Day 7

Today is the last day of my 3 day tour to the Highlands.

We left the hostel as usual at 830am and travel south towards Edinbugh.

We made our first stop at the Commando Memorial where we get a very clear view of Ben Nevisn the highest mountain in Scotland. Then we had a toilet break at Fort William, the town just below Ben Nevis. After the break, we travel to Interlochy Castle.

We had a few other stops along the way including a lunch stop.

Final stop before we arrived in Edinburgh was Stirling. We stopped at the William Wallace Memorial which was on a hill top. I must applaud myself for having being able to climb up the hill which will usually be very tough for me. It was very windy up there and we were able to see the Stirling Castle from afar.

After that, we made our way south to Edinburgh arriving there at 5pm, half an hour before the expected time.

I checked into my hostel which is just next to Haggis Adventures and after dropping my bag, I quickly left the hostel to check on a shop before they closed. Then I headed to the Royal Mile to catch a glimpse of the torch light possession which started at St' Giles Cathedral and ends at Carlton Hill. Once the possession started, I headed to North Bridge for a good view of the fireworks at Carlton Hill. The fireworks were spectacular and I was able to capture them on video.

When the fireworks ended, I went back to my hostel and had an eary night.

Day 6

This morning the entire town where we stayed went out of power but the good news was we were already on the way out. The temperature was minus 7 degrees but it wasn't exactly very cold.

Today is the day we go visit the Isle of Skye, one of the places in Scotland that I really want to see.

The day started very fine but right after we have lunch in Portree, the biggest town on Skye, it started to snow and the rain.

We stopped at 2 spots - Kilt Rock (a place of myth) and Leaith (location where you can see the dynamites remains), both of which were very very cold.

Soon we had to leave Skye as the sky grow really dark. We got to the hostel at 6pm and rested awhile before heading to a nearby pub for dinner. Since the gals in my group praised the food there so much, I just had to try it myself tonight.

After dinner, the gals left to watch a show while I head back to the hostel to pack my bag as we are departing tomorrow for Edinburgh.

Day 5

Woke up early today as o had to leave on my 3 days Skye tour and also need to do my check-out.

Walked to Haggis Adventures tour agency where my tour departs. It was kinda cool and we were split into different buses due to thje big group and my coach only has 10 pax.

The tour guide has a very strong Scottish accent so much so I can't catch his name.

It started snowing as we departs and the road was kind of treacherous with most vehicles taking their own sweet time. The surroundings trees and houses were shrouded in snow and truth to be told, it is beautiful.

After a toilet break and a lunch break, we headed straight towards Inverness. We stopped at Culloden Battlefields where the battle between the jacobites and the red coats - the British. Then we went to Loch Ness and try to spot Nessie.

After which we head down to Fort Augusta where we are staying for the 2 nights during our tour.

Stayed in to cook my dinner rather than go for dinner at the pub as I already had pub food as lunch today. The hostel we are staying in is quite good, it's 2 to the room and the window in the room looks out to the courtyard filled with snow. There's no wall heater in the room but it has floor heating, yippee.

Day 4

Woke up pretty late today as my plan was to go for the walking tour with the hostel. However after hearing my room mate telling me about the 3 hour walking tour with Sandemans, I went on that tour instead.

It was a very informative tour and we spent more than 3 hours walking around the city.

And since Boxing Day sale already started and the shops were open. I managed to buy some thermal base layer at a winter sports shop and also bought some stuff at Poundland where everything goes at £1.

After that, I wondered around the Christmas market again and bought a cup of mulled wine which was quite good. It was basically warm red wine and tasted slighted sweet and not dry. I wouldn't trying again if I come across it.

Then I made my way back to the hostel since I have nothing to see anymore and I had to come back and pack my stuff as I am checking out the next day.

Had a filling dinner and shower and tried to settle in early but there was a gal who checked in late and we ended up chatting. Turned out the gal was departing on the same tour as me.

My 2 roommates ended up talking abouty ghost and all, making me so exasperated.

Anyway I managed to fall asleep although I kept waking up to ue the toilet in the middle od the night.

Day 3

Today's Christmas, cold but not snowing. Pity there's no White Christmas.

Anyway as most shops are closed today I decided to catch up on my sleep. Yesterday night I attended the Christmas eve service at St Giles Church on High Street, it started at 1130pm and ended about 1230am. It was a good service with a very old church atmosphere.

So after my return, I had a chat with my room mate (yes, someone checked in while I was napping) until about 2am before I went to bed so I onlu woke up about 9am but didn't get out of bed until near 10am where I went to have breakfast and went for a stroll. I went up the Edinburgh Castle then down Princes Street and the up Carlton Hill wher Nelson Monument is and managed to catch a glimpse of Arthur's Seat which is where the old volcano was. Due to the good weather I was also able to catch a view of the surrounding Fife.

That done, I walked back to the hostel and made my lunch. I stank of greasy food I think. I may just go for another round perhaps visit some tourisy shops that are open just to kill time and whille it is still bright.

Went up to the Castle again so I can see the light up when it gets dark. In the end I came back to the hostel again at 5pm. Somehow time pass by quite fast. Took a shower upon my return and now sitting in the Chill Room watching tv. Probably will head down to cook my dinner later before having an early night tonight.

Day 2

It's another post but it is still Day 2. Finally after 2 days of sleeping in the plane and bus, I got 2 sleep in a bed tonight.

I booked for a quad female sharing room but since this I checked in, no one else has joined me so I have the whole room to myself. Hopefully it stays that way so I can use 4 pillows and 4 quilts if I want haha.

After I checked in I had a shower before heading out. Frankly I never realized that Edinburgh has so many slopes, just like SF. With the snow, it was quite scary and dangerous going downhill. Anyway 1st stop after leaving the hostel is to walk to the main road to catch a bus to the Ocean Terminal to see the Britannia, which is the boat used by Queen Elizabeth and now park at the Ocean Terminal after it was decommissioned. Ended up shopping for some grocery at M&S. Many stuff were on further reduction during to the shops being closed for Christmas.

After leaving the Terminal, I took a bus to Holyrood Park which is next to the Palace of Holyrood. Some history.

From Holyrood, I took a bus out and change to another bus which takes me to Princes Street where there was a funfair going on, featuring Scottish and German goodies. I ended up trying a Whisky Lemonade which was ok, not very alcoholic. Then I couldn't resist trying some Haggis which were placed in a row. The taste was acceptable, not much different from eating pig liver.

After eating all those, I still couldn't resisting eating some chips. It just made me so full that I will probably skip dinner.

Took a bus from Princes Street back to the main street near my hostel and walk back in. The path was quite isolated so I will probably not want to walk back from there again after dark and mind you, it was only about 6pm but fully dark.

Anyway upon coming back. I stored my grocery away and checked with the counter guy if he knows whether there are any church services around our hostel and yes there are, held at St Giles at 1130pm. So now will be a good time for me to take a nap and rest my tired shoulders and knee first before going for a workout again.

Day 1 and 2

Again this time I write my daily journals on my blackberry and thus should be quite fast in copying and pasting them.

The first 2 days of the trip is really tedious. As I write this entry I think I may come down with heat stroke. That's right heat stroke in winter.

Let's start from Day 1. I departed at 9 pm from Singapore to London via Bangkok. First leg of the trip was ok but 2nd leg was horrendous. The flight time was long but yet it was hard to sleep with a crying infant in the row before mine.

Upon arrival in Heathrow, I took the underground to the city and deposit my backpack at the hostel. After that off I go check out the Victoria Coach Station where I will be taking the coach to Ednburgh the same night. Having familiarize myself the route already, I started on my sightseeing. Took the underground to Fulham Broadway and check out Stamford Bridge, home to the Chelsea Football Club, all I did there were snap some photos since I am not a fan of theirs. Then I took the underground to Arsenal to of cos see the Emirates Stadium.

After that, I tool the Docklands Light Rail to get to the Maritime Museum together with the Royal Observatory where I get to see the Greenwich Meridian line.

Then it started drizzling so instead of checking out the Chinatown, I detoured to Marble Arch to get some leggings at Marks & Spencer instead. Though I was keen to view the night view of Parliament, eventually the long walk was not worth it. Thus even though it was only about 530pm, I decided to get back to the hostel to rest my weary legs. Although I wasn't staying there, I managed to shower and sit down for a light dinner and coffee. As it was still early I had time to kill, I even took an one hour nap on the sofa in the lounge.

That done, with a quick visit to the toilet, I left the hostel for Victoria Coach Station.

The bus was quite cramped and the toilet wasn't working so we ended up with a few toilet breaks which was good as I get to stretch my legs.

Eventually when we reached Newcastle, the bus broke down and we had to wait for a replacement bus to come along.

After so many dramas we are finally on our way and after many hours of being in the bus, it started to get stuffy and I am sweating. Fortunately the aircon came on just as I was about to suffocate. We managed to drive into Edinburgh now and hopefully the hostel can allow me to check in so I can shower and cook my lunch.

Will keep you guys posted on what I did later when I get settle in.