No, i certainly did not expect tourist signs with the friendly pointers saying THIS WAY TO THE TOURIST HOTSPOTS.
Obviously Shetland is more in tune with its closer proximity to Denmark and Sweden.
Visited Iceland donkey's years ago, and there was not much going on there, the Blue Lagoon, and that was about it.
Shetland was a bit too bleak and lacking in visitor highlights, you had to make up your own entertainment there, and HEAVEN forbid if you took the family there, expecting an action packed adventure.
Daddy, can we go to the beach, or funfair, sorry LUV we are on Shetland, the isles of Norse sagas, Noggin the Nog and Odin, just conjour up the imagination of a Viking longboat setting sail from that cove, there yonder.
Shetland was Ok, i saw the highlights, but unless you had really done your homework before getting off the ferry, it was lacking in things to do, places of real excitement.
Spending a fortnight there, you might struggle to get the history juices flowing.
Orkney on the other hand, its the only place i made a special return trip, to get a tourist momento, that no matter how hard i tried i could not get on the internet.
The object of my desires, was the tiny Orkney Angel, the small stone carved figure of a bucksome well endowed women, unearthed at the Ness of Brogar.
Its recognised as one of the earliest known figures of a human, to have come from the British Isles, and i wanted one.
I saw one for sale in the gift shop at Skara Brae, the first time i visited the island, and was desperately annoyed i didn't buy one.
Several emails to Scottish Tourism, and a polite and long winded phone call to the Skara Brae visitor centre, only to be told, they didn't have them in stock, and didn't know if they would be getting anymore.
A journey of 658 miles was undertaken, and it was the first thing i looked for on arrival at the shop, and £5 came out of my pocket.
It now sits pride of place on my mantlepiece at home.
Nobody has asked me What is That, but Orkney was special enough to warrant a return trip of 658miles just to get hold of a piece of carved resin.
If your not into archaeology or history, you simply would not care, but i promised myself, i will return to this amazing island
It was to be expected i suppose, but once you ticked Jarlshof off the list, you were struggling to find other exciting things to do on Shetland.
Running around the most northerly roundabout in Britain, when there was no traffic coming, was fun, and taking a selfie of me outside the doorway at the Sheriffs office in Lerwick, cos i am a fan of the Shetland series (HOPE THEY MAKE MORE).
Those were the main highlights, otherwise, Shetland was just another thing to tick off my bucket list.
No doubt, i will be corrected, and have the virtues of Shetland pointed out to my untrained eye, but it was a very lengthy ferry trip, that was worthwhile, just to say ive been there.
I am not the kind of person who lives the life of partying and burning the midnight oil, but i found the Outer Hebrides more action packed than Shetland.
Benbecula was on par with Shetland, a long way there, and not an awful amount to do on your arrival.
Ah give me Orkney any day of the week.