MY FIRST DAY. (11/06/13)

I still have internet despite having moved from the east to the west coast of Lewis. I’m at a village called Shawbost. The camp site is just behind a big new school. I’m not a fan of tiny people but it is great to see them as a representation of a thriving community.

Things are very different here. I found the filling station, rifle shop, food shop, map shop this morning with no bother at all….Thank you Graham. The girl selling, petrol diesel and maps, she was short of two maps OS458 and OS456. She said not to worry. They only show the standing stones and a beech and both have a sign post. I had to admire her pragmatism. I asked if she had a Daily Telegraph. No but we may have about five o’clock this afternoon. The Telegraph doesn’t always come though.

I didn’t need a food shop as Stornoway now has a CO-OP superstore and a Tesco. I used the CO-OP cos Tesco crapped on Keith. There is another difference up here. One has to shop after ten in a morning if you want to include Bells on the cart. It’s the Wee Frees. They don’t allow laundry or grass cutting or pretty much anything else on a Sunday and selling alcoholic beverages is something they’d like to see banned. I must admit to being fascinated enough to catch a service this Sunday. I’ll have to look out a pair of trousers, a shirt and tie and give it a whirl.

   The views from the van.

We went a walk to try and get to the sea.

   I could see it but couldn’t find a way to it.

  On we wandered. The dogs found a friend. He came on our walk with us. I let my two off as there is little traffic and what there is slows down to walking pace. They had a good run.

  He’s still with us half a mile later. This is something I find different. You have small croft cottages and impressive houses like this one abandoned. People then just build a new bungalow to live in. There must be method in such madness but so far it escapes me.

    A stack of peats. This is winter fuel. It burns like wet cardboard but with a much more pungent aroma.

Tomorrow we are moving to a posh beach with dancing girls, all manner of Divers and Waders and miles of perfect sand.

I love moving around. The folk at the site are great. The toilet block is called Downing Street. The Ladies is number ten and the Gents number eleven. I’d love to have a dump in both.

See you again when I can get online.