Another week has passed and it’s time for another post. I’d like to take a moment, before delving into it, to thank you all who read this. It’s passed down the grapevine that I do in fact have readers and it made me so terribly joyful. As much as I enjoy looking back on my trip as I write up my journal for all to see, I ultimately do it for my readers. Thank you!
Friday, June 14th 10:02 (Birmingham New Street Station)
I’m now on a train waiting to start my journey to Edinburgh. I’m ever so slightly regretting not eating. I’m going on 24 hours without food. I think somehow I’ll manage though. On the way here I got the opportunity to witness the filming of something. At first I thought a party had gotten out of hand and left trash strewn all over the street. I wondered about the efficiency of the Birmingham street cleaners (assuming there are such a thing). (If Birmingham is like Oxford, and I assume it is to some extent, then they have nightly street sweeper truck thingies. I saw them a couple times in Oxford.) But after passing a sizable crowd I saw a camera truck roll by taking a rolling shot of the street I had just walked down! (This was one of the neater moments in Birmingham. I really wish I’d had the time to just watch, it was really neat.) It was really pretty cool and I wish I had enough time to inquire what they were shooting for and to simply stand and watch. Oh well. I had a train to catch. We’re underway now. I’m a little nervous about my upcoming stay at a hostel, but it is part of the adventure. Hopefully it won’t be too difficult to find. For the record: with a couple of women chatting up ahead, this has become the “noisiest” train trip yet.
12:24 (Train to Edinburgh)
The views from the train have been stunning and breathtaking, though not as breathtaking as my current bout with allergies. Sneezing and a runny nose certainly don’t make for pleasant traveling. Stoopid allergies! Even as I write this post they afflict me!
The following pictures were taken from the train from Birmingham to Edinburgh and showcase some of the lovely countryside I saw. I apologize for not having more pictures, but, it’s difficult to snap a good photo from a moving train.
13:31 (Train to Edinburgh)
We’ve been traveling toward thickening clouds for 45-60 minutes now, and just passed through a patch of rain. I guess the weather reports here are slightly more reliable than those in Oklahoma. I can honestly say that I think that weather reports are more reliable everywhere that isn’t Oklahoma. Ask anyone who’s live here for any period of time longer than two weeks. Go ahead, I dare you!
15:13 (Edinburgh)
I’ve arrived in Edinburgh safe and sound! I even managed to navigate to Euro-Hostel, the place I’ll be staying for the next four days. Just setting foot in the city was breathtaking. Edinburgh Castle dominates the cityscape and can be easily seen from everywhere I’ve been so far. I arrived just in the nick of time too! The rain started as soon as I sat down to write this entry. I must confess, though, hunger is quickly overtaking my mind. I will put off writing more for after I have fed myself.
7:10 (Edinburgh)
I meandered around a small portion of Edinburgh and had a 12” margarita (cheese) pizza. It didn’t take long to prepare and was very fresh and tasty. I should be full until tomorrow. I then went down to the National Museum of Scotland. While it closed an hour after I arrived, it did give me enough of a taste to know that I want to go back tomorrow and have a better look around. I’ve already begun plotting my adventures in Edinburgh: tomorrow will be the museum and possibly the castle (I may spend all day in the museum) and the day after that, going about and getting myself lost. After that, I think I will seek suggestions and possibly hop on a tour bus I’ve seen rolling by. I wonder if I will get roommates between now and when I leave. Part of me hopes so, while part hopes not. Either way, I think it is time to go and explore the dorm a little. And maybe do some RP (roleplay) writing.
The following picture is of my room in the dorm at Euro-Hostel in Edinburgh. I have a whole slew of pictures of the rest of the apartment like dorm, but they all came out blurry for some reason, so I’ve decided to give a basic rundown here. The hostel was set up in student lodging in small apartment style dorms. Four individual bedrooms to an apartment that shared a common bathroom and toilet as well as a common room/living room/kitchen area that overlooked the courtyard of the hostel itself. All-in-all, not a bad place to stay, and for the price of 19 pounds a night, I’d say it was one of the better places.
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20:55 (Edinburgh)
I would like to thank FPS (First Person Shooter) games like DOOM (My father pointed out that DOOM came with an automap, and I learned more from Aliens Versus Predator on the Atari Jaguar… semantics) and L4D (Left 4 Dead) for helping me build the skill of making a mental map just by wandering an area enough times. It has come in handy. I would also like to thank OU for helping me develop my sense of my cardinal directions. I like knowing generally which way is north without a compass. I’ve also decided I love the Scottish accent some women have. So sexy. In other news, I’ve put to paper the very basics of the majority of my Perdita Bayo series. I also mostly have 1 of something like 5 adventures hooks fleshed out. Tomorrow, if it’s not raining, I might go wandering and seeing what I see after hours. Most nights so far I’ve been off the street by 7. Maybe it’s time to live a little more, especially since I’ve caught up on my sleep. Besides, there’s more to Britain than museums and daywalks. I hope I have roommates tomorrow to go out with.
The following picture is the view down the street from my accommodations in Edinburgh.
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