Edinburgh with Fish n Chips & Kilts!

Edinburgh is a hoppin’ city! I would love to go back and spend more than just 14 hours there. We just so happened to be there for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Wow, apparently this is the largest arts festivals in the world...or at least that is what is proclaimed. Since we had such a short period of time to enjoy Edinburgh, Ali and I declared it our own festival, the last-night-in-Scotland-festival, as we clogged our arteries by eating fish-n-chips, drank pints, and asked the local Scots what they had under their kilts. As the nightlife raged on in the center of Edinburgh, we rolled back to the hostel, Budget Backpackers, put in our earplugs, and I set my alarm for 6:30 a.m. (to catch the morning train to Glasgow). And would you believe it...free wifi on the train...awesome. Off to Oslo!

St. Andrews, Scotland...the Birthplace of GOLF!

After the hiking trip got rained out, we sojourned to St Andrews, the birthplace of golf and home to the oldest University in Scotland, University of St Andrews. We made the mistake of arriving between the hours of 4-6 p.m., when the hostel is closed. (One of the many joys of backpacking is adhering to the hostel rules and closing times.) So, we checked out the town center, with luggage and all. I am not much of a golfer, but even I was impressed with the pristine “old course” snuggled up against the coastline. This is one of the best golf courses in the world and people travel from all over just to smack one of those little white balls across the meticulous greens. They pay a pretty penny to do so…it costs $220/18 holes. We shared a bunkroom in the local hostel, St Andrews Hostel, with a retired judge from Missouri who skimped on his accommodation (only $20/night) to play the world-famous course.


While Ali and I were impressed by the beauty of the golf course, we were much more excited to visit the University and the ruins. (Yes, we are both higher education nerds.) The University of St Andrews was founded in 1413. The campus is not comparable to the numerous spires of Oxford or the Gothic feel of the University of Bologna, but it has a humble medeival feel to it and it is right next to the ocean.

Of course we got a kick out of a few street signs...too.

Walking the Scottish Countryside...with Rain!

I met my dear friend, Ali (who currently lives in Spain), in Birmingham, UK and we jumped on a train to Scotland. We were destined for Angus, Scotland where we embarked on a 3-day walking adventure in the countryside.

DAY 1: The first day was lovely with a little bit of drizzle and a load of wildlife: black slugs, sheep, horses, black beetles, purple heather, wildflowers, and pesky flies. We walked approximately 8.5 miles and arrived at the remote and incredible Prosen Hostel. The leather couch, wood-fire stove, free internet, and hot tea felt like we were staying in heaven. We had the place to ourselves, so we spread out and enjoyed a wine-infused evening.

DAY 2: Day two was not as successful, yet our humor got us through it. After about two hours of walking we thought we had missed a turn, so we turned back around. That was a big mistake! As we walked on the exposed hill, the rain and wind became severe. Turning around meant we were walking into the rain and wind...the wettness and chill seeped deep into our bones. We decided to head back to the comforts of the hostel...ah! Glentrek, who helped us set up the walking tour, sent Mike (a 17 year old) to pick us up and drop us at the next hostel.

DAY 3: Day three was an absolute downpour, so instead of walking we relaxed, ate a scrumptious Scottish breakfast, read, ate scones, and enjoyed the inner beauty of the traditional Scottish inn, Glen Cova Hotel. In the afternoon, we headed off to St. Andrews.