Farewell to Barra

There is something so final about leaving an island by boat. With a bus there is always the possibility of getting it to stop, say you've made a mistake and go back. There is no such possibility with a CalMac ferry as the stretch of water between you and the pier widens. You have made your decision to leave and there can be no instant return as you are borne relentlessly homeward to crowded noisy dirty cities.

Well, we did take a taxi yesterday to the Isle of Barra Beach Hotel where we had access to yet another glorious beach, a wide crescent of the palest sand, with waters a translucent green as they rolled ashore, but a deeper turquoise and emerald out in the bay. The sun shone, but the wind was stiff with what out taxi driver described as having' a cold hand'. I like that expression.

We walked the beach until we got cold enough to warrant going indoors for a hot cup of coffee in the lounge with a view of the bay shimmering in the sun.

And so our holiday ends with a train from Oban through Glasgow to Edinburgh.
It's been a wonderful week for me, and His Lordship has privately confessed to having enjoyed it too, once he donned his entire wardrobe of clothes to keep out the chill.
We finally saw the sun in South Uist and Barra and that colours one's appreciation of those places.
We have eaten three cordon bleu meals out of six, we have cemented a friendship with a lovely lady in South Uist, enjoyed the company in passing of various other travellers and wondered at the natural beauty of these islands.

I am an island Lady and His Lordship is working on becoming an island man.
Orkney here we come!