Tintin and Snowy brave Storm Arwen

This morning it was time to leave Stromness. It was bitterly cold but the wind had dropped quite a bit. Most of us piled into a large taxi at 0815 and the driver transported us safely to the airport at Kirkwall.

The roads were icy and he drove carefully.

At the airport, I tried to change to the Glasgow flight, because I saw that the west coast trains were running. The flight was full. We left late but had an easy flight to Edinburgh.

There I parted from the others and took the airport bus to Glasgow bus station. By then I had booked a train to Carlisle. It was cancelled immediately. The second was when I was in Glasgow. I was near the bus station and trying to cope with my heavy case. No joke.

If any later trains went, I was going to arrive in Carlisle in the dark and I did not think it was fair to expect anyone to collect me. (The Tyne Valley trains were off too.) 

I tried the nearest Premier Inn which was full. I booked the next nearest at Glasgow Charing Cross and took the bus. Here is my recommendation - don't go there! It was more run down than the one on The Wirral last month and the heating was off. My room was like an ice box. After some jumping up and down, the manager found me a heater. I am sure that not everyone was given a heater. There were too many rooms. The restaurant could not open for lack of staff.

I started off fully clothed (but without my boots) in the bed, until I warmed up.

Then I went to the local Tesco and bought a picnic including a cup a soup to warm me.

It was not too bad.

In the meantime, Tintin had been sailing around the coast of Scotland to meet me on Orkney. Storm Arwen was no match for him but he had to use all his prowess to stay afloat. (He had actually hidden in my suitcase all week.........)

The story continues tomorrow!