I'm twenty...but I still love the feeling of clothes fresh out of the dryer...

Well hello there! Long time no post! What can I say - I went to Edinburgh this weekend and I've just now found the time to sit down and tell you about it. (Note the title - I've been doing laundry and London just keeps getting colder.)

SO. Let's start from the beginning shall we?

Friday November 5th:

Well, I got up really early to turn my article in for the Hendrix newspaper. I worked on it over a beigel so I really hope it worked out...this was all pre-coffee so I probably turned in a really...um...colourful article to say the least. But I managed to grab a quick breakfast before heading out to the stoop to meet Kemper. I really don't remember the time, I think it was eight something?

Who knows. But we hopped on the tube and made our way to Victoria coach station...which contrary to popular belief is a different building than Victoria tube station. So. We walked around for what seemed like hours (only because I had a heavy backpack on my back) we found it! Hooray. I considered doing a dance but then I managed to refrain.

And then we got on a coach and just chilled for nine hours as we made our way to Edinburgh. I actually read the best Beatles biography that I've read thusfar in my life, and I've read a few of those. I've figured out that I don't get all sea-sick like if I sit in the front of the coach and in the aisle seat. It's actually worse for me to sit near the window, probably because looking outside hurts my eyes.

But so yeah, I read for the whole trip and then we got in around six. And it was cold. I've been thinking London was cold? Well Edinburgh was C-O-L-D. Seriously. And it was raining and we had to get to our B & B in the dark. So get ready for story time. Kemper went to ask the guy at the information desk in the coach station in Edinburgh for instructions on how to get where we needed to go and I watched the bags. Then we figured out that we needed to take the number 12 bus.

OH how I hate the number twelve bus. Oh my goodness. SO. We went outside in the rain (luckily I had mom's coat) and we stood there at the correct bus stop for at least forty-five minutes. In the wind. In the rain. I finally (after about twenty minutes) got my umbrella out. I figured that I wouldn't need it because a bus would be along. Kemper said that the guy at the information desk said that there were good services with all the buses that evening. Well he neglected to tell us that the number twelve bus is out to get travelers to Edinburgh. SHEESH.

We finally just broke down and took a cab. My first official emergency cab ride. It was nice actually. I think anything was nice after the terrible standing in the rainy, cold outside for what seemed like forever. Luckily, the cab fare was nowhere near as expensive as it would have been in London and came out to just about five pounds between the two of us. AND we were at our B & B warm and well, working on the dry part.

We got in to discover that our B & B in Scotland was run by a family of a Middle Eastern background. There were elephants and plants and great wallpaper everywhere. But, even though we weren't expecting it, we had a great place to stay. It was warm, had a nice TV that actually had channels on it, and it wasn't too far from the city centre.

Now, after I had laid out all my clothes that got soaked in our rain standings and I changed my socks because my converse shoes got soaked, Kemper and I ventured out to get on a bus to go to the city centre for dinner. Funny, huh? Round two.

Actually not really. We discovered that we could take the 12, 31, 26, or 48 bus to get where we needed to go, and we successfully took one of them. And whilst we were waiting we witnessed some pretty cool fireworks in celebration of the 5ht of November - Guy Fawkes...Remember, remember the 5th of November...(We snobbishly avoided 12 for the rest of the weekend, since it refused to pick us up in the first place.) We alighted on Princes Street which is the huge shopping bit in Edinburgh. It was crazy, Louis Vuitton and the whole deal, man.

Anywho we wandered around (no worries it was finally raining less heavy than previously) and we settled on a little Italian place. I got a calzone, because apparently that's what I do when I go traveling, I get a calzone.

After that we returned to the B & B via bus and we passed out. Literally man, I was exhausted. However, I did not sleep as well as intended, but I was bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning...

Saturday November 6th:

Saturday we spent the day exploring Edinburgh. This is my favourite city that I've been to this whole time by far. I loved it even more than Paris! (except for the constant rain and constant cold...) UGH.

We ventured through some public gardens all the way to Edinburgh Castle (which is located perched on a hilltop.) The neat thing about Edinburgh (well one of the neat things) is that is a city in both hills and valleys and it borders the sea. We walked down the cobblestone streets to the main thoroughfare and walked through a secret looking graveyard. It sounds spooky, and I'll admit...it kinda was...

After that we climbed a hill and walked around an old observatory and looked out upon the sea. Then it was time for lunch. I tried the national dish - Haggis. I'll let you look up what's in that - but I'll just tell you - it was delicious. Eww gross. I know, I know.

Anywho after that it was raining so we found a neat looking coffee shop to spend some time in. This coffee shop was legit. I mean they brought me my coffee in a french press with a little wooden timer! Kemper had to explain to me how to work the french press - because I was completely ignorant.

(I am taking this time to tell you that I'm listening to Ben Folds' "Still Fighting It" and eating one of Jess's famous pumpkin cookies. I'd be in heaven if we could just get the location right.;) )

After my lovely coffee (which was unlike anything I had ever tasted and quite nice) we returned to the flat for a while to kill time because it was cold, rainy, and there wasn't anything neat going on like theatre shows or music venues. We did book a tour for the next day to tour the Highlands and seek for Nessie at Loch Ness.

So we watched this discover channel show about birds. No joke, I was actually interested. Those flamingos are slightly ridiculous. Haha.

After that we went back into the city centre for dinner. We managed to find a legit looking Mexican restaurant, and I'll say, that this is the best Tex Mex I've had in Britain. (In Scotland, go figure.) I got quesadillas, pretty much like always.

Anywho, after this little escapade we went back to the B & B because we had to get up early for our tour...six something early. Sheesh. That is an ungodly hour to be awake.

Sunday November 7th:

So we got up early and caught the Airport Express bus into the city centre and we made our way up the hill to the castle. No one was moving and the sun was rising slowly over the hills. We saw a starbucks like a beacon in the distance, and I can tell you, I didn't care that we had those in the US all over the place, I wanted a white chocolate mocha. It was only seven AM. So I got one.

And I got to the hill where the castle was just in time to take a picture of the rising sun over the clouds and hills. Gorgeous, gorgeous. :)

Anywho we got on the bus and were on our way to Loch Ness! (Loch means lake by the way, and you're supposed to really focus on spitting out the ch sound...Our bus driver happily demonstrated several times for us...)

We sat together for a while at the front of the bus until this German girl came up from the back threatening to be car sick. She sat down in the aisle trying to get some air before the driver finally said, you can't sit there legally. So she asked to switch seats with someone in the front. (The whole reason we were in the front was because of my new found sickness relating to coaches...)

So after about fifteen minutes of no one giving up their seat, (although when asked several people had plastic bags ready...sheesh) Kemper gave up her seat. So there I was sitting next to this sea-sick German that was going to explode at any minute.

For a long time she didn't say anything to me...which I was fine with. I was now sitting next to the window and every now and then I would stare out at the clear blue sky. (Finally a break from the rain.) Finally she said, "The trees are a pretty colour." I nodded my assent thinking, Now we're going to talk about the trees?

But she wasn't kidding the trees were gorgeous! They were all gold and burnt orange and lovely red brown. Even some of the green fir trees...all lining hills and mountains. The terrain was unlike anything I'd ever seen, and I would say that going through in Fall/Winter was the best time to go. The trees were smiling at me, I swear. :)

But so I answered her with an affirmative and she said, "So where are you from?" I said, "The States." She said, "Really? You don't fit the loud stereotype..." annnnnddd after that we didn't have much to say to each other. I understand that there's a stereotype, but we're not all the same are we?

Anywho we got to Loch Ness and traversed through some hills and took some pictures. Then we got back on the bus and drove through snow and such to finally start heading south. I will say, I was glad to get off the bus when we finally alighted back at the castle around eight.

We ate in a pub called the Malt Shovel. It had a green awning. (Enough said.) Haha. Seriously though, I got to try some Scottish Beer. I tried a local Edinburgh golden beer and it was alright (pretty nice actually) and then I tried essentially a Scottish version of Foster's called Tennets. It was quite nice. :)

After that we hopped on a bus to get back to our B & B. I managed to sleep sooooo soundly. You have no idea. But again, we were up and ready for Breakfast on Monday. We wandered around Edinburgh (in the rain -this is more of how I thought London weather would be. Windy, windy, windy, and oh so rainy and bone-chillingly cold.) Not that I'm complaining. Oh no. London weather is fine. (Fingers crossed that it doesn't get any colder than it is...)

Monday November 8th:

Day of travel. We had to listen to a screechy pterodactyl baby for at least five hours. (Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I was soooo frustrated with it! I couldn't hear my ipod over it's screeches!)

We returned to London around eight something and hopped on the tube. Then I was back in the flat. I cooked dinner and thought about doing Laundry, but didn't get to it. I worked on some Shakespeare homework and then passed out.

Which brings us to -

Today. Tuesday November 9th:

Today was oh so lovely. We had class in the building and we discussed the play we saw last week, Blood and Gifts (a political thriller about the British, American, and Russian involvement in Afghanistan in the 80s...) and we watched a movie. The movie was about the second generation Middle Eastern children of immigrants in Britain, and how they sometimes turn to radical religion. It was an interesting movie which we are discussing next week.

I asked Susie if my idea for my Beatles presentation and paper was going in the right direction. I've decided to focus on the Beatles in Britain with the backdrop of the sixties. My main focus is WHY the beatles? WHY Beatlemania...couldn't it have been anyone else that got as big as they did? And what exactly did they do to popculture...oh the questions. They are so endless and I'm oh-so interested. I can't wait for Liverpool this weekend. Those beatles tours are going to be so great!

I'm a nerd. Haha. After class I went on a six mile run, in the cold windyness. I think my skin was kind of raw after that. But then I came inside and took a shower and did some laundry. When I took everything out of the dryer and laid it on my bed to be folded I remembered all those times when I was little in the winter mom would throw the warm blankets from the dryer on me. That is the life man. Having nice warm just dried clothes on you when it's chilly outside!

Anywho, excuse my reverie, after that I read some more of Shakespeare and finished it and then worked on my Politics rewrite. I went over to Kemper's while Kemper and Hillary made dinner I did some more homework. Kemper made an amazing broccoli potato cheese bake thingy with green beans and bread. It was lovely.

There was fruit cake for dessert (which is not what you think it is) with raspberries and blackberries. I don't know when people around me decided to be cooks, but hey. If you've got the talent for it...;)

About that time, after dinner, I went to the library to print off one of the many drafts I've written of this paper. The library is out to get me. Kemper gave me her card because she thought she had some money on it to print. Well I tried both of our cards to discover we were both broke. So I walked all the way back to the flat and got more money and went back to the Library round two!

Of course, this time the library elevator decided to eat me. I got stuck. The elevator doors closed really slowly after I pressed the 4 button for the fourth floor, and then it moved a little bit and just sat there stuck between the first and second floor. I immediately broke out into a sweat and started to panic. Thoughts of I'm too young to die passed through my mind and I thought about screaming.

My first bodily reaction was to move my hand to poke the fourth floor button like a maniac. Nothing happened. I probably only spent about ten minutes in there but I didn't know what to do. Just as it was dawning on me that I could press the little bell button thing...the elevator magically awoke from its random sleep and I was jerked to the fourth floor. Sheesh.

But that's not it folks! The library then refused to print my paper even after I put money on my card. So...I had to go to the desk and get help. The helper did everything I had been doing and the printer worked for him. Sure, sure. Stupid Library has it out for me. It didn't help that I had to take the stairs down and I could hear the wind howling against the building. That building is sooooo spooky!

But anywho, then I worked on my rough draft a bit more. And I got to talk to Johnny Gately finally! and here I am now writing this thing. I hope all is well at home, because all is well here.

I am literally counting down the days and scrambling around to try and finish my to-do list. :)

I miss you guys!

Cheers!