Scottish Trip 2014 Inverness and Thurso

 

Edinboro not all partying

heron on banks of Ness

 

outside my hotel window

going north on train

Dear Astrid, decided to split my blog in two, so that steelband connoisseurs don't suddenly find themselves on a Russian train or a boat on Windermere. No idea who will want to see my holiday snaps, but thought you might, so this blog will be A Letter to Singapore.

 

 

Anyway my first travel trip blog is my 2014 Scottish adventure. This August, as ever, was characterised by short bursts away and then gigs at the weekend.

 

I took the train to Inverness, where I had a booked a hotel a short walk out of town. 

Scrabster Lighthouse



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes in thurso

Inverness in evening

 

Caithness style slab walls

In the evening I visited a Chinese restaurant which shook the whole time from the vibrations of nightclub opposite. Inverness was almost Leeds on a Saturday night. I was predicting a riot and decided to continue writing back at the hotel bar.

What a haven! Although there was a disco next door and I was invited to dance  by some short-sighted young men, this bar was perfect setting for my letter to the YEP re Leeds Carnival's lack of inclusivity.

The only morning bus (or train) to Thurso was at 8.30. It was a holiday. Were they kidding. Well, I couldn't sleep so found myself on said bus. In Thurso I had a little hotel a short walk out of town. There was a reunion rock gig downstairs. I slept through it all.

 

 

No in Thurso

Visited the wonderful "Caithness Horizons" where they talked me through how to spend two half days in Thurso. On Sunday evening, having slept through the afternoon gig, woke up to find two men on a raised platform outside bedroom window. heavens! I went out for fabulous Indian meal on or near Princes Street; in the evening challenged the bartender and friend to a couple of game of pool.

 

 

writing out tunes on Thurso train

 

 

 

 

Next day a bracing walk down to Scrabster Harbour and looked longingly across at Hoy, before missing the afternoon bus and braving the wind and rain back to Thurso and the 4.20 to Inverness.

Had another walk around this beautiful city, and next day made it onto my train home by too narrow a margin - just in time for Mig's birthday!