August 22nd. Back to Stromness

Friday morning woke to thick fog and pouring rain.  It’s a good day to get off Hoy and back to Stromness.  We were incredibly lucky with our weather but all good things must end.
Must mention that cousin Pam sent a message to Leslie that she had found my backpack and jacket in the back of her car....... I hadn’t even taken it with me that day.  Did I have a red face?  Yes, I did!  Anyway. She mailed it to Dairsie so that I will have it before we leave for Amsterdam.  I owe you big time Pam!
So back on Stromness.  George was there to meet us at his hostel.  He generously put us up for the night. So we spent the day doing laundry, having showers and then out for lunch.  Leslie and Bid came over on a later ferry as they had a car and we Cameron a foot passenger ferry.  We all went out to the Ferry Inn for dinner.  What a good evening we all had.  It was great to catch up with George and Jacque.  The restaurant was packed but the food was good and so were the drinks.  After dinner we were heading to the Stromness hotel looking for a quieter place to visit when a bagpipe band arrived.  They were going to play for a cruise ship that was just leaving the harbour.  It was just a beautiful site.  After the Stromness we went to the Royal for a final nightcap.  All these places are special to us because we have been there several times before with all the Orkney relatives including Ian’s parents and my mother.  By this time Jacque had had to go home to the boys and Leslie and Bid were heading for their ferry.  They had booked a room on the ferry as their boat was leaving early next morning.  So it was just George, Ian and I for the final drink.  We said our goodbyes, took a few pictures and went to find our bed around midnight.