An alternative (non-mainstream) tale of 🔺RED🔻 WINTER🔻

Don't watch news, don't pay attention to forecasts – it changes all the time in Scotland anyway, and they kinda tend to exaggerate in order to cover backsides, and have days off. So off I went to the nearby city – 80km, to see my friend S, as we had arranged some weeks ago. Snow everywhere but no problem with the local Edinburgh bus to the station, the train to Central Scotland, and then the connecting bus to the village by the Ochills. Not much traffic, schools closed, day bright, mood great.

The last mile of the walk it started snowing and when I walked into the building where S stays, there was a television beating out concern and drama: “Weather Warning Red Alert”. All heads turned as the snowman walked in and shook himself off - “Wow, you actually made it!”.

Stayed a few hours – catchup, old times, new times. Then his energy's out and he's to return upstairs. No other visitors, but the sky is still quite bright and it's not snowing. The telly is incessantly screaming RED, but I feel I'm used to mainstream lies and exaggerations, besides.... I discover the route through the woods that I had seen on Google Maps – what breathtaking vistas of snow-laden branches – I want to sit and enjoy but don't have anything dry to sit on.

Just as well, I get to the road and the bus comes along around 4pm, within 10 mins of arriving - “Last service this one, Red Weather has cancelled all public transport”. I'm dropped off at the station – 50 mins to Edinburger by train. But the station is chained up, no sign, no need for one – "We're off home, see yaaz!" No buses either, “Sorry pal”.

Ach well @barge, you the hitch-hiker won't have any problems – on you go! So off I start for the Edinburgh road. Standing on the verge, it's snowing but I've not long to wait. Big SUV with well-to-do couple takes me to the motorway some miles along. Lebanese, and I briefly tell them about Steemit and how I blogged about travelling through Lebanon in 1996. They head off to Glasgow, urging me to stay in a hotel and offering to take me to one on their way. Thanks for the thought guys but I want my-style comfort & dryness, my bed, plus I wanna see Shanti.

The snow is heavy, the lanes on the slip road are covered in white and the few cars that pass, crawl. Mr Nice-guy Pessimist takes me to within 40km of home, sky now darker and snow drifting down and the motorway made ready by Mother Nature for skiing. Bigfat roundabout, utterly deserted, gray industrial buildings shrinking from sight. I take a piss, not looking, and half of it lands on my coat (now washed)! No traffic at all going my way, it's getting dark but I can still be seen in the white. I'm not worried, if I'm stranded, can ask the DJ or even mum to come and get me.

Walk onto the motorway and stick thumb out – “WTF are you doing on the MOTORWAY barge? The Police will charge you!”, said the concerned snow-truck-driver who was only going a mile up the road. “Ach this is an exception and I need to get home. I'll answer for myself and take my chances. I'll be careful, thanks for stopping!”.

Hmmm, there's still trickle-traffic, and it's slow, plenty of room to pull over - only one lane clear for driving. I'm an experienced thumber, I'm chilled – thankfully with double socks on! Thumb out for a few mins until I see the white car slow down and pull over with punctured wheel flapping – what a time for it! “Goodness, broken down just 100 yards up from me, don't wanna freak him/her/them out – but, should I see if they need help? Hmm, let's just wait a min or two and continue hitching”......beeep beeep, I run over – “hey I thought you had broken down Mister!”. But they were 'tyre curtains' for gripping the snow, and Mr Really Nice Engineer had waited for me to clock the situation. Thank you sir!

He's off to collect the Mrs from Edinburgh station, stuck on her way back from England – no trains innit! I get off just past the zoo, I know that public transport is off. But there were buses operating in Auld Reekie town - I could've got a direct one from the station! I'm tired, but never mind, the adventure is still on and I set off on callused-cross-city feet. Empty streets, diffused light, atmosphere timeless and magical. End of the built-up part, now for the 2-mile woods by the river – enterrrrrrrrrrr.

Silvery trees, rush of rushing water, snowy path to cushion corns, the soft reaches of my Emdi-Yemmay high. I know this path so well, yet it is different now – is that a torch being shone? Who's there? – I turn around. Lady Moon! Myyyyyyyy goodness I'm blown away Gorgeous! Utterly! – standing there, mesmirized in the silver light and sparkling, dancing water. An owl hoots, I answer, but it knows the imposter and ignores the call. I don't mind, I feel totally accepted as I walk through the valley of white magic. Left calf cramping I rest, it's not an ordeal for there is so much beauty, my spirit is happy and the end of the journey is near.

Back home to the DJ's and Shanti's relief – heartwarming that they care! Blissful shower – toes on the cusp of numb-frozenhood, revived! Bits and bobs, smokey steemit chill and then the joy, the rest, of my own bed!