Lonely in Lerwick

My second breakfast of the day was at the Grand Hotel, where I had booked to stay for the night. I arrived at 8.30 a.m. and was given coffee and breakfast while my room, up five flights of stairs and down two, was made ready for my immediate use. This is a great hotel staffed by even greater people.

I then headed out to look at Lerwick. It was wet, and there was nobody around. I sat in the rain, glad for my dryrobe and waited for the shops to open. Only Specsavers did.

I then heard a tinkle of a bell and noticed Ellesmere Stores. I had no reason to go in, but it was dry, and I wanted some company. It was an interesting shop, similar to those I remember when growing up. I did not want to leave without buying anything, so I picked up a bag of ready-salted crisps and a fruit and nut bar, not realising I would be grateful for them later. You can only leave the shop by the back door as the way in does not have a handle on the inside.

Lerwick has plenty of steps and steep slopes, and terrifyingly narrow passages. One was only wide enough for a manhole cover, which made it especially claustrophobic.

The town's colour was grey, but in a sort of stylish, film noirish, chiaroscuro type of way. Even in the rain, it was attractive. There was also a delightful clock with bells every 15 minutes, which I miss hearing in Inverness.

I looked for somewhere to have supper. A couple of restaurants about a mile away, or fish and chips for the second night running. I made the most of my bag of crisps and bar of chocolate.