Saturday, July 30th, 2005 - Cambridge

The options to get to Scotland are actually quite varied but in this case I took the relatively easy option of the train. This allowed me to catch the train directly from Cambridge then a simple transfer in Peterburough to get onto the train that would take me directly to Edinburgh (Waverley, the main station in Edinburgh).

The trip was uneventful with the only interesting scenery just before we got into Edinburgh when the train passed right along the top of the coastal cliffs – I tell a lie. It was also interesting to go through Newcastle to see the river running through it and passing over a bridge quite a ways above the water. Looks like somewhere I might want to visit at some point.

I arrived in Edinburgh on time at about 13:20 having left Cambridge at 8:00. Jillian was there to meet me. She is a friend I met during my time in The Gambia and has been keeping in touch with me ever since. It was good to see a friendly face. We walked up out of the depths of the train station and into the heart of Edinburgh. Continuing along Princes Street we turned down some back roads into the old town and found her mother's house where we were to spend the night. It is a wonderful old Georgian house with massively high ceilings. A room had been set aside for me in the basement.

We had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant that was quite good though required a reservation (also very small, only about 10 tables). It is very busy this year because of the festival so reserving is an absolute must. The festival? What do you mean, you don't know what I am talking about? Do you live on another planet! Oh dear. Ok, ok, I will tell you. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival (and about 10 others) are always on this time of year which brings many, MANY, people into the city. There are literally hundreds of shows on every day so the city tends to double in size for the month of August.

⇒ Continue to Sunday, July 31st, 2005 - Edinburgh