The Hogmanay mania has departed and Edinburgh sleeps. No doubt recovering from a collective new years hangover. The weather is icy and wonderful, there is snow on my eyelashes and everything is white. I thought it time I added a current blog, so the rest can be caught up later.
I was bracing myself for absolute freezing temperatures, which there is, but it's nothing remarkable. Life goes on as normal, the city hasnt shut down because an Australian tourist is a little out of her depth weather-wise. The news told me cheerily of the extreme weather warnings for Scotland, all the accidents caused by the treacherous weather, and how it is the worst winter in thirty years. Minus 20 degrees, the weather lady forecast with a sunny smile. Flights cancelled, trains delayed, roads absolutely buried in snow, and I was heading into the worst of it. That was a bit exciting, and made me feel like I was doing something adventurous, rather than simply catching a bus.
The trip from London was a little bit sobering. Leaving the cosy, riverside appartment for hostels and constant movement was slightly depressing. For the first time I had dreams of home, where I can lie on my verandah and eat lychees while the sun scared away the ghostliness that my skin has become. But the snow was so lovely that I couldnt help but get over it.There was so much of it! The fields were white in all directions, so bright sometimes that it hurt your eyes. The trees became nothing more than places for the snow to rest upon and they groaned under their white blanket. In the morning, the bus became stuck in a snowdrift, and we waited for hours in the middle of nowhere. Stepping outside the bus, I sank into it immediately, and couldnt stop smiling. Others cursed the nuisance of so much snow, but I was tempted to throw snowballs at them all and run around in giddy glee.
In Edinburgh, I've been wandering for two days now and liking it immensely. I saw the castle today, which has the most stunning view. Postcard images every way you look. It sits on top of an old volcano, and to see the snow covered rock with the castle on top was very beautiful indeed. The Royal Mile was fun, with its spattering of charity shops, museums and nice old pubs.
I had dinner with a servas lady last night, and she told me I was likely to run into Princess Anne out riding, or see JK Rowling buying a pen, but surprisingly, so far I havent. Maybe tomorrow.
Today was also full of the writers museum, Holyrood palace, Greyfriars Bobby, and a bus tour with a very eccentric guide. There are men in kilts playing the bagpipes on corners, and haggis advertised in cafe windows. I havent tried any yet, and dont know if I will. The whisky, however is something I do have to try!
To Inverness and Skye I go now. The Highlands sound amazing, and who knows, maybe the Loch Ness monster will make an appearance. Only 2 degrees warmer than the North Pole, I just heard on the news. Can that be right? Better take a very big coat!