It is also the end of the year, but not the time for balance sheets; it is the time for fulfilling all you've dream in this year.
So, for me, autumn is the time for climbing and hiking, visiting, exploring, gathering with new people.
Inspired by this movie: https://vimeo.com/228355212?ref=fb-share, I left with Carmen in a new adventure.
SCOTLAND
First day
We travel from Bucharest to Glasgow by plane (wizzair) and we take the bus no 500 (10 pounds round trip) to get to the city center. From here, in about 20 minutes, we find our accommodation. Carmen booked the place through airbnb. We stayed until 23:30 on stories with our hosts, very sympathetic young people from Spain. They live in rent in a downtown apartment, old enough to feel a certain atmosphere and the local way of dwelling.
Second day- Conic Hill
We leaved our hosts and we went shopping (a bottle of gas for primus and some food), then we went to the train station. On the way to the train station, we passed by Makintosh's School of Art, that burnt a few years ago. Page/Park Architects were the winners of the competition to restore Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art. Their approach, on the outside, is very daring project, that fits as long as is the only intervention of this kind in the area.
From Glasgow we took the train to Balloch and then, the bus to Balhama. We went on Conic Hill, a small hill, offering very nice views with Loch Lomond and it's islands.
We hitchhiked back to Balloch and further till Tyndrum. We changed tree cars and we met tree nice people: a man living in Glasgow, who told us he can take us back to the city, a nice vet with her dog, who took us to Balloch, further than her usual journey and Sam, with his strong scottish accent, that I could not understand.
We looked for a place to wild camp near Tyndrum on Viewranger. We decided to put the tent on the beginning of a hiking path. This was the first contact with bogs, a word that we will understand a few days later. So, we started to go further and further on the path, higher and higher, to reach a place without water. Ridges and small valleys, big and small grass, everything was dived in water. It was dark, so we decided to put tent on a small ridge. We were confused about the presence of the water on it, but, whatever...
This is the day I really felt that our adventure is ready to start: we didn't know where we're going to sleep in the night, were we're going to hike, if we've got enough food or the proper equipment. We tried to hitchhike for Glencoe, but we decided quickly to take the bus, not to spend to many hours on the road, and not on the mountains. We saw really beautiful landscapes till Glencoe, not the one we are used to. We started our hike in Glencoe- the village. We decided to reach Pap of Glencoe (715 m), a pick offering views on the area near by, but the mist let us see just some of the beautiful views we expected. So, we had a lot of mist, some rain, big backpacks... and, of course, water on the path. After a 5 hours hike, we eat, we spent some time in Glencoe and we decided to go further, to Fort William. Nobody took us, so we looked on the app and decided to put the tent on loch Leven, near Ballachulish village.
Fourth day -Glenfinnan
This is the day we decided not to climb Ben Nevis, the highest peak of UK. Mist was announced on the weather forecast for high peaks, so, quit a similar experience with Pap of Glencoe.
We took the bus to Fort William and the train to Glenfinnan, and than, after a short hike, further to Mallaig. The journey with the train is absolutely beautiful, it pass through Corpach, from where you can get the best view of Ben Nevis (in good conditions), then through spectacular mountains, lakes and the sea of Hebrides with it's islands: Rum, Eigg and Port Mor. It goes over a viaduct where were shot frames for Harry Potter movie.
As we were used to, every day brought us a new surprise. This turn, the surprise was that we had to stay in Mallaig for the night due to a train delay. On the train station was no data communication system and you had to call a dispatcher, using a device mounted on the platform. We waited for the train for an hour. In Mallaig we stayed in a hostel, 2 beds room, for 20 pounds each. In the kitchen, we met more Scots, on their road to the islands for holidays. Observing them, we discovered that they had other equipment than us, much more adapted to water.
We took the ferry to Armadale, than we hitchhiked to ... somewhere ...closer to our path. Our path was on an other peninsula of Skye island. For me, it was really difficult to plan how we will arrive to the starting point of the path, so difficult I couldn't have any better idea than hitchhike quickly after descending on Armadale. We had the chance to meet John, a nice man, in-loved with mountains, Skye, and Camasunary bothy, the place where we decided to pass the night. He took us to the starting point of the easiest path. We are really grateful for his kindness and we hope we will meet again, sometime, in Romania.
We reached Camasunary in 1h 1/2. It is the place I've dreamed for: quit, with beautiful mountains, water, very green grass... One of the most beautiful places I saw. A storm came in the afternoon and passed next day in the morning, letting us explore the area just for 2 hours. For almost half day, we looked from the big windows at the force of the unleashed nature.
Day 6 About weather and landscapes
We leaved the bothy early and we took the path to Elgol, a very different path, through the coast. It took us more than two hours to reach the village, but we took our time to take a lot of pictures. In Elgol we hitchhiked and we were taken by two girls, one from USA and one from Canada, travelling together in Scotland. We spent a nice time with them, as tourists, looking for rainbows and nice views over the mountains. They let us in Sconser, where we eat, in a very nice ferry station, than we hitchhiked again and a man took us to Portree. He told us about his work on the see and submarines. After some shopping in Portree we hitchhiked again and a guy picked us. He listened to romanian music ....so he had to be a romanian. We were glad to meet him, he took Carmen's contact and we felt like someone is looking for us, for our good . Quit a nice sentiment. He let us to Old Man of Storr.
We hided the backpacks and we climbed as much as we could in that beautiful evening. We had a true scottish weather: good conditions on the morning, bad weather on the afternoon and good weather on the evening. Also, we knew that the next day is gone be bad weather. Again :))
Day 7 About people of Scotland
After a sleepless night, due to the strong winds (60-50 km / h) that layed on our tent, we decided to climb to the top of Storr. We've reached An Carn Liath's peak, due to weather conditions. The mist was descending over the Old Man of Storr. We had a short chance to take a look at the relief of the island, immersed, of course, in marshes. On our way back to the main road we had all the Scotland specific ingredients: rain, mud and wind. A bunch of people were coming up to take a picture of Old Man of Storr. Actually, we were lucky.
Tourists are not as kind as locals; after a 40-minute hitchhike in the rain, we decide to go back to Portree. We crossed on the other side of the road. A lady watched how we changed the direction and came to us. We explained that we wanted to go back to the city because we were frozen, she invited us to step into the car, let the heat go and proposed to take us to the waterfall: "you can not return to Romania without seeing it ". Still, I feel so grateful. After a small circuit of the Trotemish peninsula, she let's us in the Portree center, a familiar place for us. The conversation ran all the way long, with interesting explanations, with plans for future. We hope to see you in Romania next year, we hope to stay in touch, dear lady! From Portree we hitchhiked again and an old, funny and joyful man took us some kilometers on our way to Elean Donan Castle. Than we were taken by a couple and we reached our destination.
We arrived in the evening to Elean Donan Castle, than we took a very expensive bus to Inverness.
We leaved Skye with a hand-made bread offered by a local, a big smile, frozen and wet legs. We leaved Skye with the memory of every person who took us in his car and offered us information, kindness, nice travel trough this beautiful island and the most important, offering us his time.
Thank you all.
Day 8 Inverness
We visited the city and had a rest-day, with lovely weather and some wind.
Day 9+10 Edinburgh and fate
We took the train to Edinburgh in the morning.
Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visit. I don't want to insist on tourist attractions, things that are easy to find in any guide. I will tell you how I felt the city and all the experience. When we get out of the train station, we landed on a platform, near the tourist information center. The platform was on a riverbed. Looking on the right and on the left sides, on the slopes we could see, the city and some of his hills. I could only say WOW. It was like Lisbon, but very different. We went to eat haggies, a very good national dish. After lunch, my thought flied back to Mariana, my mate in Erasmus in Grenoble. She lives here. She's the only person in Scotland I know. I haven't spoke to her since 2011. After visiting the Greyfriars cemetery we decided to go to the accommodation. Basically we were in the streets for 15 minutes in a large city with a lot of hills, with hundreds of narrow streets, thousands of tourists... My shoulders hurt and I do not wanted anymore to carry the backpack. And, suddenly, we met Mariana. How joyful I was, I can not describe in words! The city is gorgeous, it's a must see, but the meeting with Mariana surpassed any expectation and gave a different and much powerful meaning of this journey. Some things have to happen.
Dears Paul and Mariana, come to Brasov, I will expect you tomorrow, in a year and over 10 years, no matter how much we're going to speak meantime!
Day 11 Glasgow and the flight back home
Last day of holiday, here comes the conclusion:
"-Look mum, real backpackers!
- Who, us?" :))
When I think of Glasgow, I think about: Renee Makintosh, the smell of fuel, the street lighting in use in the middle of the day due to the poor natural light, the apartment's mice and the image of its kitchen, the Glasgow University, the shops and museums closing at 16-17 pm, the position of the cathedral that I would like to visit one day.
See you soon again, Scotland!
Dear readers, stay dry! (a scottish wish, a real scottish humor)
Am plecat amandoua fara teme facute, pentru ca nu mai avem timp de documentare. Pentru ca probabil avem prea multe surse, pentru ca suntem din ce in ce mai greu de surprins. Aceasta este cauza pentru care de multe ori nu caut sa stiu tot despre locul pe care urmeaza sa-l vizitez.
Cred ca au fost cateva lucruri definitorii pentru aceasta excursie: habarnitudinea, mersul cu stopul, nordul, apa...Primele doua au ceva in comun, pentru ca nu stii niciodata unde ajungi si, pe langa asta nu stii la ce sa te astepti de la locul in care "aterizezi": nu stii daca va fi plin de "BOG" sau nu vei avea apa de baut, loch-urile fiind sarate, daca vor fi terenurile cuiva, vor avea gard electrificat, daca va ploua noaptea, daca va sufla vantul puternic. De asemenea stii ca ai foarte multe variante si tu trebuie sa alegi. Scotia e frumoasa, asa ca a fost foarte greu.
"Mie asta mi s-a parut cel mai greu": sa luam o decizie. Cred ca m-am macinat mereu prea tare sa fie cea mai buna decizie, pentru amandoua, cand, de fapt, de cele mai multe ori, nu noi luam decizia. O astfel de excursie e ca un loz in plic, esti la mana oamenilor, a vremii, a ambitiilor si dorintelor tale suprapuse peste sansa si nesansa. Niciodata nu stii ce s-ar fi intamplat daca lucrurile ar fi decurs in alt fel, din cauza asta, la final, sentimentul e ca totul a decurs perfect, conform "planului". Lucrurile au decurs in asa fel incat, intr-un oras mai mare decat Clujul, m-am intalnit cu Mariana. Daca planuiam, nu se intampla.
Am avut un apus superb, cateva curcubee, liniste, spaime, o noapte nedormita, picioare ude, caldura si intimitate, ceaiuri negre, oameni inimosi, peisaje deosebite, culori de toamna, momente de bucurie si surpriza.
Un alt sentiment pe care l-am simtit.... e cel din bancul acela cu imparatul care traieste peste noua mari si noua tari, ei bine, m-am simtit departe. Sunt ani de cand n-am mai experimentat acest sentiment de frica. Factorul declansator a fost apa, in toate formele ei. Bineinteles, cel mai rau a fost pe feribot, o inventie ciudata, semi-industriala, care se balanganea ingrozitor din cauza unor valuri mari. Mi se parea ca ma aplec spre apa, mi se parea ca trebuie sa imi tin respiratia ca voi da cu fata de apa, apoi cadrul se schimba si vedeam formele stranii de munti din Scotia mare, un peisaj strain, extraordinar de frumos, simbol a ceea ce as putea defini ca "departe". "Unde voi merge va fi si mai putin pamant", cam asta gandeam cu spaima in acele momente. Nu stiu de ce pe insule ma simt ingradita, limitata si in pericol sa ma scufund mereu. Imi e frica si de vant, in combinatie cu apa.
Pe insula Skye am dormit, in prima seara, intr-un cadru de poveste: intr-o casa cu pereti grosi si priciuri de lemn, de unde am putut savura linistea, rafalele vantului, furtuna si oceanul lovindu-se de tarm. Ceaiul fierbea linistit, ciocolata aveam, Carmen a preparat minunatie de fulgi de mei, de care m-am indragostit. Mda, gustul Scotiei e cel de haggies, alaturi de meiul cu ciocolata neagra si banana, din fiecare dimineata.
Daca as mai pleca intr-o astfel de aventura? Ei bine, nu sunt prea sigura. Nu stiu daca as mai alege tari nordice, sau ploioase. Nu stiu daca as mai alege sa fac asta pe perioade atat de scurte de timp. Nu stiu daca varianta ideala e cea in care imbini mersul pe munte cu calatoritul pe sosele. A iesit binisor, poate foarte bine, dar a fost greu. Am avut noroc cu Carmen, e o persoana foarte faina, stapana pe sine, deschisa, pe care puneam mare baza. Nu ar vrea nimeni o astfel de excursie cu cineva incompatibil/ dificil....
Ne vom intoarce intr-o zi, sa vedem focile si delfinii, renii, alte peninsule ale insulei Skye, Hebridele, Ben Nevis.... Ne vom intoarce.
