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Published: January 19th 2006
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Hogmanay
FREE HAT! Rebecca has smuggled me into the Dundee U computer lab so we can check our e-mail for the first time in over a week. And what a week it has been...
We arrived in Scotland stressed and tired. We made our series of trains, flights, and buses all within minutes of departure. Yes, we are certainly being divinely looked after.
Rebecca had arranged for us to stay with the family of one of her Scottish friends throughout the Hogmanay festivities. So, for the first time during my journey I arrived at a the doorstep of a real home. In a real neighborhood. With a real family. The Youngs immediately helped us with our bags and poured us glasses of wine. In fact, they literally "wined and dined" us for the entire duration of our stay. Gorgeous Scottish meals were laid out for us when we came home every night along with cans of cider for us stocked in the fridge. Home sweet home!
We spent our days walking around Edinburgh and our evenings socializing with the Young family and their eldest daughter, Bex. The highlight of our explorations there was most definitely the "Haunted Underground Edinburgh" tour we gladly signed up
for one dark and chilly evening. Our little tour guide took us into an old brick bridge where the most unfortunate of Edinburgh's overcrowded population were forced into in the 1800's. Unfortunately, no one was expected to live longer than eight months after moving into the underground quarters as living conditions were so incredibly poor. The specific portion of the South Bridge we entered was only rediscovered in 1970 and there have been thousands of ghost sighting and hints of paranormal activity ever since.
While no one in our group had any unusual experiences that evening, let's just say that 50 minutes was 49 minutes too long to be down there! I think we all drew a sign of relief to climb the last steps up to the street and clamber out the door.
As far as the Hogmanay celebrations were concered...R and I decided they were a bit overrated. We paid a whopping $35 for tickets into the "street party" where all we were allowed to do was stand in the frozen streets dodging piles of puke and ridiculously drunk guys peeing on themselves and others. By the time the last few minutes descended upon us for the countdown
to midnight, R and I found ourselves packed like sardines with the crowd. With one arm around Rebecca's shoulders and the other grasping a cola bottle mixed full of "Scottish mystery punch" and her disheveled fur coat, an old woman beside us was overflowing with joy to meet 2 girls from Oklahoma. And, as the clocks struck 12 around town, a wall of fireworks exploded from Edinburgh castle with a glittering ferocity that brought a tear to my eye. The intoxicated young British girls behind us were so moved they couldn't stop shrieking "SCOTLAND, I LOVE YOU!!!" over and over on top of the defining explosions. Definielty a night to remember...
We capped off the evening with an after-party with Bex's high school friends. The whole event brought back striking memories for both of us...you know, those days when you spent most of your time rolling on the floor with your best friends shouting and laughing whilst consuming ridiculous amounts of potato chips and cola.. Ahhh...sadly, we both felt about 6 years too old to join in. Not to mention we barely knew the kids and were relegated to the sofa in the far corner.
Looking back, though, Edinburgh was
a fantastic city with some wonderful museums and sights. Walking around the city on a wet, gray day, it's easy to go back in time in your imagination. It's a city that's still very much alive with the spirits that have wandered its streets and buildings for hundreds of years. No wonder it's considered to be one of the most haunted cities in Europe...Lurking behind every closed door or dark alley way there seems to linger a hint of the past. It's a feeling that really must be experienced to be believed. In fact, J.K. Rowelling wrote Harry Potter in a cafe in downtown. The myriad of ghosts, witches and black magic that she concocted for the book were surely inspired by the whimsey and magic that seem to permeate through the ancient cobble stoned streets of Edinburgh .
However...by the time New Years day had come upon us we were feeling quite trapped there. While Edinburgh seems to gloat in the fact that Hogmanay draws the most international guests for any New Years celebration in the world...they seemed to forget one little logistical detail...many of these guests would like to leave the city AFTER the party. The little city
My first flight of the trip!!
Pisa to Glasgow. We love Ryan Air! on the hill was having none of that. Nope...not one single bus was leaving or entering the city for "long distance" destinations such as ours, Dundee. R and I could not figure out how everyone was getting around. To make matters worse, the city bus and train services that ran near the Young house were canceled for the next few days, as well. Thus, our 3 day trip to Edinburgh was unexpectedly extended for a few more days. Thanks to the Edinburgh transportation system we were forced to overstay our welcome at the Youngs and intrude on their New Years Day family gathering. Yea. Luckily the Youngs were quite accommodating and didn't seem to mind stuffing us in the back of their Mini Cooper and shuttling us to the Firth of Fourth for lunch. Errmm...their lunch, I mean. The family had reservations at a posh restaurant for lunch and since we were unanticipated guests we were found ourselves walking around the little village on the banks of the river by ourselves for the duration of their meal. Quite memorable.
When we arrived in Dundee the next morning and dropped our bags in Rebecca's cozy bedroom we were so relieved and
My FIRST DP in 5 months!!
Celebrating with all of our gear at the Glasgow bus station excited to finally let our hair down. So...we've been sleeping in, watching lots of DVDs and cooking up a storm these past few days. Basically we've been trying to deprogram ourselves from tourist mode. The Dundee campus here is quite cute and convent. All of the international students live on the same block and everything is within walking distance. Our only complaint is the Chinese girls in R's flat who insist on leaving a trail of trash and grime behind them wherever they go. For the love! We found toenail clippings in the bath tub the other day. I think that says enough.
Before making the big crossing of the Atlantic back home we hope to check out the historical ship, the Discovery, docked here in Dundee port. We also are planning a day trip out to St. Andrews to walk around the world's oldest golf course and the university campus Prince William inhabited up until last summer.
And, in the in-between time we'll be packing up R's room and preparing ourselves for the journey home. For me, Scotland is the last stop on this wild 6 month world tour. And while I can hardly wait to retire the human-sized
backpack I've lugged through sixteen countries, I'm a little weary and a wee bit sad to return to normality and the real world.
So here it is, my last blog from across the globe. Get ready everyone, I am almost home!
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Kate Hildebrand
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Welcome Home!
Good old Oklahoma... I'm in Hanoi right now having SO MUCH FUN!