On the move - or not

On a day like today it is easy to understand why my constituency case load is often dominated by transport issues.

I woke up on Islay ( in a wonderfully comfortable bed at Kilmeny where I was staying with Blair & Margaret Rozga) to the sound of a gale blowing , and heavy rain beating on the dormer windows. By the time I got to the airport two hours later the rain had stopped ( temporarily it turned out) but the wind was stronger than ever fully justifying last night's advance cancellation of the morning ferries to and from the island.

After another two hours ( and three announcements of delays) the inward flight from Glasgow was cancelled which meant the outward from Islay was off too. That was understandable given the conditions and the Flybe staff at the airport were very helpful.

Marie Claire ( my constituency manager) and I managed to rebook for the 6.15 evening flight but such is the saga of delays and cancellations for non weather reasons that this Flybe / Loganair service has experienced over the past few months that we did so with some trepidation. If it did not run then I had no chance of making tomorrow's Rural Affairs Committee at which there are due to be some important amendments, a few of which I am due to move myself.

We went off and saw a few people and then at lunchtime discovered that the 3.30 Cal Mac ferry to Kennacraig was likely to sail from Port Askaig. Taking it would guarantee getting back for the meeting, but it would also entail a two hour ferry trip on rough seas, a four hour bus journey to Glasgow, then another one to Glasgow Airport to pick up my car followed by a very late drive to Edinburgh.

In the end we decided to choose that route, despite the difficulties. Margaret Rozga very kindly drove us from the airport to the ferry and as I write this I am being shoogled through the dark countryside of Mid Argyll on a very comfortable West Coast Motors Bus, some four and a half hours into the trip. Meanwhile I have just checked on the flight we would have taken and departure is already delayed by two and a half hours late meaning that ( if it operates) it will arrive at Glasgow Airport at about the same time as me .

.