Sabbatical Day 11: part two, Oban (Oh-bunn)

It was a little odd being back at the Queen’s Street train station, a place I was in at the beginning of this adventure, when it was still July. So much has happened, and not much of it ended up being what I anticipated. (Especially not COVID and missing Ireland). 

However this time I knew my way around and what to anticipate, I was prepared. I went on line and purchased my tickets to Oban and then the tickets from Oban to London, the day before yesterday. Then I just went to the station, put my credit card in the machine along with the confirmation numbers for the tickets, and the machine printed them. Easy-peasy. I mean really easy. So this morning all I had to do was show up, ticket in hand. The app even told me what platform the train would probably be on, at it was. 

The train was small, just three cars. But there was room enough. The passengers were from all over the world. Across from me were two women, maybe from Africa? I never really heard them speak, they might have been from Scotland. Also across from me was a large family, not sure the configuration, a mom and day, a grandma, several adult kids? They dad was very animated and kept cracking himself up with his funny stories. I thought he was from some Germanic country, but when I could hear better he was speaking “English” but with a thick Scottish accent. After three hours I grew a little tired of how funny he thought he was. I mean, he was hilarious, not sure his stories were, though. Maybe they were, maybe not. I, on the other hand, was very hungry, needed a cup of tea and a bathroom, badly. It’s rough traveling by one’s self. Who watches your stuff when you get up to pee? The trip from Oban to London, a good 9 hours, is going to be interesting. I will, however, have 30 minute layers in two stations, so maybe I can drag my stuff into a bathroom stall for some relief when I switch trains?

The ride was, as one might imagine, glorious. The landscape everything I hoped for. 

Oban is interesting. A small, old, quaint port town, very touristy - BUT no where near as crowded as Glasgow. Much more open space. 

I had taken some time yesterday to look at a map and hand write directions to the hotel, just in case google maps was dizzy again and wanted to walk me in circles. My directions were perfect, but then, it was also pretty obvious where my hotel was. This hotel was about the only place that had availability when I looked two days ago. It seemed okay enough, although the reviews are not so great. Now that I am here, I totally get the reviews. For example, the website touts a fabulous restaurant, but the restaurant is closed, except for breakfast. The reviews talk about the old springy, creaky mattresses - yup. They totally are. Mattresses from thirty years ago. And the view from my room - a tiny sliver of the water through several very old building.s Still, a view of the water. LOL. 

Yes, that’s water just below the clouds between the buildings. Everything is grey today so the clouds and water look almost the same. 

The room isn’t actually bad, though. I mean it’s okay for one person, maybe even two if you don’t spend much time in it. And I will hardly be here. Tomorrow I have plans to go to Iona. 

I wasn’t sure I was up for it. Getting there from here requires two ferries and bus, each way. But honestly, an afternoon in Oban, walking around the stories and window shopping, was enough for me. I did buy some stuff, though. I bought several kinds of chocolate at the chocolate store. I’m enjoying some right now with a cup of tea. I also bought a pair of sandals for London. I only packed cool weather walking gear for this portion of the trip and one outfit with Rothy’s for the one day I intended to be in London. But now that I will be there for three full days, and it’s going to be hot and sunny, I need different attire. A store in town had sandals on sale. It was kind of like the local, always on sale, discount shoe store. But the sandals were comfortable, cute, and not expensive, good for walking in wearing a summer dress or skort. Most likely a lot less than I’d find in London. My suitcase and backpack are now jam-packed. I may have to leave something behind, like the travel pillow I brought….

Anyway, tomorrow, Iona. I can hardly believe it. I never thought I’d make it to Iona.  So many people I know have been to Iona, it will be good for me to see it for myself.

The tickets do not have times on them, they are open day tickets. But, I want to be up early and at the ferry by 7am, about a 15 minute walk from the hotel. Ferry will depart at 7:30, but there’s coffee service and breakfast on the ferry. By the time I get to Iona it will be about 10:30.  I will end up with about four hours on the island. That probably won’t be enough time, but it will be something. I’ll get back to Oban about 5, just in time to find some place to eat near the ferries (I have my eye on a place), and then walk back to the hotel.