Double lochs

Lots of gratitudes since last I posted as one would hope might be the case... wonder how many I'll remember before I click the post button...

The pleasantly uneventful first part of the journey apart from the biplane looping the loop and spiral diving high above the train... The incredibly friendly Lebanese restaurant/takeaway (where I'd bought food before and was glad to find again) giving me free pitta and baklava as they were so busy and I had to wait while they cooked the falafels fresh...and Jan being given free tea to go with out take out dessert cake... finding seats suddenly available in the cavernous crowded station.

Strange as it may seem gratitude for the very long delay leaving London as this meant realising a long held dream and crossing the full splendour of Rannoch in full daylight...thick snow on the tops and a scattering trackside too with part frozen tarns and lochlets reflecting the bright blue sky, lots of well camouflaged deer to spot and (after a free light snack breakfast as they'd run out of cooked things we might eat) arriving in time for a quick check in at the hotel and grab a slab or two of homemade cake before setting off another of the region's most scenic lines. Best of all I'd like to be campervanning and walking round here but, as I can't be, I'm grateful for the trains taking me to such wildness.

I give thanks for Jan finding something veganish in amongst the seafood offerings for lunch... and for me finding a seafood one I wanted - mmm monkfish coconut curry! I give thanks for also finding a skein of bluey greeny pinky mauvey flecked wool that I decided I'd call Raasay and the women selling it understood... Oh and a great brightening doubling up rainbow made by the only rain we saw (that didn't rain on us!)