De-ay minus one in the boardfree hoose. (said in Geordie/Scottish accent)

Right, so we started our journey a few days ago. But only up to John o groats…so technically we haven’t REALLY started our journey as of yet. But so far, I’ve come across more generous and giving people who are prepared to go out of their way to aid others so far, than I’ve met in a long long time. Maybe it’s because the team are in need and we notice it more. We’ve been so lucky already!
Driving up along the a99 to Wick at the north of Scotland, out in the sticks was an interesting journey.
We set off this morning at approx 7.10am after being woken up by the sweet sound of becks voice bellowing for us to get up because we needed to be out by 7.00am so Dave Hulme (the vw van man) could get to work. The last thing he needed was us lot crowding his house, making his lovely dog Jackson love us more! He was such a sweety. I can honestly say, I’m a dog person. I love my cat, Edith, to bits. But I’ll always love the way dogs give you so much more affection!! Jackson came in after Becki did and he started nosing my duvet off me! Clever little chap!

So off we go. Firstly, we picked Dmitry up from Glasgow outside a library. There was a hairy moment in the van as I hadn’t exactly learnt how to corner it properly. Here’s me, little ol’ me. I’ve been driving a one litre, three cylinder tiny corsa for nearly two years and I’m now an official VW campervan driver for a month! Am I scared? Yes. Nervous? Yes. Dangerous? Not any more. I learned my lesson. I thought Dave and I were going to take a dive off a bridge at one point. Never again!
I’ve exceeded my expectations of my driving today too. Dan has had to park once for me in a bay…brilliant reverse parking too! BRAVO! But I, after the second attempt, managed to squeeze our van into a driveway tonight, after arriving 12 hours after setting off at our destination…Wick.
At about 3pm we picked Si up from Inverness Airport…again, out in the sticks!!

Today we’ve had a few donations going through little villages and towns. One guy gave Dave £20 in a shop and a few children came up to me and gave me £1 each. How lovely are these people!
We’re staying with a contact of Dave’s. And what a contact!!!! These people are just sooo wonderful! Three course meal, parking spaces for a van and a car, SUNKEN IN BATH!!! And Dave, myself and Dmitry have been offered a place to stay tomorrow evening if needs be. I think we’ll take them up on the offer. It really is too good to refuse!!!

I’m really tired tonight. My back aches from all the driving too. At least we won’t be doing that much driving each and every day.
I am a little worried, however, about my personal links with people. No names being mentioned but I don’t want anyone to have preconstrude misconceptions of me due to my personal links somehow with them. Sometimes it can be easier to believe what you’ve heard from others rather than to find out for yourself and even though I don’t know the extent of what they know I’m paranoid about this affecting things. God I make no sense! It’s good to get it off my chest though. Rather than keeping mulling it over again and again.
I’ve had so many laughs today already. All the team are together for the first time and tomorrow I intend to get Dmitry to take at least one group still for me. I can’t wait. It’ll be framed when I get home!
Tomorrow I’m going to be focused on capturing the first day as well as driving. I think I’ll find it difficult with doing more driving than snapping but you gotta do what you gotta do. I need to remember not to be selfish too. I was driving to Wick and at several points in the journey received a firm pitter patter of Dave’s hands on my shoulders…I guess I must have been silently complaining by shrugging and wriggling to loosen my back muscles up a bit. Ooops! But I thought ‘hey, I should be doing this to you, this doesn’t make sense’. The first few days are going to be the most difficult in terms of endurance and we’ll soon see how it affects his body, but as long as he receives five star treatment from his team and gets loads of food shoved down his throat he’ll do just great. I’ve got every bit of confidence in you Dave, I know you can do this.
It starts tomorrow. Good luck to all of us!!!

No doubt a blog shall appear tomorrow!

Hollaballoo (becki’s new name for me…I quite like it!)