Train to Wick

We made it back from Isle of Skye to Loch Ness, after a brief stop by the fairy pools, and finally ended the day back in Inverness on Saturday. That night, we went to a place that technically had karaoke, but I will contend that it was far more of a club vibe that just happened to have karaoke as the backing track for parts of it. Those in attendance appeared to primarily be involved in hen or stag parties, and all were likely at least a decade younger than us, most close to the local drinking age of 18. Nevertheless, I sang, as did my travel companion for his first karaoke experience. We then went from there to the Market Bar, which is the cheap and friendly dive bar in the area.

The next day, we returned our car rental to the airport and I found myself to be exhausted from our weeks of travel, so I did not do much for the next couple of days apart from attending an open mic and a singer-songwriter night, although we did also fit another distillery tour into our Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day spent traveling by train to drink a drink that I love in a land that I love, not so far from the place from which my people hail.

Last night, my travel companion had begun feeling ill, enough so that he took a rapid covid test. It was negative, but he felt even worse this morning, so I find myself on a train alone to the north of Scotland for a distillery tour and tasting of a maritime scotch sampling. I appreciate this. As difficult as it was all of those years ago when I backpacked Western Europe alone, my experiences there were made all the more rich by the fact that I was alone, that every step was a matter of me deciding to press on. Today is a day trip north, and tomorrow will be a day trip east as long as weather permits, and Friday remains to be seen as I prepare to fly home on Saturday.

The car rental cost more than twice what we were originally quoted, and I have been feeling the pain of going overbudget now. I do have money in reserve, but the thrifty approach is prevailing as we finish up our time here. Thrifty of course besides the several bottles of scotch that I intend to purchase. And the riddle of how to pack those will also be a fun experience on Friday.

In any case, my current views now are of a Scottish loch, to be followed in awhile by the sea before finally reaching my destination in Wick.