Scotland

So because I, sadly, can not seem to keep this up to date in the detailed fashion that I really want to, I've decided to just post my short notes and not really tie them together with stories and in between details. Sort of a speed-reading, if you will, of the cool places I've been and some of the oddities I've pondered along the way.

Train station feeling is the same as the airport only better, more nostalgic, SO Harry Potter! - Boarding the Royal Scotsman at the train station in Edinburgh gave me that same excitement of the unknown that I get from airports, you can go anywhere, do anything, the world is your playground. This must've been how people felt in the days when trains were the norm. Surrounded by the Scottish people and not to mention the tall bagpiper, complete with kilt, I felt like running straight into the wall between platform 9 and 10.

Scottish people wear "cold" well. Lots of cute boots.- I guess once you adapt to your surroundings you can be cute in any weather, no parka required.

I can see why they drink Whisky, so cold! Odd that cold isn't putting me in a bad mood. I've been enjoying it as a part of Scotland, maybe because it's what I expected? - I came to Scotland prepared for being cold and miserable, but I wasn't miserable, just cold. And lucky for me, it was abnormally warm when I was there, I think it got into the 50's the day I hiked Arthur's Seat to the song "Without you" playing over and over as I climbed the beautiful green mountian-esque hillside, which was my favorite part of the trip (next to the Haunted tour of Edinburgh at night that took us through the vaults under the city, oh and finding William Wallace. That was pretty rocking too... man, Scotland was great!).

Continuously try to drive the Taxi.- The passenger is on the opposite side of the vehicle than I'm used to. I was constantly trying to get into the driver's side of the car. It gave everyone a good laugh each time I did though. :)

Looking both ways when crossing the street. - I could never figure out that whole "cars drive on the opposite side here" thing and every time I crossed a street I was look both ways mulitple times and then run across super fast so I didn't get hit by something I didn't see.

You know you need a travel buddy when you've perfected the one-armed photo. - Really not a lot to say here. I've gotten pretty darn good at taking pictures of myself and whatever I want in the background. Makes me think maybe I should travel with friends more often.

Surrounded by 40 Miss World contestants, felt so inferious in my white polo and khakis. Tall beautiful, hair done, makeup one, runway clothes, and 6in heels. Camera people asked me to move. "You look bored..yea, well, the best things come in small packages, just keep that in mind!" - Guy with a large gun.- I was at the airport waiting for our next group of clients to arrive when all these camera men started to surround the gates. When the reason for this papperazzi came through the gate it was 40 Miss Wold contestants. Some of the most beautitful teenagers you have ever seen, all ridiculously tall (and wearing tall heels) all in fresh hair and make-up, clothes straight off a runway show... I felt old, ugly, embarassed by my uniform and desperately wished I had either A. Straightened my hair that morning, or B. Made the effort to put eyeliner and mascara both on. I hid behind a column as they swarmed around me trying to unload their luggage from the belt (or pointing their luggage out to someone who was picking it up for them). I must've looked rather cross because one of the airport security guards told me to keep in mind that the best things comes in small packages. It made me smile, but I still bolted out of there as soon as I caught my clients.

 "juice" is soda. - Now I think I've heard soda called everything.

Haggas in a can and Haggas flavored chips, like Spam...are there Spam flavored chips? Blood pudding...shivers just typing it. Ugh. - I feeeeeel like there was a bit of a Haggas overload. I mean Haggas flavored chips?! It was nuts, I never tried the real thing, since I don't eat meat, but I tried the vegetarian type and didnt' care for it much as the flavor was like a falaful and the texture was a lot like a ground up meat. And I don't even like to think of blood pudding...a seriously bloody-looking piece of sausage type thing that pools in it's own juices on the plate...I might vomit.

Hike up Arthur's Seat, realized I'm an adventure travelor, bring on the mountians! Funny outfit almost made me feel more free and if anyone questioned me I would have spoken a different language. :) - I had to dress warm the day I hiked up Arthur's seat, but my knee had been hurt so I didn't bring clothes for running outside. I ended up wearing my brown tights, my purple workout shorts, a long sleeve black running shirt, grey gloves,  and my burnt orange hat and scarf....I was cute. I really did make me not give  apoop about what other people thought though. It was nice to not care for once, and like I said, had anyone questioned me, I would've spoken Italian and pretended like I had no idea what they were saying. :)

Love Scotland, want to bottle up the accent and take it home with me, but miss that there's not another language. Why don't we all have an accent, what gives people accents of the same language (even w/in US)?---- Still pondering as to why certain countries have certain accents, like Scotland and Ireland, and yet I speak the same language and don't have the same accent.