Day One!

Well, I made it! I left Friday at 12:45 and arrived at London Heathrow at 6:38AM (early, naturally, the one time I have until 12 to catch my next train).  No problems with Immigration or with my bags (besides some missing luggage tags which I am sure fell off because they were cheap and plastic -- RIP luggage tags). From there I took the Heathrow express to Paddington station and then the Tube to St. Pancras/King's Cross (which, by the way is NOT handicap accessible [again, naturally] so that meant I was carrying my bags up and down the flights of stairs. And let's talk about my bags for a minute... who thought it was a good idea to pack so freaking much?! I could buy anything but my passport here... but noOOooooOOOooooOOOooo I decided it would be a great idea to have a 76 pound bag in one hand and a 57 pounder in the other IN ADDITION TO my roller suitcase that doubles as a mountain climbers bag and my purse... which we all know is a piece of luggage in and of itself. Smart... NOT.) Once I got up the stairs at Kings Cross (and believe me that was a trip in itself) I picked up my tickets from East Coast at 8:30ish and then retired to the 1st class lounge to wait for my 12 o'clock train.  Now, before you think that I am totally stuck up for getting a first class ticket on the train, keep in mind that the difference was about ten pounds.... for a reclining seat and free food on the 6 hour train ride. Yeah, you would have done it too. I watched the pope say mass at Westminster and pretended like I actually met the pope and was AT mass with him... heck I was even a member of the choir!

At about 11:30 I want downstairs to retrieve my luggage (because the lady at the reception desk felt bad making me haul it upstairs she offered to watch it for me [pause to allow Dad and Mom to lecture me about the dangers of leaving my bags unattended and with strangers.... everything was fine]) only to find out that my train had been delayed.  Why, you ask? Because someone decided to jump in front of the train.  And while I am sensitive to the fact that this is a tragedy, I was nothing but perturbed because my train was now delayed.  So, I decided to get lunch at Cornwall Pasty place (it was anti-climatic). As I was wandering back to reception, the lady came out and informed me that my train was there (early, no less!) and that I really should "press on quickly." Well, I went as fast as I could with my bags in tow and made it just fine. I even found places for all of my bags!

From there I thought it would be smooth sailing (or riding, whatever) and it was for the most part.  I sat next to a really nice couple who had just returned from a week in Italy and who wanted to talk about it... for about 3 hours.  They were only interrupted when the conductor announced that some boys had thrown rocks at the train and shattered some windows in car G so we would be proceeding slower than expected. I then promptly became very involved in my book (because let's be honest: I was only understanding about 1/4 of what they were happily telling me and I was getting tired of saying OOOOOOh! Cool!) and we arrived late into Edinburgh.

From here I did something rather sneaky. I was supposed to get off the train and take a different one into Leuchars, but I had missed my train.  Fortunately, the one I was on was going to Leuchars! Huzzah! Except I hadn't bought a ticket on this train, especially not a first class ticket.  So I stayed on the train! (I knowwwwwww, I am such a rebel!) But then the conductor came by.  I was freaking out on the inside, but calmly and with every attitude that I should be on THIS train and particularly in THIS seat, passed my ticket to him.  AND HE HANDED IT BACK TO ME WITH A SMILE AND A THANK YOU! [insert cheers and applause here!]

We got into Leuchars at 7:45 (late, but not as bad as I thought it would be) and then took a cab to David Russell.  My room is nice and I have my own bathroom! I unpacked and took a shower and decided I wanted to go to bed.  Alas, I couldn't sleep (but was too lazy to go out) so I watched Jersey Shore (it was either that or Cops with Cameras [sorry Dad]) and promptly fell asleep.

Today I woke up late and missed mass by about 30 minutes (I am not sure which church I should attend anyhow).  So I went to lunch and had a delicious little pizza and salad and then went on a little "bimble" around town (Bimble= stroll with no particular destination). I bought some stuff and I saw this really cool old Cathedral (the pictures are posted below).


Things I bought today:
-1 fork, 1 spoon, 1 knife (plates? bowls? no I forgot those)
-an oven mitt
-a stapler and scissors
-a towel
-and a duvet cover.  Sheets were on back order so I will be sleeping on my Fabulous Faux Fur until then (because obviously I brought that... who wouldn't bring that?!

Things I saw/heard today:
--A girl with butterfly clips in her hair.  Mia, I know this is great news to you and you are cheering on the inside and possibly on the outside, but you know I can't handle that kind of flashback. So Liz, if I come back with butterfly clips, a fanny pack [unless it is lulu], jelly shoes, or anything reminiscent of the 90s, please slap me.
--Italian man to English Man: "You know, in America they play games in cemetaries!"
-- and while I was carrying my pizza box leftovers around on my bimble not one, not two , but three  Scot men came up to me and said "oh no, I didn't order one."  It took me a minute for me to realize this was there attempt at humor. 

Anyways, that is it for day one.  I don't know if I will ever have the time to write something this lengthly again because everything should be starting up this week.  I say hopefully because I STILL don't have any calendar.

I am just about to land in London!

 

This is how I spent some of my free time at King's Cross Station [pause for Mom and Dad to freak out about me leaving my stuff unattended AND handing my camera to a potential gypsy]

This is what my room looked like when I moved in from the doorway.  To the right there is my own private bathroom!

This is the remnants of a Medieval Church 

There is another view of the same Cathedral. At one time it was a pretty hoppin' place. 

Annnnnd this is a typical St. Andrews street. tahhhhhdahhhhh!