Well, this is it. In less than 60 hours I will be aboard the plane, heading for Glasgow. It seems a bit surreal. This trip was originally planned for May 2020. Then rescheduled to Sept 2020. Rescheduled again to May 2021 and a further shuffle to Sept 2021. Finally, it is Sept 2022 and the moment is here.
I have to say I haven't been enthused by the coming trip. I think I kept waiting for something to go wrong - again - resulting in the trip being put off or cancelled outright. On some level, I think I am still waiting but at last packing day is here. Final "bits" will get done - trips to the pharmacy, the bank, and then the kennel to board the dogs.
The itinerary for my first few days has changed in the last couple of weeks. Originally I had intended to hire a car but the fees have skyrocketed and, quite honestly, it no longer makes sense for an expenditure of that magnitude. So I will be staying closer to the central belt. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Haddington and Fife. The highlands can wait until next year.
I will be meeting up with colleagues that first week as well and must say I am really looking forward to that. And, of course, I will get the chance to connect with some family.
On Sept 11, I meet up with a very small group of family history researchers in Kirkwall, Orkney. This group has dwindled to one third the original numbers. It will make for a more intimate group and should make the week a bit more special.
From Orkney, I leave my fellow researchers and head to Shetland. Shetland has long been on my list of places to visit and I am really looking forward to my time there. I have a whole list of things to see, places to visit and experiences to try.
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Regardless, enjoy the virtual time in Scotland and this opportunity to reconnect on a virtual level with your ancestral homeland.
