Another Day of Grace

Continued from...
Part 1 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/02/my-journey-to-scotlands-cities.html
Part 2 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/03/next-stop-edinburgh-scotland.html
Part 3 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/03/72-hours-in-city-of-edinburgh.html
Part 4 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/03/a-real-introduction-to-history-and.html
Part 5 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/03/the-haunted-graveyards-and-underground.html
Part 6 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/04/a-tour-of-edinburgh-castle-and-solo.html
Part 7 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/04/farewell-edinburgh-hello-highlands.html
Part 8 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2016/11/making-my-way-to-lovely-isle-of-skye.html
Part 9 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/05/so-long-for-now-beautiful-isle-and-onto.html
Part 10 - http://anotherdayforgrace.blogspot.ca/2017/06/lessons-in-scottish-history-and.html



My last morning in Scotland was hectic despite the fact that, thankfully, the hotel fire alarm did not go off during the night.  I quickly showered and was disappointed to discover another issue with the room; a shower door that only closes half way and therefore results in the entire bathroom being flooded.  I had to pass it off as not my concern as I was in a rush to catch my plane.  Besides, there were so many issues with the hotel room that I just couldn't be bothered to deal with the front desk anymore by that point.  


I ate a quick breakfast before checking out and made the five-minute walk to the airport.  How on earth a five-minute walk turns out to be actually twenty is beyond me.  There I was walking while half asleep, cold and carrying all my luggage after being told the hotel was a five-minute walk from the airport.  That's quite the exaggeration.   In case you're wondering, I gave this hotel one star on Trip Advisor and I don't even think it deserved that for the inconveniences I endured. I wish I could say my misfortunes that morning ended there but sadly, things only got worse.

I checked in for my flight and made it through security with more than enough time to find somewhere to relax and have a coffee.  I went to my gate and checked my flight status, found a Starbucks that wasn't too crowded and, with my hazelnut latte in hand, took a seat in the corner.  I was about half way through my latte when I noticed that my shopping bags with the scarves I had bought for my sisters and my coat were nowhere to be found.  Thinking I might have left them near the counter when I was ordering my coffee, I asked the barista if she had found anything but she hadn't.  I raced through the airport backtracking ever step I took since I arrived, asking anyone who would listen if they spotted the items anywhere.  I spoke with a security guard, a woman working in the duty-free shop and even someone at the main security area.  No one had found anything.  By this time I was hysterical.  The scarves were not cheap and I made a significant effort into finding just the right ones.   The coat was one of my favorites and it too was not cheap.

I frantically wandered around in circles looking everywhere.  I'm must have roused suspicion in some people as I was getting some strange looks.  I was also worried that if someone found the bag unattended, I could be in some trouble.  When I spotted two police officers chatting near an exit, I approached to let them know the situation but didn't make it to them because something on a nearby bench caught my eye.  There, sitting in plain view surrounded by people waiting to board their plane was my untouched belongings. I bolted towards the items and grabbed them from the chair while loudly exclaiming "I must have left this here hours ago".  The look on the faces of everyone in the vicinity said it all; who is this crazy woman grabbing unattended belongings from an airport bench and why is she talking to herself.  Thankfully, no one alerted security and I boarded my plane soon after without incident. 

The winds must have been in our favor that morning because it took an hour and a half less time to fly from Glasgow than it did to fly in.  The only eventful thing to happen on that flight was a flyover of of a large and snowy landmass.  I looked out my window at a large white landmass and could see waterfalls and a river and mountains.  My mind went blank as I tried to figure out what the landmass could be.  Iceland?  Newfoundland?  Nope, Greenland!  Now I guess I can say I've been to Greenland...or at least that I saw it from above.   

I arrived in Halifax earlier than anticipated so I had to wait a few hours for my shuttle back to Cape Breton.  Other than a bit of bad weather in the Scottish Highlands, one bad hotel and the fact that 9 days in Scotland wasn't long enough, the trip was perfect in every way and I hope to return to Scotland again in the near future.