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September 10th 2006
Published: September 9th 2006
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Hello
Hope all are well.
Yeah.....time does fly when you're havin fun...

After leaving that section of the Highlands, i passed through Glinfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel. Magnificent site that was. With much history as well. The clan systems and warfare between them down through the ages is fascinating. I kept going that day and finally got to the beach of Morar. White sand with turquoise waters welcomed me that day. It was much needed since i had seen rain everyday in Scotland so far. The sun came out and the storms broke. I was in shorts and running down sand dunes along the blue sea all afternoon. ~Alone. I camped that night on the beach with nobody to bother me. Except the sunset and crashing waves.
What a time.

I passed through a small fishing village and caught a boat over to an island in the Hebrides.
I headed straight to the Cullins. The only real alpine type ridge and peak system in the UK, i headed there to hit some peaks after getting warmed up on Ben Nevis. The peaks rise 3,000 ft right from the sea and have treeless slopes and knife ridges with serious class 3 and 4 scrambles to the summits. 2 of the 11 peaks are technical climbs but those had to wait.
Weather turned out to be a problem my first day and it rained out all attempts. Fine walks in the valley and that night at the small inn for climbers down in the valley i met Tom. A student from Cambridge, he was spending his summer climbing peaks and learning the top mountaineering skills needed for the big peaks in the world that he has his sights on. Having just done Mt Blanc down in the Alps last week, he was up here finishing up his quest to be the youngest solo native to climb all the Munroes. (The 284 peaks over 3,000 ft. in the UK)

His buddy had to head back to school so i told him i would stay and smash any peaks he wanted no matter the weather or conditions. He had the maps and knew the terrain. So, up high , when visibility went to 10 yards in the mist and fog, we were fine.
That day was amazing. We climbed 3 peaks and had no trouble with the technical sections even though the rain, mist and thick cloud cover made it real, real interesting. More fun thats all. I got a couple of breaks in the mist and had some Amazing views of the islands of the Hebrides and the lochs and connecting ridges.
I could have done 3 more but the day was getting on and the temp was dropping. I loved being up high and testing your limits.

Tom has some really interesting goals for the next few years and i really envied the plan for he and his father to walk the entire length of the UK next summer. (bottom of England to the top of Scotland) 3 months it will take. What a great time to have with your father doing something like that.
The next year he will ski across Greenland and the plan is for he and I to climb Denali in Alaska. Good stuff.

I had to head out and i made for Inverness the next day. I had a day to recover and sleep in a real bed and hostel then fly down to London.
I made it to Bertie's moms' place in north London.

You guys remember Bertie? We explored NE Turkey for a few weeks in May together before he went south then west to Italy. He helped bail me out of that problem in the Russian police station.
Its really nice to be in a home with warm rooms and a full fridge and a washer and no worries and not having to spend 40 dollars a night on a bed.
He just got in from 11 months away a day before i got in so he is trying to adjust and fit back into life again. It's hard and i will face that in about a week.

I have another day to see and hang out in London before i fly out on Sunday. I have about a week in Iceland. I can't wait to see that island. Amazing things i have heard.

Then back to America. Strange it is. All this time, all these places and i will be home this soon. Unreal.

OK. I will talk to you again i hope before i fly into New York.
I will enjoy my last days of this journey of a lifetime - 2006

When i get in i will be jobless, broke, carless, and homeless but yet soo rich ......and fortunate .....and filled with so much.........

its been soo amazing....\


well, goodbye from London.....\\

and Iceland awaits



love
Jonathan





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