Dora the Explorin': Parte I

Okay guys, I think it is time we talk about something. All of you should know by now that I am not a very adventurous person. I like to plan things. I like knowing what will happen and when. I like knowing what I am going to say. I like knowing what is in my food.  I don’t impulsively buy things (too often). I don’t jump into the pool full-on cannonball, I slowly lower myself in to get used to the temperature.

 The other day it was very nice out, and after I made lunch (PB & J on pita!) I decided I would go on a walk for a bit. I’ve already walked into Bridge of Allan a bunch of times, so I decided to explore the neighborhood that Uni is in. This caused me to take a right at the first street I came to. First I wandered around the place. I saw lots of big houses that should be castles. Many of them also had little….sheds?shacks? enclosed gazebos? In their backyards. They all were fairly small, one room, with dark wood paneling and shingles.  And windows that went all the way around. They fit a couple of chairs, and I can think of no better use for them than sitting in the chair, with hot chocolate and book and watching snow fall in the winter.

I will be honest, I was a little bit nervous about the aimless wandering. What if there was a serial killer in the nice houses? Or kidnappers? Or I looked like someone the Scottish mafia was out to get?  When a car passed me then slowed, I became more nervous. Were they going to open their doors, whip out a gun, kill me, then leave the gun and take their haggis? Instead, two young people got out and walked up to one of the houses. Whew! Crisis averted!

At some point I ventured to the very end of the street, past the sports club where I observed two brothers playing tennis, and past the Bowling and Spa Club—all the way to where the neighborhood meets the woods. There was a stone wall, and beyond that a little dirt path that ran parallel to the street. I hopped on, thinking I would go for a few blocks than head back. Then I got to a bench and a path that diverged into the woods. I took a picture and kept going, until I reached another path that diverged into the woods.

Okay. So that part where I like knowing what is going to happen and when and I want to plan and all that? Well, I decided that I would just go into the woods. It was a big decision, trust me. I had no phone and no camping supplies in case I got lost. I didn't even know the name of the street I would be ditching. So I wandered up the path (a fairly steep hill—even by San Francisco standards) certain that MorDu (the scary bear from Brave) was going to pop out of nowhere and eat me alive, or that some rogue bagpipes would kidnap me. Being a city kid, I am used to worrying about serial killers, muggings, gangs, all that fun stuff. After a while, you don’t even think about in anymore.

However, this woodsy stuff? I jumped every time something shook or I heard a branch crack, or I saw something scurry. It’s not like I haven’t been hiking before, but at least then I had read about the path. I would know whether to expect mountain lions or wild turkey or something. I knew when to pretend to be big and loud, and when I would be better off playing dead. But I don’t know what lives in Scotland! There could be crazy kilted clansmen hiding somewhere!

Finally, I found a board with a description of the path I was on. It’s called Wolf’s Hole Quarry and Mine Woods. Uhm, not helping! Wolves? That was not something I considered when leaving the comfort of my dorm! The board listed several points of interest along the path, including the entrance to a mine, and a panoramic view of the countryside. I took a picture of the mine (I was pretty sure I heard something clang and growl, so I jumped away quickly) and made my way up to the countryside.

Oh. My. Goodness. It was certainly worth the hike. The view was absolutely beautiful. Even with the golf course in the foreground. After I snapped several pictures, I kept walking along the path.

I don't know if those things on the farm are sheep or haystacks.

Then everything got a little bit sticky. The path diverged. I didn’t know which way to go, so I picked a way and went with it. Eventually they met up. This happened again. And again. Once the paths diverged a fourth time, I didn’t think anything of it, and just picked a way assuming they would meet up again.

Where am I??? Dwindling daylight :/

This ended up being terribly wrong. I went farther and farther into the woods, finding more and more diverging paths. I hadn’t reached any of the rest of the points of interest the map mentioned and was getting a little worried. When I noticed the sun setting, I think a wee bit of panic set in. No one knew I was here. I had no way of contacting anyone. The place was called Wolf’s Hole for heaven’s sake! My only consolation was that I was right next to a golf course, and if I got really desperate I could run through it to the clubhouse and ask for help.

As I kept following and following the path, I thought back to the slowing car on the street and my initial panic. I realized that I am in Scotland, not the U.S. There will be no serial killer with a gun jumping out from the bushes. There will be no rogue Vice Presidents going hunting and shooting me. The squirrels in the U.S. would eat the squirrels here for a snack, they’re so small. I didn’t have to worry about anything!

Of course, this didn’t stop me from worrying about the dwindling daylight. I did reason that I had a scarf and could tie myself in a tree and go to sleep if I had to though. And I could lick moss off of rocks if I got hungry.  

However, I was not looking forward to either of these options and really just wanted to find a way out.

I continued to follow a muddy and a little overgrown path until I reached a wider, more clearly marked one. I followed it for about ten minutes when all of the sudden, I popped back out of the forest. This is what Lucy must have felt like the first time she returned from Narnia. For all my panic and worry, I was fine! I wasn’t going to be carried off and raised by sheep! The bench I had initially taken a picture of was right there. The sports club across the street was still intact—the two brothers were still playing tennis! Nothing had changed! I even managed to make it back to campus without asking for directions.

Now no one can complain that I do not adventure enough! This was more than enough adventure for me! Ahumph!