From Mallaig back to Glasgow on the Western Highland Railway.
So busy was I reading about this area this morning, that I realized at the last minute that my 10:05 train was soon leaving, and trains from Mallaig to Glasgow don’t leave every hour. The next was at 4 pm. I re-packed my backpack at super speed, checked out, powered walked to the station, and made the train with five minutes to spare. No problem. Five and a half hours later, at 3:35, we pulled into Glasgow Queen Street.
I was very lucky with the weather yesterday, and today also turned out pretty well. But it started out cool – no shorts today – with rain in the air, and the highlands were often deeply misted as the train passed through and along them, with light rain at times. Actually, that really added to the ambiance of the highland landscapes. As long as I didn’t have to walk in it.
On the journey back I was very prepared for Ben Nevis, and was following our journey on Apple Maps and could see exactly where we were and where Ben Nevis was as we neared and passed through Fort William, and on which side of the train to sit, including switching sides because at Fort William the train switches directions. I was prepared… but alas, too much mist so I never got to actually see the mountain, let alone photograph it. Yesterday’s photos will have to do (and I’m lucky I got those).
It was a picturesque but uneventful journey, with many more passengers than yesterday, so it wasn’t as easy to switch seats to take photos, plus it was misty and rainy a fair amount of the time, and I didn’t want to just repeat the same photos, although I did take some.
I watched the scenery, took some photos, fell asleep a couple of times, read some, and listened to music. The internet signal, even when connected to the train’s wireless, was very spotty so trying to access the internet, including listening to music, was on and off. One thing about the Faroes, the internet coverage was great. Despite how remote the islands are, as well as some of the places we visited on the islands, there was never a moment where I couldn’t connect to a good signal. And yet in the UK, including London, getting a consistent and reliable connection has been a pretty frustrating experience, and that’s especially true for the train today (and yesterday).
We pulled into the city right on time, and the Z Hotel was a perfect location, not more than 6 or 7 minutes from the station. It’s a pretty decent place, and part of a chain of low cost hotels that serve people not looking for much in their accommodation (like me), and almost hostel-like in that regard. The place is clean and well-maintained and has a nice cafe, with a 24 hour front desk, The rooms are very small, which is what the chain is known for, but in great shape, contemporary, and a nice bed. Compact is the word for it, in a good way.
Rather than walk more around the city, especially as it was on the cooler and rainier side (although it wasn’t raining) ,I decided to go see The Odyssey, which was at a cinema in the St, Enoch area, in a super modern shopping mall, part of the new Glasgow, where renovations are continuing to update and upgrade the city. It was about an eight minute walk from the hotel, and I got there with ten minutes to spare before the movie started (or rather, the thirty minutes of ads and trailers). I recently read the epic poem (actually, I listened to it on audible.com), so was familiar with the story, which helped. I liked it, but did have some mixed feelings, which I’ve yet to think through.
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Back to the hotel, writing this blog, watch a little television (maybe; I’m pretty tired), and then to bed. Glasgow to London tomorrow, on the 11:36, another five hour journey. Till then, good night.