It is the day before I set off on what I'm starting to fear might be an over-ambitious, poorly planned venture! The basic concept is this: I have the summer of 2007 to explore the island on which I live. In October I venture into world of the City of London to start a new job, probably never to emerge again. So this is my opportunity to experience whatever Great Britain has to offer to the full.
Fortunately, I'm in good company. In 1724, Daniel Defoe (of Robinson Crusoe fame) published an account of his Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, 'interspersed,' as he put it, 'with useful observations particularly fitted for the perusal of such as desire to travel over the island. By a gentleman.' I haven't read it. It's pretty long and comes in multiple volumes. But it at least reassures me that the idea is feasible.
So tomorrow, Friday 18th May, I am getting on a train to Aberdeen, followed by an overnight ferry to Lerwick, the Shetland Islands, and then moseying my way southwards as quickly as it suits me. I should make clear a couple of parameters. Firstly, this is a journey across Great Britain, not the British Isles - so I'm not going to Ireland. Secondly, I am only covering the adjacent islets. In other words, the Shetlands, Orkneys, Hebrides, Man, Anglesey and Wight, but not Jersey or Guernsey and certainly not the Falklands! This is a tour of the island of Britain, not the country of the United Kingdom.
And so, with the preamble complete, welcome to Travel Britain, a tour through this wonderful island I call home. By a gentleman.
Yes, very ambitious...
ReplyDeleteThere was a program on R4 a while back about Defoe's trip round Britain - especially the bit through the Peak District - they were interviewing someone attempting to recreate the whole thing comparing their experiences to Defoe's. Was it you?? :)
So, you taking a victim? I mean friend along? Your chinchilla maybe?
Good Luck and God Speed!
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't get eaten by any sea monsters or get stranded on any unknown desert islands!
Love Natalie
Very encouraging, bex and nat. Unfortunately the chinchilla died.
ReplyDeleteI like the hat, but wrong time of year unless you intend to meet up with Macbeth's witches!
ReplyDeleteYou will have to get the chinchilla stuffed, so that you always have company; one that won't answer back.
It's a good job that you did not get the Virgin Pendolino (Thomas)
Remember the Albatross!