1st Week in Edinburgh

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Well the next part of my journey is to stay in Edinburgh for a month on two to earn some cash up. Have sorted out accommodation, decided to stay in the long term rooms of the backpackers I am in. Moved in there today so am living with 3 others in a room. The window looks onto the corner of cowgate and west bow in the old town so pretty scenic even if it is just buildings. My ankle has healed a bit as well, not so much swelling just a bit of bruising now probably because I didnt rest it up as much as i should have. Went for a few interviews in the last week. Have been up and down the main streets of Edinburgh about twice each I think handing CVs in but good for orientation of the town I guess. You can walk everywhere here. The streets around the old town are all cobblestone (lucky i left my heels in London!) I had an interview yesterday at a wine cellar bar which offered more money than the rest and the guy interviewing actually knew where Gladstone was! Am going back today to speak to the head guy but this has been the most favorable one so far so lets hope I can snag it. Finding it really difficult to to let it slip how long ill be here for, cause you have to say you'll be staying for awhile for anyone to take you on basically.

The big rugby season is on over here called six nations. Edinburgh gets packed out and all the accommodation gets booked up. Lucky I got a bed in the long stay today because my hostel is packed out. Scotland are playing Italy so shared my room last night with 5 Italians so am glad I'm moving out today. You usually dont see many people walking around in kilts, only an odd few. But today it seems like every second male has one on with a rugby shirt, must be the tradition.

Its a pretty city when the sun is shining. From every corner you can basically see the castle or some other cathedral which stands out. In the old town the reason why all the buildings are 5 or 6 story is that they kept building up when there was a wall around the small city and castle. People keep saying its hard to find your way because the bit where I am is basically on two levels with alot of overpasses but am not finding it to difficult.

As soon as I get this job I can start planning the rest of my trip so am eager to get stuck into that (went to the travel agent and got all the books yesterday) and hopefully I can do some days down to Glasgow to see Aikenhead House and visit Aberdeen. Am glad I did the Haggis tour as you probably cant appreciate Scotland until you've seen the highlands.

There is an Oz bar probably about 10m from my front door (no not recruiting) so thats comforting. Every bar has Fosters as the official aussie drink here which is a bit rubbish i think. Met up with Tom Donaldson for a hot choclate in a cafe. The cafe is called the Elephant House, its pretty cool and cheap (also only a couple of min walk away) which is where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book. She was homeless apparently.

(A bunch of Italians just walked past the Internet place in full voice, still people walking around in kilts just saw a lady)

Have been trying to spend as little as possible while no income, getting my food from the supermarket. The hostel has heaps of kitchens with cupboard and fridge space and have been walking everywhere so saving on those costs.

I keep remembering little stories from my Haggis trip. Fergus the guide wrote on the map where we traveled so I can point out the little places we stopped at. Not sure if I said but we went on a tour of a whisky plant which was pretty cool. It was one that makes its one single malt and also goes into others (like 1/77 of jack Daniels) The only way to drink it they say in Scotland is single malt, just straight with no ice or water. I didnt mind it, burnt the throat though. When we were in Skye we went to a place that had similar hexagonal rocks to those found at the Giants Causeway in Ireland so that was pretty weird. We were told about why Scotland is so much different to England in its formation. When the earth was breaking up Scotland was actually apart of Canada and was no where near England. Then they collided. When the ice age was on there was a big glacier which covered most of the UK. When it started to break up big rocks and iceburgs were ripping out the locks, thats why they are so deep. I didnt relise that Loch Ness held so much water. It really doesn't look that big from the top but because it is so deep (and so dark) they say no one has ever made it to the bottom. It holds more water than all the rivers and lakes in England combined, like billions of litres.

Probably wont be the most exciting journal for the next month but will update you anyway about the quirky things I see!

Till next time (when I have a job!!!)

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