Scotland

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Traveling to and Arrival in Scotland

Wednesday June 10th, 1998 6:52 pm

I’m on flight 425 to Toronto, waiting for takeoff. I’m so nervous! Everything’s gone well so far, though. (My mother) and Grand-maman (who insisted on coming) took me out for supper. I tried a ‘Rickard Red’ beer. It’s… red! And delicious. Both agreed it would loosen me up but wear off by the time I got on the plane. They were right! I suppose that my nervousness comes from the fact that this is my first major trip where I’ll have only myself to rely on. I guess I’d feel better if I hadn’t listened to (my mother) and booked my bed at the Glasgow youth hostel. Anyhoo, I’m getting there early. If worse comes to worse I’ll have time to go to Paisley (!) Or Milgavie (pronounced ‘Mullguy’) and sleep there.

It’s so… peaceful here. Soothing music is playing. The setting sun comes through my window in golden rays. I feel that my whole life has come together, it’s all existed to reach this point in time. Yes, it’s like everything I’ve done in my life has lead up to this moment. It’s my hour, my month, and my dream. It’s up to me whether or not it becomes a nightmare. Think good thoughts! If this is a dream, it’ll be the best dream of my life, so there!

8:41

Waiting patiently for my 9:30 connection. [Everything’s going off without a hitch! It was funny, landing in Toronto, the new developments look like models of houses!]

The flight to Toronto was wonderful. The pressure I felt was minimal thanks to a bit of gum and some ginger ale! We even got free cheese flavoured ‘Sun Chips’.  At one point, we were flying between two levels of clouds. Our optimum altitude was about 35,000 feet. (My mother) bought me 3 magazines and I read one, as well as a terrific short story by (my best friend at the time).  So far so good.

9:17

I’m nestled quite comfortably in my seat for the flight to Glasgow. This time I knew how the seat belt worked! Why I don’t remember from last time is beyond me! Later.

July 11th, 1998 6:25 Glasgow time

The sun is rising over the Atlantic in golden pink magnificence.

8:16 GT

The food (I got my vegetarian option) has been delicious! I got an hour snoozet after seeing ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’. Now, the clouds have cleared. ‘The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls’.

map

12:36 GT

[I am so discouraged!!!] Nothing is going as I ‘planned’. Haggis (the operator of the jump on/jump off tour I followed the first half plus a bit of my journey) is picking me up at 4:30 tomorrow. I’ll be sleeping in Edinburgh tomorrow night. I guess I’ll be doing my circuit backwards, backtracking to Edinburgh for the 27th. I’ll do Ben Nevis later rather than earlier. Now that I’m putting this down on paper, I’m getting more relaxed. I mean I’m here aren’t I? (The Glasgow youth hostel that is?) Unfortunately, I won’t have access to my bed until 2:00. Since I’ll be ‘stuck here’ till tomorrow, I think I’ll just stay in this afternoon (maybe I’ll feel different once I’m clean and changed) and get an early night! I’ve already spent the £20 allocated to today on bus to the city, bus to the hostel, bed (£11.50) and £5 phone card. I’ll pull out £5 and try to get some dinner. I did say £25 a day. It’s understandable that the first day is a little more expensive.

I must say that my first view of Scotland was breathtakingly beautiful. It’s so lush and green and hilly! I saw Loch Lomond from above. Unfortunately, fatigue and stress are masking any joy I should be feeling. To be honest, I’d give my right arm to be in my bed right now! But this is only the first day. It’ll most likely get better once I’m out in the country.

I sat next to a really nice woman on the plane. She’s from Calgary, but she’s lived in Scotland. She told me lots of great stories. She also gave me a card so that I can contact her if I have any questions.

Actually, I think that once I get access to my room, I’ll go straight to bed! I’m not in a mood to go anywhere. I’d better perk up soon, I have ‘I’m-so-enthusiastic-I-never-want-to-leave’ postcards to send! Yes, I’m sure that the picture will be brighter in the morning.

I’m in Scotland. It looks a lot like home (one part on the way from the airport looked like the 10 near St. Lambert!), but it feels different. Glasgow has yet to impress me. What I’ve seen is dirty. I said the same thing about New York, and you know how I loved N.Y.C.!

I’m enjoying using £’s and p’s, etc. ‘They’ have half-pound coins. Their shape is funny! I have no change left for tomorrow. I’m going to get more cash tomorrow afternoon since I don’t know how the banks and ATMs are on the weekend. (You can use the ATM’s seven days a week, but not every bank will accept a withdrawl from an overseas account. I had the best luck with the Clydesdale bank. By taking out money once a week, I only used cash for my trip and I had very little on me at all times, most of which I kept in a secret pouch next to my skin. The exchange rate was actually better than what was offered in ‘bureau de change’ and the exchange from dollars to pounds was made automatically and immediately.)

I’m going to be okay. I know I am. But right now I’m tired, dirty, and probably hungry, only I’m to tired to go in search of food. Maybe a short nap!

3:06 GT

Everything’s going to be okay. This is a very nice hostel. My £11.50 includes sleepsack and pillowcase as well as breakfast. We have a private shower and toilet. I just took a shower. Unfortunately, it was ice cold! I do feel much better now! Totally excited and ready to do some serious sight seeing! Amazing what a change of clothes can do!

There are white clouds, but boy is it sunny! (It was so sunny my first week I actually got a minor sunburn!)

7:02 pm (from now on, unless otherwise mentioned, G.T.)

I did about 3 hours worth of walking this afternoon. I made it to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and had one hour to wander around the unimpressive exhibits. Oh, there was interesting stuff, but nothing new except for a painting of Burns. Unfortunately, ‘Massacre at Glencoe’ was no longer on exhibit. Figures.

I then got myself purposely lost searching for food without a map. I eventually ended up buying a cheap (but delicious and filling) veggie burger at the European (or at least Scottish) equivalent of a fast food joint. But here there’s little fast but rather lots of courtesy and edible food.   ‘When in doubt, do as the locals do’ and it was obvious that the owner had ‘regulars’. Sure, the place was kind of seedy. Who cares? When I got out of there, nibbling on my very yummy potato/cheese/chive burger, I was caught by an unexpected spill of rain (ain’t that poetic?) The rain came down really weirdly, it looked and felt like long filaments of water rather than individual droplets.

Some observations:

  • the toilets flush on the other side
  • the toilets only eat half the amount of t.p. the North American toilets eat
  • there are no stop signs! (I saw perhaps a half dozen during my whole stay!)
  • driving on the left makes for confusing street corners and circulation patterns
  • although I don’t eat many at home, the ‘Snickers’ bar tastes a little different here. I could pinpoint it only if I had a blind taste test or something
  • Glasgow’s layout is confusing, you think you’re going straight, but you’re actually going around in circles!

Glasgow’s endearing, it’s actually growing on me! It’s sort of a cross between Montreal (cosmopolitan, architecture), Quebec City (hills, architecture), Ottawa (feeling of intimacy, architecture)!

I figured out why most of Scotland’s cities appear to be built on hills. Coming from a new country it is easy to forget that her towns have been around for millennia, and were originally built on top of hills for defence purposes. Eventually, the towns spilled down the hillside.

I’ll see more of it tomorrow as I’ll explore (drumroll please) the City Centre! It’s kind of silly, in a way, that I’ll have to lug my butt down there with all my luggage and then have to lug it all the way back here to catch Haggis. I think I’ll take a bus back, though. This way, I’ll have more time. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the Museum of Transportation, but it’ll be way out of my way tomorrow, it seems. I’ll recheck the map, though.

Did I mention I made my first telephone call today, to Edinburgh? It wasn’t nearly as expensive nor as complicated as I would have thought. Besides, my £5 phone card is somehow worth £6! I have Bank of Clydesdale notes. They aren’t very attractive (except for the twenties, which have a lovely likeness of Robert the Bruce on them !) I think I’ll go to bed now. The water here is really quite good. My only complaint is that I’m either too hot or too cold. (note to self: bring long sleeved tee-shirts next time! (little did I know I would head this advice during my 2016 trip to London!))

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48 Hours Before My Departure to Scotland

In 48 hours, I will be on a plane to Scotland. Rather than being exhilarated, I am scared to death! What was I thinking?! But I know the exhilaration is down there somewhere, hidden deep down under this façade of calm (ish) rationality. But I am scared, gosh am I scared! This is really happening. I’m going to Scotland. Me!!! I’m surprised I haven’t fainted yet!

(My mother) has kindly made me pants and shorts and she has lent me (an uncle who travelled a lot and died early in the decade)’s light chlorophyll parka. I’ve got hiking boots so comfortable it feels like I’m wearing nothing. Now, if I could only colour coordinate! (My employer) gave me a travel pillow, the kind for the plane. I was thrilled.

Oh, and I got (my stepmother) to buy me some peanut butter–Kraft, light– I might be adventurous (yeah, right!) But there’s NO way I’m going a month without peanut butter. It’s bad enough that I’m sacrificing maple syrup. (Maybe I could take some with me…) I’m looking forward to good Scottish salmon. I might even try the Haggis! I hear that they have vegetarian haggis, I know, it won’t be the same!

I got £100 today. The £20 and £10 notes are different sizes. The £20 don’t fit in my wallet. I’ve made a resolution: Hakuna Matata (‘no worries’). I’m going to have fun. So there!

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Pre-Scotland Trip Musings

Well… I finally got my butt in gear. I’m leaving for Scotland on June 10, and I shall be returning on July 7.

Date?

I am so excited about this trip, yet there is anxiety also. This will be the first major trip I shall make that I’ll have planned entirely on my own. What will it feel like to land in Glasgow with 26 days to fill and a whole country to explore? What awaits me over there, across the mighty Atlantic? Will I be the same person when I return? I look forward to the lesson in autonomy that this trip shall bring.

From the moment I set my mind to going to Scotland, I came to realise that I can do just about anything I set my mind to do. Financially, this is the probably the most unsound thing I’ve ever done in my life, considering my impending move to Ottawa. Yet, emotionally, this trip comes at the perfect time in my life. I’ll have almost a full month to learn self-reliance, to grow up, to catch a glimpse of the woman I could be.

I look forward to this trip with a mixture of hope and of anxiety. I am about to see a country that has haunted me for years, a land that has nourished my imagination. I don’t expect anything of Scotland but that she be herself. Perhaps then I won’t be bitterly disappointed if she is not as wonderful a place as almost everyone who’s ever visited her claims. I am going to Scotland. Reality has yet to hit. Perhaps it never will. Maybe Scotland will be like Colorado, a pleasant dream, yes, but a dream none the less.