Saturday, 10th. October, '98.
Edinburgh.

Flying in over Ayr and there is a harbour, bridge, golf courses, rows of stone houses.

Alight from the plane in one piece, and inside for speedy collection of luggage and off to the tourist information desk.

I'm lucky - there is a town house hotel close to everything, offering me a special rate, and known to the lady at the desk.

I collect maps and brochures and off in a taxi who 'forgets' to mention until we arrive that it's an extra £1.00 for using my credit card ! Not impressed, and he knows it.

The Eglinton Hotel,
Edinburgh.

The Eglinton Hotel is a positive delight - a very warm welcome from Ted Sutherland the manager, and he proudly gives me a brief history of this beautiful building built by John Chessar between 1876 and 1880. I'm not in a garret, yet on the top floor up a spectacular staircase with red and blue Axminster carpet, royal blue embossed wallpaper to the dado rail, with tartan wallpaper up to the ornate cornices with the cupula overhead.

From my delightful rose-coloured room I can look out over the Firth of Forth to the distant hills on this beautiful clear day. Down below in a horseshoe shape are where the old stables were in the days these houses had carriages. My little en-suite also has a wide window, is spacious and well appointed.

From the herbal soap to the gilt framed mirror - everything is nice, and I feel rather special, being here.

The restaurant downstairs has a deep cherry red carpet, with red walls above the timber wainscotting - and all the walls are covered with and prints pictures for sale - hence the name - 'Pictures & Prints Restaurant'. The menu in my room makes me look forward to eating here, so first things first - let a few people know I've arrived !

Headed off with my map for the Cyber cafe, not really sure where it was. Eventually located Cyberia in Hanover Street, with twelve terminals, fast food, cafe tables outside and a wait of an hour for a free machine. Was able to check a bit of mail, surf for a few links, and upload from disc. Had also collected photos from Dublin and the BBB, yet with no scanning equipment, they will have to wait to be loaded.

Did I mention there is also a beautifull church - St. Mary's Cathedral, where I listened to organ practice - wide avenues of Victorian houses, pockets of gardens, and a castle ?

Walking back towards the hotel, sun is still shining, with plenty of people around as the shops are closing. There are streams of people leaving Murryfield after a rugby match, and I wonder how Australia will do against Ireland in the International match in Dublin tomorrow.

Back to the hotel - warm, cosy, inviting. For dinner I choose Angus beef pan fried sirloin steak with forest mushrooms and Borderlaise sauce, accompanied by a tiny little turnip, miniature asparagus and carrot, with mashed potatoe. Not as rare as I would have liked, and I find myself thinking back to dinner at the Abbey Tavern, and disappointed not to have heard from either Ian or Sarah. Iona had suggested a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, so coffee after the citrus cheesecake ended a very enjoyable meal.

I heard from Alan, who is off to Japan on Thursday to the Tokyo branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society dancing and adjudicating, so I hope to catch up with him sometime on this trip.

Sunday, 11th. October, '98

While collecting film earlier yesterday, I had realised my credit card was missing since the taxi from the airport. My other bag had been checked, and I had rung the taxi company to be advised driver would have finished his shift, and any lost property handed into the police station. I rang back again thismorning, thinking it was probably still in his seldom-used machine. This time it was a slightly different response - was I sure it was one of their taxis ? Without the booking slip they could not check, and in Edinburgh only certain taxis were permitted to collect fares from the airport without a booking - and they were not. So - more time on the phone, this time to cancel my credit card and request a replacement. Until it arrives I won't be booking any tours, either !

So - off I walk to Web 13 The Internet Cafe in Bread Street, and what a friendly place ! John, the fella who shows me my terminal is a Kiwi, and it's so nice to chat with someone else with only a slight accent. The place is rather crowded, all ages and interests, with plenty of conversation and helpful assistance. They also have a scanner - so I also spend time downstairs, scanning and fiddling with a few of my photos from Dublin. By the time I think I've mastered it - it's time to go, and there is a strong, cold wind blowing. I broke the heel of my shoe, too, so the walk back seemed far longer.

Back to the hotel - warm coffee at the bar, and a chat with other patrons from 'down south'. I find, to my delight, that 'Ballykissangel' is on TV - a new series taking up where the last one finished, with characters and references to earlier episodes, so I don't go down to dinner until it's finished.

Tonight I had a prawn and avocado starter, with roast pork as the roast of the day, this time with herbed mashed potatoe, then toffee icecream. Robin, the chef, was around - and the butt of a few jokes regarding his 'miniaturised portions'.

Monday, 12th. October, '98.

Slept in ! Serves me right watching TV so late - a flood of movies to make tourists home-sick, I guess. Craig McLachlan in a New Zealand film "Absent Without Leave", set during the second world war, followed by Kylie - No - Dannii Minogue trapped in a room below where the Beatles stayed (The Southern Cross hotel in Melbourne ??) back in the 60's. Hmmm.

My credit card replacement will arrive tomorrow, the sun is shining, so off I go !

It's strange to be able to walk past homes so close to the footpath, and be able to see into bedrooms, living roooms, dining rooms. There are plenty of colourful window boxes filled with alyssum, pansies, fuschias and lobelia. Looking through some of the other rooms in the hotel, I wish I had seen photos of an earlier time to be able to make a comparison. The base-relief on the ornate cornices, the huge windows, heating, space where the shutters were folded back. I find myself wondering what type of furniture was in here then, what colour the walls were, and how the drapes and floor coverings looked

Iona has twisted her ankle, so I end up eating a tuna and seafood sandwich by another name at the Cyber-cafe, and try and catch up after returning for the disc I had left behind in my laptop. Walk back well after 9pm, and watch interesting shows on TV.

Tuesday, 13th. October, '98.

Last in for breakfast again this morning, the day is overcast with fine rain falling, and a rather cold wind. I write postcards until my credit card arrives, ring to advise them it's been received, and after a few more calls head off down the street.

The drizzle has cleared, and I call into the West End Post Office and chat while buying stamps. There are special postcards featuring land speed record-breaking vehicles including Sir Donald Campbell's "Bluebird" which I happened to see the second time I went to the Melbourne Show. This is a replica of the 63p stamp, yet the cards are not pre-stamped like ours.

Further up the street I drop into an Agfa shop, where Kerry scans six of my photos to disc for me, to be uploaded after I have re-sized them.

After spending an hour at Web 13, the sky has cleared and the sun highlights Edinburgh castle and buildings downtown. It's a busy place - not as many pedestrians as in Dublin - and the majority seem filled with purpose heading for their next destination, instead of strolling along taking in the buildings and landmarks.

After a bit of shopping, I catch a bus back forced to pay £1.00 for a .50p fare as I only have 47p in change, so I stay on the bus past my stop to 'get my money's worth' remembering the polite, helpful fellas on Dublin's transport system.

Dinner with Alan - and this is the time to try the Scottish Salmon served in a dill sauce, finish that bottle of Chilean wine and catch up with chatting ! I'm sorry I'll miss BillD, April, Iann and EJA, I've bought nothing tartan or even slightly resembling it, and must remember to change my notes from the Bank of Scotland before I leave. Or spend them.

Wednesday, 14th. October, '98.

Awake early, and scoot downstairs for my last Scottish breakfast of potatoe scones, sausages, bacon just the way I like it, and tomatoe. And of course - toast with Scottish marmalade.

My flight is delayed which is just as well, as I leave my laptop in the taxi. Until Ted organises it's arrival, Ross, at KLM uk is extra helpful, and all the staff pleasant and talkative. I find to my delight I'm travelling with Mel Gibson, or at least his cute smiling face on the cover of the 'airtime' magazine.

As a memento of this trip, I bought myself a pretty little Caithness glass paperweight, to add to the collection on my window ledge. Not even tartan !

Over the North Sea a little ways off Humberside there are numerous oil rigs below as little dots in a grid pattern.

Next stop - Amsterdam.

How far is it ? - 410 miles (660 km)