Keiss to John O'Groats - The final destination!

The first thing I must do when I get home is look for that 'Final Destination' DVD and return it back to the library...

The day dawned grey and drizzly which matched my mood. Now ,the last day was here , I didn't want it to end. It was only a short walk of 8 or 9 miles, according to opinion, and it seemed like a dull end to what had been a really purposeful journey. Anyway, to keep our spirits up we played a few alphabet games e.g. Think of a band name beginning with A etc...

Every so often the mist cleared and we spotted sights of JOG and beyond to the Orkney Islands. Then they'd disappear. The approach seemed a long one and I was surprised there were so many B and B's and houses, generally, as I had been lead to believe there was nothing there. On arrival there were three gift shops an information and tourist centre a cafe and sadly the closed down hotel looking very desolate on the cliff. Of course there was the sign where we needed to take the obligatory photos. At £9.50 per photo,we were wise to this rip-off (flash back to Land's End) and took it out of sight of the official photographer. Entering the cafe and the shop to buy postcards we wondered where Alan was. He suddenly popped up outside the shop and we went back to take MORE photos of the two of us at the sign. Taking him to see Dave, who was in the car nursing his feet, Alan asked Lynne "Did you sleep in the van as well?" I think he was confused about Lynne and Daves relationship and so it seemed was The Station Hotel in Thurso. More of that later.

We drove back to Keiss to pick up the van and then drove on to Thurso, stopping at Dunnet Head to look at the views. This was Daves surfing ground but even if there had been a good swell his poor feet would never have got him onto the board. I tried to admire the scenery along the way but I was just so tired. I suppose all the adrenalin had left me and I slept my way to Thurso.

On arrival we were given our 'rooms'. Firstly, some confusion, Lynne and Dave were in a "Twin room" but apparently that wasn't a problem as they had an apartment, two bedrooms, a lounge, kitchen and bathroom. We could have all stayed there! Keith & I were taken to the 'Crossroads Motel' style room on the other side of the car park.

Keith had brought congratulatory cards and presents from friends at home which cheered me up and ,after an aperitif in the apartment lounge and a look at Dave's corker of a blister, we had a lovely meal at the hotel followed by a walk along the front in a beautiful sunset. Even though Dave still walked like he had spent three days on a horse he managed to hobble, around fortified by alcohol, to regale a few stories of his wild escapades with his surfing pals in Thurso.