May 18, 2013 - Edinburgh

Day #2 started with a great Scottish breakfast and then a long walk in the rain from our B&B to the top of the hill to tour Edinburgh Castle. Before we entered the castle we researched our lovely last name and learned that we are from the the MacEwan clan which sounds way cooler than Magoon if you ask me! Next we had photos taken in traditional Scottish garb (Photos posted soon). After touring the castle we grabbed a taxi and headed to a scotish premire league soccer match. After the game we drove to the town of North Berwick where we will...

May 17, 2013 - We Made It!

Well after 20 hours of airports, English language challenged taxi drivers and a hectic couple of hours trying to find our way while driving on the wrong side of the street, wrong side of the car and manual shifting with the left hand we finally made it to our B&B in Edinburgh, Scotland. We are very tired from the journey but that didn't stop us from going out for a great meal of Indian cuisine and then washing it down with a couple of pints of ale in the nearest pub to celebrate :) Tomorrow is a busy day as we tour downtown Edinburgh and...

Mar 21, 2013 - Scotland

Hi Everyone, I'm in Scotland! To be more pacific, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. For breakfast I had tea and shortbread! It was yummy! After breakfast I went to the Edinburgh castle! I know what you're thinking! You're thinking, oh my gosh, the Edinburgh castle! There was such nice paintings and architecture! Then I had lunch. For lunch I had haggis! It's basically sheep stomach! I don't want to lie, but I didn't like it! At Least I tried it! I got invited to tea time! At tea time I had tea, cucumber sandwiches, and shortbread! After...

Jan 2, 2013 - St Petersburg aka Leningrad

Arrived in St Petersburg Russia. Woke in the UK at 6 am. Flew 3 hours to St Peterburgh. Landed and it was 6 pm. Crazy time change and waste of a day. A taxi attempted to scam me. Thank goodness I'm a traveler. He was pissed but that's not my issue. All over the world there are cheating/scamming people. I feel for those that aren't street smart. We arrive at my hotel of which is overlooking the church of the spilled blood. It's breath taking. More so than any picture you've ever seen. More revered than ever imagined. My room is cute. Yes...

Dec 31, 2012 - A new year is born

12/31 That last of 2012. It's been a great adventure this year. I must say I'm ending the year on a very high note and I know I'm the luckiest girl in the world. Life has been inordinately kind to me so I'm loving life back- more than ever. As for celebrating the New Years in a different country, I'm not sure ill ever do it again. I'm too far from the ones I love. Been there done that - not doing it again. So, it rained, one final day. All 4 days it rained. We decided to 'weather the rain' and took a hop on hop off bus tour. We hopped on...

Dec 30, 2012 - This can't be the end of the world- fire, rain and rainbows

12/30 Very relaxing morning. We made coffee and took our time getting ready for the day. You can probably guess why... Yep raining again. We walked across the street and ate at the famed Dome restaurant. Built in 1775 it was an old physicians hall. It cost £2725 to build. The opulence and glamour of the Christmas decor was stunningly beautiful. There was a 100' tree peached in the center bar reaching to the highest point of the dome. We took our time and had a 2 hour leisurely lunch. We have found the food to be good yet here but we both...

Dec 29, 2012 - The Scottish Countryside via car

12/29- it's raining. Again. The sun doesn't rise here until 9am and sets at 3:30. Only a few hours of daylight to play with. We woke super early so that we can rent a car and explore the countryside of Scotland. Prior to leaving the hotel, we pack our bags so the hotel can move us to a room that actually has heat. We head to Starbucks for a large take away coffee ( you pay more to take away vs stay and drink everywhere else besides the US) we find a cab and hop in to head off to the car rental. Upon arrival we are greeted by a wee bit man...

Nov 17, 2012 - Of Trains, Buses, Monuments and Squirrels

In between all the work described last time, I have done a bit of sight-seeing. In 2006 Anne and I had a wonderful two weeks driving around Scotland, from Gretna Green to the Orkneys. I don’t want to repeat that, so I’ve focused on seeing various parts of Edinburgh as well as a few places within an hour or so of Edinburgh - namely Glasgow, St Andrew’s and North Berwick. I also had a lightning visit (via organised day bus trip) down to Lindisfarne (otherwise known as Holy Island) and Alnwick (pronounced ‘Ahnik’) of Harry Potter fame. I’ll...

Nov 7, 2012 - Hugh's Working Day

I’ve just come back from five days out of Edinburgh, giving a paper to a seminar group in Oxford, meeting with a co-editor of a book project in London, and having a lovely few days with an old school friend and family. It occurs to me that you, my faithful readers, might think I’m on something of a Clayton’s trip over here. Or perhaps I can hear you saying ‘just what is he doing when he says he is “working” over there?’ So let me tell you a bit about my ‘what I call work’ (to quote Miranda’s mum). I am being hosted by the Divinity School at...

Oct 25, 2012 - Upstairs, Downstairs

Seeing I finished my last entry with my 96 stairs tackled twice-daily (more if I’m stupid enough to go out again once I get home), I thought I’d start there this time. Edinburgh is a city of stairs – and that comes from someone who lives in Dunedin!! – and there is no end of going up and down. In our building there is only a stairwell, and no lift. I asked Elizabeth the other day about how elderly people cope. She said that in Edinburgh, they are either incredibly fit for most of their lives, or they can get ‘stuck’ inside if living on...

Oct 14, 2012 - Walk With Me

It’s the beginning of my third week here, and I’m now into the daily routines that will see me (hopefully) get through all I’ve set myself here. One of those routines includes a 30 minute walk to and from work. Down 96 stairs, and out onto the cobble-stoned street, past the recycling bins, the many parked cars, and out into a new day. Past the Pakora Stand and the sign pointing to the hot potato shop. Remember to walk on the right, until I get to the long park walkway where the right-hand side is for cyclists – many of them. No...

Oct 7, 2012 - Transitions

A week or so later from my last entry in NZ, and time to add some detail. This is the typical 'just got here and this is what's different' entry - hence the title 'Transitions'. It's not my first time here, but still the differences and quirks still stand out. There's the usual transitions: NZ Spring to tropical Singapore to early autumnal UK. It's a strange experience being 'in transit' in a large airport like Singapore's. Ou tside there's a new country, a tropical downpour complete with copious amounts of thunder and lightning. Inside I'm...