I'm on the train back to London, and Durham is the next stop. Train movement doesn't improve my keyboarding any! But with any luck I'll be in London at 12:17, and at my hotel by suppertime! That will involve another train ride, but in the morning I think the hotel has a shuttle to the Metro to Newcastle, a train to Hexhmairport. Yesterday I made it to a well known stop on Hadrian"s Wall about a half hour out of Newcastle. I took the Metro to Newcastle and was told to take a train to Hexham. Once there I found the [View Full Entry]

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Somewhere around noon today, when I was alternately dozing and watching the scenery go by as I rode the Perryman bus from Edinburgh to Berwick-on-Tyne, Scotland's Border Country slipped away on me and I was back in England. It turned out there was only two buses a day to the Holy Island (Lindisfarne) and the second was late afternoon, with the last return being a half hour later (the tide floods the road). So I thought I had missed out, but then I founjd out I could take the taxi for the 20 minute ride from Berwick. The island was very [View Full Entry]

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This morning it was heavy overcast, and this afternoon it rained more and more, though it let up a bit this evening. I was busy in the archives searching for wills and intestate records. Between 2 & 4 I was in the General Registery Office searching death records. I ran out of time! Then I walked to Edinburgh Castle in the drizzle and toured it with the help of a audio headphone set. I didn't see everything but it was very interesting On the way back I got quite wet despite stops at a factory tartan place and some other shops [View Full Entry]

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Another good day! I managed to find the Scottish Crop Research Institute this morning, and was given a tour by one of their people. I learned about the sort of work they are doing, particularly with barley, potatoes, raspberries, blackberries and black currents. Apparently the latter are high in vitamin C. They are working on food values, environmentally friendly and sustainable crops, and of course crops that are economically viable in this part of the world. From there I managed to get to the Eurocar location without causing any accidents, though the traffic was heavy closer in, and I [View Full Entry]

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I got lucky today. Iona was uncharacteristically sunny, and though the wind was strong and cool, it was a beautiful day. I had spent the night in my car, and that was a bit cool but OK. Got my ticket as soon as they opened, and then went shopping a bit, almost missing the ferry! It's a 45 minute ride to Mull, a large island in the Hebrides chain. Then we had a tour bus take us to the ferry port for Iona, and he was great - very knowledgeable and also quite a comedian! The second ferry ride, to Iona, [View Full Entry]

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I saw a couple of these yesterday while we were driving, but they were always on the wrong side of the vehicle for me to take a picture. They're pretty wild looking, with long horns and shaggy coats! Today I finished my explorations of my ancestral home, and made the five hour drive to the west coast this afternoon. I t was a beautiful drive, through forested area, alongside two large lakes, show-capped mountains in the background a fair bit of the way, with warm sunshine and clear skies all day, and very little wind. The west coast is apparently a [View Full Entry]

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Greetings from the land of sheep and rabbits! So far I've caused no traffic accidents (but those roundabouts are scary!) and seen some beautiful country. The broom grass is in full bloom. I've explored lots of cemeteries and photographed lots of old churches and other buildings. Yesterday I was at the Battle of Culloden historic site, where 1500 Scots lost their lives in a few minutes trying to route a very superior English force (maybe my rebellious streak is in my genes?) I also travelled the coastline from near Inverness to Banff (saw the Banff Springs Hotel again) and on to [View Full Entry]

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It's $US55, but worth every penny! I came here to Sleep Inn in Irving, TX last night around 12:30AM local time. They sent a shuttle to the airport for me and one other couple. I found this place through a brochure at the airport listing a toll free number for "Choice Inns". Getting here was a bit more complicated that it should have been because I had no coins for the pay phone, and I had to call this location directly to arrange pickup. It's the first time I've used VISA to make a local call, but my Sasktel calling card [View Full Entry]

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Well, I´ve made it this far. About 80% of people here at the airport are wearing masks that the army are handing out to everyone - I am most of the time. But it is quite warm and the masks sure don´t help any. I´ll be glad to get out of here, though its not a bad airport. I just discovered thay are one hour ahead of my time, so I have just two hours to boarding time. I had no trouble at all elaving Guatemala or arrivng here. At the airport in Guatemala, I didnt even need my receipt for [View Full Entry]

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After so much confusion yesterday, today went ever so smoothly. I ended up buying a few small souvenirs from a boy of about 12 years who sells items he makes himself on the street. I originally bought two similar articles. I had left and was a block away when he came running after me and gave me a third item free. So I went back to my hostel a block away and got a small flag and head bandana for him, and also got him to write his name in my book. Then I bought a few more small items to [View Full Entry]

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