Sunday 17 December 2023
It’s rained and been windy all day. I had a short wander around outside while it was barely raining but that’s it. It’s not particularly cold (9°C) but it’s horribly dreary. I suppose there’s no surprise that I’m missing the sunshine. The temperature is fine, but the sun …
I was at home in London for less than twelve hours, deciding to take advantage of Qatar’s three-hour time difference to easily get up early, do two washes, unpack, pack and head out to the station. I left the flat at about 08:20, caught an earlier train than planned from Lewisham to London Bridge, then realised I could possibly catch the 09:30 rather than 10:30 from Euston. I got to Euston ten minutes before 09:30 and miraculously picked a reserved seat that no one ever claimed. The train was a couple of minutes late leaving, then got later and later, arriving in Carlisle five minutes after my 13:15 train to Lockerbie, which was announced as having left. Something made me check the departures board before leaving the station to wander around for almost an hour. Weirdly, the train was “delayed” and at the platform across from the one I’d just got off at. The train was there and within two minutes of getting on it, it left. It didn’t start to plan but it all ended up really well and I got to Lockerbie Tesco for some food to keep me going the five days I’m planning to be in Scotland and arrived home before sunset.
It’s good to be back, though I did contemplate staying longer in Lewisham as I have a sore throat and I’m increasingly feeling a bit achy. I realise that a warm flat in London would be a nicer place to be poorly when home alone. However, I have things I need to do up here and things I need to collect ahead of Christmas in London and Kent.
I had an overall positive work trip to Qatar, though I do feel slightly disappointed that I didn’t feel confident about travelling to and from here rather than London. It’s so much easier to travel from London and the weather and reliability of taxis concerns me here.
I enjoyed chatting to people at work last week and I was reminded how many people love Scotland and are very enthusiastic when I tell them where I live. There really is something about Scotland, though my colleague from Delhi couldn’t quite get his head around the fact it was -7°C, icy and everything covered in thick hoar frost when I left Scotland and we were in 29°C heat in Doha and that there aren’t that many sunny days in Scotland. When it got down to 23°C in Doha, he said he was chilly; I was sweaty and hot. I know, I know, we are all different and used to different climates.
I have a lot of chores and writing in the three days I’m back here, but it’s still good to be back. Even though rain and wind is forecast … and snow ahead of Christmas but after I will likely have left.