LEJOG Day 27
I had a very ordinary meal in the Bettyhill Hotel. I spoke to chef, a Cockney at the bar after the meal. He told me that he had “come into the industry late in life – 27 years old”. I asked: why that was? expect him to say that he had tried other things and decided to try cooking. He told me that he had been in prison for grievous bodily harm. He went on say that the victim had “hurt his girl, you know what I mean”. (N.B no ? required).
The barmaid had obviously heard the story many times before and rolled her eyes. I decided to ask her a question. I asked her how long she had worked on the Hotel. She told me that she was a uni student in Glasgow and worked in the Hotel over summer. She was studying music and Gaelic. I asked some more questions and we chat about her music and learning and teaching Gaelic. The Cockney kept butting in and trying the return the conversation about him. I suspect will not be long before someone does him some grievous bodily harm.
I woke up in a very hot tent. Notwithstanding the evening meal experience I returned to the Hotel for breakfast as there was no other option. Breakfast was Ok.
The ride east was tough at first – long up followed by long downs all into a fairly strong wind. After a while the ground flattened out, but the wind persisted. Before getting to Thurso, I passed the Dounreay nuclear power station. According to the book I am reading on the ride, “it is now a nuclear storage facility, having been decommissioned in the 1990’s. Judging by the number cars in the carpark, it appeared that a lot of people are required to store nuclear stuff.
As I continued east, I was overtaken by a stream of cars. It was like a Canberra rush hour – all of the cars with the driver only. It appeared that had come from the Dounreay facility. Whatever these people do, it does not have to be done after 4.30 p.m.
I arrived in Thurso and soon left.
I could have ridden to John o Groats, however I wasn’t fussed. The book told me it an ordinary place.
I spotted a hotel in Dunnett. It was cold, wet and windy. I decided to stay. The waitress appeared too young to be legally working. She also seemed incapable of understanding that I did not want chips and potatoes with my salmon.
It was good to sleep in a bed again.
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