I'm off to Shetland this week for work.It involves driving to Aberdeen tomorrow afternoon and getting an overnight boat to the main town, Lerwick. The Old Norse name, Leir vik, apparently means "muddy bay". Vikings were clearly too busy raping and pillaging to engage in poetic licence – I remember reading somewhere that Reykjavik means something like "shitty bay".
Ironic really, because I have heard only good things about the Icelandic capital, and would love to go there. After saving up collosal amounts of money first, of course – I believe a night out for most visitors involves remortgaging your property and selling at least one family member into slavery. I have been to Lerwick a number of times, though, and it is one of my favourite places to visit – a beautiful old town, and a storming nightlife (with thankfully more reasonably-priced beers). Just a shame I am only there in passing for work. This trip will involve two overnights, which is the longest I have ever been there. I keep telling myself I am going to do a week or so's holiday in Shetland some time in the future, to really explore the place.
But in the meantime, I will have to make do with being paid to go there out of your hard-earned taxes!
It's a hard life…