My departure from Scotland was by no means smooth, with the exception of the ice on the runways at Aberdeen and Heathrow. I was supposed to leave Scotland early on the 6th January. However, with the snow and ice closing roads and disrupting rail services, it became increasingly clear that my departure would be delayed. After a couple of calls to British Airways, I moved back my flight by a day.
So, I travelled through on the train to Aberdeen a day later than planned, but still with the hope that I might actually manage to hop on a plane down to Heathrow. That wasn't to be, so I stayed in the Menzies Hotel next to the airport in Dyce for a night. Nice room and the bed was the same size as a football pitch.
My extra day in Inverness allowed me to revisit my Mum's mince and tatties, a staple food in our household when we were growing up. Although I wasn't so chuffed to be eating mince when I was a kid, I certainly do enjoy it nowadays. Very nice, especially with the freezing cold temperatures in Scotland.
I awoke on the morning of the 7th January and wondered if my attempts at travelling would be any more successful than the previous day. Things started to look up when I was allowed to board the train to Aberdeen. The busy train was full of passengers who should have travelled on previous days, rumbled out of Inverness and my hopes of making it to Aberdeen increased. I quite like long rail journeys as you have no other option but to sit still and relax with a newspaper or just watch the world flash by. I am sure that calendars for 2011 will not be short of spectacular winter scenes. The coast ringed by snow, snow covered fields, and beautiful blue sky made it a very pleasant trip indeed!The train rolled into Elgin, a bit behind schedule, but nothing too much to worry about. I had enjoyed two seats to myself since Inverness so I was a bit disappointed when another passenger sat down beside me...what a miserable sod I am! As my new travelling companion made himself comfy, the train driver announced that there were problems with the signals and that the train travelling in the opposite direction was delayed, therefore requiring our train to remain at Elgin for an additional 45 minutes or so....oh well.
I struck up a conversation with my new found passenger who it turned out was going to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for 3 days of medical training. Interesting. After a bit more digging, it turned out that Garry was a winchman on an RAF Sea King.VERY interesting! At this stage, Garry was still unawares that I have a particular interest in aviation and can hold my own with the best of them. Garry started talking about his interest in flight safety and that was when I pulled out of my bag an old book which I had decided to take back to Japan titled 'British Military Aircraft Accidents: The Last 25 years'. Although I was very fond of the book and have owned it since I was a teenager, it seemed clear that Garry was interested in the book himself as he was flicking through the pages with some interest. I decided to give him the book provided that he promised to leave it in the Sea King squadron room for the rest of Sea King crews to read. Quality! Just thinking about the Sea King crews in RAF Lossiemouth reading one of my books about aviation safety puts a big smile on my face. In return for my book, I was half-promised to be sent a newly published book about the work of RAF Search and Rescue squadrons...I'm not quite sure if it will ever materialise, but you never know.
Garry then proceeded to show my his recent pictures and videos of a trip to the Falkland Islands. RAF Search and Rescue crew have to do an annual 6 week rotation to the Falklands and Garry had recently returned from his stint in the South Atlantic. Great videos of low flying Hercules, Sea King winching practice, and photos on the Antonov 124 Ruslan picking up the retired Tornadoes for flight back to the UK. He was even there to see the new Eurofighter Typhoons arriving at RAF Mount Pleasant.
Further discussions involved how to pronounce place names on the Isle of Skye. Garry had flown around the island on a number of occasions but was not quite sure how to pronounce Sligachan or Skeabost. Although I understood why he would ask about Sligachan (it is a common place for the Sea King to land during rescue operations), I was a bit surprised that he was asking about Skeabost. It transpired that Garry has to organise the squadron 2010 Christmas party, and Skeabost Hotel is at the top of his list because the crew who have to remain on duty can land in the hotel grounds, eat their dinner and then fly off again. He asked me what I knew about the hotel and was surprised when I told him my cousin Janet was the manageress. I'm sure he'll be in touch with her soon.
After a pleasant journey chatting to Garry, assisted by a couple of tins of Tennent's Lager from the Lidl supermarket next to Elgin Station, I alighted the train at Dyce and went to book in to the Menzies Hotel. I was under the impression that the hotel would pick me up from the station, but that service only starts from 6pm. As there were no taxis to meet the train at Dyce (why would there be!! [sarcasm alert]), I carried over 30kg of luggage through the snow and down the road to the hotel. By the time I had arrived, my feet were sodden and I thought I would also end up spending a few days in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Once in my nice room, I sprawled out on the bed for a bit before hitting the hotel bar for a couple of beers. The bar was full of roughnecks (rig workers) and I felt a bit out of place....I think they noticed I was the odd one out as I got a couple of quizzical looks. They all seemed to be having a good time - either enjoying being back on land after a tough few weeks on the rigs or enjoying a final few beers before heading out to the rigs in the North Sea.
After my beers, I got a taxi into Aberdeen for a few beers with Garry. I met up with him in Ma Cameron's, an old haunt from my university days. It felt strange to be back in Aberdeen, the scene of many happy days during my time at Aberdeen University, but happy memories were aroused with my every step. The taxi journey was a particular pleasure. The driver was a friendly sort so we engaged in some football chat - it turns out he is a Celtic fan. Driving towards the center of Aberdeen, the sights became more familiar, especially when we drove around Mount Hooly roundabout. We passed Spring Gardens Halls of Residence and I managed to catch sight of my old bedroom and kitchen - I found myself wondering what the students living there now were like. Probably just like I used to be...
Some things had changed. Blandford Supplies near the Blue Lamp pub had closed down and the university union had also shut. Apart from those two changes, most other things were very similar and Garry and I enjoyed a couple of pints in Ma Cameron's before heading to get some Italian food in the Castlegate at the head of King Street (right below the flat where Willie, Hank and Grambo stayed for a couple of years). Following the food, we made a short crossing of the square to the Tilted Wig pub where the remainder of the night would be spent. Great fun chatting to the various characters inside - that's something that I miss about Scotland.
At the end of the evening, I said my farewells to Garry and flagged down another taxi to return me to the Menzies Hotel in Dyce for a shorter than planned sleep. I woke up in the morning and went to reception to check out and take the complementary hotel bus to the airport. Needless to say, I was a bit surprised when the dipstick at reception accused me of not paying my hotel bill. He seemed non-plussed when I informed him I had paid my bill in cash the night before. He then accused me of never having stayed in the hotel and that I was being classed as a no show!!! He wanted my credit card details so that he could charge me for the room - by this stage I began to suspect that he was trying to scam me and so I decided to leave and get on the hotel bus. According to the bus driver, lots of people have complained about the receptionist (called DJ) and my mother added my name to the list of complainees when she called the hotel later that day. The whole episode was bizarre and I cannot but think that he was trying to scam me.
I was lucky to make it onto my flight from Aberdeen - it turned out that my flight was the only one to make it to Heathrow that day, despite it being delayed by a couple of hours. Once at Heathrow, the travel nightmare continued as I was told that I had missed my flight and would need to queue for a couple of hours to make alternative flight arrangements. However, eagle-eyed Joep noticed that my original flight had not yet left and that the gate had in fact reopened!! I told this to some BA ground staff (not the most capable of people it transpired) who told me that I would still have to stand in line for another couple of hours. This would guarantee that I would miss my plane. Fortunately, my conversation was overheard by a supervisor who got onto her radio and checked whether the information I had received form my dad was correct or not. After having this information confirmed, I was ushered through the security gates and into the departure lounge. The whole journey was still hanging by a thread but progress was being made. My main concern at this stage was that my case would be lost in the confusion - not uncommon at Heathrow by all accounts.
I hung around the airport and spent an extravagant amount of money on coffee and sandwiches until we were finally allowed to board the aircraft. Great! I just wanted the journey to be over as soon as possible and to enjoy the final few days of my holiday back in Tokyo. However, due to the ice on the runway and on the wings of the aircraft, we had to sit inside the sweltering plane for a further 5 hours of misery. The delay was caused by a shortage of deicing liquid to remove ice from the wings of the plane. Due to the delay, the flight crew had to be changed as they would breach their maximum permitted cockpit time had they flown to Tokyo. The stress of delay and the heat in the aircraft led to a few on the female passengers loosing their cool shedding a few tears.
In the end, I made it back to Tokyo with the added bonus that my case was the first to hit the carrousel at Narita Airport. My time spent in Scotland was great and enjoyed meeting up with the family and friends. Great to see Mark, my parents and grandmother again, really enjoyed meeting Neil a few times for beers, and loved the winter scenery!!!
[Note: Sorry this post is a bit rough and ready. I haven't proof read it yet and I will want to tidy a few things up. Hopefully I will be able to tidy it up later in the week].
Find out how Kane manages to survive (or not) the challenges that Japan throws at him.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Weather
Since just before my arrival in Scotland and right up until my departure, Scotland was gripped by some of the worst wintery conditions in living memory. In fact, judging by the continuing news reports, problems were still occurring until very recently.For the most part, despite some travel problems, I think most people welcomed a white Christmas and took pleasure in seeing their surroundings blanketed with snow. I certainly did not mind the snow at all and enjoyed seeing a change to the Scottish landscape. Driving, although a little dangerous at times, was fun and allowed me to implement some of my winter driving skills I acquired living in rural Japan.
The most interesting thing for me is how Scotland reacted to the snow in comparison to rural Japan. By comparison to the Minami-Aizu area where I used to live, the snow Scotland received was paltry. However, this small amount of snow closed roads, airports, and cancelled train services. The chaos in Scotland was total. Although it is fair to say that rural Japan can expect a goodly amount of snow each year, and is therefore much better equipped and prepared for this certainty, I still don't think Scotland can get away scot free (no pun intended) for the way the country descended into chaos.At the end of the day though, with many services in Britain, it is all about saving money and profit. The idea of public service solely for the sake of public service seems to have been lost and replaced with the need for cuts and the desire for someone to make a profit. Of course, this has led to the disintegration of many important national institutions and the removal of safety nets for many of the British public. The safety net for many drivers seems to have been removed with the privatisation of road maintenance services, small hospitals are now being closed or downsized (Portree Hospital), and post offices are disappearing which are an important source of contact for many in rural communities. The list goes on. It certainly seems that Big Brother is watching you in Britain these days - the problem is he is no longer taking care of you.
Perversely, I actually enjoyed the travel problems during my time in Scotland, if not the problems I encountered when trying to leave the country (more on this in the next posting). Snow in Scotland always reminds me of happy childhood Christmases, throwing snowballs with friends, and sitting huddled around a small gas fire whilst Skye was suffering another power cut. My most recent visit to will not be forgotten anytime soon.
The most interesting thing for me is how Scotland reacted to the snow in comparison to rural Japan. By comparison to the Minami-Aizu area where I used to live, the snow Scotland received was paltry. However, this small amount of snow closed roads, airports, and cancelled train services. The chaos in Scotland was total. Although it is fair to say that rural Japan can expect a goodly amount of snow each year, and is therefore much better equipped and prepared for this certainty, I still don't think Scotland can get away scot free (no pun intended) for the way the country descended into chaos.At the end of the day though, with many services in Britain, it is all about saving money and profit. The idea of public service solely for the sake of public service seems to have been lost and replaced with the need for cuts and the desire for someone to make a profit. Of course, this has led to the disintegration of many important national institutions and the removal of safety nets for many of the British public. The safety net for many drivers seems to have been removed with the privatisation of road maintenance services, small hospitals are now being closed or downsized (Portree Hospital), and post offices are disappearing which are an important source of contact for many in rural communities. The list goes on. It certainly seems that Big Brother is watching you in Britain these days - the problem is he is no longer taking care of you.
Perversely, I actually enjoyed the travel problems during my time in Scotland, if not the problems I encountered when trying to leave the country (more on this in the next posting). Snow in Scotland always reminds me of happy childhood Christmases, throwing snowballs with friends, and sitting huddled around a small gas fire whilst Skye was suffering another power cut. My most recent visit to will not be forgotten anytime soon.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
New Year on Skye
My brother (Mark) and I spent a couple of nights in Portree over New Year and booked ourselves into the Royal Hotel. We were both looking forward to our time in Skye but were realistic as to what we would find.Sure enough, with a couple of exceptions, the craic was difficult to find. We therefore had to improvise and create our own fun.....
We managed to visit our granny who was in reasonable form and seemed pleased to see us. The rest of our time was spent in the pub or hotel, away from the snow and ice. On the evening of the 30th December, Mark and I had a few pints in the Tongadale Hotel and then met up with a few of the Skye lads in the Merchant Bar. Although it was a brief meeting, the guys seemed in fine spirits. After a few more pints in some of the less salubrious Portree establishments, it was off to bed in preparation for Hogmanay (New Year's Eve).
Hogmanay saw a late start for the Davidson boys, and the majority of the day was spent fortifying ourselves for the evening festivities. Late afternoon saw a brief visit to the Pier Hotel for some pints and tabloid newspapers. The Pier Hotel was then followed by the Royal Hotel public bar for some more beer, newspapers, and the delights of the bar menu. I had a reasonable steak pie and chips while Mark once again opted for fish & chips.
We then went to a few other pubs before we went to the Skye Gathering Hall for the New Year's dance. Both Mark and I were hoping for a good crowd of locals to attend the dance, but we were sorely disappointed to see that the vast majority of people were tourists. They seemed to enjoy themselves, but Mark and I were hoping for something a bit more. We headed to the bar for some triple spiced rums and coke, saw in the bells in the hall, and then returned to the Royal Hotel which was also holding a dance. This dance seemed to be a bit better than the one up the Gathering Hall and was even attended by a few of the Portree locals.
Certainly the highlight of the evening was nominating Mark to take part in some Scottish country dancing. I will let the video speak for itself....He obviously remembers nothing from the mandatory dancing classes each Portree High School student had to endure every winter in the chilly school gym.
The night in Portree concluded with Mark being hosed down with the hotel fire hose. The following morning (not too early), we returned to Inverness with a few stories to tell about our latest visit to Skye.
We managed to visit our granny who was in reasonable form and seemed pleased to see us. The rest of our time was spent in the pub or hotel, away from the snow and ice. On the evening of the 30th December, Mark and I had a few pints in the Tongadale Hotel and then met up with a few of the Skye lads in the Merchant Bar. Although it was a brief meeting, the guys seemed in fine spirits. After a few more pints in some of the less salubrious Portree establishments, it was off to bed in preparation for Hogmanay (New Year's Eve).
Hogmanay saw a late start for the Davidson boys, and the majority of the day was spent fortifying ourselves for the evening festivities. Late afternoon saw a brief visit to the Pier Hotel for some pints and tabloid newspapers. The Pier Hotel was then followed by the Royal Hotel public bar for some more beer, newspapers, and the delights of the bar menu. I had a reasonable steak pie and chips while Mark once again opted for fish & chips.
We then went to a few other pubs before we went to the Skye Gathering Hall for the New Year's dance. Both Mark and I were hoping for a good crowd of locals to attend the dance, but we were sorely disappointed to see that the vast majority of people were tourists. They seemed to enjoy themselves, but Mark and I were hoping for something a bit more. We headed to the bar for some triple spiced rums and coke, saw in the bells in the hall, and then returned to the Royal Hotel which was also holding a dance. This dance seemed to be a bit better than the one up the Gathering Hall and was even attended by a few of the Portree locals.
Certainly the highlight of the evening was nominating Mark to take part in some Scottish country dancing. I will let the video speak for itself....He obviously remembers nothing from the mandatory dancing classes each Portree High School student had to endure every winter in the chilly school gym.
The night in Portree concluded with Mark being hosed down with the hotel fire hose. The following morning (not too early), we returned to Inverness with a few stories to tell about our latest visit to Skye.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
60th Birthday
The main reason for my trip to Scotland was for Joep's 60th birthday celebration. I arrived in Inverness at about 9pm on the 27th December - just in time for the big event. Of course, the weather at that time was not great and I could easily have been delayed at some point in the journey. However, the journey went smoothly and I was even lucky enough to receive an upgrade on the flight between Tokyo and London. Just as I was about to get on the plane from Narita Airport, a British Airways staff member pulled me aside and said she had a message for me. Interesting........the next thing I knew, I was holding a new boarding pass for my new seat. Lucky me! This was the second time in a row I have received an upgrade from British Airways - I wonder what the secret is?
The rest of the journey to Scotland was uneventful and I arrived in Aberdeen on schedule. Meeting me at Aberdeen Airport was my brother, Mark, and a surprise guest at Joep's 60th birthday party. The surprise guest was one of Joep's old friends called Jenze. Via the powers of the internet, it was easy to track Jenze down (he was in Benin in Africa!!) and he turned out to be the star guest at the party. Joep was really pleased to see Jenze and I suspect that they will meet up again soon in Holland to renew their shared interest of yachting. After arriving at the house, I had a quick shower and then Mark and I went out for a few pints....the boys don't change.
In total, there were about 35 people at the birthday party. Despite the numbers, the house had plenty of space to accommodate all the guests and there was a mountain of food and a lake of alcohol left over at the end of the night. The EU would have been proud!
One point of interest at the party was the chanchanko jacket (and matching bonnet) which is traditionally given in Japan when someone turns 60. The present was kindly given by Tomo, the local doctor in Shimogo Town. I have tried to google chanchanko, but there seems to be little background information on the internet. I would be interested to know how this tradition originated but have not had much luck so far. UPDATE: Shaney has kindly provided a link for information regarding the chanchanko.
It was a great party which managed to reunite people with a common background - the Isle of Skye. Most people at the party still live there, or have done so at one point or the other. I managed to speak to the majority of people, although I do regret not being able to speak to all those who were in attendance. Perhaps I will be able to achieve a clean sweep at Mum's 60th birthday...
A great start to my holiday and there were plenty more adventures to come. Happy 60th Birthday, Joep!!!
The rest of the journey to Scotland was uneventful and I arrived in Aberdeen on schedule. Meeting me at Aberdeen Airport was my brother, Mark, and a surprise guest at Joep's 60th birthday party. The surprise guest was one of Joep's old friends called Jenze. Via the powers of the internet, it was easy to track Jenze down (he was in Benin in Africa!!) and he turned out to be the star guest at the party. Joep was really pleased to see Jenze and I suspect that they will meet up again soon in Holland to renew their shared interest of yachting. After arriving at the house, I had a quick shower and then Mark and I went out for a few pints....the boys don't change.
In total, there were about 35 people at the birthday party. Despite the numbers, the house had plenty of space to accommodate all the guests and there was a mountain of food and a lake of alcohol left over at the end of the night. The EU would have been proud!
One point of interest at the party was the chanchanko jacket (and matching bonnet) which is traditionally given in Japan when someone turns 60. The present was kindly given by Tomo, the local doctor in Shimogo Town. I have tried to google chanchanko, but there seems to be little background information on the internet. I would be interested to know how this tradition originated but have not had much luck so far. UPDATE: Shaney has kindly provided a link for information regarding the chanchanko.
It was a great party which managed to reunite people with a common background - the Isle of Skye. Most people at the party still live there, or have done so at one point or the other. I managed to speak to the majority of people, although I do regret not being able to speak to all those who were in attendance. Perhaps I will be able to achieve a clean sweep at Mum's 60th birthday...
A great start to my holiday and there were plenty more adventures to come. Happy 60th Birthday, Joep!!!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Happy New Year!
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