Sunday 8th May - a day off (kinda)...

Well, had it not been for 4 hours in the office today would have been a whole day off!

Yesterday I went onto mainland; there was film showing in Kirkwall that I fancied watching. "The Great White Silence" a digital restoration of the original silent movie made during Scott's fateful antarctic expedition. Not that my trip wasn't an expedition itself; ferry to Stromness, drive to Kirkwall, drink beer, watch film, drive 40 minutes to Birsay for the night (too late for ferry home!), sleep, drive 30 minutes to Stromness to catch 09:30 ferry back to Hoy. Island life huh...

Anyway, some photos from the last few days:

Stromness hospitality!

That is a whale's skull by the door!

Yup, really...

Ring of Brogar; 5000 year old rave site

Coasteering for peedie kids; Yesnaby
Sunset over the Brough of Birsay lighthouse
On the ferry back to Hoy and the office

Tuesday 3rd May - Random photos...

Braebuster and the entrance to Burra Sound

The infamous Bonxie

At Deerness looking toward Copinsay

The Italian Chapel

Scrollwork in the Italian Chapel

Fiddly dee night in "The Reel"

Attack of the suicidal Shags...

Deerness Geo

Sue under Deerness

The Old Man of Hoy from Hendry's Holes

Don't say you weren't warned!

Monday 2nd May - Where has the time gone?

Well, not only did I visit, but I came back for more.

Here I am on Hoy in the Orkney Islands, Outdoor Education Advisor with two hostels and a packed programme to deliver. I guess that answers the question anyway!

Life is totally full-on, with everything needing sorting out, from equipment stores to paperwork, staff to schools, nothing comes onto Hoy unless it comes on a ferry and the pub is about 11 miles away from my cottage at Moaness. Sue has just been to visit and in 10 days I only made time to spend about a day and ahalf with her; shocking behavior but great to see her none the less.

The delivery programme starts on Wednesday and our final member of staff arrived 20 minutes ago; no worries then, just Operating Procedures and a suite of Risk Assessments to right. Not a lot of sleep tonight, but good to go from there...

Must get some photos sorted and up on here soon.