Time alone doesn't have to be lonely, Part 1: Scotland

As most of you know, Gus was away for work for a little over 4 months. I am beyond lucky he is the type of husband that tells me to go off on adventure any chance I can get, regardless of if he can join. These last 4 months were no exception! With his encouragement I had to take advantage, and as a result a lot happened in the time we were apart. I did two solo trips in Europe, one to Scotland and the other to Spain. I went back to the states for the first time since moving to England, and did several trips with friends to include Cambridge, London, and Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey). While I prefer traveling together, there is something really special about the time I've spent out on my own. There is no one else to help navigate the new area, so often, you end up meeting new friends along the way. These trips really pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to experience things I won't soon forget. 

 

When Gus left in January I wasn't planning any big trips, but we were beginning to get word about a possible move in the summer. I realised I needed to go SOMEWHERE so I started searching just in the UK on Ryan Air. For those of you unfamiliar with Ryan Air, it is a discounted air line company that is based out of Europe. You have to pack light and don't expect first class treatment (first class doesn't even exist) but you can get just about anywhere for a steal if you follow the rules. I talk more about discount air travel here!

So with a quick search I found a trip to Scotland for around £30 round trip and booked an apartment in Edinburgh through AirBnB. Now February is not exactly an IDEAL time to travel North, but the price was right and I didn't want to miss an opportunity to see a part of the UK I had never been. I had a nice little one bedroom apartment all to myself, it was charming, although a bit creepy, as just outside the window was a very old graveyard. It was a partial basement meaning the windows were even with the ground and the headstones, so I felt a little like I was sleeping with the dead.

Edinburgh was easy to get around, the people were nice, and there was so much to do. I booked food tour where I was the only guest on a cold and rainy day. Sometimes when traveling solo it's nice to schedule a tour to get a better sense of the city and be shown around by a local. Although sometimes a tour is a nice way to meet other people, I rather enjoyed getting a private tour! Haggis and very expensive scotch were amongst the amazing local food and drink.

On my second day I walked through the old castle, and got to hold an owl named Hazel. With Edinburgh being a huge part of J.K. Rowling's inspiration for Harry Potter, holding an owl made the experience even better! Since I was traveling solo I didn't have anyone to take my picture with the beautiful Hazel, but all I cared about was the experience, so I was going to pay my £4 (donation to the bird rescue!) and experience it anyway. Right before it was my turn there was a group of Americans, several couples, that were having their picture taken with Hazel. I began chatting with one of the one women and found out they were all living in Italy, the same area we were getting unofficial word for! They gave me a few quick tips for the move and connections to make, then waited for my turn and took about 20 pictures for me with Hazel. Had I not been traveling alone, I never would have met those other Americans and gotten a few tips for our next move! I am very grateful for their conversation and taking time out of their trip to snap a few photos for me.

Since it was Scotland in February, a great way to see "it all" while staying warm, was the hop-on hop-off bus. This particular one had live commentary and hit all of the main historical points in the city. It was also a great way to not have to guess at the public transportation system, although in Edinburgh, it was straight-forward. I enjoyed the convenience of buying one ticket and knowing exactly where it was going to take me without having to transfer. Extra bonus, there was a hop-on hop-off bus stop directly outside of my apartment, where a regular bus line (for example to the airport) was a couple minutes walk. Not a problem in better weather, but absolutely an added convenience.  

My last morning I had intended on walking around a bit more as my flight was mid morning, and then it started to snow. Sideways. I didn't have a TV in the apartment and hadn't looked at the weather report, but apparently a massive storm was making it's way across the UK. I made the 10-minute walk to the airport shuttle stop and didn't have any issues with my flight. By the time I got back to London I discovered my flight was one of the last to fly out without any delays or cancellations. However, the weather was causing major disruptions to the trains in England. I knew our dog Kylie had already been dropped off at home so I had to make it back. As Gus often reminds me "The mission is not to execute the plan" and had she not been home I would have just booked a hotel in London and gone out the next morning. I booked a bus for 6pm, but was standing in line outside as a "stand by" passenger for an earlier bus. There were a few of us not giving up our place in line despite the freezing temperature and wind, but we all had a laugh and made the best of it. One British couple was just coming back from a two week holiday in the Canary Islands and questioning why they left. Another braving the weather was a man from Milan that works between Italy and Cambridge. We all stood our ground, offered each other gloves, held places in line, and made the time pass a little quicker. Thankfully our persistence and cold hands paid off and all 4 of us managed an earlier bus! There were so many accidents and downed trees it took over 2 hours to get to Cambridge. By the time I got to the train station some of the trains were running again, including the one to Ely. Half an hour later I was on a train home, splurging on a £5 taxi to get back to the house in the dark. Gus would have made a comment on how walking is free, but after that kind of day it was well worth it. What should have been a 45 minute train home turned into a 5 hour ordeal, but least I made it home and the only damage was our to backyard canopy. 

Traveling at all will always be an adventure, traveling alone just adds a different element to it. Where is your favorite place to travel solo?