Flying by the seat of my pants…with the help of several guide books, websites, and protips
It’s been a while.
Wednesday I decided I needed to come to Chicago. There is a concert here tonight that I wanted to see. So this morning I dragged my sister out of bed to drive me to the train station for a 6:26 train. I don’t remember how to blog…or travel but here we are. Together. Sitting at the City Stage at Polk Bros Park absorbing the sun and the skyline trying to remember.
X Suze
Warning: some aggressive language
So honestly I didn’t do well in Inverness. I spent an hour in melt down mode crying on a bus alone among strangers because I left my water bottle in a exhibit about Loch Ness….okay it wasn’t just about the water bottle.
After I posted my drunk history of Edinburgh I decided to pop off to bed. I went up to my dorm where I’d left my property several hours prior before I headed off to explore the city and find somewhere to listen to some music. (Which started as a whole other nightmare)
When I got to my room and opened the door I was promptly informed I was in the wrong room to which I responded “no I have a key to this room” then I was informed that the room was full and all of my stuff had been moved to a mystery room. No note or key or email had been left for me. Apparently a phone call had been attempted but my phone is only partially functional abroad and what functions are available are only available on WiFi.
So here I am in a city on my first night in a hostel I was less than enthusiastic about in the first place (because it wasn’t super clean and there weren’t lockers for my bag and the guy at the desk was kind of a bag of dicks) and I have no room, no idea where my stuff is, it’s 3 am and reception is closed until 8 and I’m pissed about having to be up all night watching a La La Land/ Deadpool double feature because I can’t very well sleep in the common room. Come 8 am Bag-O-Dicks basically gives me the old hashtag sorry not sorry and does nothing to improve the situation.
I go to my new room (my new roommates NEVER LOCKED THE DAMN DOOR IN A HOSTEL WITH NO LOCKERS) to change and get ready for a fun filled day with a four hour tour of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, leave, come back, and turns out while we were gone the door code changed so I’m locked out still crying with the people who went on the same tour as me from the hostel who just happened to also have been the family in the room that was no longer mine. We spent several minutes buzzing the buzzer while Bag-O-Dicks was out back smoking.
At that point I was ready to swim home. I hated the hostel, I hated Inverness, I hated Bag-O-Dicks, I hated myself for booking this trip in the first place. I ended up talking to the hostel manager when I asked for the new door code and telling him what happened. He was extremely accommodating and between the £10 he gave me then and the £20 he gave me on check out I got almost all of my money back and he kept asking me questions about what happened to investigate and make sure that didn’t happen again which made a huge difference. Thank you, manager. Suck it, Bag-O-Dicks.
X
I’m currently on a but from Inverness to Glasgow and thought I’d talk to you while I have no Wi-Fi (there IS Wi-Fi but connecting to it has proved…difficult).
Yesterday McWorldly and I (after his embarrassing display the night before and a lengthy night for the both of us (which I’ll get into later))
headed off on a bus tour in the har to Loch Ness a large loch (and if you call it a lake they threaten to throw you in it) created by a glacier cutting a gash and tectonic plates moving and it is the one of the largest sources of fresh water in Great Britain. And apparently the entire population of the planet could drown in it thrice. (Thrice is a good word.)
The size however is not the main thing of not about Loch Ness. I don’t know if you’ve heard of Nessie (this is sarcasm as on the tour I took we were informed that the second largest industry in the Highlands is tourism.)
The Loch Ness Monster (Nessie) has been a legend for many years. Originally she was thought to be a very large fish. Following a sighting claiming a large serpentine creature that fell out if a tree and slithered away the fish thing sort of fell away to serpentine sightings. There was speculation she was a dinosaur that got trapped when the tectonic plates shifted Scotland into it’s current location. Ultimately if she exists there is no way to know what she is while she spends her time hiding away in the murky waters of the Loch.
Like a duck to water McWorldly wanted to take a dip but alas was too chicken to go very far out.
Will be posting more than once tonight because I failed to post this the other day and didn’t even write one last night.
X
Pro tip (from someone who has spent 5 nights in hostels…ever): look at the walls.
Both of the hostels I’ve stayed in have had fliers for nearby events (one more than the other) everything from the best looking, best singing music man in Inverness (who turned out to be playing in what was essentially an attic with only 4 tables) to Edinburgh comic con to literary tours.
Once you’ve done your daily sightseeing check the walls (and the receptionists may also be able to give some pointers) for what other things you can do that perhaps aren’t strictly touristy.
So tonight as mentioned a friend I met in the hostel and I made our way to see the best looking, best singing music man in Inverness on the suggestion of the hostel manager and a flier on the wall. This bar was a small room upstairs from another bar. Literally only four or five tables. So a few locals came to talk to us. We met a group of ladies and an older gentleman all who asked how we found this place off an alley on a Sunday night and the fact of the matter is a love of live music and following what the universe suggests for me to do has led me pretty well so far.
Tomorrow will be more interesting. Something about glaciers and dinosaurs from the dawn of time.
X
AKA things I learned yesterday but three ciders have put my brain on the spin cycle (I’m sorry. If people buy you drinks and give you tips about your trip you say thank you)
WARNING SOME GREUSOME STUFF WITHIN!!
MAGGIE DICKSON
Maggie Dickson’s is a bar in Edinburgh (I ate lunch there yesterday it was good).
Maggie Dickson was also a person. She wrked in an inn and the inn keeper’s son knocked her up. She hid the pregnancy from her employers as this was the 1700s and falling pregnant from your employers offspring was frowned upon…I suppose it still is.
ANYWAY she has the baby in secret and it dies shortly after birth. She planned to throw the baby in the river but she couldn’t so she left it near the shore. The baby was found and Maggie was found and Maggie was convicted of killing the baby and sentenced to death by hanging
Upon the occassion of her hanging Maggie was taken to be buried. Turns out? Hashtag NOT DEAD!!!! (where my Sherlockians at?) <<side not I’m pretty sure some seagulls are eating a cat outside.>> So she’s in her coffine and wakes up and people were shocked. They didn’t know what to do but according to Edinburgh law she’d fulfilled her sentence and the next day she walked home to live out the rest of her life.
GREYFRIARS BOBBY
Greyfriars Bobby was the goodest of all the good boys. He was a Skye Terrier and lived a sad but extraordinary life. Bobby was a dog and like many dogs he had a person. A very special person named John. John had a job but that job varies based on the story you hear. John was either a night watchman or a farmer. One day, when Bobby was about two, John died. When that happened Bobby followed him to his grave. He stood vigil over his person for fourteen years. The Greyfriars fed him an cared for him and allowed him to stay (not that he was really going anywhere). When Bobby finally passed away a restaurant and some movies and dozens of books and a monument were created in his honor. If you go to Edinburgh find his statue and rub his nose and Scotland’s very best boy will bring you luck.
I think that should be all for now. I’m quite tired. yes I intend to use the word tired. night night.
X
Okay. Honesty that’s a bit of an exaggeration but in Edinburgh I’ve been living la Vida loca or what have you. The truth is I love music
During the day Edinburgh is a bustling little town with dozens of shops boasting either their importance to the Harry Potter franchise or that they sell Harry Potter paraphernalia. But everything that isn’t a restaurant is generally closed by six (at least in the areas I was in around that time perhaps in New Town Edinburgh things stay open later)
By night the city comes alive in an explosion of pubs and clubs and live music.
In my trek to the castle yesterday most of the bars I passed boasted live music nightly. On my first night here I was browsing flyers in the hostel lobby looking for an experience because this trip wasn’t designed as sight seeing and taking pictures (which of course I’ve done but I haven’t focused on it, I’ve mostly gone where my wandering feet led me) it was designed as an attempt to embrace living and culture away from my own.
I found a flyer for a local bar called Stramash that had live music listed for every night and they were only about a 5 minute walk from the hostel so I could go and check it out and if it wasn’t my cup of tea (I just realized I haven’t had any tea since I’ve been here…anyway…) I could leave. As it turned out it was amazing. The first band that played was teaching the people in the bar dances, like proper dances… I’m pretty sure I heard the word waltz thrown out. There was also a bagpipe.
I could not have wished for more from my first night in Scotland then the second band was two guys and one had a mandolin and they were a delight as well. On that night that was my favorite place in the world.
Last night I met a vast selection of lovely people at the hostel and we ended up at a tiny basement bar called The Jazz Club. There they had (As you might have guessed) a sixish piece jazz band including a trumpet AND a saxophone. They were quite good as well.
Tonight on my last night in Edinburgh I decided to pop back to Stramash (no cover and a promise of more live music I’m down first time every time.) The first band I saw tonight was a bit of a different vibe to the mandolin and the bagpipes
But they were clearly having so much fun that even though it wasn’t a style I’d generally seek out they were exciting to watch once I wrapped my head around the costumes…or at least came to terms that they were just cooler than me and I simple don’t deserve to “get it”. Next came a Scottish I guess ska band? Generally if it’s music I can find some value there… Scottish ska or as I like call it “skattish music” is just not for me. But you do you lads.
Overall I would probably move here just for live music every night but alas I move along. Inverness in the morning…well afternoon.
X
While in Edinburgh it was vital I visit Edinburgh Castle (admittedly it wasn’t actually in my plan for TODAY but i jetlagged through my alarm and missed the walking tour) I slept until nearly noon today so at around 1 I set forth on a journey to find something to eat…and found myself at the castle. I climbed the hill and I was in front of an extraordinarily large and old building. I bought my ticket and set out to explore.
Once inside it was like a small city in itself. Many of the buildings were set up like a museum with multiple exhibits from The Scottish War museum to a whiskey shop to the Crown jewels. that even gave out samples. Several of the exhibits had gift shops of their own and the whole castle had one as well.
Things I learned today along my sojourn:
Well… That was quite a lot of information. I learned more things but I think that should suffice for now. It’s quite late and I don’t want to miss the walking tour again tomorrow. Have some views from on the castle in the meantime
Be good
X
Ye olde Scottish joke on the rest of the world. The punchline? It’s not bad.
We arrived in Edinburgh and found my hostel a bit earlier than I was allowed to check in (despite getting lost ending up at the castle and having to ask a nice police officer where I was going…he wasn’t sure but pointed me to the right street) so along my walk I noticed a little restaurant called Auld Jock’s which a lovely older man, who I met yesterday but I’m saving that for a day I have nothing to say because he deserves his very own post, told me is what they called Scots in the British military back in the day. (Fun fact!) After I dropped off my backpack in the luggage storage and wobbled my way over the restaurant (apparently I’d forgotten how to walk without it after 2 days of not going anywhere without it.)
I walked in practically getting tackled by the nice server who it was his first day and there were only 3 available tables…I’m sorry that was misleading there were ONLY THREE TABLES. So my awkward self shuffled behind one and asked for suggestions. The gentleman training the server suggested the full Scottish breakfast asking if I’d had haggis which I hadn’t and when better than my first Scottish meal?
So for those that don’t know haggis is made of sheep “pluck” (which is heart, liver and lungs) some oatmeal and onion and a whole load of seasoning then boiled in a cleaned sheep’s stomach (traditionally….they do have artificial casings for haggis these days just like sausages).
I’m all in on this trip. If an opportunity of an experience presents itself I’m taking it (a shocking array of sheep bits included) shortly after placing my order my first real meal in a full day was set before me.
So how was the haggis? As I said it’s not bad. It’s rather salty and the oatmeal added a texture that food I’m used to from the state’s doesn’t generally have. A bit grainy. The linebacker who greeted me initially seemed amused and asked how I liked it and and asked if I wanted to know what it was. (I knew what I was getting myself into before I ate it). I suppose that’s it for tonight I’m blogging to you from another story for another day.
X
I left my house nearly 36 hours ago. I landed in Dublin this morning. I set foot on an island as part of a new continent. The border patrol asked me how long I’d be in Ireland and that was an awkward “well….Eleven hours but I’m coming back” it’s okay he still stamped my passport. (I have a stamp in my passport!)
So far I’ve been on two planes,
Three busses
And a ferry.
I’m currently sitting in a depot in Wales awaiting a train to take me to another train to take me to Edinburgh.
I have eaten 2 Clif bars and 3 packets of increasingly mushed pop tarts and some airplane food that was significantly more impressive than I expected but I expected a soggy sandwich and received:
I’ve gotten approximately two sleeps. (As you could tell I’m sure) so I’m going to see if I can’t get two more before my 430 train. If I can’t I may be back.
X
I’m on a layover. McWorldly and I had our first flight already (the hop). We had a bus ride from one gate to another here at JFK (skip?) Next is the jump. Head first. Across an ocean.
My body just decided we’re tired and we have a headache. I think it’s trying to trick me to caffeinate but then I won’t be able to sleep on the flight and our goal is minimal jet lag.
In Detroit McWorldly claimed this fountain as his rubber duck duck pond. He doesn’t seem to interested in JFK thus far but alas the night is young.
Good night. Good luck. Next time I will write to you I will be on a new continent and in a new country…assuming I don’t need to use McWorldly as a flotation device.
X
Carefully Reckless Travel 