Scotland for Hogmanay

Hiya. Well, another letter to fill you in on what we've been up to since just before Christmas. We spent our Christmas up in Edinburgh with Mike's sister Vivienne, her husband John, and their wee boy, Benjamin (and their cat, Nuisance). We arrived in Edinburgh about 11:15pm Christmas Eve after catching the train from Kings Cross station at 6pm. Mike went straight from his work carrying our suitcase (which we found easier to transport presents in, as opposed to a pack which operates on the crushing technique to transport goods - which doesn't usually matter if you're backpacking - the disheveled look being all the rage with backpackers) and I went from home as my work had finished at 1pm after nibbles with the Managing Director.

We were both early for the train; I arrived at about 4:30pm, and Mike arrived about 4:35pm (this is for a 6pm train remember). We had heard rumours about the stations on Christmas Eve being really busy, so we wanted to avoid a huge rush. Six o'clock came along fast enough. The journey was good; people were in high spirits, and we had a few conversations with fellow passengers. I kept my eye out the window, looking for Christmas tree lights in people's windows. I wasn't disappointed either. Prodded Mike in the ribs each time I saw one too. Christmas is a great time of year. We weren't allowed a Christmas tree this year, as Mike argued we weren't going to be there.

We caught a taxi from Edinburgh station to John & Vivienne's house. I had only been there for about 10 minutes when Karen rang to say hello. We chatted for a brief few minutes until her pay phone ran out of money. Then about 5 minutes later Mum rang, and talked for so long that it was Christmas Day by the time she had stopped.

Mike & I went to bed soon after that. I made Mike wear his Christmas boxer shorts (they used to play Jingle Bells, but the battery went flat and for some reason Mike never wanted to replace it) and Santa hat to bed. I now have a photo of this giant pixie or elf in his bed! Bashful looking pixie too. But cute!

We got up fairly late by my Christmas Day standards - about 8:30am. The day itself was good; Benjamin had a ball opening fifty million presents. Vivienne cooked a fantastic Christmas dinner (she actually prepares a menu on her PC and prints it out - Christmas Day 1997 .... With starters, mains, desserts etc) and basically spent a major portion of the day in the kitchen.

The day after Boxing Day (Saturday) we caught up with our friends Mike & Karen and took them to see Edinburgh Castle. I found Charlie Robertson's name in the book again. The Stone of Destiny has now been returned to Edinburgh Castle, and that wasn't there the last time we visited. It is something that is greater in legend that in real life. But, what a legend. That is, if it is the real stone at all. We had a good day for wandering around the castle, but it was pretty cool nevertheless. Gusty up there.

On Sunday evening I went back on the train to London, but Mike stayed up in Edinburgh. He was so wonderful at the station. As the train started to move off, he kept up with it outside my window. Then he had to jog as the train sped up. Then he broke into a run, and was running down the platform next to my window. When the train started to pull away, he stopped and blew me a kiss. He made me feel quite special. An American woman behind me was going 'Oh, look at that. Isn't he sweet'. And he was. A wee cutie.

I was home by 11:30 that night and off to work in the morning. Work was a bit slow that week, being the festive season and all.

My work finished up at midday on Wednesday (New Years Eve) so I went home to tidy up before my train left at 5pm. I called home at 1:20pm our time, and it had just gone midnight in Melbourne. So, I talked briefly to Mum, Robert & Pat & Johnny.

The train journey was uneventful (and I was getting a bit bored by this time - especially as it was in the dark every time and you couldn't see any scenery at all) and I got into Waverley Station (Edinburgh's main station) at 9:15pm. The first person I saw was Blue (he's Kelly's boyfriend and they've just moved over to the UK - Blue is Irish but they'll look for work here in London). He tried to get me behind the police cordon (they had issued tickets for Princes Street this year to prevent crush injuries, so all the streets were blocked off and patrolled) but they wouldn't let me (none of us had managed to get tickets). So I told them I'd meet them near the exit.

As I toddled around looking for the exit (they only had one exit from the station to try and prevent gatecrashers) I asked a policeman the direction. Then, I crossed the road and bumped into Mike. He was very merry! He had been drinking since 4pm and as the pub they were in (him, Kelly and Blue) was closing at 8:30, they thought they had better drink enough to keep them going to midnight. Oh dear. Mike promptly fell on the ground, with his head in the gutter, looking up at me and giggling (this is still in the station and undercover). The policeman I had just asked directions from came over and told Mike to move along. Mike leapt to his feet and started spouting rubbish 'Yes, I was just coming to visit my wonderful girlfriend here at the station. Came over the cordon just to see her'. See, Mike didn't have a ticket, but he had been drinking in a pub within the cordon since before the cordon went up. So he had to come through the cordon to see me at the station, and now we couldn't get back in. Well, Mike promptly fell on the ground again (I was trying to pack my bag with his stuff that he said he wanted me to bring up from London but said he didn't need there and then), and the policeman came over again. I dragged Mike to his feet and we shuffled off to the exit.

At the exit we met up with Kelly and Blue. They were still on the Princes St side of the cordon, and we were talking to them over the barricade. We were chatting to a security guard for a while, trying to cajole him into letting us over the barrier, but he wouldn't. He was very nice - Mike took a photo of him with the rubber chicken.

Then we walked around to the cordon entrance, and Kelly was leaning over the security guard's shoulder from her side, and we were asking to be let in from our side. And then, wonders of wonders, the other security guard gave us all tickets to get in. Mike was so pleased he kissed her (but got the wrong woman - but she didn't mind). So, we all went in.

Then Mike and Kelly thought they'd do the haka for me & Blue. Very embarrassing, especially as Mike kept missing his knees when he struck them. Then we mingled with the crowd on Princes St. It wasn't too crowded and there was plenty happening. There were quite a few tents set up all over the place, and these had bands and the like. Texas was the big band that was playing. Mike wanted to stay after midnight, but I wanted to go home (we were looking at a one hour walk to get home and I didn't fancy staying out too late), although I wish we had stayed and listened a bit now.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way we lost Blue. We never found him either. So Kelly saw the New Year in without him. Bit of a shame. The crowd started the countdown at about 25 seconds to go, and then Mike & I had time for a quick kiss, then they let off the fireworks from the castle. It was great. Huge fireworks, and such a lovely backdrop. It was a clear night too. The fireworks started a wee fire under the castle walls.

Then Mike & I wandered home. After about 25 minutes of walking through the crowd, we dropped out the end of Princes St and started the walk home. Fortunately, after 15 mins, Mike flagged down a cab and we got home by about 1:15am. Pretty good night too. John & Vivienne were still up, but Mike wouldn't drink anymore. So we chatted for about an hour and crawled off to bed.

We went out on Friday to a park between Edinburgh and Glasgow with John, Vivienne and Benjamin. It was supposed to be to catch a glimpse of the native red squirrel, which has been dominated in most parts of the UK by the grey squirrel from North America. But, we only saw some ducks and pigs (hairy wee pigs too - must be highland pigs, related to the highland koo) and miniature Schnauzers (and Mike has decided I'm allowed to get this type of dog, if and when we get a dog).

It was freezing at the start of this walk. It was sleeting, and I scared Benjamin by being wrapped up like a wee bundle with only my eyes poking out. I had my gloves on, jeans and Docs, jersey, scarf, hat and parka with the hood done up too. The scarf was up around my nose. Hardly any skin showing at all. Benjamin wouldn't come near me till I pulled the scarf down.

After we got back to Edinburgh, Mike & I went out with Blue and Kelly for dinner and a drink. It was supposed to be an early night, but Mike was keen on drinking these Steinlagers he found at a pub, and Blue and Kelly were keen too. I had a good time too. There was an Aussie guy from Brisbane playing with a guitar on this stage where you had to climb on top of the juke box to haul yourself up onto the stage. Anyhow, we asked for a couple of requests (he didn't play any Bruce, but we got a Hunters song out of him) and we were a very noisy wee bunch in the back corner of this pub. I enjoyed myself, singing my head off to these oldies, but goodies, tunes. Especially Mull of Kintyre. I knew all the words to that one.

Well, I don't know why people drink. I mean, I had a great time at this pub, and I wasn't as sick as a wee puppy the next morning. But, someone was. He said it was because he smelled the cigarette smoke on his clothes the next morning, but, hey, I smelled it too, and I didn't go shouting at the toilet. No need in the world for alcohol; you only need a good atmosphere, good friends and good food.

We hired a cheap rental car on Saturday, and needless to say, I had to drive everywhere. We left Edinburgh at about 10:15am and got to Glasgow about 45mins later. The weather was awful. A huge storm was blowing in - hitting the west coast of Scotland. Of course, that was where we were heading. Apparently I was supposed to remember the way to Frankie's house, but I distinctly remember asking some people directions when we did that, so I had no idea of the way there. And, Mike & I had copied down Frankie's address wrong from one of his letters (have a look at his writing and you'll understand how we got that wrong) so we couldn't find it on our map of Glasgow (now we know why Frankie hadn't replied to our postcards and letters - he never received them). So, we wandered around Glasgow for about an hour (we wandered so far that at one stage, after we did a U-turn, we saw a sign welcoming us to Glasgow), until we ended up in the right suburb. Then we called Frankie, and found we were only two blocks away.

So, we picked up Frankie (said hello to Nellie and another daughter (not Patsy)) and hooned up to Lochgoilhead. Andrew was there visiting his grandmother so it was good to catch up with him. Actually, when I rang to make sure we could visit, he answered the phone. That threw me because I wasn't expecting a man to answer. I asked to speak to my Aunt Nancy, and he had no idea what I had said. I said 'Is Nancy Dickinson there?' and that did the trick. Quite funny.

As we sat there and chatted, a huge thunder storm blew in, and the lights flickered quite a bit. Obviously it hit a sub station further down the coast, as the lights went out completely. We were going to visit Margaret and Roy, but they were being flooded. And, as we left Aunt Nancy's place to go and eat at a local pub/restaurant/curling rink, we could see evidence of the storm, as there was seaweed all up over the road. It must have been swimming!

The restaurant was fun. They were having a big curling competition, and many outsiders had come in for the big match. But they couldn't get going, because every time they started up, the lights would go. Fortunately we got our meals ordered and cooked between bouts of darkness. We ate by candlelight. Very atmospheric.

We left Aunt Nancy's at about 8:30pm and dropped Frankie back off in Glasgow. Then we hurtled back to Edinburgh, driving through the sleet.

Next morning there was only time to clean up, then we were back on the train to London. We made this trip during daylight hours so we could see something of the scenery. Lovely coastline between Edinburgh and Berwick-on-Tweed. We left Edinburgh in the grip of a mini ice age (well, it felt like that) and apparently the snow lay around for a few days. Shame I missed it. I wanted to build a snowman.

Due to high winds (and a faulty freight train at Durham) we were delayed by nearly an hour getting into Kings Cross. We leapt on the tube to Liverpool St and caught a train to Bishop's Stortford to meet up with Kara and her family. She had flown over for Christmas with her family, and her Mum cooked us a great meal. We also found out that Kara was going skiing at Chamonix in March, so we booked a ski trip then too. So, we're off skiing in France from March 15-23.

We got home at about 1:30am. Tuckered out wee things. Work got us back into the swing of things.

Dave Holloway (John's younger brother) has been dossing with us since that Monday. He wants to work here in London for a while and is sorting out his life. He came over for the wedding, and stayed. He studied law and economics and has been out of varsity for a year or two. He should do well here in London.

We went to Cambridge at the weekend and visited a friend called Liz Hale. She was in Cambridge over the Christmas/New Year period visiting her father. Her father is a professor at Otago, but is on sabbatical here in Cambridge. We went into the Cambridge University Press and we found her father's book there. Liz is studying her PhD in English Lit at a Boston University. Mike flatted with her in Wellington for a while.

We had gorgeous weather in Cambridge. Unseasonal warm weather. Apparently it's confusing the hedgehogs. They think their hibernation is over. They're going to be cross in a few days when the bad weather kicks in. Cross, and stiff with the cold. The blossoms are out too. We'll send you a few photos of Cambridge when I get around to sending a snail mail to you all.

That's just about up-to-date now. The last few days I've been working from home and trying to get some administrative tasks done (like getting a National Insurance number, getting registered with a GP etc). These sorts of things take forever in this country. Getting a hair cut is a lot easier than getting a doctor's appointment. You can only go to a GP in your residential zone, and only if they are accepting new patients. And appointments? Well, I wouldn't want to be dying. I've been trying since Monday to get one, and I finally found a doctor that said they'd see me, and that's for Friday evening. I could have dies by then. I'm a bit worried about getting a referral to a specialist for my last melanoma checkup. I'll probably be on the waiting list for 5 years. We want to go to Bath this weekend. I intend to see parts of Britain before the tourist hordes descend on the country in May/June. I'd like to go to Lyme Regis, on the coast near Weymouth, as that is a huge fossil region of England. I want to see Liverpool too. And the Newcastle area. And York. And Stratford-on-Avon. Not to mention Ireland and Scotland. Then there's the weekend trips to The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden. All viable weekend options.