View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Thursday 13 January 2011

Thursday 13 January

Darkness has fallen on an indifferent day, very grey and lightless. Although the days are lengthening, it is still very much mid-winter.

I am not very pleased with my on-line travelagents, whom I contacted to submit a claim for compensation after my delayed journey to Holland last month. They got back to me today, telling me to send my claim to the wrong airline. Wonderful. I can see an insurance claim coming up.

Floods seems to be the order of the day. The flood at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, has peaked at nearly 3 feet below the predicted level. The devastation remains huge, and I anticipate the loss of life to rise further. Two or three tropical cyclones surround Australia, although none will affect the landmass of that continent directly.