The Highland Experience

Dearest Scotland,

I miss you.

We're one month free from school and my summer has already peaked. Actually, I won't say that, because I've got a fantastic job and one more exciting trip saved for the end of July, but after leaving the country and spending a week in the homeland, it really can't get much better. A rainstorm of peppermint patties would make me eat my words, but let's be realistic: there hasn't been a Patties Storm since 1904.

The grand excursion began with a nine hour flight forward in time from Atlanta to Amsterdam. I've never been on a flight longer than three hours. I watched Wreck-It Ralph, Side Effects, and... something else that obviously left quite an impression... as well as an episode or two of Community and The Office. My plan was to watch movies till it got dark and then try to grab a few hours of sleep.

But we skipped night.

Well, we had a few hours of "dark," but it was really just "darker" and not actually "dark." Soyeahseriously, we just skipped nighttime. After two movies, I finally looked out the window and noted that it was evening, and then by the end of the third film it was getting light again. Whaattttttt.

Layover in Amsterdam was quite brief, then we shuttled from the terminal to our little plane. I think you haven't really traveled until you're riding around a country and every street sign is in a different language. And the flight attendants make announcements first in the native language and second in English. Anyways, less than two hours later we were skipping through the Glasgow airport, reassuring ourselves that it's okay to look like a tourist when you're in the international airport and creeping on the fantastic Scottish accents. *swoon*

There are so many stories about the actual trip. Maybe they'll all come in stages. But the overview is as follows:
     Glasgow - a schmancy hotel with a fantastic view, local restaurants and cafes, a ceilidh, a legal drink with the brothers, Haggis, church, tour of the city (including the Necropolis!), the transportation museum, and driving on the wrong side of the road.
     On the road to Inverness - the narrowest roads on which I have ever ridden (made more exciting by being on the wrong side), gorgeous lochs and bens, lunch in Crainlarch and the best mac and cheese I've ever eaten.
     Inverness - waving to Nessie, walking the city, shopping at Primark ("the" trendy European store), more Princess Bride "have you the gate key?" references than should ever be legal, dinner at an American restaurant, Irn-Bru, pasties and pastries.
     On the road to Edinburgh - Cawdor Castle and the gardens. Wow.
     Edinburgh - a cute little apartment with a washing machine but no dryer, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the Tartan Weaving Mill, Ragamuffin, local cafes, King Arthur's Seat, and dinner at the Elephant House =^D (if you don't know what it is, look it up)

Took a train back to Glasgow and then flew out the next morning and traveled back in time on a flight that, once again, had no night.

I wish there were an easy way to summarize the whole trip and smush into a paragraph or two, but I don't believe that's possible. We'll see if more posts appear about the specific adventures. Or maybe I'll just go back and then won't have to try to remember every detail.

Oh Scotland, how I miss you.

PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER! That was the last movie. I knew I'd remember =^) I feel victorious.