Ye’re No Awa’ Tae Bide Awa’

It was a time of high excitement – for me anyway. For my parents there was a lot to be done – and in a very short time.  Travel to book, passports and vaccinations to organise – possessions to sell and to pack.

Right in the middle of it all I came down with a bad bout of flu. My clearest memory is of lying in my parents’ bed in the big front bedroom of the Desswood Place flat while they packed up stuff around me, ready to leave.

My schoolmates were sceptical, having heard me talk about Canada, but they soon came to realise that this was for real. As for me, I was too excited to think about missing Aberdeen – though I look back on it fondly now.  The prospect of journeying to an exotic continent like Africa was exhilarating.

A few days before we left, my parents’ application for permission to build the house they had planned earlier came up for hearing before the Council.  Aberdeen is very fussy about granting planning permissions – the Granite City has strict rules about building materials to start with. After the hearing was over, the tribunal did in fact grant planning permission and then my father had to tell them we were leaving the country.  One of the planners commented what a pity that was because we had such a very nice set of plans.  Typically, my father dropped the plans on his desk and shook him by the hand.  I imagine that house got built – I just wish I could remember where the piece of land was!

The blur of activity finally focussed itself.  On a late October evening we boarded the famous Flying Scotsman at Aberdeen station, surrounded by friends and my father’s colleagues – and there was a surprise – a lone piper in full kit who as the train prepared to pull away, played “Ye’re No Awa’ Tae Bide Awa’” – you may be going but you’re not going to stay away. What a moment of mixed emotions!

As it happened, we did stay away.  But that doesn’t stop me having a high priority to return for a visit. 

The first time I found the Aberdeen City Council’s Webcams – it was around Christmas a few years ago – I spent some days with them permanently open on my desktop, just alternating between the Castlegate and Union Street views. Thank you, Aberdeen City.  Your town gave me my best childhood memories, an education second to none at Harlaw Academy, and a wonderful appreciation of all things Scottish.

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