NO SLEEPS LEFT
Pottering through the Trossachs behind slow drivers and the occasional bus is my start to the journey to Knoydart and what comes after. At this point my head is still somewhere between last week’s e-mails and the vague worry that I might arrive late at the Green Welly meet up point. Arriving with half an hour to spare – happily looking forward to the prospect of some light breakfast and shopping – I immediately bump into some of our number being friendly and welcoming and concerned that I know where they’re going for coffee and a last meat eating session before our week of veggie alcohol free bliss. So I – somewhat grudging – antisocially join them.
The silver bus then takes us to boat from Mallaig – giving up control as a driver of course gives me time to gaze out of the window. This is a perfect day – clear and blue and sun-filled – and the road through the mountains and glens past lochs and lochins moves my head into a more appreciative mode.
Then the blast of the boat and the drama of the Knoydart skyline makes me smile.
This is strange thing to do. Five days in a confined space with 15 strangers – including one with whom I have a work relationship so some residual anxiety about that – literally not knowing what the programme holds ahead far less how I will react to it – feels like something pretty risky. And again about giving up control and trusting in strangers. But post- dinner chat on first day is suitably sceptical and gives me some reassurance that I am not the only busy person concerned about the usefulness or otherwise of navel gazing. And good evidence of humour abounds so that lightens me up a bit. Better by far though is the point at which we start to wander outside to look at the stars – millions of them, and the Milky Way, and Jupiter clear and bright and winking – more than I think any of us have been able to see from Scotland before. So when I got to bed it was with some relief and some wonder, some people claustrophobia, and more curiosity.
