Right now I'm sitting in our very nice hotel room. I can look out the window and see little brown-roofed Scottish houses and there is a grey moor to the right. You can hear seagulls cry and the air is crisp. Little low-lying bushes of crab apples and currants are running below the edge of the moor.
Today was an early morning as we packed up enough of our belongings to last till Sunday and left the flat around 6:45 and left for the King's Cross train station. The weather was slightly chilly and overcast, with the occasional fog cloud or sprinkle to make things interesting. Funny thing is, anywhere else and you'd be complaining about the "poor" weather whilst here, for London, it's absolutely perfect! We arrived at the station and Victoria picked up the tickets that her Dad had ordered (at a great price too...thanks Mr. Stringer!) :) We settled into the station to wait for our 9:30 train to Edinburgh. Lots of people were about, and tourists such as ourselves were very scarce, so it seemed. Lots of locals and businesspeople and pigeons. I bought myself something I had been wanting to try since I had seen everyone drinking it: "juicy -water." It's water with a splash of juice sold in bottles. Then we went over to see the famed platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter. Next we went to the loo (bathroom) and the only reason this is worth mentioning is that in the city, at any public terminal (where you are practically being held hostage already) you have to pay to use the bathroom. Not much, only 30 pence, but it has to be in certain change denominations. Thankfully there was a change machine nearby, so we made use of it.
Next was waiting and more waiting, as our train was delayed about half an hour due to electrical problems at Finchely park, wherever that was. I got up to walk around and all the sudden this little Yorkshire Grandma with an extremely thick accent, started to talk to me and commiserate about the delayed trains. I replied, totally by accident, in a British accent. She kept chatting about a "smash-up" (crash) that there was on her street, and then about how she was trying to catch the Peterbury train but it changed gates and delayed several times. She also asked me where I was of too, and I told her we were on holiday in Edinburgh. It was interesting, as she seemed to think I was just as British as she was. Finally, I decided I was pushing my luck and, not wanting for her to inquire where I was from, ended our tete-a-tete by saying I needed to go use the loo, which in fact I did already. Drinking is an expensive habit when you're waiting on a train! :)
Finally it was time to board the train with the hordes of other travellers. We got into the car and took our seats. I got a window seat (well, half a window seat) and Victoria was next to me and Galen got an aisle seat. The ride (4 hours in duration) crisscrossed the English countryside and was absolutely beautiful to watch from the train window. It was very flat and looked tidy with the neat little hedgerows leaving green-brown grids dividing up the lush green fields that were filled with mostly sheep, cows, and some horses. It felt like riding through a storybook! Each little village had a church or chapel right smack dab in the middle. Some of the towns we rode through were Durham, York, Grantham, Doncaster, and Newcastle.
Whilst on the train I had to go to the train restroom (I suppose it was all that juicy-water) which was an experience. I got over there and was waiting near the door next to another guy when a third came up. Turns out he was travelling with both the guy in the bathroom and they guy next to me, because he began hurrying up the guy in the bathroom. Imagine this sentence with a thick accent.
"C'mon now Bob! Hurry up will ya? There's a lady here waiting! C'mon Bob!"
*pause*
"What's he got, a camel bladder?
Then they casually mentioned that their car was the tanker car, where you get tanked (drunk) before you get to your destination. ha.
After the bathroom (which was literally smaller than an airplane's) I got back to my seat just in time to see the Scottish landscape beginning to come into view, along with the ocean! The Scottish countryside, or at least the part we travelled throught, looks similar to its English counterpart: crisscrossed with hedges, green, sheep/crops in the fields. It is, however, a trifle more hilly and rugged/rocky as well. I wish I could have dozed off like Victoria and Galen did, but I kept on getting distracted by the scenery. :)
Our Scottish train announcer had quite the personality. When we were approaching the station, he said the following:
"Thank you for travelling Eastways rail line. Now, the station is very busy today and so your patience would be appreciated, as likely the attendants are all running about like chickens with their heads off. Thanks again for travelling Eastways rail line, and we hope to be of service in future."
We all cracked up. Stepping off the train, the air was fresher and a good deal more cooler as well. Once we were out of the station it took us a while to locate the bus that would take us to the Premier Inn, our hotel for the weekend. It was a bit harried and crazy as we rushed through the streets for our bus to the Musselburgh area of town. We ended up walking a bit down the Royal Mile in our search, which is a line of old stores and buildings that go for roughly a mile. Finally we located our bus, obtained the correct change for it, and went on a ride that will now henceforward be known as "The Longest Bus Ride in History." It seemed like it would NEVER END!! It was nice to see the city from the windows. Later we were shocked to discover that we had, in reality, only ridden 4 1/2 miles. But when you are stopping at every bus stop known to man between point A and point B, it takes a good deal longer. Finally, we reached our hotel where we checked in and went off to dinner at a little restaurant nearby. We were all quite famished, and Galen got tikka masala, I got a british burger with salad, and Victoria got a Bacon and chicken salad. It was absolutely delicious and the folks were quite nice and accommodating. We headed back to the hotel for showers, some R&R, and face time with my family before bedtime. I apologize for the lack of pictures! Internet here is 3 pounds per 24 hours and on only one device, so I promise to make up for it sooner or later. :)
British-isims and Quickbits:
Trash is almost universally called "rubbish" instead of "trash."
There is almost always a dine in charge if you are eating at a place that can be eat in or take out
The guys here wear their hair a certain way. Will attempt a stalker picture tomorrow of someone with the hairstyle I'm describing.
You know how they drive on the left side of the road? Well, if you are walking up a flight of stairs, walking down the street, you walk on the opposite side that you normally would. For example, going up a flight in the states you keep right. Here, you keep left.
Just when you think that you've figured out London? Well, you go to Scotland, of course, where the bus lines are as confusing as the city is beautiful. Oy.
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