The upside of small town or country life is that it affords one the freedom from citified hustle and bustle, and often inspiring views. However, when the simple life gives way occasionally to a former city-dweller's need for some serious retail therapy, or an obligatory errand, a road trip is at hand.
We often travel to Scotland to visit A's family and/or friends, and we enjoy various weekend day-trips which enable me to see more of the country. Most of the journeys we make are approximately 3 hours in duration, with the added bonus that this night owl must rise at 5:00 a.m. and hit the road dressed and fed by 6:00 a.m., snoozing while A misses out on the worst of the traffic. When the sun rises, the trek usually becomes more interesting as beautiful vistas unfold before my bleary eyes. Sometimes, I even remember to bring my camera.
Early last week, I received a letter which soon necessitated yet another mission of the compulsory variety. In fact, I had a time-sensitive and official errand to attend to and was given a choice of venues in which to accomplish it. A careful examination of the options revealed unsurprisingly that each selection entailed ... you guessed it ... another 3 hour car ride.
A and I chose a location which would allow the most scenic views en route, and enable me to further explore the region after the task was concluded. As we had recently enjoyed a small spate of sunshine, it never occurred to us to check the weather. We consequently enjoyed heavy snow on the way, which eventually gave way to spots of greening pasture, mist, then cold rain. Nonetheless, we made the most of the day, which included a gray but lovely university town, a stroll through an outdoor market, and culminating in a side-trip to a large indoor mall.
Although multiple 3 hour driving trips in a month are exhausting, I wouldn't trade our Cumbrian life for anything.
We may be 3 hours from many larger locales, but we have unfettered access to friendly folk, lovely country, and a less-harried life.
