Holiday in scotland Day 3

Day 3

The next morning we got up fairly sharpish to get ready for the off. We had a bit of a journey ahead of us. We were heading north to a place not far from Glasgow.

On the way I had planned to visit somewhere where I had lived as a child. As described in my story my mother left my father when I was three years old, taking me with her to Scotland. The place she took me was Paisley and we were going through there on the way. I had discovered from my Auntie in Australia the particular area of Paisley I should be concentrating on.

I set my GPS for the particular street and headed off. We arrived early afternoon that day. As I neared it I was getting a little apprehensive of what I might have found. This was important to me and returning here brought back some of the pain again of a difficult childhood.

The houses were not as I had expected: Built just after the war they were mostly semi-detached pebble dashed on the outside. I was supposed to have been here from when I was three to when I was six but it triggered nothing; no spark. I was disappointed.

I decided to knock to ask someone. The lady who answered pointed out an elderly gentleman who had been in the area since the houses were built. We had a very nice conversation with him of how things have changed and what life was like then.

The centre of the community back then, we heard, was the local pub. We went to go looking for it. The man told us it had become a posh pub and changed its name. We found it a short drive away. We had a pot of tea and took some photos but still no memory. Maybe I was just too young.

So onwards to Lochwhinnoch.

We had booked a small campsite and the journey to there took us through some spectacular scenery. Andrea drove quite a bit so I was able to click away with the camera.

As we arrived we realised it was quite late. There were offices there so wondered if it was the right place. The door was open and I looked inside. There was no one about. If it wasn't for someone coughing in a back office I would have said the place was deserted. I found a man sitting at a computer. He looked a bit surprised to see me and went to fetch another man to help us. It was 6:30 in the evening by this time and I was glad they had worked late. They told me they don't normally do that.

We were going to use the tent but as I said it was getting late and would have taken too long to put up. We noticed in the same place little wooden huts in a secluded spot. The man told us the were for sleeping in and would cost only a little bit extra to use one. It was useful to for the next day too werealised we would have had to put the tents down thus saving on time.

It still took time to get sleeping bags, lilo, cooker etc. from the car to the hut. But we soon sorted everything that was needed. Unfortunately Andrea kept bumping her head on the low door into the hut. She didn't take long to make sure she ducked down. It happened to me as well.

Being even further north it was still very light at that time and we took an evening walk to a local woodland nature reserve. The Sun wasgolden as it was setting over the hills. It was peaceful walk and we saw a few birds. We even saw a deer hiding in the bushes.

As we returned to the site we were looking across the fields and saw a Barn owl fly to and fro hunting. It was a ghostly figure and an exciting thing to see.

We were ready to sleep looking forward to the next day.

Our scottish holiday Day 2

3:30! I was woken by the birds at 3:30! It was an explosion of sound. The dawn had come early this far north. I listened for a while in my tent and tried to identify some of them. Green-finch, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Wren.... It wasn't long before I drifted back to sleep.
I next woke at just gone 7

Where we where in Cumbria was one end of Hadrian's Wall. In fact the remains of the wall ran just behind the camp site.

After breakfast we chose a path to follow and all went well until we came to a heathland marsh. The designated path seemed to have disappeared. I sort to trail blaze a path in a macho sort of way. This failed! I was finding a way through when suddenly a leg disappeared down a boggy hole right up to above my knee.

Because of this we had to return to our camp site early to get changed. We had made sandwiches for the journey so we had lunch at the tent.

Being back at camp gave us opportunity to sit and relax and let the stresses and strains of London wash off us. It was only then that we started to enjoy the holiday.

In the evening we walked along the coastal path to the local village. The path actually went through someones garden. I'm sure I would have like that.

As we arrived at the village we were surprised to see a disused railway station. The platform was still there and the sign seemed to show how it was quite a busy station.

The local village pub was fairly full. We ordered a pot of tea for two and did some people watching.

We returned to camp around 10pm and was still very light. We went to bed ready for the journey north tomorrow.

Our Scottish holiday - Day 1

I had been planning a camping trip for some time. As a couple, my wife Andrea and I are very interested in birdwatching. The pound was very week so I thought it would be good to have a "stay-cation".

I decided on Scotland because of what I saw in Birdwatching magazine which I subscribe to. They feature walks around the country depending n time of year. A forest walk in Glenmore caught my eye. The trouble is living in London, it was a long way to go. This got me planning camping.

We had packed the car the night before in readiness. we finally got away about 10 minutes to 8, Ahead of us was, what I thought would be, a six hour journey, or at least that was what the GPS told us. As it turned out, and probably always the way, it took longer than we hoped. It did not help by the road we were due to travel on was closed as a lorry had shed it's load. This meant it took ten hours to get to our first camping place.We used our new car.

Even with it's size the car was still packed full. We always tend to take things “just in case”. I had packed the car the previous evening but we still had things to fit in in the morning.

We arrived, as I said, about eight hours from start. I nearly missed where it was and would have driven past if it wasn't for Andrea calling out the name of the farm. I parked up in a little lay by and entered the farmyard. I was greeted by a nice Lady and her dog. Immediately she offered a cup of tea. Andrea was still in the car so I went to collect her. We told her of our journey and complained of the traffic. She listened with interest and offered us her home-made biscuits; she seemed very kind and welcoming. It was a pleasant end to our long journey.

The camping field itself was a little way up the road. so we chose our spot and pitched the tents. We had two tents, both were throw-up and easy to pitch. We were right by the sea so, after settling in, we went for a short walk. Straight away we were able to see some lovely birds: Curlew, Shelduck, and herring gull, to name a few.

When we returned to the campsite we were able to spot a Bulfinch! This bird is quite rare and is on the RSPB endangered species list. Fantastic we thought, such a rare bird right near where were camping. Being so far north, the evenings were very light. In fact the sun did not set later than 9 pm leaving it still light until gone 10:30.

Many would have followed what we we were doing over the holiday. I posted my daily adventures on Twitter and Facebook. Many times I used my mobile phone to post them, but trouble is the text did not come out as I had hoped.

We went to bed nice and early ready for day 2.

Busy week

Boy, what a busy week we have had!

First of all, last weekend, we were invited to a Bengali wedding. We are friends with a family whose sister was the bride.

My friend Moksud, this time last year had had a massive stroke ( I may have mentioned this before). This left him paralysed, unable to talk, and t the time close to death. He is the father of one of the Kids Club kids. When I heard the news I really felt the compassion of God and felt I should befriend him and pray for him. I have been visiting him in hospital ever since. He has made massive progress and now is able to sit in a wheelchair, use his left hand and talk a little.

The wedding and indeed the mehndi was lovely! We felt honoured to have been invited.The mehndi is a ceremony to prepare the bride in readiness for her husband. A kind of "sending off" and normally just for family members. This showed how much we were respected and honoured to have been invited to go. The Wikipedia entry describes it better than I. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehndi

Before I got to the main ceremony though, I pranged my car. I was reversing out of the estate where the bride lived and did not see a slight bend in the road. BANG! I had hit a gate post! I felt so stupid. Fortunately Andrea and I were OK but it was bit of a shock. It was still drivable - to a point, and so was still able to get to the wedding. I had damaged the drivers side rear wing and lights. The car isn't worth that much so I think it is a write off. And, sadly, the insurers came to take it away last Thursday.

We arrived at the wedding being one of the first. The banqueting hall was massive with tables everywhere. It was deceptive, the hall was so big I could not decide whether or not there was a mirrored partition in the middle. We were met by Moksud's wife, Shulee, welcoming us; she looked lovely in a green Salwar Kameez. She was busy so left us to our own devices.

Slowly the room filled up and we were surprised how many different nationalities were there: Japanese, Afro-Caribbean, African (I think Ghanaian) Albanian-they sat next to us to name but few. The grooms brothers and friends were strutting around in the sharp suits having come in their flash cars. Loud Asian dance music was playing in the background.

The the drums started! A procession was afoot! The groom, seemingly the only one wearing the cream Asian suit, was following two drummers announcing his entrance. Following behind were his family and friends. The groom was very handsome and and very noble looking. He smiled and greeted those looking on with a smile and a flash of the eye. He took his place on stage (which was plushly furnished) and posed with family and friends to a wall of photographers.

The Imam got up to speak and lead prayers. He spoke of living a pious life and prayed for forgiveness; then all the other leaders prayed for the groom.

The bride had been waiting in a car for all this time, now the photos for the groom had finished we were all asked to take our seats and make ready for the bride. She too came in with a procession behind her, not with drums this time but quietly and with poise. People were snapping away at their cameras as she made her way through the crowd. The groom and bride met and stood while the photos were being taken. The groom's family seemed so welcoming to the bride and, like any wedding should be, it brought joy to see them together.

I was looking after Moksud and taking him to good vantage points to see the action. He was asked to see the cutting of the cake. I was new to all this but was thrilled to see each family cutting a piece of cake for the other starting with the bride and groom. Moksud, as a close relative, was offered cake to by the groom, the groom's mother and the grooms father. I was so impressed by the care shown by the groom and his family. There seemed genuine compassion and care for him.

Then the food was presented to us. It just kept coming, dish after dish placed on the table. Chicken curry, Lamb curry, Naan bread, Biriani, Dahl. And as it was used up a new dish would replace it. I joked withe others on the table that we were expected to finish all this. I knew though that it would have been impossible.

Ever since the stroke Moksud was still "nil by mouth" so he could not could not join in with the eating. I felt a little awkward but he reassured me to enjoy myself. Later on his wife "fed him" using a syringe straight into the stomach.

More photos were taken and Shullee and Moksud's brothers expressed their thanks for all we had done for them. We have developed a real friendship and all I can say is it is a privilege and an honour. All I want to do is express the love of Jesus to them. I said I was happy to help and be friends with the family.

Because of the crash of the car it brought forward what I had wanted to do for a while; I had been looking out for a new car anyway. I was looking for something newer and maybe something bigger. Andrea had been complaining how small the boot was, not big enough, she said, for our camping equipment. I agreed, it was a little awkward to have to fold the seats down to accommodate all the stuff we normally carry.

Today we are travelling to Manchester First Class on the Train. We are doing this because our Richard is moving to Berlin for two years. He wants to learn German so he can read the great German theologians in their native language.

Richard's wife is putting on a party and we are going to see Kieren join us too.

We are preparing this week for our camping trip to Scotland. I hope to tell you nall about it as we go along with postcards.