New Beginnings

We human beings have so much inertia.

It's always much easier to keep doing what you've always done.  But maybe, when you're in a completely new place with its own way of doing things, it's just a little bit easier to say to yourself, "Just because I've always done it this way, that doesn't mean I have to continue."

In Scotland, or perhaps in the UK in general, everything is just different enough.  Yes, they speak English, but not like they do in the US, especially in the deep south.  Here, the simplest things are called by different names, and the simplest words have unique meanings that may require a bit of detective work before communication truly takes place.

It's that bit of extra effort that such things demand, I think, that makes one open to change, to new beginnings.  I feel to incredibly lucky  to have the opportunity.

The British have a saying, "Start as you mean to go on" which I have been pondering.  It seems to be a good watchword for new beginnings.

Taken 16 January 2012

Aviemore - British Dog Sled Racing Championship - Sunday, 22 January 2012

http://www.siberianhuskyclub.com/aviemore/2012-rally-details/#atop

Plenty of snow for skiers, but not enough to be able to use sleds with runners rather than wheels

The canine competitors were not limited to huskies, however.

Fascinated

Is that our tea?

One blue-eyed beauty

Sunday was cold and grey but mostly dry for day 2 of the British dog sled racing championships in Aviemore.  We arrived near the end of the morning's heats, but there was plenty of time to look around and to photograph some of the teams as they finished their races.  There was a good crowd in attendance, including many canine spectators.

Where's all the snow?

It was a beautiful thing to see so many obviously well-loved and well-cared-for dogs doing what they love and what they are quite literally born to do:  run with all their might.  And, as with many hobbies or avocations that one knows little about, it was also fascinating to see all of the specialized equipment and preparation that goes into the sport.  It was also another workout for the wellies.  Afterwards, we had a lovely meal in Aviemore and then headed back to Inverness.

Snow!

Friday, 20 January 2012 - Blackfold, Great Glen Way Long Distance Footpath


Born and raised in Florida, and spending the next 40 years in Atlanta, I've never really been around snow enough to get my fill of it.  Though the snow didn't stick in Inverness proper, we didn't have to go far - back to Blackfold in fact - to see and stomp around in about 6-8 inches of it, and it was glorious!

My nearly-new wellies, worn briefly for a muddy walk, got quite the workout yesterday along the path as we occasionally encountered slush and muck which at one point threatened to pull the boot right off my left foot! 

Unusual light

The same countryside we had seen a few days earlier was transformed into something wholly new.

A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Winter Wonderland

Loch Ness, haggis, shandy, and snow flurries

It's been an eventful day.  It didn't begin with much promise - grey and dreary - but it evolved quite nicely.  We drove toward Loch Ness in the hope that we might get enough of a lull in the rain to permit a short walk.  No such luck.  But we were in luck for lunch at Dores Inn, a nearby pub, where, as two of the first to be seated for lunch, we were cozily settled right by the fireplace.  After ordering haggis, neaps and tatties (haggis with turnips and mashed potatoes for Lynden) and sweet potato and leek soup (for me), we watched as the steady drizzle transitioned into a mixture of rain and and ultimately solid snow.  Lunch was delicious - and yes, I did taste the haggis, which was quite tasty and not at all weird, as well as the turnips, and also the shandy, an absolutely delicious and refreshing combination of beer and lemonade.

The snow was beautiful to watch and did come down quite heavily for a while, but it did not stick, which was probably just as well as we needed to drive.

I'm told we will need to return on a day when we have room for the cloutie dumpling.

http://www.thedoresinn.co.uk/ 

Three days, three walks, and some photos

13 January 2012 - Blackfold, Great Glen Way Long Distance Footpath

Snow-covered mountains in the distance

Scottish sheep

Lynden does not like being photographed

I'm the one with the gigantic head.

14 January 2012 - Rosemarkie on the Black Isle beside the Moray Firth

An infinite variety of rocks

Always happiest near water

A beautiful day for a walk...again

15 January 2012 - Caledonian Canal and the River Ness at Dochgarroch Lock

Photogenic frost

Looking across the River Ness

Colorful boats in the canal

Supply your own caption

Waking up in Inverness

My trip to Scotland was long and mostly uneventful -- until near the end.  After a virtually sleepless night en route to Amsterdam, thanks to a deadly combination of excessive excitement and a nearby extremely unhappy baby, I found my way through the densely populated Amsterdam (Schiphol) airport without too much difficulty.  The much smaller plane (only 4 across) from Amsterdam to Aberdeen was fully loaded and 5 minutes past its scheduled departure time, when I was alarmed to see the captain appear personally in the passenger compartment, microphone in hand.  There was no possibility that this was good news.  It seems the aircraft we were on had had an "incident" during its immediately previous flight and the flight recorder box needed to have its data uploaded.  Consequently, it could not fly to Aberdeen without compromising that data.  We would have to be moved to another plane.  A temporary inconvenience - not nearly as bad as it could have been - except that I had already schlepped my much-too-heavy carry-on bag up steep outdoor metal steps.  Naturally, it seemed to be growing colder and windier by the minute as we waited for the bus to transport us a relatively short distance on the tarmac to repeat the process, with extra standing about in the wind this time.  Following all that, the flight to Aberdeen was mercifully short and without further incident.

Contrary to my fears, I was not detained by UK border control as a suspicious American little old lady spy.  

I was warmly greeted and swept away - to Inverness! 

Scotland is even more breathtakingly beautiful than I recalled it, and that is no small feat!  The weather has been gorgeous - sun every day so far - quite unseasonable for January and can't be expected to last.  I will enjoy it while I can, and find other things to enjoy when I can't.

I have already been on 2 long lovely walks (one of them by the sea) and I have eaten Marmite!  Now THAT is an adventure!

Pictures soon....

Atlanta today, Inverness tomorrow!

Thanks to the miracle of modern air travel, I hope to fall asleep somewhere over the Atlantic tonight, and wake up tomorrow morning as my flight is about to land in Amsterdam. I'm counting on at least a few hours of much-needed sleep!

I will have 90 minutes at the Amsterdam airport to find the gate for my flight to Aberdeen, Scotland. Once I am safely aboard that flight I will breathe a huge sigh of relief, and that's when the serious anticipation will begin.

The flight from Amsterdam to Aberdeen is only about 90 min., not much longer than flights back and forth from Atlanta to Tampa that I have made seemingly a million times.

But this flight is very different.

Countdown

Two days until I leave for Scotland.  Two days!  

I'm steadily ticking items off my multiple checklists, but they seem to be reproducing at night while I sleep, dreaming up more checklists.  The clock is doing its own ticking, more steadily than I could ever do, and, ready or not, Wednesday morning will dawn and soon it will be time to throw the last few items in my suitcase, zip it up, and head to the airport.

Now, I do realize that my grasp of physics is essentially non-existent, but how is it possible that time is simultaneously hurtling forward and standing still?  Could someone please explain that little trick to me?  Never mind:  it might involve something like charmed quarks or some other equally esoteric concept.  I'll just carry on in blissful ignorance, making my lists and checking them, not just twice but many more times than Santa ever contemplated.

What was it that I said in my last post about breathing?  Must. Remember. To. Breathe.

Packing for Scotland

Packing for a long trip to northern Scotland in the dead of winter poses particular challenges, especially for a lifelong southerner who has become more than a little cold-natured in recent years.  Obviously, warm clothes - sweaters, heavy socks, long underwear, a serious coat, gloves, scarf, etc. - are absolutely essential.  

But what else?  Waterproof boots, I am told, are positively mandatory for surviving 8 wintry weeks in a place that seems precariously close to the North Pole.  I must admit that dry warm feet seem like a really good idea.  So...wellies:  check!

My new wellies:  Sexy!

It's easy (at least for me) to get bogged down in obsessing about being able to anticipate every possible need and eventuality that might arise during an 8-week stay, but finally I had to say to myself, "Snap out of it!  You're not going to a third world country, for God's sake!  They have all the modern conveniences - like stores, and even washing machines!"  

After the 20th or 30th time telling myself (and being told) this, it finally began to sink in.  Phew!  What liberating relief!  Now I will simply pack what I have and get what I need while I'm there.  Sanity (or what's left of it):  check!

But why was I being such a control freak?  My only theory is that when you are out of your comfort zone and feeling a bit like you're dancing on the edge, you control what you can.

Instead, I'm going to try simply to breathe and enjoy the ride.  

Welcome to Nascence

A landmark birthday.
A new year.
A new adventure.
And so, a new blog.  And this is my very first entry to my very first blog.  Ever. 

Welcome to Nascence.

The idea for this blog was suggested by one friend and refined by another.  I have always been curious to try my hand at blogging, so we shall see how it goes.

Next week I set off on an eagerly-anticipated trip to Scotland.  I am excited to return to a place that I fell in love with almost 30 years ago and have not seen since.  But that is just the beginning - the greater adventure lies beyond!  And yes, I am being intentionally vague here.  You'll just have to stick with it to learn more.

Intensive planning and preparations are under way for departure on Wednesday, 11 Jan 2012!  I will be flying from Atlanta to Amsterdam (arriving Thursday morning) and from Amsterdam to Aberdeen, and then onward to Inverness by car.  I can't wait!

Stay tuned!