Going Solo

Tag: travel

  • Snowboarding in the Scottish Mountains

    Snowboarding in the Scottish Mountains

    Well.. They say there’s a first time for everything. But Snowboarding….. Fuck? Something very different.

    And I found that out the hard way. But had fun along the way. Here I am again to tell you all about it.

    Winter.

    2025.

    Started the mood the night before after finishing work. Popped down to the Korean Burrito takeaway called “Korrito”. For the Firecracker chicken and Bao Buns. Spice and Fire!

    Got a train very early in the morning out of Glasgow to Pitlochry. Still dark. Old mates from down south were picking me up there. Brothers. Ali and Jim. Jumped in their Toyota Rav 4 Jeep at 9am.

    So good to see the guys. Been a year since seen Ali and god knows how many years since i’d seen his brother Jim. Pals from back in the day in Devon.

    We headed north into the mountains. These boys had arrived 2 days earlier and had already got snowboarding in on both of them.

    Chatted to the boys and an hour later we arrived at the resort.

    First impressions; it was scarcely believable that there was this much snow anywhere in the UK.

    Got changed into the gear in the car. Key part of the “ski-bum” lifestyle they told me!

    So we got the boards and helmets from the equipment hut. Damp place. Picked up a board with Ali’s help.

    Got all setup on the beginners patch at the bottom. Training wheels and armbands very much on!

    So Ali started to talk me though it. He knows his shit, teaches snowboarding in Bulgaria and trained as an instructor in Canada.

    I needed to push forward on my toes to slow down and lift them up to go faster.

    And they can definitely shift if you let them. And you can end up on your arse, which off course i did.

    We moved to the beginners run that you can see in the picture above with a basic a ski-lift at the bottom where you queue.

    Was falling off this every time. A Jerry clear as day. A new word i learnt meaning a Snowboarding Noob! But having fun!

    We all met up again for lunch at the cafe of the resort. You need the fuel to keep going. Hot Curry and a drink. Needed

    We then got back at it. Tried a real run. I was falling off the ski lift again and had to go back to the toddlers section! It really is hard. Much harder than it looks. I know people say that about a lot of things, but when it means falling over a lot and hurting yourself then you feel that.

    Was able to pick up speed when i lifted my toes up, but had no control whatsoever. Slipping and sliding on my arse.

    I was a “gerry”, which the guys told me was a “noob” lol (novice Snowboarder).

    Ali then took me for a ride on one of the chair lifts. Great fun. and you get a decent view of the full complex below:

    https://www.ski-glenshee.co.uk/Winter

    Managed to exit the chair lift standing, which was my biggest win of the day.

    Another fact to note, is there are many more Skiers than Snowboarders. But the guys said that there was a higher ratio of Snowboarders compared to Skiers in this resort than any they had been to.

    Other things your not told on top of that is you need to keep adjusting your Ski Goggles to keep the snow and moisture out your eyes. And just how cold it is (this is in Scotland, let alone bigger resorts abroad). But this sounds like moaning and thats not right. Blessed to be doing this.

    Managed to navigate the junior ski-lift successfully by the end of the afternoon. Funny how a lot things like this you do better when you put less effort in and just naturally go with it.

    Met the guys at the close of the day, back to the cafe for a beer as the light faded.

    Took our equipment back to the shed then Ali drove us down to the village of Braemar where our hostel was. Very old-school rural Scotland. Clothes straight off and in the dry room. Shower.

    Then for a pub dinner. Pints, Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. Covered in Whiskey sauce. Mine was Veggie. Just what the doctor. Jim Headed home, my and Ali went to another pub. Treated myself to a nice Rum and Apple. Then back to the hostel and bed.

    We woke early. Breakfast of toast and cereal. Clothes dry and back on, in the jeep and we go again…

    Got the gear and continued at the beginners slope. Needed to get going again. The falling on your arse wakes you up. Deja vu!

    Found there were 2 sides to this: The adrenaline fuelled, big rush / this is fun side and the shit.. im shit at this and tired.. this is the hard-work side.

    Spent some more time on the most basic ski-lift – went fine.

    Go onto the level 2 one: longer, higher and steeper. But still basic off course.

    Was good making progress. But kept bailing at a tricky hump close to the end. Took me a good 2 hours to crack it actually.

    In the meantime, Ali and Jim had covered most of the runs in the resort between them.

    Lunch: Back to the cafe. Had Burger an Chips with an early bottle of Peroni. Bad idea? Time would tell.

    We re-joined each other for the afternoon’s snowboarding. Here’s Ali with a super smooth land off the ski lift!:

    Then I had a sketchy moment; where I nearly crashed into someone. East to do, but doesn’t make you mr popular.

    Ali took me 1-1 again for some to help get the balance and footwork going downhill and picking up speed. Did result in one total wipeout! Laughed it off as came off unscathed. But he warned me after.

    That was Saturday and day 2’s snowboarding done.

    We had another beer at the cafe, then back in the jeep to the hostel in Braemar.

    Stripped, showered, phoned the families, chilled on the beds for a bit, then out the door on the hunt for scran.

    Found a big local pub. Classic homely winter pub grub style. The Fife Arms, soon worked out that it was actually a 5 star hotel aswell.

    Colourful Lighting Decor – at The Fife Arms

    The food was just what we needed. The guys had steaks. I had a cottish pie an mash with gravy. Washed down with few pints. We had a whisky at the bar and the barman shared his knowledge with a few funny stories on top.

    There was a cocktail bar in the hotel aswell. I had an old fashioned. The other guys were recommended something exotic by the bartender 🍸 (sharply dressed chap btw). Taste sensations. Then we were done ✔️. And bed.

    Sunday was the last day of snowboarding. Woke with a sore arse and legs. Breakfast, clobber on and back up the hills.

    The day started with me warming up on the training slope again. Then by breaking the binding on my board from a slide; so I had to get another from the board hut.

    “You must be an aggressive boarder” the dude said. Pride an ego boosted.

    The new board felt fast. Took similar getting used to, just like when you jump behind the wheel of a different car. There was a band on my left wrist to protect my forearm where I’d had a medical procedure. Definitely needed it, as breaking falls is rough on the wrists.

    The energy levels were starting to go badly by this point. Heavy legs. One of the lifties (works on the ski-lift) asked me if I was intoxicated. He was wrong, but totally fucked thats for sure.

    Was unable to move for 30 minutes after a fall on a run. Eventually; I gathered all my remaining strength and reserves to finish this weekend strongly. Here we go…

    Up the 1st wee lift: No bother at all.

    Up the 2nd lift with one shaky moment over a bump: Hanging in there.

    A Ride on a chair lift, upto a decent length run. Stopped, prepared, then took off…

    Was moving…. Fast! Ali’s words: “toes up faster, toes down slower. Care with the heels too”.

    So I stayed upright on this slope for about 100 yards, which equalled anything I’d managed all weekend. So was happy with that. Met the boys at the bottom. I gave my equipment back. We made our way back to the cafe. A bit earlier this time. One last beer and we were gone.

    Back in Braemar…

    We had a final night chippy takeaway. Then to the last pub we hadn’t been to yet. Few beers with some very trendy people. God Bless. We were exhausted; me especially.

    Next morning we took it all slower. Decent breakfast, grabbed our shite and checked out.

    Before heading back we took a detour to a beautiful spot called Linn of Dee. Theres a big river… and a good rocky walk in the woods. Definitely worth it!

    Linn of Dee

    And then we headed back. They dropped me home in Glasgow and headed home down south.

    Great experience! Have a burn mark on my arse still – a year on!

    If you have enjoyed reading this please like, share and comment.

    Safe Travels people.

  • Zante Part 3: The Finale!

    The final days in Zante were something special.

    Back to the food, back to the Mythos Beer! Lovely breakfast of greek pancakes with chocolate sauce. A sweet treat.

    Lounged about by the pool for a bit. Had a greek salad for lunch. It was lush posh nosh!

    Friendly staff at the Canadian aswell. Smiley greek faces of all different ages.

    Soaked up some sun by the pool at the hotel most of the day. Read a bit. Chilled all day.

    Went for a tasty Calamari dinner with a glass of wine in the evening. This was a greek restaurant on the Laganas strip.

    Finished the day at a Shisha bar round the corner from the hotel.

    Woke up early the next day and headed out to Kalamaki for a 2nd time. Enjoyed it so much the first time so went there again for a beach day.

    Much quieter beaches than in Laganas. Glorious day again.

    Tan was starting to pick up a bit by this point haha.

    Had a cold Fanta Orange at a beach bar. Had a paddle in the sea and then back to sunbathing.

    Kalamaki Beach

    I was reading in the sun aswell.

    Later on, wandered onto the main street to a restaurant. Tried a meal I’d never had before. Chewy pork and cheese in a hot pot dish. Delicious, but I can’t for the life of me remember its name or find it now to share with you lol.

    That night I had a few cocktails at the hotel bar, because the following day was an early start and possibly the most exciting of the holiday yet.

    Wide awake early, downstairs for a bacon and egg breakfast. Today I would be trying Scuba Diving for the first time. Pretty wild right? Lol.

    Picked up early at the stand where I’d bought the trip a few days before. The guy Nikos was a local diver. Not a bad life, Taking tourists out Scuba Diving in Zante.

    This…

    Was….

    The….

    Day!

    Driving up and down roads with lots of dips and hills. Beautiful scenery always. At one point Nikos ranted about how dangerous the quads are and the dickhead tourists that ride them lol.

    The guys are called Islanders Zante Diving and they drove me to their Centre on the West coast at a place called Porto Limnionas.

    An absolute tropical paradise.

    Me in Porto Limnionas

    There was plenty of time to swim and snorkel around before we had to get suited up and prepared for diving. The sea was perfect. Perfect look, perfect temperature. There were rocky caves and crevices to explore aswell. A big jump into the sea from the rocks for kicks!

    The training was half an hour. Getting breathing controlled and using the equipment correctly. Then you go live…

    Its hard. Think Nikos was losing his patience with me a bit to start. But then i got a handle on the breathing, the oxygen tank and the mouthpiece. They held my hand every step of the way.

    The experience was unlike anything I’d tried before.

    Amazing to look around. Went as deep as 15 metres down. Down in the perfect turquoise colour mediterranean sea. Exotic coloured fish around and corals.

    In the end I got a basic handle, enough to enjoy and be in the moment with it. Think it lasted about a half hour – 45 minutes. There was one sketchy moment where I panicked, tried to swim back up and one of the guys helped me with the mouthpiece. You can see this in the top right picture. Diving definitely isn’t easy.

    When we came back up there was some time to decompress. Get the gear off, float around, snorkel again, enjoy this place a bit more. Chat with a cigarette too.

    They drove me back to Laganas late afternoon. Paid for the photos you can see and that was that: godspeed!

    Got back to the hotel and had to take it easy for a bit after all that excitement.

    Had a wee kip for hours.

    Then headed out in search of food and drink.

    Found a nice beach-side bar/restaurant at the far south end of the strip. Comfy table, fresh Swordfish, potatoes and a glass of red wine. As good as it looks.

    Then took a mooch down the strip.

    Stopped at a bar I’d been to before and chatted to the same local barman. Showed me this giant bottle of grey goose that only high rollers can buy. Examples were DJ Nathan Dawes and Boxer Tyson Fury.

    Met a few familiar faces on the strip. In a few places including The Loft, IKON and a nightclub called Rescue (felt a bit old in that one truth be told lol).

    Then off to bed.

    Then I woke up and what would be the last full day here. Had the bacon pancakes again for breakfast. Headed out to Zante Town. Found a good sun-bed for the day.

    Walked all the way out of the busyness. Thats where you find the real beauty of an Island. Went for a few dips in the sea.

    Taking in every last moment.

    That night I went back to Blue Waves for some squid and Mythos Beer.

    I think this was my favourite restaurant in Zante.

    Can you hear the music? Love this place, will have to return. Yamas (cheers) to Greece!

    Was in The Loft the last night to say have a few final drinks and say goodbye to people I met.

    This shot in the morning after breakfast was a final coffee on my balcony.

    Then I was on the way home.

    A fabulous holiday!

    I hope you have enjoyed reading my experiences. If you have please like, comment etc.

    Safe travels!

    Instagram: armchairexpert25

  • The Shetland Islands: Part 2

    I wrote this post with the intention to really get back to the purpose of why i started Going Solo in the first place. To express how I experienced these places, the places themselves and show a few snaps!

    My tale of these mystic Islands continues….

    Beginning with the biggest adventure of the whole trip.

    Unst

    To the Viking land of Unst.

    This Tuesday began at the crack of dawn. Here at the Lerwick bus Station, still dark as you can see:

    The bus north departed just before 7am. A pleasant trip, It took over an hour to reach the Ferry point of Toft. Boardin the large ferry to Yell. Whilst on board, had a chat with an older english gent who lived on the Island. Picked up a wee bit of local knowledge and general friendly conversation. Sounded like a writer.

    Arrived on Yell, was picked up by a transfer cab headed for the Unst Ferry. Chatty cabbie that everyone on the Island knew apparently called ‘cockney Al’, Made me laugh a few times. Left London rent prices behind for a £150 per month council house here (fairplay mate!). Yell has a beautiful landscape. Would like to see more of it and will next time. Only saw this Island through the car window, but you can only fit in so much in one go. Boarded the smaller inter-island ferry to Unst.

    I was picked up in a transfer bus by a younger guy called Archie. We stopped at a supply shop, ran by a nice woman who seemed grateful for people to talk to. Bought some snacks. I told Archie to head as far north as he goes and drop me off there, which he did. Walked down a hill and came straight into this:

    Norwick Beach, Unst

    Speaks for itself right. And there was not another soul around. Had a read of The Power of Now. Some tea and a vape. The sea smelled perfect, with a just slight breeze. A sunny morning aswell. Bliss!

    After and hour or so, took a mooch around the beach. Walked up the hill that starts where the house you can see is (lucky bastards).This was the point where i got my exercise (and then some) in for the day. Had a bit of lunch at the top.

    Earlier on, Archie had told me about the spaceport project where SaxaVord had gained permission for vertical rocket launches beginning in 2024. You may have seen this in the news over Christmas. Will bring vital employment to the area, which historically has been sustained by oil money. Click on the image (made me chuckle!) for the BBC article on this.

    Skaw Beach and Beyond

    I continued to the furthest north and reached the beach of Skaw, via the UK’s most northerly cycle route. You really had the feeling of being in the outer reaches here. Thats because you are. A few people came and went, but almost no-one. Another special beach, but wilder. A few images below that capture this primal, rocky and sensory land. Feel stressed with life: go and get healed by mother nature:

    Viewpoint on the North Coast. You can see SaxaVord from here

    Then I saw something Attenborough would be proud of. Seals coming into land. Bobbing up and down. Could be their first sight of UK soil, after swimming thousands of miles, to find some twat with his camera phone pointing at them! Check these out:

    I thought this was absolutely breathtaking. Something I felt truly privileged to witness first hand with my own eyes. I stayed at this point and present for good long while.

    Took a slow walk back the way the way I came. Stopped at an old abandoned hut.

    Walked back to Norwick and was followed by a local collie. Thought he/she would be on the ferry back home with me at one point!

    Was picked up Archie (told him about the dog and he knew whose it was) and jumped on the ferry back to Yell.

    Got the return taxi through Yell and cockney Al recommended a few trips for me. Kinda Cabbie universally known as a funny geezer, story starting `”my ex-wife..”.

    Saw more of the vast, and just plain beautiful landscape. Unst is equally beautiful, but rougher ground and feels wilder from my perspective. Boarded the larger ferry back to the mainland. All pleasant journeys and a memorable day.

    And the perfect way to end it back at the hostel, with a Chinese takeaway and a bottle of Tiger beer. Chicken and egg fried rice with prawn crackers in case your wondering. All in all the best day of the whole trip and will stay with me.

    Next day was a chill day. Lay-in, post cards, Read, wander round Lerwick and Fish & Chips whilst watching the rugby. It was a holiday after all!

    Hillswick

    Then Thursday arrived and on the famous cockney Al’s recommendation, I headed for Hillswick on the North West of the mainland. To the cliffs of Eshaness. Problem was the wind. Storm Babet had hit. And hit it did! My return ferry home was rescheduled for 2 days later because of it (did i mind? Nah!). I took the first bus north in the morning and decided to have a look.

    Arrived in the small village of Hillswick at about 9.30 and headed off. The winds really were ferocious. Baltic conditions aswell, but I ploughed on. I’d come this far.

    I passed these beautiful Norwegian style houses. The viking influence clear in the architecture:

    Shetland is used to these rough winds, but i wasn’t. At one point they reached over 70mph. I could barely hold my phone to take pictures and videos, without it flying out of my hand. This is why I couldn’t get close to the Eshaness cliffs. The winds were too dangerous and I value my life.

    Disappointing, but sometimes the elements get the better of you.

    After a walk back through the Hillswick circular, I got the bus back to Lerwick.

    Lerwick and final day out.

    The following day I went for a nice leisurely swim at the Lerwick public pool. A great way to start the day. Then put the calories burnt straight back on with a cafe fry up.

    That night I went to the Cinema. Shetland’s only Cinema, The Mareel. To see the Martin Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon. A good spot for a pint watching the film aswell (not just me that thought this). Very watchable story about native american oil, worth a look. Watching it on another oil rich land.

    Mareel Cinema: UK’s furthest north Cinema https://www.shetlandarts.org/venues/mareel

    The next day was the last full day and a saturday. For a hop-on, hop-off minibus trip to Scalloway, Papil and Hamnavoe down this south- west stretch of the Islands.

    Weather a bit miserable. Got the first bus out to Scalloway (nothing special there) and grabbed a coffee before the minibus picked me up. The first stop was Papil and another beautiful beach; Minn Beach. Less spectacular perhaps than some of the previous, but still a wee gem that was recommended to me by a local. Bracing conditions again.

    Papil was very peaceful. The rain meant no reading here, so wandered along this coastline and got some shots of the landscape. Not long after the bus picked me up at the top the hill to take me to the village of Hamnavoe.

    Walked through this fishing village and clambered up some small hills. Took in the nice views and had my tea and lunch up one of them. Had to make the most of the time I had left.

    Took a walk down another beach, (guess you realise i like my sea and beach pics by now) this one called Meal beach. Had a wee vape there and chilled blissfully. Got my boots in the north sea for a few minutes aswell.

    At 4pm the minibus collected me and took me back to Scalloway. I then caught the bus service back to Lerwick.

    That night I had some fresh Shetland Hake fish with potatoes and vegetables in a cosy restaurant. Washed down with a few glasses of red wine. A nice way to end my final evening.

    Leaving Day (Shetland Museum)

    Had a lazy morning in the hostel with several cups of tea with some boiled eggs and toast for breakfast. Had to be out of the dorm room by 11am, so packed up and moved my suitcase to the storage room and I drank more tea in the communal living room. Chatted to some other guests for a while.

    I decided to walk down to Lerwick’s Shetland Museum, which I had saved for the leaving day (https://www.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk/).

    The history displayed here is absolutely fascinating. From the early settlements of Jarlshof (as shown on part 1) and a burial site in Sumburgh where bones more than 5000 years old have been discovered.

    The story of how pioneers developed civilisations and civilisations developed communities. The work that has sustained life here throughout the decades and centuries. Such as valued seamen, skilled with boats who were recruited by the British navy in the Napoleonic wars with France between 1793 – 1815. Most warships had at least one Shetlander onboard.

    Skills like Spinning wool using yarn to produce Shetland’s renown style of knitwear. Trades that put food on the table for local families.

    This image below illustrates the changes in population on the Islands:

    Many natives leaving in the last century, seeking the opportunities of the UK mainland.

    Other staples of Shetland Industry are off course fishing and oil. The museum has a film (shot in the 70s) showing BP’s presence in Shetland in the sourcing of north sea oil and gas. These fossil fuels have long since provided the most lucrative form of employment in the area in recent decades.

    The boat equipment used fishing on the wild north sea are replicated. This harpoon looks vicious for its intended prey.

    Other factors are detailed like the Geology of Shetland aswell as cultural interests and contributions.

    So after a thorough rekkie of the museum, I purchased a few small prezzies from the gift shop. Overall, This Museum is definitely a must see when you visit Shetland. I hope this has provided a glimpse if nothing more.

    So took a slow walk back to the hostel. Picked up all my belongings and read for an hour or so.

    Then came the time to say goodbye. As they say; all good things must come to an end. By 7pm I was at the Ferry Terminal. Waited with my headphones on for awhile then boarded.

    Ferry Back

    The return journey was not as enjoyable as the one out. Barely slept, rough conditions again and didn’t eat much of the dinner or breakfast. Arrived back in Aberdeen first thing in the morning.

    Regardless, this was special trip. One off my bucket list, but I’ll visit again. Probably in the season next time to see some of the seasonal attractions. Possibly even hire a car also. I hope you might consider visiting Shetland aswell.

    Again; If you have enjoyed reading this please like, share with your friends and comment below:

    Safe Travels!

    Instagram: armchairexpert23