Sometimes North Is South
Our sports reporter Chick Young has been talking about caravans on the A9 again. It's part of his familiar routine about the epic distances involved for those football fans who have to travel to Inverness whenever Caledonian Thistle are playing at home. No matter that the Caley Thistle fans have to travel south more often than other fans travel north. No matter that footy fans of English league clubs have to travel much longer distances. No matter that caravans have come a long way since they were being pulled up the A9 by an over-heating Hillman Imp.
I am, however, unable to rebuke Chick about his geographic prejudices because he is protected by a powerful force: my wife thinks he's great.
Besides, he's not the only one. Phrases such as "the long road north" or "remote" find their way on to our airwaves far too often. When you think of it, a place is only north if you are south of it...and it's only remote when you are far away from it. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Scotland, however, covers the whole of Scotland with studios and production staff based all over the country. Saying that Inverness is in "the north of Scotland" makes perfect sense but assuming that everyone has to travel north to reach it does not.
Oh and while I'm galloping forward on this particular hobby-horse let me address the Frequently Asked Question about why I'm actually living in Inverness at all. Three little words: quality of life. Yesterday, for example, I suggested to Mrs. Z. that we meet for lunch. We left the town centre at one o'clock and ten minutes later we were parking at the Dores Inn on the shoreline of Loch Ness.
But I admit it: it would have taken longer if we were towing a caravan.
P.S. You can read Chick's blog by clicking here.
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