What an unbelievable day!
When the alarm rang at 7am, I briefly woke up but drifted back to sleep. I had the strangest dream in this half hour daze where I dreamed I just got back to work and everyone was asking me questions about my year off while I struggled with the new incomprehensible systems in place. It was so vivid that I even remember which ward I was in, who I was talking to and even remember saying "Oh dear, I feel like a student learning how to dispense all over again."
Just when I thought I had woken up by consciously reminding myself I was still travelling, I switched to a different dream where I was hopping onto the bus at 8.37am (the time my bus was due today). The bus driver asked me, "Where are you off to?" I struggled to answer, wondering if I was in Italy, the Czech republic or wherever else I've been to. I could not remember where I was or where I was going. It was then I actually woke up, realised I had to pack, change and eat all before catching my bus.
Even though I got to the bus stop in time, rushing through toast and tea for breakfast, it never came. While waiting in the midst of windy and gloomy Scottish weather in the quiet village of Kyleakin, I got chatting to a local who was also hoping to get to Glasgow with the bus. After half an hour, he had done enough waiting, and went to borrow a friend's car to drive down. I asked if I could follow him to which he said yes.
In the ten minutes he took to get the car, it was only then that it occurred to me that this arrangement could potentially be dangerous. I had just about enough time to text a quick message to someone at home to tell them what was going on (just in case), before he reappeared with the car.
In the end, I really had nothing to worry and really could not have asked for a better way to travel south. Hugh, a proud Highlander, drove me all the way to Stirling, where I needed to get to, before he made his way to Glasgow just so I didn't have to backtrack. He asked for nothing in return but shared all his knowledge about his beautiful country, pointing out places I should visit next time. It was really lovely!
The only thing that could top it all off was seeing Mr. Mackay, my science teacher from middle school. Though 14 odd years have passed since I last saw him, I couldn't have received a better reception to Stirling.
"A lot of English people come up to Scotland in the summer. They experience a fine day and think it's absolutely paradise. So they decide to pack up, sell up in England and buy up here. Because there's a difference in the house prices, they have a good wad of cash to spend and they think they're living the dream. It's when the winter comes that they quickly see their dreams turn into nightmares."
- Hugh
