Orkneys Arrival

We woke up early, using an alarm for the first time to catch a 7.14 train to Thuro, at the top of Scotland. It was another train ride of about four hours.




After detraining, we took a taxi a mile to the ferry terminal, where we had about an hour wait before boarding a bus for the short trip to the passenger entry. The ferry terminal was spotless and bright, but we were even more surprised at the ferry itself.

It was as if we'd come onto a cruise ship by mistake. There was a lounge, a restaurant, a casino/arcade, even a children's play area, which Sarah enjoyed. We were overjoyed. Forget B and Bs or hotels ... I want to stay here!





Arriving in Stromness, we had a short walk to our lodgingings at the Royal Hotel. This is the smallest town we've seen. Most of the shops are on a single street! And even that is only one lane. We have a car reserved to explore the island and we'll start tomorrow. Watch The Secret of Roan Inish to get an idea.