Midlothian

Just about missed the bus from the Sill and had been getting ready for a good couple of hours packing, having breakfast, talking to Ryland from Ratahi!! How amazing was that and here he was within Cooee of Scotland but would rather go to Europe for his next big trip...Scotland too xpensive??

Again it was a rainy day as we left Hadrian's wall country making our way toward Hexham where I caught the train to Newcastle then a change to get to Edinburgh. But first off the bus in Hexham I met a fellow traveller who had visited Hadrian's wall as one of her childhood dreams as well. She needed to see the Abbey here and as I knew the way, and was off to the library nearby, off we went together.

This is quite a steep climb up to the town from the bus stop so she offered to drag my small suitcase. Lent by oor Megs. I felt very grateful for that, then when she had to stop half way up the hill to catch her breath I felt bad... but she insisted all was fine!! I was visiting the library one more time to post onto "Find Penguins" and wrote quite the stories. Suddenly I looked at the time and needed to "high tail" it to the station which was a good twenty minutes stride down the wind.

I made it ok with what I thought was my train waiting in the yard, but no, mine was running late, however just two minutes later here it was. I had booked online on my "train line" app making the cost so so much less expensive. Wi oor Meggies help I had also bought a rail card which automatically gives a third off the price.

Onward to Newcastle we sped, watching the beautiful Northumberland country speed by, I felt a longing to go back again one day. Once there, with three quarters of an hour to wait for my next train, I shopped for coffee and a vegan sandwich to sustain me til we got to Waverley station in Edinburgh.

I was helped onto the train by a young man standing in the vestibule waiting for an empty seat to come along as he hadn't reserved. He took me down through two carriages to my seat and put my case up on the rack asking if he could do more for me?! I thanked him profusely as he walked all the way back to his friends, and settled into my window seat next to a young Chinese student. He kept his ear plugs firmly in place so I took his cue and turned myself to looking out of the window.

Again as we sped toward the border I kept looking for a sign that we were in Scotland. Here came Berwick so I knew we were close and I couldn't help but feel this letting down of an unconscious guard I keep up as a foreigner in different lands. It is hard to explain but it always happens the letting go of breath, shoulders relaxing down, a few quiet unexpected tears drop from my eyes and I know I'm home! The landscape began to change slightly as the coastline became prominent for a while. Such a stunning horizon to look out on...,a castle comes to view in the distance.

Very soon we were in Edinburgh to wait with about fifty others, all sizes of suitcases in tow, trying to cram into the heaving lift taking everyone up from the platform. The lift says for "disabled and prams", but the queue didn't care about that pushing in front of even a wheelchair!

Sad...a lot of people don't take any notice of these signs. Eventually I found my way out and up toward castle Rock hostel. Google maps says
It's only half a mile, so off I went, but the climb!! Oh the climb...but I was better off than a poor woman who came to a standstill half way up this first street (market street?) Then it's double back up on oneself to another climb up to the Royal Mile...I think I may have gone the wrong way?!

Then all the way up Royal mile to Johnson Street and Castle Rock hostel. By the time I got booked in, got my bunk swapped to a lower bunk, chatted with the (Aussie) manager about a deposit I made during COVID to help keep their hostel afloat which I was now claiming for my nights bed, I was pretty tired. The manager offered to lift my bag up the two flights of stairs to my room ....why do they always put the females at the top??(safety?)... I settled myself on the bed and that was me. Made lots of chatting with the young women I was sharing with spending a lovely couple of hours talking about their trips and careers ahead of them. So excited for their futures which is lovely!

Tomorrow is another change of venue up to Mayfield gardens, nearer Liberton for my house sit on Wednesday.Read more