Scotland #1: Welcome to Edinburgh!
Scotland #2: The View from Arthur’s Seat
Scotland #3: The View from Scott Monument
Scotland #4: Going Forth to Forth
Scotland #5: The Beauty of Fife
Scotland #6: Whisky Fail
Scotland #7: Defeat at Culloden
Scotland #8: Cawdor’s Not-So-Secret Garden
Scotland #9: The Loch Ness Loop
Scotland #10: The Road to Skye
Scotland #11: Old Man of Storr
Scotland #12: Pieces of Skye
Scotland #13: Rubha Hunish AKA The Hike from Hell
Scotland #14: Losing my Phone in Scotland and Other Adventures
Scotland #15: The Road to Glasgow
Scotland #16: Welcome to Glasgow!
Scotland #17: Street Art Scavenger Hunt in Glasgow
Scotland #18: Where to Stay in Scotland
Nineteen posts later, I’m finally wrapping up my trip to Scotland. Just in time for Vietnam! Lisa and I leave in a week, and – holy crapsies – I cannot believe we are going to Vietnam in a week.
But first, a wrap-up of my summer trip to Scotland.
The Highs
Beautiful scenery. Scotland is beautiful. End of story.
Isle of Skye. The schizophrenic weather aside, the Isle of Skye is insanely beautiful and unique. I would love to spend more time there as long as the rain will hold off.
History. I learned a lot about Scotland and England’s long and tangled history – a subject that had confused me for years. I love seeing history coming to life, and Scotland (especially Edinburgh) is a great place for that.
Lisa. Sure, Lisa and I talk almost every day, but we only see each other once or twice a year (despite the mere three-and-a-half hour train ride between us). Amazingly, we don’t hate each other yet.
Weather. We expected tons of rain, and we only got a a day and a half of traditional Scottish weather. Not too shabby.
Our one truly rainy day
English language. I don’t think this one needs an explanation.
The Lows
Getting sick three days into the trip. There is no good way to sugarcoat this. Getting sick sucks. Getting sick on vacation sucks balls. Lisa is a trooper for putting up with my gluttonous self-pity.
Driving on the left side of the road. It really wasn’t so bad. And it wasn’t even me doing the driving (thanks Lisa!), but it was nerve-racking at the beginning. And those damn traffic circles. Those never got fun. (P.S. Lisa would like to add that she really enjoyed driving our cute rented Audi – but she’s not writing this post, is she?)
Spending money. The United Kingdom is expensive. While the Euro tumbled, the value of the Pound was one-and-a-half times the U.S. dollar. Everything in Scotland cost the same amount as in the U.S. in purely numerical terms, but when translated into dollars, it was rather expensive.
Jet lag. We were perpetually tired – a fatal combination of jet lag and wanting to see and do too much. I know, I know…first-world problems.
Nam Writes. 