Captain Shiny Sides

Fishing. It's something apparently fathers and sons do.

Euan and I haven't ever done this, except maybe the odd fishing net down the local pond, and it's not because we've not particularly wanted to. It's more that Euan's mum has a complete phobia about anything fishy. And I mean a REAL phobia.

Years ago when she worked on a checkout, she couldn't put through anything bought from the store's fish counter. She had to ask the customers to slide it along.

And on holiday, when we're all diving into the sea to try and cool down, Samantha won't venture near because the sea's apparently full of fish.

But the best of all was at the Sea Life Centre in Oban. During the seal show the presenter got a bit distracted trying to feed and talk at the same time, with the result that a big chunk of fish came flying over the barrier directly at Samantha. In a blind panic she dived for the first door she could see, which happened to be the access door to the seal enclosure. The seals in there couldn't believe there luck as they all made a bee line for the exit and a bid for freedom. Thankfully, none escaped and it only took around half a bottle of Vodka to calm Samantha down afterwards.

Anyway, even though this was not our intention today, we went fishing. Actually we went to do a bit of stone skimming but Euan collected this dead brown trout - which he picked up on a stick and named Captain Shiny Sides - as a present for his Mum as he said she's far enough away just now not be scared of it (3,250 miles approximately).

Having spoke to the weary travellers just now it sounds like it's been an adventure and a half so far; a run in with Newark Airport Security, withheld passports and a suspected kidnapping all in one day sounds a good start.

Worthy of a journal entry in it's own I think. Tomorrow though.