Well We're Off... Day 1

 This is it... Today's the Day!

All packed and ready, the taxi was late arriving, giving us a wonderful panicky edge to start the day. In the end the car arrived with about ten minutes to spare. 

We got to Farnborough Main in time, but not with enough to take a photograph on the platform as we had intended; so a photo of Sarah on the first leg of the trip will have to do.

Sarah on the Farnborough to Waterloo

The train from Farnborough to Waterloo was on-time and it seemed like no time before we were in London. 

Map and Stats - Farnborough to Waterloo

We went down the steps from the platform into the underground (never used to be open at the weekends) and got to the Bakerloo platform really easily. Changing to the Victoria at Oxford Circus, we arrived at King's Cross St. Pancras underground, which was hardly that. It felt like a mile walk underground before we came up in the station. 

Pausing with enough time to pick up a couple of bottles of orange juice and a couple of Irn-Bru for the journey, we got on the Azuma at platform 1 and within a few minutes, were sliding out of the station and heading north. 

Map and Stats - Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley

Our journey begins with a cheer,

With biscuits and fizzy and gear.

We’ll cross every shire,

Then surely require

A nap and perhaps a wee beer.

An hour and a half into the journey and we have just left Doncaster... memories of changing for Hull (30 years ago), and are now heading for York.

Outside the window is beautiful sunlight, which bodes well for our trip, though I think the broonie that raised its head in the Tarot (see earlier post), has been making a bit of mischief. My rucksack is making suspicious ripping noises near the top of the arm sling. I might have to get a suitcase in Edinburgh and decant the contents.

I hoped you liked my limerick above... while I have been sitting here on the train I have written another poem, which you might like to look at here. I hope you like it.

We arrived at Edinburgh Waverley Station (the only station in the world to be named after a novel: Waverley by Sir Walter Scott), at exactly the time we said, though it took about fifteen minutes to work out how to get out of the station, but finally we did and arrived at our hotel shortly afterwards. Then, following a quick refresh, we crossed the road and joind a bus for a tour around Edinburgh.

We jumped off the bus at Grassmarket, to visit Bains Retro Sweet Shop a must for anyione visiting Edinburgh - It is here that you can get Scottish Tablet, genuine Scottish Shortbread and Berwick Cockles!

Scottish Tablet

Berwick Cockles

Scottish Shortbread

We had about half an hour to kill when we got back to the hotel, before going out to Howies restaurant, where Sarah had some Scottish Salmon and I had a casserole of Scottish venison; gratuitous food-porn photograph:

Casserole of Scottish Venison

I rounded it of with a lemon posset, and a Caol Ila 12 year okd Islay Whisky.

Following this we walked back to the hotel in the evening light...

Balmoral Hotel with the Sir Walter Scott Memorial Behind

I am going to catch up with the F1 and then get a moderately early night - Off to Crail and St. Andrews tomorrow.