Bonny Scotland

I’m off to Edinburgh this weekend, my most seasonally ill-timed trip since a new year sojourn to Sweden a few years back (minus 25 degrees C!). Nonetheless, I am excited about seeing Edinburgh again, having only been there once, as a 20 year old student. My good friend Rachel and I travelled there from her home in St. Andrews by bus (labouring under the misguided notion that it would be cheaper than the train). It did cost less, however the saving of £1.85 each did not quite offset the two hour supplement to the journey in each direction, and especially not the 45 minute layover at Kirkcaldy bus station; a peculiar wormhole where the season of summer appears not to exist. Even Rachel, a Scotswoman, was appalled at the extent to which our thriftiness had impacted on the day.

In any case our day trip to Edinburgh was very pleasant; we walked around for a bit, saw the main sights, and then we started drinking. Edinburgh is good for that if memory serves, and with such cold, windy weather in prospect this weekend, I dare say there will be plenty of it happening this time. However, in all other respects this trip should prove to be more or less the total opposite than my last experience; certainly where the purchase ledger is concerned. I will be travelling in the relative luxury of a train, staying in a moderately priced, comfortable hotel, and presumably not eating in Pizza Hut in the evening. I am actually quite skint until payday on 24th, however I am going to assume that my forthcoming promotion pay rise will be a substantial one, and more than offset any debts I may incur this weekend. This, almost certainly, will not be the case but it’s a decent misapprehension to labour under until a better one comes along, and is more realistic than the lotto win I am usually relying on.

Our train leaves at 6, and though we have reserved seats, some in our party are concerned that intruders may steal them if we are not there in a timely manner; a fair assumption on a train departing at Def-con 4 in the rush hour. Where exactly do you stand in this situation? I always assumed people would just get up if they are sat in your seat, but apparently this is not the case. What if the squatter is an elderly or pregnant woman? Are we mean enough to boot them out? The answer must be yes. Our party includes a lawyer, a banker at HSBC who works in Canary Wharf, a Centrica employee (British Gas I think – aren’t they always turning people’s heating off?), a surveyor (is that right?) and Liz and I. We have both conducted research for some of the most morally bankrupt companies on earth. Edinburgh by train is also a long journey, and having booked a seat frankly I want to sit in it.

Anyway, if I can work out how, I will post some pictures after the weekend. Have a good ‘un and if you’re a football fan who doesn’t support Arsenal, Chelsea, Barnsley or Colchester, then best of luck!