WESTJAUNT_JOURNAL

The first excursion of Andrew and Jane has got off to a rollickingly wonderful start, desptire the bus journey from Inverness-F.Willy and the 45min delay our train from Willy to Glenfinnan was subjected to. However, we arrived here safe and well, a little before 11:15 last night - to the enjoyment (+glee) of the discovery that we had the hostel to ourselves. A quick tour of the premises and a fleeting cigarette was all we could muster before unpacking the sleeping bags, flinging them on the bed and curling up side by side. I never noticed it when I stayed here last time but the hostel is in fact on a slope, my head was higher than my feet. We nodded off and woke up again to the sound of rain drumming on the metal roof above us.

My sleepless night led to a relatively energetic body today, and after reading Jane some Pooh (one of my now fave stories, in which Eeyore has a birthday and gets two pressies) we took a stroll to the visitor centre as planned where we surveyed the exhibit before buying choccie and postcards in the shop. It should be noted that we were the first to sign the guestbook, and the shortbread in the cafe was VERY yummy!
We lunched at the bar in the hotel (tomato soup and sandwiches) which was all very nice and civilised. Then chilled in the peace of the hostel, awaiting our late night train to Mallaig.

    I am now seated in the room in which Jane and I met three months ago. It is donned with mattress free beds, paint cans and an assortment of building materials as the warden here updates and refurbishes the amenities. The charm, and memory, however remains unscathed as I will divulge later...

     We successfully caught the 10:42 train from Glenfinnan to Mallaig on Sunday night, arriving at our destination a little before 11:30pm. It was a short walk to the hostl we'd booked into - Sheen'a Backpacker's Lodge - which was a pleasant enough place. Very homely and cosy and all that jazz. We left the hostel just after eight and strolled the short walk to the harbour - whilst admiring how pretty it all is - where we purchased tickets for the ferry to Armadale. A crossing that was quick and painless - whereas the busride from Armadale to Broadford was not, as i was dying for a piss the entire time. Our initial plan had been to go all the way from Armadale to Portree and then hang there until our bus to Uig, but the next bus to Portree was also the one we had intended to catch from Portree to Uig so we just hung out in Broadford. We did the food shop for Berneray in the Co-Op, I brought a postcard from the gift shop and we hung out in a pub for some food and beverages.
     By the time we got to Uig we still had an hour left, which went by speedily. At 5 we were in Lochmaddy, at 5:15 we were in a taxi, at 5:45 we were kissing outside the Berneray YHA. Shortly after we were joined by two French cyclists, followed shortly by German cyclist. The French were okay, although the german was an arrogant twat with whom I an not even going to waste any more paper on. We spent the night playing cards and stealing private mometns in which we could be away from everyone. By the moment it was time to retire to bed I had the bizarre suggestion of erecting the tent indoors, due to the force 8 or so gale blowing outside - which we duely did, upon two mattresses for comfort. It was incredibly bizarre and completely without point, but most of the really wonderful memories are.
   When we awoke the cyclistshad gone. I lit the fire, made a start on the breakfast, and the place was ours for the day.

   Now we are home and the memories of the last six days are still glimmering, dancing images in my mind I wish to round of this account of my travels with Jane.

     Brekkie that morning consisted of 'Smash' potato fritters and a bread roll, cooked partly by Jane and myself (I cut the rolls in half) It was a yummy meal that heralded the beginning of a wonderful and relaxing day which was spent predominantly within the hostel. We lazed in front of the fire playing charades and reading 'Pooh', whilst talking and laughing together. It felt wonderful, time just slipped into a montage, the moments didn't form a coherent passage, but rather glided and swam together.
   Dinner that evening consisted of jacket potatoes cooked in the fire. Whilst we waited for them to cook we took a stroll up the hill behind the hostel to take in the sunset, which never really exploded into the reds and oranges I had hoped but being there with Jane was enough. After dinner and dishes we curled up in front of the fire, where the cat decided to leap up and snuggle onto my lap. It was a moment I will remember for a long time.

     It was sad leaving Berneray yesterday. The place has become a second home to me over the past 6months or so (three visits now) and I look forward to returning again in the future. The trip as a whole was a superb, ecstatic joyful period of time that I will cherish for many years, and I look forward to more trips with Jane in the time to come.