Flying in the Skye & 40 Hours

It seems to be a common theme with me to simply travel like crazy over the weekend, and then write about it... This weekend was no exception. Only this time, I actually managed to go to the Isle of Skye! And I made sure I didn't miss-set my alarm clock...

The weekend was different from any trip I've gone on before, because for 40 hours before and partially during the start of the trip I was not eating! Sounds crazy eh? But actually, I was doing a 40 hour fast for a really good reason- to raise money for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders! Glasgow Uni just started up a group called Friends of MSF, and since I've heard of the humanitarian organization before and the good work they've done I decided to join up!

This was one of the first events we've done, a 40 hour sponsored fast. So I've literally been going around asking all my friends to help sponsor me for the fast, even if it was just a pound, all the could give really!  So far, I'm only up to £30 some, but hopefully I'll have a lot more by the end of this week! I started the fast Thursday night at 11pm and it went all the way through until Saturday afternoon at 3pm, drinking only water. I've done a 30 Hour Famine before (at least four or five times) to raise money for hunger relief, so I know that such a fast is very doable, although I'd always been allowed juice in the past.

This time, since I was largely alone and working on a paper, not as much fun- by Friday night I was really starting to feel my complete lack of energy. Which really makes you think. Some people have to go through that every day. For some, most of their lifetime. I can't imagine it. At one point I just gave up on the work and laid down on my bed for a bit, and realized this is why the kids have no energy to go to school. And why people have no energy to work because of hunger.

So that is why I fasted! It's surprisingly easy, and a very effective way of drawing people to a cause.

Needless to say though, the beginning of the trip being a rather long bus ride with stops for food I couldn't yet each was rather tedious...

But one of the best parts of this trip, was that loads of my friends came! So I had lots of people to talk to and hang out with! One of the stops on our way to Skye was Elandonan Castle, beautifully situated in the middle of a loch. It was lovely, and freezing cold outside! I was taking pictures for my photography class with my analogue camera, and my eyes started to tear while attempting to focus the photos!

Once we finally arrived at Skye, we settled into to our brilliantly colored hostel (which always seems to make things more cheerful somehow) and had a hot cup of tea before setting out to explore the town of Portree.

It is a small portside town, with a 'main square' with its one bar and cafe and then several shops dispersed around the streets. After investigating several such shops and wishing the ice cream parlors were still open in the winter (you can ALWAYS get ice cream), we ended up in your typical touristy shop to buy postcards. And, because Scotland is known for its shortbread, there is always Walkers shortbread in these. And it was looking particularly delicious at this point, not only because we had seen it so many times, but because it was on sale and we could have it with our tea in the hostel... so we bought some! Splitting two packs among the five of us was quite cheap and we eagerly awaited having some later.

But first- down to the dock! The boats were perfectly spaced out in the harbour, each bobbing beside their buoy. We also meandered up this hill overlooking the harbour to an old stone watch-tower (or something like that), which gave us a great view! We also discovered some rabbits.. the first ones I've seen in Scotland actually. But it was so cold by then we tromped back to the hostel for that aforementioned tea and biscuits!

It was actually quite cozy- everybody ended up in the spacious kitchen while people were making dinner and we all played whatever games the hostel had! From Star Wars Monopoly to Rummikub and cards.

The next day was to be our main tour of Skye, driving around a stopping at certain places to explore. This was the craziest drive ever as far as the weather was concerned. The day dawned dry and bright, and then we drove into... a blizzard. Honestly. Snow was flying everywhere and the wind was going nuts! And then we drove out of it and it was sunny again. Then rain! And some wind. Sun. Since Skye is an island, this made sense but it was still pretty funny- you looked down to get something and when you looked up, the weather had changed.

Flying

We made three stops in Skye, besides just touring around a seeing the awesome landscape from the shelter of the bus. The first was beautiful- the edge of a cliff and a waterfall cutting through the rocks, winding its way to the sea. The wind was rather incredible, so we all somehow ended up with pictures of us spreading our arms out like airplanes! You felt like you could start flying and any second. Sheep dotted the hills next to us, and snow started up out of the blue, whipping our coats around and stinging our eyes. The next stop was Kilt Rock, because it supposably looked like a kilt (I didn't quite see it). The cliffs were quite impressive though, and the sun came out to shine brilliantly, reflecting against the water. The most amazing part of this stop however, was the waterfall on the cliff edge! The water was so powerful there, it created this incredible wind- you could lean into it and still be held up!

Our final stop in Skye was home to some incredible mountains. All around Skye we saw these enormous snow-covered mountains, but through the windows of a bus. Here, we actually got to get out and see them for ourselves, framing a rushing stream crossing with old stone bridges. It was glorious. Mountains really do have this solemn majesty, looming silently in the background, assured of their own might. They are noble, especially covered with snow.

On the drive home, it had snowed a lot, the countryside was all white, from the mountains to the moors and everything in between. This made for some stunning scenery of streams cutting through the white and black cliffs being offset by blindingly white snow! Unfortunately, taking pictures through windows only gets you so far in terms of quality.

Winter Wonderland!

Now we're back in Glasgow, which didn't see that much snow, despite rumors of six inches. Another paper has been handed in, and now I only have one paper and two exams to go! There are also only 11 days until I fly out to Barcelona and then Milan for Spring break! Can't wait!