Hi reader,
I've said goodbye to Inverness and Loch Ness and am now in Aviemore to the south. Aviemore is a town and tourist resort within the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands of Scotland. This resort has grown into Britain's most visited ski resort during the winter months.
In 2019, filming of the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die, took place in the town and the surrounding areas of Cairngorms National Park.
This is Avimore:
The weather was pretty grey and miserable, but I decided to drive out to nearby Loch Morlich for a walk. It's a lovely drive through Glenmore Forest Park, a mostly quiet road surrounded by Scots pines. When I arrived, it was still raining so I decided to cook some pasta for an early dinner.
That warmed me up nicely.
By the time I'd eaten, the rain had eased up to a mild drizzle, so I pulled my coat on and took a walk to the loch. I was surprised to find that this freshwater loch has a long sandy beach. I don't think I've seen that before. Apparently, Loch Morlich featured in Season 5 of Game of Thrones, although I cant think which episode or scene it was in.
Lovely to look at, but I wasn't enjoying the cold and rain.
Top 10 Questions I've Been Asked
These are the questions (presented in no particular order) I've been asked most often since I started exploring Scotland in my van. Some of them are questions from people I've met along the way and some are from comments and messages online.
1. Where is your accent from?
Very briefly, I was born in Belfast, Ireland and lived there for nine years. Then my family moved to South Wales, where I lived for about seventeen years. I had five years in South East London for university, and I've just spent twenty years living in Bangkok, Thailand. Some people say they can hear the Welsh influence in my accent, but I've also been asked if I'm from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
2. Are you sleeping in there?!?
People often come to talk to me when I have the back doors of the van open to cook food. Lots of people are surprised to find that I'm travelling and living in such a small van and many of them marvel at the great job my friend Gavin did on the second conversion. Especially the futon-style bed with storage space underneath.
3. Do you wish you'd chosen a bigger van?
No, I'm fine with this size. It's certainly compact, but it works just fine for my needs as long as I keep everything organized and tidy. As my primary school teacher, Mr. Jones, used to say "A place for everything and everything in its place." There are advantages to having such a small van. For example, the roads in the Scottish Highlands are often narrow, single track roads and I think it would be awkward to drive a big RV there. The small van's also easier for me to park and reverse. Finally, it's less obvious that someone is living in it, so I'm able to park for the night right in the centre of a town or city and people don't really take notice of it. It just looks like a work van - especially with 'Highway Maintenance' emblazoned across the back.
4. Do you work in Highway Maintenance?
Nope. When I bought the van, Del Boy claimed he could use his heat gun to easily remove the decal from the back. I expect he would have botched that like he botched everything else. Luckily, I told him to leave the Highway Maintenance sign across the back of the van, as it adds to the 'stealth' factor.
5. How do you deal with showers/toilet/laundry?
The places I've visited in Scotland have had excellent public facilities. There are lots of public toilets which always have plenty of toilet paper. Many of them have piping hot water in the basins too. I've been able to get free showers on several occasions and most leisure centres allow guests in for a shower for around 3 pounds. Likewise, there are launderettes and campsites with laundry facilities for a reasonable price.
6. Do you get lonely or scared?
Not really. I've met a lot of really friendly people along the way, and added some new Facebook and Whatsapp contacts. Since switching my phone contract to unlimited data, I've been able to have lengthy video calls with friends and family everywhere, including a lot of my old colleagues in Thailand. I call my son and my Mum every day. There have been a few times when I've found myself the only lone diner in a restaurant, surrounded by couples, families and groups of friends, but mostly I've been fine. Sleeping in the van isn't scary at all. Nobody has disturbed me during the night, and I occasionally hear people chatting as they pass by on the way home from the pub, blissfully unaware that I'm a few metres away, watching TV on my laptop.
7. Does it get cold?
It certainly does! The van has no heater and, thanks to Del Boy, no real insulation. However, I have a sleeping bag, a lambs wool quilt, a fleece blanket, a warm hat and a hot water bottle. I've also bought thermal long johns and undershirts, so it's not bad at all. The coldest nights have gone as low as 7 degrees. I'm aware it can and will go a whole lot colder, but it's fine so far. A bowl of porridge and a cup of tea warm me up nicely in the mornings.
8. How long can/will you keep going?
I'd happily live like this for a year or more. I love waking up with the freedom to go wherever I like and stop for the evening wherever I like. Every day is different, and I'm really enjoying discovering everything Scotland has to offer. The factor most likely to bring my travels to an end will be the approaching winter.
9. Where are you going next?
I don't plan very far in advance. There's no fixed route. I want to visit some friends in Perth, Glasgow and Edinburgh. I'd also like to visit Aberdeen and Dundee. When I leave Scotland, I might return to York to visit Alasdair again and it's possible I'll be going to The Isle of Wight to visit friends there.
10. Why don't you train to be an HGV driver?
I've NO idea why people keep asking me this. Why don't YOU train to be an HGV driver?!?!
And that's it for this post. If the weather's nice tomorrow, I'll explore this area some more. Otherwise I might head south to Perth.
Thanks, as always, for reading
Brian
Bonus Content: Squid Game Review (spoiler free)
Last night, I watched the season 1 finale of the global phenomenon, Squid Game. It's the Netflix series everyone is talking about. Believe the hype! This is a mind-blowing Korean TV show, though not recommended for the squeamish or faint of heart.
Squid Game is frequently compared to Hunger Games, as contestants compete in a survial-style contest where failure is met with death, while victory will bring unimaginable wealth. Let's not forget, before Hunger Games there was Battle Royale.
In recent weeks, the show has been hyped up to a frenzy, but it delivers. It's twisted, dark, entertaining and compelling. Beyond the extreme violence and high body count, this show is a thought-provoking drama which comments on the problems of today's society.
The characters are amazing, as is the acting. I recommend watching it with subtitles rather than the dubbed English voices. The acting for the dubbed voices is dreadful. The narrative unfolds in a way that has you eager to see the next episode; just when you think you know how it's all going to play out, the story takes a sudden left turn.
And the final episode? Wow! Amazing. And there's more story to tell. Surely there must be a second season to this incredible show.
Squid Game joins Parasite, Oldboy, Train to Busan, Alive, The Host, Lady Vengeance and Snowpiercer as another example of masterful storytelling from Korea. If you haven't seen it, see it!
Let me repeat the instructions. If you haven't seen it, see it!
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