Arriving in Aberdeen at 7.00am

A busy port still despite being past its peak. Lots of old buildings crowding over the port.

A fine overnight crossing. Hardly any movement. We stayed up to watch arrival in Kirkwall then had a good sleep being rocked gently by the motion. Poor Susan had the top bunk in our cabin. Interesting that we were allocated bunks even though we were both “concessions” Many people would have struggled to climb the ladder.

We were last off the boat owing to being on the lower deck, then spent ages trying to drop Rosemary off at the station which was only 250 yards from the terminal.

We had been invited to call in on Tweedy in Stirling for coffee. The satnav said we’d be there at 10.00am. I made an error by not checking destination carefully and realised I was being sent to a street of the same name in Dundee. The mistake was rectified but added an hour on to the journey.

This meant there was only time for a fleeting visit as Tweedy had to leave for a train at 11.30. However, we packed an enormous amount into a short time, enjoyed her lemon drizzle cafe, coffee and meeting her husband.

So nice to meet them both and put a name to a journal. Now that we’re going to live in Cumbria there will be other opportunities to meet up which we will very much look forward to.

Now we’re back at Armaside for a few days before travelling on the Kent by train on Friday for a couple of weeks to do stuff down there. Everything unpacked, shopping done. A pile of washing to do when the hole in the cabinet is completed to enable it to be plumbed in.

Thanks once again for visiting Shetland with us over the past two weeks. We feel that we got to know the islands just a little. I’m drinking coffee from my Muckle Flugga souvenir mug.