The Faroe Islands have a lovely friendly hospital, and we understand that there is beautiful scenery & walking too.

I (Dave) arrived from Edinburgh on Thursday 12 Sept, settled into our BnB in Torshavn then met Jan who flew from Iceland the next day.

Jan had been walking for 3 weeks in Iceland and was looking fit & cheerful. On Saturday we decided that the bus service was not as frequent and ubiquitous as the guide books suggested so we rented a car and moved to a BnB near Klaksvik.

The other error in the guide book was there was no mention of the fact that most walking trails had signs inviting you to put up to 200 kroner per person ($40 Cdn) into a box. We understand these payments are an issue in the current election campaign.

Fjords and high ridges block most routes, and the daily tunnel fee approaches the same cost as the car rental. The longest tunnel is about 7km, and the most exciting are the single lane tunnels in which one direction charges through with gay abandon, whereas the other direction searches desperately for a passing pull-out (unlit) whenever headlights appear from the other direction.

The remnants of Hurricane Dorian were passing over, which made some spectacular williwaws and wind gusts that could blast the car with sea water beside the fjords.

On Sunday we drove north to Gjogv and walked on the trail up to the cliff top looking north over the sea. The fulmars, gannets & puffins have mostly left their cliff nests, but Jan got more concerned about taking photos of the many colours of sheep.

Having eaten our granola bars, we found the path down. Approaching the village, Jan must have slipped and fallen awkwardly. Her nursing background allowed an immediate diagnosis of broken leg, but my ski patrolling background offering evacuation by piggy-back was rejected in favour of shuffling back down through the sheep poop with left leg in the air.

This is the first trip on which either of us has bought medical insurance. This led to 4 days spent more in beauraucracy than doctors' offices. The company in Canada wanted the diagnosis written on their form with a doctor's signature. We spent about $10,000 getting Jan back to Calgary with a leg in plaster kept elevated, and yesterday got an email agreeing that Janet has a broken leg and they will pay for everything (including my own 1st class seat to accompany her although I did not do so)

Jan was met at Calgary Airport and taken straight to Foothills Hospital and is awaiting surgery. However, the hospital computers were all down on Saturday!

The same surgery could have been done in Torshavn, and we liked the medical staff whom we met there, but we didn't relish the thought of surgery so far from home with very limited flights out.

Neil drove back home to Calgary from the BC coast, Fran has offered to nurse her, Karen met her at the airport, Peter took time from looking after his injured wife to drive us to Heathrow. Many thanks to you & the other people who have helped to evacuate Jan & get her safely 1/2 way round the world.

It's a minor but interesting observation that the local hospital bill for consultations, X-rays, advice, & a plaster cast came to 1,600 K whereas their bill for administering foreign patients & insurance companies was 6,000. So much for improved efficiency in our working lives!

Knowing that Janet is back near home & in safe hands, I now plan to continue my trip and walk from Cumbria, through the English Lake District to the Yorkshire Coast with Rich King.

I am looking forward to hearing that the surgery is complete, and starting walking (in the rain).

Dave