Edinburgh to Galloway

Hello lovely people,

Rest easy, because this just might be the last email you get from me about my travels (for some of you that will be a welcome relief, I know...)! Today is Friday, we head South from Edinburgh to the Borders/Dumfries/Galloway region, stay down there for tonight, and then come back up to Glasgow and fly home on Sunday. Yay!

Edinburgh was easily the best city that we saw on the trip. However, cities were my least favourite part of the trip. But considering I am *still* awed and excited to be in Scotland, it's really all good. Edinburgh Castle wasn't terribly impressive, but we may be coming to the point where we have seen so many castles and churches and galleries and museums and historical sites, that it's a bit of overload. C'est la vie... I'm not going to complain. ;)

Today is the 8th day of the 8th month of 2008, which I gather is a very very lucky day for Asian culture. My cousin Mike is getting married today, so I hope that the luck works in his favour to make everything go smoothly. From what I hear, Vancouver is looking rather gorgeous as of late! Should be a lovely day.

Christine & I have been trying to add up how much we have spent here to make sure we have our stories straight when we get to customs (cough, cough), and more importantly, trying to see where it will all fit! All I have to say is, whisky is big and heavy, not to mention expensive. It better not break!

One thing that doesn't often happen here is when we go to a restaurant and pay with a credit card, there is no place to add a tip. I never really realized how much I appreciate having that little gratuity line, because I am trying to travel here with as little cash as possible, and sometimes that has meant a meagre tip or worse, none at all! With food being as expensive as it is, I kinda just wish the tip was included in prices -- wouldn't that make everything so much easier?? Anyways.

Being that Christine has so many food allergies, we have been virtually unable to share food. Or at least, she can't have anything that I can eat -- which is good in a way, because it keeps the money thing very separate and "yours/mine" issues very clear, but I feel bad that I can't give her some of my treats or share an entree when neither of us are particularly famished. Ah well. I am just happy that she stayed healthy. :)

So, highlights of the trip? Barra. Love Barra. All the islands, for sure -- Orkney and Iona and Skye... but Barra still is my favourite. The people were also a highlight -- I love the people here. And the landscape -- wow. The museums and galleries and castles etc. were great too (except for the overload). Still haven't found that deep-fried Mars bar, but despite that, the dinner at Iona was the highlight for food.

And with that, I am off. Hope to see y'all soon... expect photos to come sometime in the next few weeks. :)
Cheers
xo
Elaan