All aboard!

A cruise? No way. But it’s true.

On a train from Dunbarton Central to Oban. Wasn’t meant to get on at Dunbarton Central but things happened. A four-night break doesn’t need a large bag, particularly when we are going to be on a smallish ship which has just four berths. Husbant can’t pack light. He admitted as such moments ago and asked for help with this for our next trip.

So having to check in his bag at LHR which contains goodness knows how many changes of clothes, meant that on arrival at Glasgow we had to wait for said bag to arrive on the carousel. And Glasgow airport is so much bigger than I expected. We were cutting it fine to catch our train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban but the wait was just too long for us to make it. We jumped in a cab and had the friendliest cab driver who suggested driving to the next stop where we could easily pick up our train. Disaster averted!

So Dunbarton Central station – you would think it might have a little cafe. Sadly not – but the sun shone while we waited 30 minutes for our train. As happens a lot, our reserved seats were filled by people who appeared perplexed that they were sitting (and had made camp) in our seats. Graciously they moved to the adjacent seats but so far they have talked non-stop so I have put in my headphones and am listening to some great tunes.

Why do people speak so loudly on trains? I can still hear them prattling on. One of their mother’s is having relationship problems and I have heard every intimate detail. Her friend just seems to be saying “hmmmm” and “oh dear” a lot. Husbant has yet to succumb to his headphones but I don’t think it will be long.

The landscape is amazing so if I turn up my noise cancelling a bit, I could almost be in paradise.

So back to the reason for the planes, trains and automobiles. One night about a year ago, Husbant was in his cups and I had just read an article in my Food and Travel magazine about Hebridean Cruises that enable you to see whales. I knew Husbant had whale watching on his list. So we booked a trip. 10 days at see exploring the outer Hebrides. About 3 months later, we realised it was probably a bit too technical and was more like a research vessel than a gentle cruise around some pretty islands. And 10 days on a boat seemed about 6 days too long. We changed it to a four-night cruise around Mull especially designed for foodies and foragers – with a “perhaps” sighting of a minke whale. Much more up our street. Plates of freshly caught fish and scallops etc etc.

So heaven awaits. Oh, and did I mention it is our 14th wedding anniversary! Note to self – buy card and gift in Oban…