grumeti peking

The ship is on its way to the Orkney Islands and we reach Kirkwall in the morning. The archipelago has 90 islands but only 28 are inhabited. The coastline is steep and rugged. We are brave and join a walking group along the cliffs. Superb views, some fences to climb and the wind to tame. Just during the last 30minutes it starts to rain, no way to stay dry. Finally we reach the house and get a cup of tea, now it would be the right time for whisky to stay warm. Its getting cold with the wet jeans and we all are happy to return to the ship. Adventure pure and hopefully no sneezing.

The captain says we will have a strong wind and should secure the loose items in our cabin, great, I don’t want to be seasick ! I decide to take some pills and go to bed early before the storm is coming. I put this theory into practice and what happen ? Nothing, no storm, just a tiny bit rocky. All for nothing.

Next the Isle of Skye, Portree as harbour and the great highlands as background. Not only has this been an important place in the past, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Flora, the McLeod’s but also a site for Hollywood movies. It is almost that one can see the Highlander, James Bond (Skyfall) and Elizabeth walking along the Eilean Donan castle. Gives me a shiver so much history and fantasy in one place.

Back to the ship and off to the Isle of Man, belongs to the British crown but has its own law, tax, postage, money. Douglas as Capital is a tiny, quiet town but the island has changing landscapes and flora, worth a trip and not only at TT race time. On our sightseeing tour we have grey sky and a drizzle of rain, too bad that we there is no more time to see the island.

Now we are in Dublin and the sun is shining. Great to get around and see what has changed after all this years away. More cars, more people, more tourists and more noise, so it seems. Some well known places are still there and have not changed, The Shelbourne Hotel at St. Stephan’s Green, we have Oysters with Guinness in the bar, just like old times. Grafton Street with the street musicians, Brown Thomas Department store and numerous Restaurants, Cafes and Bar leading into Temple Bar. Dublin says Welcome back to us. Great also the new buildings and art objects along the Liffey. The day is passing quickly and the ship is sailing to the next stop, Dunmore East, Waterfront, unfortunately the weather decides differently and our tenders are unable to get on shore.

A few hours of waiting if the condition will improve, no way, result we continue to Falmouth. The town is famous for its harbour; it forms the third deepest natural harbour in the world. Historically packet ships carrying letters from around the world used to sail in and out of the port between the 17th and 19th centuries.

< previous page / next page >