I am slightly more awake now...
Aug. 13th, 2008 11:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
windemereThe following trip post is cut for length and excessive complaining of the UK transit system.
Yeah, that was bound to go horribly wrong somewhere. My first mistake was not shelling out the extra £30 to fly to Edinburgh. I mean, how stupid was I to think an eight hour train ride would be fun? Of course, had I actually slept in three days and if my back was not in agony, it might have bordered on doable. It was, in fact, utter hell, and I survived only because it was First Class and they gave me tea every hour so I didn't have to get up. However then we hit Newcastle and it all went horribly, horribly, wrong. They announced the tracks south of Edinburgh were flooded and all the trains had been cancelled and so they had to bus us. BUS. But because Crosscountry is the most disorganized company in the world, it was a free-for-all every time a new coach showed up and it was over an hour before I actually got on the road. And then it was another two hours in the pouring rain driving the least interesting road in the world. It was seven by the time I made Edinburgh (it was supposed to be 3) and then the next train to Aberdeen was delayed for an hour and I didn't reach St. Andrews until 9. But it was clear and beautiful there and Allison and I went for a long walk along the coast and around the Old Course. Even in the dark it was breathtaking. And then I drank wine (bless Allison: as soon as I dropped my bag on the floor the first question she asked me was "want a glass of wine"? I think I love her) and went to bed. And slept. OMG!
Woke up the morning of the 8th to SUNSHINE. Haven't seen that in, like, a week. And it was pretty warm out too, for Scotland. Allison and I went for a walk around town and then all the way out to the far side of the Old Course, dodging stray gold balls. It is probably the most idiotically designed course in the world. Of course. :D And then we had a great lunch outside at this really nice pub and then went shopping while trying to avoid the carnival that insists on taking up High Street three times a year. I feel so sorry for the people who live there. And then I got on a train (which was 15 minutes late) back to Edinburgh.
Only to discover that the reason I shouldn't have gone to Scotland in August was that the Fringe was on. How I forgot about this for the last eight months I have no idea, but I did. OMG. TOO MANY PEOPLE! And very few Kiwis/Aussies. It was a bit strange. Rachel and I were staying at Castle Rock, and she'd already been there for the afternoon, so I had a quick shower and we set off to walk the two+ miles to the Italian place we'd discovered last year. Well, it was worth the nearly five mile return walk, I have to say. Still the best pizza on Earth, and even though they were really busy we didn't have to wait long. Then we basically walked back and went to bed as Rach had been up since very early to catch her train.
Saturday it rained. Constantly. It was supposed to be clear that morning, but by the time we finished breakfast it was steady rain outside and it didn't let up. Still, we bundled up and set out to walk down to Holyrood. We managed to keep pretty dry until we started to the walk up and then we just got progressively more drenched with each passing minute. It took us an hour and a half to reach the top, with multiple stops as we took the really steep route (stupid us). But we MADE IT. And it was windy, rainy, and freezing up there and with thirty students pretty damn crowded. We took a few pictures and promptly fled down the easier path back to level ground. We were by this point completely drenched through, despite the rainy jackets and then Rachel took a tumble on the wet grass and ended up muddy too. We got many interesting looks walking back up the Mile, let me tell you. We showered and changed and went down to the pub for tea and burgers (OMG, still so good!) and then wandered the shops on Princes street for the afternoon before grabbing a picnic tea from Boots and scarfing it down in the hostel before we had to leave. And then we stood in the rain for half an hour in line while everyone around us complained about the weather. By the time we got up to our seats it was pouring and despite the ponchos we were kinda getting wet. As were the seats. Amazingly (Mother Nature had a moment of kindness) it stopped raining right before the Tattoo started. And by the time it ended there was a lovely sunset behind the castle. I have a lot of video which will one day get posted online. It was an amazing show, however, and I recommend everyone tries to go at least one in their lives. So much fun, even wet! Although the woman behind us could not for the life of her seem to clap in tune.
Sunday we woke to marginally better weather. We set out early to find a Fringe play to see (feeling obligated, you understand) and ultimately decided that "NOT Stalking David Tennant" sounded really really interesting and we should go see that. And then we went shopping for most of the day in between taking two bus tours of the city (the adult one and the kids one - the kids was more fun). Then we got dressed (in my new kilt!) for the play and managed through luck alone to actually find the venue as it was burried under the bridge at George Bridge. I always though that people who peformed at the Fringe did so because they couldn't get jobs elsewhere, but this woman who wrote and acted the one-woman play was astonishingly good. And actually trained to be an actor as her career. And it really was a good play; funny, sad, though-provoking, and I could completely relate to all parts of it - the story about wanting it all in life and convincing yourself that when you don't get everything it's because you didn't want it. Yeah, I can relate to that. And, of course, there was much glorifying of our favourite Time Lord (Kate, you would have hated it...:D). And then we went to dinner at Deacon Brodie's! OMG, still as fantastic as ever, although I only made it half-way through my haggis as it was half a dinner plate full. We never made it to dessert. Alas.
Monday we trekked back down to the train station and caught the delayed train to Peterborough where Rachel's mom kindly picked up our stuff so we could wander without bags. And I got to see the cathedral which really is stunning (and York always brags...) and moreover, free to enter. That's a change. And then we went out for dinner at this perfect country dinner/restaurant like the ones my dad loves going to, and I had the best ribs. And then Rachel and I stayed up a long time talking and playing on the internet. We had plans for Tuesday, but when we woke to rain we decided to spend the day on the couch watching TV instead. Yeah for Top Gear and DW! And Queen of Swords which was just so random. Honestly, all the tv you can't get in Canada anymore plays on like every channel you can imagine over here. I so don't get it. And then I got a train to London (delayed) and took the underground to Paddington (I've been to King's Cross now!) and then got another train to Exeter...which ended up 40 minutes delayed by the time it actually hit Taunton because of an electrical storm that knocked out all the signals. Right. And then I went to BED. And slept for 9 hours!
All in all, a good trip, even with the trains and the weather. But it wasn't exactly the relaxing vacation I was looking for.
Yeah, that was bound to go horribly wrong somewhere. My first mistake was not shelling out the extra £30 to fly to Edinburgh. I mean, how stupid was I to think an eight hour train ride would be fun? Of course, had I actually slept in three days and if my back was not in agony, it might have bordered on doable. It was, in fact, utter hell, and I survived only because it was First Class and they gave me tea every hour so I didn't have to get up. However then we hit Newcastle and it all went horribly, horribly, wrong. They announced the tracks south of Edinburgh were flooded and all the trains had been cancelled and so they had to bus us. BUS. But because Crosscountry is the most disorganized company in the world, it was a free-for-all every time a new coach showed up and it was over an hour before I actually got on the road. And then it was another two hours in the pouring rain driving the least interesting road in the world. It was seven by the time I made Edinburgh (it was supposed to be 3) and then the next train to Aberdeen was delayed for an hour and I didn't reach St. Andrews until 9. But it was clear and beautiful there and Allison and I went for a long walk along the coast and around the Old Course. Even in the dark it was breathtaking. And then I drank wine (bless Allison: as soon as I dropped my bag on the floor the first question she asked me was "want a glass of wine"? I think I love her) and went to bed. And slept. OMG!
Woke up the morning of the 8th to SUNSHINE. Haven't seen that in, like, a week. And it was pretty warm out too, for Scotland. Allison and I went for a walk around town and then all the way out to the far side of the Old Course, dodging stray gold balls. It is probably the most idiotically designed course in the world. Of course. :D And then we had a great lunch outside at this really nice pub and then went shopping while trying to avoid the carnival that insists on taking up High Street three times a year. I feel so sorry for the people who live there. And then I got on a train (which was 15 minutes late) back to Edinburgh.
Only to discover that the reason I shouldn't have gone to Scotland in August was that the Fringe was on. How I forgot about this for the last eight months I have no idea, but I did. OMG. TOO MANY PEOPLE! And very few Kiwis/Aussies. It was a bit strange. Rachel and I were staying at Castle Rock, and she'd already been there for the afternoon, so I had a quick shower and we set off to walk the two+ miles to the Italian place we'd discovered last year. Well, it was worth the nearly five mile return walk, I have to say. Still the best pizza on Earth, and even though they were really busy we didn't have to wait long. Then we basically walked back and went to bed as Rach had been up since very early to catch her train.
Saturday it rained. Constantly. It was supposed to be clear that morning, but by the time we finished breakfast it was steady rain outside and it didn't let up. Still, we bundled up and set out to walk down to Holyrood. We managed to keep pretty dry until we started to the walk up and then we just got progressively more drenched with each passing minute. It took us an hour and a half to reach the top, with multiple stops as we took the really steep route (stupid us). But we MADE IT. And it was windy, rainy, and freezing up there and with thirty students pretty damn crowded. We took a few pictures and promptly fled down the easier path back to level ground. We were by this point completely drenched through, despite the rainy jackets and then Rachel took a tumble on the wet grass and ended up muddy too. We got many interesting looks walking back up the Mile, let me tell you. We showered and changed and went down to the pub for tea and burgers (OMG, still so good!) and then wandered the shops on Princes street for the afternoon before grabbing a picnic tea from Boots and scarfing it down in the hostel before we had to leave. And then we stood in the rain for half an hour in line while everyone around us complained about the weather. By the time we got up to our seats it was pouring and despite the ponchos we were kinda getting wet. As were the seats. Amazingly (Mother Nature had a moment of kindness) it stopped raining right before the Tattoo started. And by the time it ended there was a lovely sunset behind the castle. I have a lot of video which will one day get posted online. It was an amazing show, however, and I recommend everyone tries to go at least one in their lives. So much fun, even wet! Although the woman behind us could not for the life of her seem to clap in tune.
Sunday we woke to marginally better weather. We set out early to find a Fringe play to see (feeling obligated, you understand) and ultimately decided that "NOT Stalking David Tennant" sounded really really interesting and we should go see that. And then we went shopping for most of the day in between taking two bus tours of the city (the adult one and the kids one - the kids was more fun). Then we got dressed (in my new kilt!) for the play and managed through luck alone to actually find the venue as it was burried under the bridge at George Bridge. I always though that people who peformed at the Fringe did so because they couldn't get jobs elsewhere, but this woman who wrote and acted the one-woman play was astonishingly good. And actually trained to be an actor as her career. And it really was a good play; funny, sad, though-provoking, and I could completely relate to all parts of it - the story about wanting it all in life and convincing yourself that when you don't get everything it's because you didn't want it. Yeah, I can relate to that. And, of course, there was much glorifying of our favourite Time Lord (Kate, you would have hated it...:D). And then we went to dinner at Deacon Brodie's! OMG, still as fantastic as ever, although I only made it half-way through my haggis as it was half a dinner plate full. We never made it to dessert. Alas.
Monday we trekked back down to the train station and caught the delayed train to Peterborough where Rachel's mom kindly picked up our stuff so we could wander without bags. And I got to see the cathedral which really is stunning (and York always brags...) and moreover, free to enter. That's a change. And then we went out for dinner at this perfect country dinner/restaurant like the ones my dad loves going to, and I had the best ribs. And then Rachel and I stayed up a long time talking and playing on the internet. We had plans for Tuesday, but when we woke to rain we decided to spend the day on the couch watching TV instead. Yeah for Top Gear and DW! And Queen of Swords which was just so random. Honestly, all the tv you can't get in Canada anymore plays on like every channel you can imagine over here. I so don't get it. And then I got a train to London (delayed) and took the underground to Paddington (I've been to King's Cross now!) and then got another train to Exeter...which ended up 40 minutes delayed by the time it actually hit Taunton because of an electrical storm that knocked out all the signals. Right. And then I went to BED. And slept for 9 hours!
All in all, a good trip, even with the trains and the weather. But it wasn't exactly the relaxing vacation I was looking for.
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no subject
Date: 2008-08-13 02:14 pm (UTC)This all sounds so awesome (except for the bus, obviously), and I am terribly jealous.
When do you move?
no subject
Date: 2008-08-13 02:23 pm (UTC)Uh, September 18th.