Things I CAN'T live without on Skye! 12th March

Having a lazy afternoon my thoughts got to meandering as to the things I brought with me for my 4 months on Skye, and the things I couldn't due to luggage weight restrictions.

So what's the verdict? Was there anything I should have, could have but didn't bring and really miss or needed? Was there stuff I brought that I didn't need or use and could have sent home?

Top 5 ESSENTIALS to survival here:

1. Hunter Wellies (forget any fashion type of wellie or gumboot - you need function here for the deep bogs and mud - and they are waterproof!) and thick Icebreaker socks!

2. A hot water bottle (Yes I brought mine from home) - especially in bed at night!

3. Waterproof outerwear and hiking poles - I had a North Face Gortex Jacket with inner padded lining for warmth and a pair of Mont Hydronaute overpants and a brilliant set of Black diamond Trail Pro Shock Woman 2 (best $140 I ever spent!).

4. Camera Gear - seriously - this place is a photographer's paradise at every turn, in every light

5. Laptop - it's beautiful but isolated - you need one for your amazing photo downloads and processing, and also to blog - so people back home can keep in touch and the distance between us doesn't seem so big! Especially those Grandies of mine!

Top 5 Useless Stuff I brought but not needed or pointless here:

1. Make-up - no need here and it usually doesn't stay on unless you have all waterproof and a waterproof fixer

2. Curling Iron - FFS - what was I thinking - anything you do to your hair is buggered as soon as you walk out the door in the wind - forget it - just tie it up - it could have stayed back home

3. A razor - your legs are totally covered all day, every day so what does it matter - and my underarms have never been hairy - so no big deal I could have done without it

4. Going out clothes and underwear - you can wear your normal hiking gear and even your muddy wellies in even the posh places like Kinloch Lodge or Skeabost Hotel - they are used to it here. DO NOT TRY TO WEAR HIGH HEELS HERE THEY WILL NOT LAST LONG!

5. Changes of Jewellery - seriously - what was I thinking! I'm not in Paris here!

5 Things I should have brought but didn't: (sad face!)

1. My comfortable fluffy slippers or Ugg boots for around the house

2. My big blue warm fluffy dressing gown for when I get out of the shower in the cold bathroom

3. Hand sanitiser and face mask- due the Corona Virus Pandemic we are supposed to have them for out flight home but everywhere is sold out!

4. My dog Cebar - okay so that wouldn't really be possible due to quarantine etc, but I still wish he was here with us - I miss him.

5. My children and grandchildren - I'd love them to see this place of my ancestors and experience the snow, Heiland Coos and beautiful tranquility of this place and with them here I might never have to go home - just stay here forever!