ! I don't mind admitting to mistakes and I just made a very big one. Sometimes living on a crime free island can lead you to get complacent at times. I just had a quick walk around town before checking in for the ferry and on returning up the hill to the car park I saw a car door open. My first thought was 'that's like our Audi and it's got a roof box just like ours'. Well of course it was ours, not only had I left it unlocked, but I'd left the door open as well ! Thankfully everything was still there (I won't say what was in the car but it was worth more than the car). If it had been at night it would had been a different matter but also if it had happened down south in the daytime I think things would have also been different.
The ferry journey was fairly ok, not brilliant as my cabin was the very last one at the stern of the ship right over the engine room, so all night long there was the very heavy vibration of the engine which kept me awake.

Friday 29th July
The ferry docked bang on time at 7am so I was soon on my way to find the main PO sorting depot on the outskirts of Aberdeen. I had to pick up a parcel which was being held there (more of that another time maybe) and so by 8.15 I was heading south - but feeling rather tired - it was going to be a long day. At first the drive went well as far as the Lake District, from just south of there the traffic built up and from then on it was like a slow moving car park - I'll never moan about the queue for the Bluemull ferry again when there are 20 cars lined up! I've heard it said numerous times regarding driving fast, 'that it's better to arrive 10 minutes late in this life, rather than 10 minutes early for the next one'; well, on the motorway a hearse went past me doing over 90 in the outside lane - at least it was empty I suppose.
I finally arrived in the North Cotswolds around six pm, so with the Aberdeen side trip and the traffic it added just over two hours to my normal journey time.
It was strange being back in the area again - not just the fact that there were trees - but more that it felt like a different country, rather than somewhere I'd lived for over 50 years. I've got two days here before I head for a night in London and then on to Spain.


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