Day 22: Mealasta

Well, today's been eventful as usual. It's 6pm and I'm writing now because I've got time and because I need to get sleep early for an early start in the morning.

Eventful as it was, it's also been nice and relaxed. I got up at 9am, wrote the blog for yesterday, then for the fire going for breakfast. There was no heather close by so I made it my goal to light the fire with one bit of paper which worked just fine. I made some kindling sticks, as in bits thin enough that they would catch light quickly from the paper. Crumple the paper, pile some kindling on top, light the paper and hay presto - fire! Then lightly pile on progressively larger bits of wood (but not too soon). Then get some nice square stones to put the grill on. So I cooked some porridge for breakfast in the morning with jam and boiled some water for tead.

STV came at 11am(ish) and we did a wee bit of filming which will be on North Tonight either tomorrow (Monday) or the day after - fantastic! This is what the whole expedition's about - raising awareness and making people think. Iain McIver from and Michael the cameraman from STV were unbelievably kind, bringing gifts of locally baked bread, free range eggs, beef 'olives' (local beef), jam and salmon! I was set up.

After that I went to get some heather to light the fire again, it was a nice 15min walk up the hill which allowed me to look over yesterday's journey from Husinish - all 11km of it!

So I cooked dinner on the fire which had been kept going since PJ, Lewis, Nina, Suzie, Frin (the last three being the 'Lewis/Harris bikini girls') and Kara had cooked their lunch. Potatoes and beef olives (mincemeat rolled up in slices of beef) with stew - lovely! The porridge is cooking just now so I don't have to cook in the morning.

So now I'm sitting next to the fire, it's another nice night and there's some sorrel growing at the river so I'm going to get some vitamins! This place is idyllic, but then so were all the other places! I've packed the boat ready to try and leave at 9am.

Food today: breakfast - oatmeal with jam; lunch/dinner - potatoes, beef olives & sorrel.