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Arriving in Scotland

Updated: May 1, 2020


I arrived in Waverley Station on 4th December, after a 3-4 hour train ride from Kings Cross/ St. Pancras station. As soon as I got out the station it felt like a whole new place and year. The buildings and architecture take you back and you feel like you're in Harry Potter. I made my way to St Christopher's Inn, my hostel for the next 2 nights. I arrived into a bar and at first I thought my Google Maps had led me to the wrong place as it looked like just a pub. I ask at the counter where the hostel is and she assured me this was the place. I paid for my stay and headed up the stairs. There I found a series of doors and rooms and reach mine which was empty. It's a good feeling having a room to yourself when you arrive, something you get excited about after many hostel stays across a couple countries. I unpacked and looked out the window to find the Scott Monument lit up with Christmas stalls and rides. I was taken by the colours and made my way over there. Given it was 10pm and freezing and I didn't stay for too long but just enough to be happy about what the next week had to offer. The next day I made every minute count. I woke up at 6am for the free breakfast (a must do when it's on offer) and made my way throughout all the streets around the hostel. Going up Ramsey street and reaching Mile End. Here I made my way up to Edinburgh Castle but didn't go in as it was something Caroline and I would be doing when she arrived. I admired the view then made my way back down Royal Mile to stumbled across a walking tour. I waited for the tour guide to arrive but they never showed so I took off and explored some more of the pubs and markets the Royal Mile had on offer. I ended up on the other side of Scott Monument on Princes street and found more Christmas Markets. Once it got dark I decided to go to the Christmas Market at the Scott Monument and hop on some of the rides. I got on the Ferris Wheel and got to see a pretty grand view and then proceeded to do a Ghost Bus Tour which was a good way to find some new places. The bus tour went for about an hour or so. We went to some old grave yards and got to hear some myths of Edinburgh and it's old history and killings. When the tour finished I saw a pub crawl advertised and went to the meeting spot at the first bar. The guy who was leading the tour was from Sydney who lived here for a couple years. The group that was on the tour were some old ladies and a couple other backpackers. We checked out 5 bars and I called it quits after the 4th as it was 2am and I was getting up early before check out at the hostel. We went to a couple classic bars such as Frankensteins, Oz Bar, Revolution, and the Subway Cowgate.

In the morning I headed out the hostel, still pretty tired, and made my way to my dad's sisters place, a 20ish minute bus ride just out of the central part to Blackhall.


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