Madness.
That’s the only word for it.
Let me add another.
Utter madness.
To travel across Scotland, West to East, in a single day, visiting five independent bookshops along the way, to mark Independent bookshop Week, and paddling in two seas.
Along the way there would be Caro Pool Karaoke (Caro-oke?), water gun fights and cash raised for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
That was the cunning plan hatched by crime writer and Carry Sleuthing alum Caro Ramsay – and she roped in fellow author Michael J. Malone and your current correspondent too.
See what I mean?
Madness.
As it turned out we weren’t quite as tetched as we thought, because we cheated and visited our first bookstore – the fabby Print Point on the marvy Isle of Bute – on Friday afternoon.
It just wasn’t possible to make ferry crossings, paddle, traverse the country, spend time in the shops, donate signed books to be given away in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind and finally paddle again in the single day.
The shops were the aforementioned Print Point on the Isle of Bute, Hyndland Bookshop in Glasgow, The Edinburgh bookshop (guess where?), Far From the Madding Crowd in Linlithgow and Toppings in St Andrews.
However, we did manage to do it in a 24 hour period, so hey – that’s a day.
My boy Mickey also joined us, recent events in my life meaning that he had to become part of the team.
And, considering it was the first time he had been thrust into the limelight (not to mention travelling on a boat and staying in a hotel), he was an absolute star!
Mickey’s entire routine was obviously disrupted (he is more used to staying at home in Hole-In-The-Wall when I’m away) so there was a lot of walking about with him while hoping he would see to his necessaries. On one such saunter I grabbed some shots of the dying light
Then someone said let’s go see the Forth Bridge, but I could only find three.
While there, we spotted a zebra crossing. That meant we simply had to recreate a legendary album cover. I mean, it’s what you do, right?
And then it was across the Queensferry Crossing and into the Kingdom of Fife.
Toppings Bookstore in St Andrews, like the other shops on our tour, made us feel most welcome. And, like the other stories, it’s very much like a Tardis. It’s much bigger on the inside!
The tour over, there was only one thing left to do.
We had resolved to dip our toes in the water on both sides of the country and so it was off to the sands and off with the shoes and socks!
And out with the water guns.
It was a hugely enjoyable trip and I’d like to thank ann the bookshops who took part and made us feel most welcome as well as Caro, Michael and Parker out chauffeur (in another life Alan Stewart) for a great couple of days.
Frankly, Mickey and I really needed it.