One of the great advantages of working on a programme that airs at 8pm every night is that my alarm clock doesn't go off too early too often, writes Sarah Smith. But this morning was notable exception.
At 4.30am there was unpleasant ringing in my ear telling me it was time to start the long journey to work. The problem was I woke up this morning in a B&B in Kinlochewe,some 50 miles west of Inverness. And the only plane that could get me into work before the late afternoon was the 7am BA flight to Gatwick. And that meant climbing into taxi before 5am.
I had spent the weekend up north in order to climb a couple of Munros. Or more precisely the twin peaks of Beinn Alligin above Loch Torridon. There were a couple of scary moments as we scrambled over the famous Horns of Alligin when I wasn't sure I'd ever make it back to the More4 studio.
Our group leader helpfully handed out ropes and harnesses to the novices. To calm our nerves. But as we had no idea how to use this equipment - or any idea we were about to tackle terrain so dangerous it might be required - it only made us considerably more frightened.
The effort was more than rewarded by the views from the 985 meter summit. A very light dusting of snow could not obscure the spectacular views across Skye and all the way to Lewis and Harris. It really felt a million miles from the More4 newsroom.
Until a man introduced himself as old university chum of Jon Snow's and told me all about a sit-in at Liverpool University they'd taken part in together, a photo of which later appeared in Jon's book "Shooting History"
The very early start wasn't going to be the only painful part of the early taxi journey. It was also about to cost me £90! The penalty for not being able to drive. Thankfully another member of our party discovered at the last minute that he was due in parliament this afternoon to move an amendment to the Electoral Reform Bill and would have to also get the 7am flight.
So at least I could halve the cost of the trip while doing my little bit improve our democratic processes at the same time by giving him a lift.
7 hours door to door is pretty long commute - even if the only problem I encountered along the way was on the Victoria line. But almost certainly worth it. I made it in time for lunch with the Equal Opportunities Commission in Westminster. A slight limp from my aching muscles and throbbing blisters the only visible sign of my marathon journey.
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