I survived!

I'm totally going to make t-shirts that say "I survived Dr. Bell's study abroad trip" when I get back.  Between the overnight train ride and then the boat ride today, it's a wonder we are alive!  Ok so it wasn't that bad, but it feels bad!  We attempted to take a small boat to Staffa to see puffins today.  But the weather was TERRIBLE and the sea had lots of high waves so it was a very rough ride.  The sea was so bad we could not land on Staffa (but we were able to see seals on the ride over).  Three people got sick enough to see their lunch again...and about six total (me included) got sea sick.  It was not fun.  And because the waves were so high everyone got soaked.  It was definitely an experience.

I was able to talk to one lady today that was visiting the island.  She and her husband (who was 90 years old!) were here just for the day.  She said they were staying on one of the other islands on holiday and heard about this island so they came for the day.  She said that she was not going to the abbey (she said she would not pay 5 pounds to see the abbey.  And she said the walk was just too much for her (it's only 1/2 mile walk) so she waited down in town while her husband did the walk.  She told me that she had never heard of this island prior to someone discussing it while they were on the main place that they were staying (I never got it out of her where she was staying, I only talked to her for a few minutes).  I found it interesting because I was under the impression that most of the people that come to the island come for spiritual reasons and for the pilgrimage.  This lady is the prime example that that is not the case; there are some that come just to be a tourist.  I hope to later speak to some people that do come for spiritual reasons.

This island is definitely beautiful.  I understand the draw to it.  Anywhere you look it is beautiful.  There is green everywhere.  Even when it is raining it is pretty.  The boat ride today, however, made me wonder how people without motorized boats could make it across in that weather.  They probably just waited until the waves were calmer.  However, if they were caught in a storm unexpectedly there would not be much they could do about it.  Such is the risk (and danger) is such a journey.