25th July 2014
1:05pm
Scrabster Terminal, Scotland, UK
If I thought it was surreal
when my train entered Edinburgh, I don’t know what the word is for this moment.
I am moments from boarding the ferry to Stromness, Orkney. The sky is sunny and
the water is calmer than I’ve ever seen it on a journey up to the islands.
After handing the guy at the
gate my ticket, I board the ferry. If you have never been to Orkney before, I
cannot stress enough how nice NorthLink ferries is. They’re certainly not the
only option. However, they are also the fanciest option. On my first trip, I
was imagining a rickety rusty old boat. They have those, but they’re not
NorthLink. NorthLink feels like you’re on a cruise. I’ve never actually been on
a cruise, but this is what I imagine one to be like anyway.
I guess this picture doesn't really do it justice, but trust me it's really nice in here.
The nice thing about this
particular route is that you get a boat side view of the Old Man of Hoy, but
more on him later. Now the inside is nice, but I much prefer the deck. I’d
forgotten what it feels like to be standing on deck with wind rushing through
my hair, the boat rocking gently beneath me, and the spray of salt water on my
skin. I’ve missed the ocean dearly.
The Old Man of Hoy as seen from the deck.
I meet a few Americans who are
here to visit for a day. They’re not quite certain what to see, but I pull out
my OS Explorer maps and give them some good tips. I have to say, it feels
really good to “know what I’m doing” and to know enough to give advice. There
was a part of me which thought, I would regret not going somewhere new.
However, I have to say it is really nice to be helpful.
Low mist hanging over the water
So naturally, the second I get
off the boat I make a B-line for the information centre to ask for directions.
I’d made an appointment with the Cycle Hire shop in Stromness and I didn’t want
to be late by wandering around the city aimlessly. As it would turn out, I
probably could have found it since it was right off the main road.
I ride my new bike down the
street and back to the information centre. Here I ask about a ferry to North
Hoy. I’m in luck. There is one leaving in just a few minutes. I don’t really
know where I’m going so I end up asking for directions a few times, and I think
I manage to annoy the captain when I get on and don’t seem to put the bike in
the right place. All the same, I’m soon off for North Hoy.
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25th July 2014
4:37pm
Island of Hoy, Scotland, UK
You know, it’s kind of awkward
to bike like this. I have my shoulder bag bungeed to the back mount of the
bike. I’m wearing my backpack, and I’ve clipped my grocery bag to the back of
the back pack. It’s heavy. I haven’t ridden a bike in years, and of course I
had to be going uphill on the hilliest island in the whole archipelago. Several
colourful words, primarily directed at myself, are running through my head
right now. Ohh yeah, and I have to meet the woman who would let me into the
hostel at 5:00, and did I mention the hostel is almost 6 miles away?
Rachel, the warden of the hostel,
is luckily a very thoughtful person. She is waiting for me at the intersection
of a road not too far from the ferry terminal. This gives me the chance to
relax a bit. I don’t rush as much to the Hostel, but still I’m in a bit of a
hurry. I’m extraordinarily eager to rid myself of these bags. I cannot tell you
how much it sucks to carry all this stuff. This is especially true when riding
a bike which is too tall and has a seat which clearly doubles as a torture
device.
Here is a photo of all my gear, from one of the times I stopped to take a break.
Despite my moaning, I cannot
accentuate enough how beautiful it is here. This is not what I bargained for.
This is Orkney. I was expecting blustering winds and relentless rain. Instead
I’m riding through the sunny glens of Hoy. It’s summer so the heather is green
like I’ve never seen it before. There are wispy low clouds clinging to the top
of the bluffs. They give the island a mystical feel despite the gorgeous sunny
day. I’m not an islander, but in this moment I think – I could be.
Some General Scenery from Hoy
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