I'VE ARRIVED!

Three flights, one hire car and more than 30 hours after leaving Sydney, here I am in my village (which will remain anonymous to protect the natives). The drive from Edinburgh was amazing - the countryside is just beautiful and got more so the further into the Highlands I went - and it's autumn so the colours are just incredible. I went through stone walled villages, past lush lush pastures, suddenly turned a corner to be presented with a breathtaking vista - it's amazing I didn't have an accident, especially as the locals drive at terrifying speeds around windey roads, I think a few whiskies has taken all sense of fear or caution from them.

My cottage is totally divine - it only has a back door - I've taken a pic of what I look out onto from my desk (and will post up soon when I've worked out the technology), which is tucked into a corner of the dining room. That sounds grand but it is a very SMALL dining room, complete with granny rocker (which I have plans to move into the living room - I'm nesting).

So I can report that I've been here less than a day and it has been jam-packed. Firstly I went to the village store and met Fiona and Sally (who seemed to have had advance warning of my arrival) and stocked up on neccessities (tea, wine, oj - a liquid diet as you can see). I asked about buying a paper but was told that if I wanted a paper to go to the next village's Post Office where they would order it for me and the postie would deliver it each day.

Having unpacked, I hopped back into the hire car (which I keep forgetting has a clutch. Embarrassing.) and off I went at 3.00pm to order my paper. Next village about 20 minutes drive away. Oops - it's Wednesday which means early closing at 1.00pm. Fortunately the postmaster was just locking up so he unlocked and we have negotiated a local paper and The Times each day - which I should get by midday - snow, sleet and deer crossing road permitting.

Back at my village I went next door for a quick cuppa with my new neighbour and landlady, Jeanette, who is just absolutely georgeous - and a mine of information on everything from the local hat making classes (one day, 25 pounds or 40-something dollars) to the best golf courses (Dalmunzie but not pronounced anything like you'd expect it to) and the finer quirks of my heating system. Three hours later and quite a few cuppas I am back in my cottage!

If this is village life, I hope I have the stamina!

PS - a neighbour called Ian dropped in two potatoes and someone else left me 6 eggs.