First trip of 2019
30 March 2019
by Liz MacInally
We have been driven mad by the political turmoil over the winter months, so planning a trip in the van helped keep us sane. We linked together a number of events and visits, and it all began to take shape round the OCC AGM near Caernarfon in early April. I noticed an invitation online to a meeting in Dundee of the NACWG group, so the itinerary began to take shape.
We set off on Wednesday morning and droveacross country towards Dundee, stopping at St Fillans on Loch Earn for lunch on the way. The weather was kind to us, and we arrived in Monifieth half way through the afternoon, at the Riverside Campsite, right on the beach, a good choice both for walking the dog and for frequent bus service to Dundee city centre. Dinner on board, then a quiet night. Hardly any other rigs in a very well-ordered site.
On thursday morning I headed for Dundee while Ju had a relaxing day walking Jack and chilling in the van.
I on the other hand was taking a stroll into my past, and the days of working in equality training of various kinds. The First Minister's National Advisory Group on Women and Girls has at its centre the intention to inform law and policy makers about the implications of policies on women and girls, and how these need to be taken into account if society is to achieve equality. I arrived early, and was pleased to see one face I recognised, Satwat Rehman who I worked with in the early nineties as part of the Lothian Equality Education Team. Those were the days! She remembered me, which was nice, and she now works for One Parent Families Scotland as their CEO. We agreed ina brief conversation that things have certainly moved onin the intervening years, equality is now seen as a mainstream issue, not the irritating sideline which many of the people we used to work with in our training sessions considered it to be. I had some great discussions with the women at my table, representing the police, the fire and rescue service, and local authorities. It quite took me back!
Afterwards I strolled down to the Discovery and finally did the tour of the exhibition and the ship, then had a look at the new V and A building. I was vry impressed by the design of the place, and the fact that it was full of Dundonians enjoying the cafes, the exhibits, and the stunning views.
Then back to Monifieth for another pleasant evening and night aboard Reg, then off on Friday morning to Kelso, via Falkland.
We left Jack in the van and toured Falkland Palace, still a royal palace, apparently, and the only one still to have a Roman Catholic chapel in it, from Stewart times, and it now serves as the village's RC church every Sunday. Amazing!
Lunch in a local pub, then off down to Kelso, where we put Reg through her first carwash for while, filled her up with petrol, then headed for Ju's Mum's, where we will be parked up for a couple of days before venturing down to Englandshire and Wales for the next part of our journey. TTFN.
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