In limbo: the Ellis Cameron column

I’ve been back home in Benderloch for a month now, but I’m still getting to grips with the differences between living in the city and living in the countryside. Little things which I’d never noticed before are now becoming more apparent – and sometimes quite interesting.

My column last week focused on how to adjust with moving away from home to a big city, so this week I’m playing with the idea of re-adjusting to country living, and the peeves and perks which come with the lifestyle.

Animals Are Your Friends

One thing I really missed while being in Glasgow was being round animals. Unless you owned one, chances were you weren’t going to see/pat/play with one.

Not so much the case with being back home. I am now constantly covered in cat hairs, due to my two cats shedding fur excessively all over the house (thanks guys). But there’s something really nice about being able to curl up with a cat, or any animal for that matter, especially when you haven’t been around them for a while.

Weirdly, seeing animals like rabbits and deer evokes a strange excitement in me which is usually only found in city tourists. Basically, I’m appreciating all the wildlife around me, because not everyone is so lucky to have so many animals pretty much on their doorstep.

Where Has The Signal Gone?

Instead of being able to send a text or phone someone on my mobile from the comfort of my room, I now get to go for a ‘find-the-signal’ walk. This is sometimes frustrating, and I don’t understand why some areas seem to have such a distinct lack of signal.

Just because we’re rural doesn’t mean we don’t have lives and things to plan and organise. Technically, I’m not doing too bad, but one of my friends who lives on Lismore has to put his phone on a specific shelf in his house in order to obtain any form of signal.

This might not seem like a massive problem, but I think its’ a shame that communication can become so limited depending on where you live. I think it’d be really great if something could be worked out soon so that I don’t have to lean strangely toward different corners of the house and garden, waving my phone about like a crazy person, just because I need to contact someone.

Sand, Sun and Sandwiches

I’m lucky enough to be within walking distance to two beaches (Craigneuk and Tralee). These beaches are gorgeous, perhaps not all sand and bright blue sea, but very picturesque all the same. I’ve really missed being able to walk down to the beach and have a picnic or watch the sunset.

I’m also close to Benderloch’s mini-supermarket and the Ben Lora Café. The supermarket is very quirky, (painted in luminous pink and blue) and it’s really useful if you fancy a snack or have ran out of something vital.

The Ben Lora Café is very homely and friendly and has some really delicious food. The home-made Sticky Toffee Pudding is incredibly tasty, as is their Tiffin. I’d highly recommend a visit if you were passing through the area.

It’s really nice to have little quirks like these in Benderloch, it definitely makes the place more interesting than the average little village.

Overall, I’m starting to adjust properly to being back home for summer. The city is a very convenient, busy place to live, but I really enjoy coming back home to relax and recuperate here.

Things To Remember In The Countryside

• Buses – become essential in your everyday living. Paying £3.40 for a return journey into town seems painful at first, when previously you’ve walked everywhere, but soon it just becomes routine. You’ve got to pay to play and it’s just one of those things.
• Neighbours – are useful and caring. They will bring round your post if it’s delivered to them by mistake. They will say hello as you pass them. In the city, you don’t necessarily ever spend any time with your neighbours, but here they are friendly and chatty. This is something you will miss in the city and should appreciate while you’re living rural.
• Baking – can be very satisfying. I don’t generally make enough time for baking in the city, but somehow being home in the country makes me want to bake. I’m always chuffed with my all-in-one sponge cake, courtesy of a Delia Smith Recipe. However for more weird and wonderful recipes I used,  check out the Hummingbird Cake.
• Walking – becomes easier. There’s so much to look at, as the country is a very scenic place to be. Bright skies always force me out the door, all the while knowing you don’t have to fear busy streets with copious amounts of shoppers, ensuring that your brisk walk will turn into plodding along at a snail’s pace.
• Online ordering – can still be done. If you wish you were city bound but you’re at home for the day, remember most big brand stores have online shops, like Topshop. Or alternatively, pick up bargains on eBay, where you have to scout out the good deals and finds, but they’re ultimately cheaper, with friendlier service.
• Treatment in restaurants and cafés - will soar. Generally, I’ve found food facilities within more rural areas to be friendlier than in large cities. They’re fighting for business more than Starbucks or TGI Friday’s are, so the staff will tend to be more attentive and eager to help. It definitely makes me feel more comfortable and happier with my meal when the staff are chatty and the food is home-made. It might sometimes be pricier for a baguette here than in the city, but I know which one I’d rather eat.

Ellis Cameron: ‘Young in Argyll’ Editor

The photographs accompanying this feature are by copyright holder, Ellis Cameron.