Scotland fun!

So, last week was half term break, a glorious week in which I did not have to teach miserable children at all! In that week I travelled to Scotland with three newfound friends; Julie, Adele, and Jenn. We rented a car, and Adele offered to do the driving...which was good since I was leery of driving on what seems like the wrong side of the road.

Our car was so cute, and actually really comfortable, and we started off our journey very excited and stocked up on way too many snacks for the road!

Saturday we drove all day until we got to Edinburgh. Then we proceeded to get lost in what appeared to be the housing projects, and we were without a map of the city....just directions that get confusing with all the roundabouts, and streets veering off each other. Finally we did make it to our hostel, and it is the nicest hostel I have ever seen! We were pretty tired and so we stayed in for the night. We got up early the next morning and went into the city...Unfortunately we were ill prepared for the weather of Scotland, and all had to buy gloves once we were there. And we all got wet and cold since it was raining constantly. We walked the Royal Mile, saw Edinburgh castle, ohh and we had a tasting at a whisky bar. I am now very clear that I do not like whisky! I'll have to post the pics later when i get them from the girls, the looks on our faces post sips says it all. Then for dinner we went to a pub, and my friend Heather met up with us. Heather went to Queen's for one year on exchange and I hadn't seen her since then so it was really good to see her! After that we went on to another pub, and then caught the shuttle back to our hostel....

Next day we made our way to Inverness, and we stopped in St. Andrews so Julie could take a golfing pic, and also so that we could buy some very much needed wellies! (aka rubber boots). We were so so thrilled to have wellies, i think it might have been the highlight of the trip. Anyways, we also had tea and scones at a cafe ( how very British of us!) and went on our way. By night fall we made it to Inverness, home of the Loch ness monster. We really underestimated all these windy scottish roads, and driving took us a lot longer then we thought, so much so that we had to eliminate the Isle of Skye from the trip for the next day. Inverness is very boring, I think that about sums it up, and we were only able to find one open grocery store. We hung out in the tv room only to be accosted by this very old, annoying, crazy man....only to later find out that he was sharing the room with us! In the Tv room he was sharing with Jenn the language he created...hmm interesting, and then the next day he was wearing a sweatshirt with the crazy language written all over it! He was very creepy/weird, and we were glad to be rid of him.

Next day we travelled to the site of where the Loch ness monster is presumed to be, and went to exhibition which basically said its all a hoax....but i still like to think maybe, just maybe its true

Then we had more driving....and more driving......We were on our way to Glasgow...We did manage to stop to get a photo next to a Highland cow...but the thing that sticks in my mind most is the sheep! Sheep everywhere! On top of huge huge hills, tiny little sheep....We saw some of the most beautiful scenery on the drive back down, as we drove through Loch Lomond....just stunning red hills and waterfalls.

Finally we got to Glasgow, got lost yet again... bought an A to Z map, and found our hostel....also a very nice hostel, in an older building. Making dinner, Julie and I met a couple of cute German boys, but we were uncertain whether they were high school students (troubling) or university students! haha.......But we sorted that out later...we met up with them again by chance, and all of us ended up drinking with them at the hostel ( they were university students) but unfortunately they couldn't come out with us, having spent all their money all ready. Since we hadn't really hit the town since the beginning of our vacation we decided to go out anyways....Of course, on the way there Adele sprained her ankle, and so headed back to be cared for by the Germans, and Julie and Jenn and I still went and partied it up! A good time had by all....We spent the next day shopping, and I also saw the Glasgow School of Art which was very cool. We tried to go out again the next night, but I kind of hampered things by being entirely crippled by my new shoes, they were burning my feet because they didn't fit properly! I could hardly walk!

Anyways.......the next day we were on our way back home. We stopped in Liverpool for a day/night...saw Penny Lane, and other requisite stops. Then our last stop in our vacation was an outlet mall in Bicester. Julie and I proceeded to spend whatever money we had left, perhaps a little too hastily, but I do have a new coat now...woo hoo

My adventure took me a bit farther, I travelled to Nottingham the weekend after our trip as well. Home of Robin Hood and associates! Nottingham is not quite as exciting as London, but it was really nice to see my friend Will...and so that made it all worthwhile. Plus got to see a very cool bar in a former church....

Ok this is a terribly long post, but so much to say! Well, as I might say to my Year 6s...if you've gotten through this post give yourself a pat on the back!