When you’re on Scottish Macnana island time four people in a queue for the grocery van is rush hour.
It’s the Caledonian version of Manana… Macnana if you like.
The very thing, of a local holding up the queue to buy her bread and milk and eggs from the grocery van off the ferry, happened to this Scottish mainlander.
And a city boy at that from Scotland’s biggest conurbation, Glasgow.
Agnes, of course, was sharing the gossip with the van driver.
And commenting on ‘the beautiful weather for this time of the year.’ It was blowing a gale.
Berneray breeze
The island was Berneray which was popularised by the soon-to-be-crowned King Charles who spent time there farming with Scottish journalist Selena Scott back in the day.
You do, of course, get drawn into the pace of life on the island.
And strolling along the expansive beach with the besotted future Mrs M it’s easy to lose track of time.
Until the one ferry on to the bigger island Northern Uist docked and us half a mile away with 10 minutes to get there.
All of which Hebridean (that’s Western to the rest) Island Odyssey memories come flooding back as our old pals at VisitScotland come a-calling.
With a suggestion for all you fit and fab funsters who love to cycle.
Ride on
The six-day Hebridean Way Cycling Route is a 185-mile (297km) route, crossing ten islands in the archipelago.
Now, we’ve crossed off South Uist and North Uist with Benbecula in the middle.
And Harris and Lewis who share the same island.
All on a number of changeable boats, the biggest and most trust Caledonian MacBrayne, or CalMac to the locals.
Now biking sounds the bang-on thing to do, particularly as the Hebrides have their distinctive quirks.
Such as all but shutting down on the Sunday for religious reasons.
Which despite being alerted to the fact by numerous Hebridean pals over my uni days I quickly forgot.
When we were hitching through the islands and got stuck in Harris on the Sunday.
Taxi for Bandanaman
Only to be saved by an incredulous fellow Glaswegian, a part-time taxi driver who just happened to be passing.
And amusingly told us that we would still be by the roadside right into the Monday had he not passed by.
It’s just another example of Scottish Macnana island time.
But there are few places on Earth that you would rather be stranded in for an evening.
As long as the rains don’t lash you and the midges bite you!
