With apologies to friends and family who may still be struggling with lockdowns (especially Melbourne, Australia, which has seemed brutal), I thought I should do a small pictorial post on my Scotland adventures.
I have posted pics spasmodically on my personal Facebook feed (please send me a friend request if we are not already connected there) and have been asked why I felt the need to travel at this time. First of all, I want to say that everything in life is a trade. A friend recently posted something along the lines of ‘Choose your Hard’ with a message that everything can be hard, you simply choose which path to take (which hard).
Whilst many of my friends and acquaintances are happy to hunker down in their homes (or at least, not too traumatized by the thought), surrounded by the familiar – books, DVDs, gardens, nearby walks – I no longer have that opportunity, my Bloke and I having sold or given away everything we own, from the family home down to the very smallest keepsake. We did this – pre-Covid – because it was the only way – coupled with housesitting and helping friends with their projects – that we could afford to travel. We have covered almost every square inch of our home country – by car, rail, train, bus and motorbike – in our youth, so what does one do? One (or two, as it so happens) goes forth into the world.
As we travel, we take very good care of ourselves and we are conscientious of caring for the health and wellbeing of others. Masks, sanitizer, social distancing. Always.
So now, let me tell you about our travels in Scotland . . .
With so few visitors and so little open, we have had country roads and tracks and lochs and hills almost completely to ourselves. We do not eat out and we have never been keen on the pay-a-fortune tourist attractions. So, just imagine how it is for me to be able to wander the grounds of castles and ruins without another soul in sight, to be able to lap up all the history, to touch my trembling hand to centuries old walls. To trek the moors with only my thoughts for company. For a writer, this is bliss!
I’ve peppered some of my favourite photos throughout to stop you getting bored with my ramblings. There’s more on Facebook.
In amongst all this, I was delighted to be shortlisted for the Scottish Arts Trust Story Prize and, although I didn’t make the final three, I felt like a winner amongst some very fine writers. For my writer friends – if you are interested – please check out the award ceremony (this year, a Zoom event) on YouTube.
I will be even more isolated for a few weeks in the beautiful highland country overlooking a loch. Lots of ‘stuff’ will be written! Keep well everyone. And choose your Hard.
PS – there have been some WordPress changes and I have no idea how to resize pictures.
Karenlee Thompson 