More tea

Wednesday 24th October

Amanda, Briony and I made our own way to a larger, well-known tea plantation in the morning. There were some fantastic views, but unluckily our expectations of a fresh cup of tea at the end of a steep climb were not met, as the tea cafe and factory were closed for renovation, starting from that day and lasting for only three days. So, we didn't time it well! With the uncanny memory of a family holiday in Wales hovering over me, we got some inferior takeaway tea instead and sat outside - until the rain started again - and then we moved inside to drink our takeaway tea on a bench, staring at a wall and breathing in paint fumes. Good times!

Amanda got the bus back to the hostel but Briony and I walked back. It was a lot longer than we anticipated so we got caught in the rain and ended up walking about 15K altogether that day. By the time we got back to the hostel, we were completely drenched and my feet felt like a separate entity to the rest of my body.

In the afternoon I chatted with others at the hostel, all of whom were leaving the Highlands the following day because of the miserable weather. We decided to do the same. In the evening we all sat round and had a beer by a cozy fire, drying our shoes and listening to the strange sounds of one of the hostels owner's friends playing the guitar and 'singing' everything from the Beatles to Ronan Keating, in between swigs from his bottle of Whiskey.