I have just compiled a catch-up list which makes me want to go and lie down. Obviously I have to start here, because otherwise it would spiral out of control, and no-one wants that.
We are back from Iona. It went like this:
Friday 6 June
After an afternoon listening to Ilia Delio at St Luke’s ( I had brought our cases by car, taken the car home and walked back), we departed by taxi for the airport. All went smoothly there, and we flew to Manchester, where the airport was overcrowded, badly signed, muddled and slow. We eventually left a half an hour late and arrived in Glasgow 40 minutes late – too late to get a meal, because the Premier Inn restaurant (about half a mile away) had closed. We returned to the airport after dumping our bags and raided Tesco Express. By now I had discovered that the wheel on our case was broken, which meant I had to drag it. Not easy. Anna left her handbag containing all her money and all our tickets at the airport, discovering what she’d done as we approached the hotel. She ran back, and miraculously it was where she’d left it.
Saturday 7 June
We decided that it was simplest to pay for a taxi to Glasgow Queen Street station, where we had breakfast in Starbuck’s. Caught the 10.37 to Oban after momentary panic when I couldn’t find our tickets. Scenery spectacular – saw the Cobbler clearly. Arrived in Oban at 1.40, intending to get the 2pm ferry, but discovered this did not connect with the bus, so waited for the 4pm boat. Had magnificent mussels from stall on the pier, then Dot and I bought a new suitcase and transferred all our stuff into it, throwing the old one into a bin marked “Black bags only”. Well, it was mainly black. By this time it was starting to rain, and it got worse as we waited for the ferry in a crowded departure lounge. By the time we got off the ferry in Craigmure, Mull, 45 minutes later, it was pouring. We paddled to the bus and travelled across Mull to Fionnphort in heavy rain and a long line of cars, which did nothing for my mood. Walked to the ferry, which took just over ten minutes to get to Iona. Walked about a quarter of a mile to Erraid House, where we met Penny (Sydenham) and Ali (Bonner). Had prosecco and a vegetarian meal. House very pleasant, but no en suite. This worried me, but in fact it turned out fine. Had a short evening liturgy and were quite late in bed.
Sunday 8 June
Slept very badly, but the rain stopped. In the morning it was sunny and quite warm, but rather windy. Went to Pentecost Communion at the Abbey and had tea in the cloisters afterwards. Dot went to a talk about the community, but I wandered round the grounds and eventually went home to the loo. The two of us had lunch in the Argyll Hotel – mussels again, and very good too – then to the shop. Walked to the other side of the island and found the Machair – a kind of meadowland running into a beach of sand and rocks and amazingly saw some minke whales a few hundred yards offshore. For supper Ali cooked some excellent sausage and mash (I mashed). The girls went for a walk, and Howard and I took to our beds.
Monday 9 June
Another bad might: got up four times, and felt down in the morning. Fine day, though. Dot and I went to the shop to buy food to cook in the evening. Spent about £60 and contributed £60 to the kitty (plus another £40 later). After lunch at the house (everyone else was out), Dot and I walked up Dun I, the highest point on the island. (I=Iona). Then walked down to the north-east tip of the island, where there was a sparkling white beach beyond a meadow of buttercups and daisies. Bit of rain (lots over Mull), then we walked back, taking the main road behind the abbey, and bought a few more things at the shop for Dot’s recipe, plus some ice creams. Only Howard was home when we got back, and he was running a bath. Had a cup of tea. Dot cooked a lovely meal, and I read my poem, Failure to Connect. I think it failed to connect.
Tuesday 10 June
Got up too late to join the seven-hour pilgrimage round the island, but did our own thing. Walked to the Machair, and came upon Anna and Howard. Walked with them to Columba’s Bay, where we had sandwiches. Saw inuksuk/cairn. The rest of the pilgrimage group (including Penny and Ali) were already there, having come a different way. I climbed a little hill on the beach, then the four of us headed up and along the cliffs. We separated from Anna and Howard as quite heavy rain started, and we sheltered about 20 minutes, then climbed up and across quite boggy ground to the loch we had passed earlier. Met Liso, a woman we had met on the train and bumped into several times. Walked back across the Machair golf course and saw whales again; then back to house. Pretty wet, so had shower, then dozed on bed. Had healing session with Penny, and felt good afterwards – interesting sensations in my head: she said there was a lot going on there. Well, yes. Then had a meal at the restaurant on the quay… fish and chips, then pavlova. All just made it to healing service at Abbey at 9pm. Bed soon after. Walked over eight miles today.
Wednesday 11 June
Very wet to start with, but by the time the boat left for Staffa at 9.45 it had cleared, and the rest of the day was sunny and dry. Our wooden boat called at Fionnphort, then passed by some seals before heading for Staffa – a 45-minute journey with about 20 on board. Stunning island. Walked across basalt pillars to magnificent Fingal’s Cave, then climbed to top of island and saw puffins quite close up. We were last back to the boat (£30 each for trip, but excellent, informative crew). Had a largish lunch back at the house, then slept for almost two hours, which is unheard of. Meal at the Argyll Hotel in the evening was really good, especially my hogget pie. Talked a bit back at the house afterwards, but I went to bed when the musical talk got a bit esoteric. Played a couple of Pogues tracks as antidote, but not sure it worked, because I had another bad night.
Thursday 12 June
Dry to start with; misty rain from mid-afternoon. Bought postcards and a book on Staffa, then wrote postcards with tea and strawberry tart at quayside cafe. Bought stamps and posted cards, then walked to the Hermit Cell, which we found after one mistake (unlike Howard and Anna, who couldn’t find it at all the following day). Boggy path. When we were nearly there, Dot injured her ankle badly and could hardly walk. She hobbled to the Cell after a reconnoitre by me, and stayed there while I climbed to the top of a nearby hill. After asking for God’s help with her ankle, it improved markedly, and she was able to walk carefully back to civilisation (we saw no-one on the path to the Cell and back). We called at St Oram’s Chapel at the burial ground, the oldest building on the island. I found this very moving and lit candles for Joy and Lucy. Saw John Smith’s grave. On the way back bought ice cream, and banana jam. Back at house, had bath. Howard cooked the evening meal.
Friday 13 June
Rain and low cloud in the morning, but by lunchtime the rain had stopped, and it was still, though the cloud remained very low. Dot and I walked to a craft and jewellery outlet; in the former we discovered our next-door neighbour and had quite a long chat. In the latter we bought Dot an Iona ring – white with green tendencies. We walked on, and Dot bought coffee. At the end of the road (walking north), we turned left to the beach and then walked round the northern tip to the white sand beach, where Dot paddled. It was warm and still, and the tide was a long way out. On the way back we saw Penny and Ali ascending Dun I. Stopped at house, then went on to the quayside cafe for tea and strawberry tart. Watched Americans being ferried backwards and forward to a huge cruise ship, then back to the house. Meal by Anna.
Saturday 14 June
Fog first thing, but it soon cleared, though cloud remained low over Iona. Journey was fine, though, with clear skies for train journey from Oban. Bus trip across Mull revealed things unseen on our outward journey: beautiful countryside – sea and mountain. At Oban we had to wait an extra two hours for our train, because the one we had expected to get didn’t run on Saturdays. By this time I was getting a lot of pain from my ankle, which I had turned over while waiting for the ferry at Iona and was swollen quite badly. Fortunately I could still walk, with the aid of paracetamol. Dot and I had a drink with Howard while Anna walked up to a coliseum-like building overlooking Oban. Train left just after 4pm and got into Glasgow just after 7pm. The Millennium Hotel was just outside the station, shrouded in scaffolding and hosting a raucous wedding party. So that was all right. We all went out for a meal at Jamie’s in George Square, which was first class: started at a table outside, with great views, then finishing inside. Waiter extremely helpful, and food excellent. Anna had a Jamie’s gold card, which meant we got some free stuff too.
Sunday 15 June
Cloudy but dry. We had a day to spare in Glasgow. Anna and Howard had a breakfast meeting (unbelievably) with someone from the International Nepal Fellowship; so Dot and I breakfasted separately and took a 100 bus to the Riverside Museum after a long wait. Very good museum, including a mock-up of a Glasgow street and a Tall Ship moored in the Clyde behind, which we were able to explore. And all for free. Had lunch there before returning to pick up our luggage from the hotel and meet Howard and Anna (after a cup of tea). Bus to airport, and from there everything went smoothly until we reached Norwich airport, where we had a long wait for a taxi, eventually sharing one with two other guys, one headed for the Holiday Inn and the other for Rackheath. We dropped Howard and Anna off, then the Italian guy, and eventually reached Aspland Road, leaving Rackheath to sort itself out.
Monday 16 June
Quiet day, trying to catch up with unpacking, mail and holiday pictures. Also went to supermarket to buy food. Dot did lots of washing. In the evening David, Bridget and Judy came round for cake and compline. Vicky couldn’t come because she had killed a dog.