Getting Around...

Livin' in most places, except LA, public transportation is the main mode of transportation. This is the case for Edinburgh. They are currently working on putting a tram system in, but for now buses work. Being the "cool kid" that I am, I have a bus pass. Really, it takes me where I need to go. Ian and I live right on a main bus route. The bus stop is less than a block from our house. The bus line we live on runs 24 hours a day...though after midnight, my cool kid bus pass doesn't work anymore...I found that out this hard way this past weekend.

Really though, buses will take me anywhere I need to go (I know I already said this). The only problem is, you can't really buy a ton of stuff and schlep back onto the bus with it...sometimes a car is just more convenient. For instance, Ian and I went to Ikea yesterday...the bus trip took about an hour (we probably went 10 miles...I never said buses were fast!) We bought a decent amount of stuff...but not more than we could carry! It sucks not being able to push a cart straight from the store to your car. No, for us bus riders, we must carry everything. Think about what a strain this puts on your normal life. Like most of you, once a week (or sometimes even less) I would take my car to the grocery store...I would load up on all sorts of goodies, then drive home. Well, now I walk half a mile to the grocery store...and really it is 1/4 the size of the ones in the states. I have to make sure I don't buy more than I can carry. Then, I have the privilege of carrying everything half a mile back home. Things start getting really heavy!

Here is my take on all this hard work...now that I have to do all this "manual" labor, the gym is no longer necessary. I get plenty of cardio in thru my daily walks and the shopping I do...then carry home...does a good job of toning those muscles! But, we will see how long I can avoid the gym, eating all this good fried food!

Our New Home

Well folks, it is official, we are finally living in Edinburgh...real address and everything! We took over the place on Saturday. The owners left many of the things that we will need to live there. But, we still have a list of "must haves" for the place. We set out shopping on Saturday and only ended up with three items. Shopping here isn't like in the states. We couldn't exactly walk into a Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond and get our "must haves". No, we had to schlep from store to store, never finding some of the most important things on the list. For example, never stumbled across an alarm clock, kitchen towels or a decent lamp. We did manage to find a laundry hamper and a wonderfully scented diffuser from The Pier...their version on Pier 1. This buttercream vanilla diffuser is working its hardest at getting the scent of the old residents out, making if feel more like home. The old "scent" wasn't bad, just not home. Know what I mean?

Once our shipped possessions arrive, hopefully in the next couple weeks, the place will definitely feel more like home. I shipped some various "necessities", like photo albums, picture frames and oddities for the kitchen. Also, let us not forget...all my freakin clothes, though I am missing my shoe collection the most!

Though it isn't a townhouse in say, Pasadena...it will do! Enjoy the pics...


This is the front door. You enter the building, then our door is down some stairs, on the left.


This is our bedroom...the bed is only a double. They don't have queen size beds here.


I wanted you to see the size of the closet...very small. If you can imagine, the one in the spare bedroom is half the size of this one!


The bathroom...it has a shower/bath combo. I shipped over a shower bar and curtain. I will be happy when that gets here...I just don't get why they don't use those here.


The kitchen. It is it's own room...only connected to the hallway. That is how everything is though...no such thing as an open floor plan here!


Last, but not least, the washer/dryer combo. I wanted you to see this because I am sure in the coming months, there will be plenty of complaining about it! You can only put about 5 items in it (yes, I said 5) and it takes about 6 hours to do its thing...I think this will (and already is) drive me mad!

Cultural Differences

Things are just different enough in the UK to drive one (mainly me) mad. Everything seems to be just slightly different. Pick a "thing" and I could tell you the difference. The toilet flushes from the top and has barely any water in it. The water here doesn't "mix" hot and cold as well as ours in the states does...makes showers an experience! A key I used for something today was upside down. The "key" part had to be on the bottom rather than on top. Soda is really expensive here...like 5 pounds for a six-pack...when you exchange that, it's like $10.50! Needless to say, not much soda in my life! Not that there really was much before. When you go to a restaurant, you have to ask for the bill...they won't just bring it to you. And, you have to specially ask for tap water...I am cheap, so I always do. Also, tipping is way different here. You tip like maybe 10%. But, you definitely don't get the kind of service here that you would in America. Guess I am not in America anymore, right?

Then you get to vocabulary. I can understand most people, but there are different words for things here. Here are some examples for you...that way when I becomes fully acclimated, you can understand me!

Trash can - bin
Elevator - lift
Soy - soya
Garbage - litter
Cell phone - mobIle (notice the emphasis on the "i")
Bathroom - toilet
To go - takeaway

It's the little things that can drive one mad! But, then there are funny things too. On every pack of cigarettes, there is a huge warning that takes up half the pack (no exaggeration) that says "smoking kills". Yet, every other person you see is smoking. They smoke like crazy around here. Then you get to the drinking...all these people drink. It is kind of insane. Also, there are Pizza Huts all over the place. And, they are ALWAYS packed. I walked past one at 3pm today and it was packed. Who knew? Pizza Hut isn't even that good. While I was in London, there was a huge add for "Cali-Style" shoes. Our very own Ashlee Simpson was the face for the add. The whole "Cali-Style" thing almost had me peeing my pants, I was laughing so hard. First, who says "Cali" and second who knew we had a style?!? Oh well.

I have learned to spot tourists from a mile away though. They are usually taking up the whole sidewalk, walking dreadfully slow...without a care in the world. Then they insist to some poor Starbucks worker that the one "back home" makes so and so drink when this one does't...do you think the poor worker behind the counter really cares? NO! When they pay somewhere, they usually get their money out of a ziplock bag. Also (and this is totally me) they wear flip-flops...not too many flip-flop wearers around here. I haven't yet figured out if it is because of the trippage factor or the cold factor.

Oh well, my faithful Bar Aspen is closing...gotta run!

24 Hours in London

I have now been in London for 24 hours. Things have not gone as smoothly as they should. The underground is on strike. Three of the lines are still open because they are operated by a different company. Thankfully, one of those three lines, is the line that goes to/from the airport. So we boarded the train (luggage and all) for the ride to our hotel. Normally, this ride (with 2 train changes) should take about a hour and a half. Well, it took almost 4 hours! It was hot in the train and very smooshed. This one guy even got his hand stuck in my hair! What I don't understand, is why in this day and age, people still don't wear deodorant. When the really potent people got on, you could tell...smell. If it is against your belief, you should at least go against your belief for the sake of those around you when you are in cramped, closed quarters! So, now you know my stance on deodorant.

Last night, Ian's birthday, we went out to eat at this place that served Tex-Mex...and it was yummy! Way better than the nasty Mexican food we had in Edinburgh...though not even close to Modesto's! Those of you from there, go eat some El Rosal for me and tell me about it...oh I miss it! Come to think of it, I didn't even eat E.R. the last time I was in town. That is like a sin. I go there every time I am in Motown. I blame Chandra!

Back to London. I went out today exploring. Walked along some river...it was called the "Queen's Walk". Went on the Tower Bridge, then went inside the Tower of London. Saw the crown jewels. There is a beautiful diamond in there that is 502 carats! It was nice! While I was looking at all these jewels, a thought came to my head...what a waste! Why make new everything every time there is a new king/queen? It is a waste of money (UK taxpayers money) and a waste of jewels. If no one is going to use these jewels anymore, it seems a shame for them to just get locked up in a case, in a vault for people to walk past them. We can't even take pictures! Poor wasted jewels!

I wanted to touch on me being such a tourist today. I am wearing a pink hoodie today. Let me tell you, no one in London wears pink! In fact, they don't wear color. Everyone was wearing black and white (no exaggeration) and I have never seen so many people in suits in my life. Needless to say, I stuck out like a sore thumb. But, I like my pink hoodie...hope people in Scotland like color!

Alright, that's it for now. Enjoy the pics. I wish some (notice I said some, not all) of you were here with me!


Just trying to prove to you all that I was actually here...and didn't just grap the pics from the internet!



The London Bridge thru the eyes of the Tower of London...and me and my camera!

Goodbye & Welcome Home - Part 2

I am sitting here in Bar Aspen, using their free internet...yeah, who knew bars had free internet?!? I now have 36 hours under my belt and have some thoughts to share about my "new home". First off, it is definitely cold here...dreadfully cold. When my plane was landing, the pilot said it was 54 degrees outside (and that's Fahrenheit!) The sun also doesn't seem to come out here much. It really doesn't rain, though did a little yesterday, but it is certainly windy. Also, people are stinkin' playing bagpipes on like every corner. It is kind of obnoxious. But, eventually it will probably blend in with the rest of the noise. The streets and sidewalks are cobblestone. This has proved a problem for me since I drag my feet. I have seriously been tripping all the time. People probably think something is wrong with me...that's usual though...ha, ha! Also, Ian has told me to stop converting everything from pounds to dollars...it will drive me (and you mad). Everything is like twice the price here...and the pay isn't! But, housing and cars are normally priced. It really makes no sense. I got a cell phone here yesterday. They do it way differently here. I have a plan, but it isn't a plan like in America. I get a certain amount of "credit" (almost like pre-pay) and can use it to text message or call. But, oddly enough, my "credit" isn't good for international calling or texting...whatever! But I did get a really neat cell phone that has internet on it and internet phone capabilities on it as well. That means, when we (and by we, I mean Ian) get that up and running, I can call whoever I want for free! Yeah! But back to Scotland. Today Ian took me by the place we will live...we move in on Friday. It looks really nice from the outside. It is only 5 years old. It is a first floor flat. It has a little outdoor patio. And the building backs up to a river. It was very easy to get to by bus. Only about 2 miles away from the castle and city centre (as these people spell it). Ian and I are both excited about getting in and settled.

Last night, I decided to go to sleep at like 8pm. Well, by 2am I was wide awake and hungry. So, I got dressed and Ian and I went out and found some fish and chips. The place was full of drunk people who were quite entertaining. The fried food was entertaining as well. You could get practically anything fried at this place! Even with all the fried food, I am not too (yet still a little) worried about letting myself go...I seriously have to walk miles around this place. Then imagine carting groceries home...it is quite the work out.

Well there you have it, a little look into my "new" life. I am sure there will be more to come as I get more immersed in the culture. But for now, it's all good...I guess!

Goodbye & Welcome Home - Part 1

I am sitting here, in 19D, on the last leg of my flight to Scotland. I have just left the land of opportunities, the land of the brave and have no clue where I am headed. What I mean is that I have no clue what Edinburgh will give me in life.

Today I said my goodbyes to my mom, dad and Riley. I was feeling nervous, so goodbyes are hard under those circumstances. But, I know they know that I love and appreciate them. Leaving Riley is the saddest because she doesn’t understand. I know she is only a dog, but she is the coolest dog there is…seriously! Even you animal haters would love her!

As I leave, I feel sadness. It is hard to understand this sadness. I will still be able to talk to and email people as I wish. But, there is something hard about not being able to get in a car and drive to see the people I want. I will no longer be able to cruise around LA and see my friends down there. No more lunches with the entourage. No longer will I be able to drive up to Motown to see my family and friends. I won’t be able to see Tanner every once in a while. See how he has grown and changed. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but when I think about the human touch, it is worth so much more. I will miss that. I even made my dad promise that if I needed, he would come visit me in November (his month off of work). I will definitely miss the human touch.

As I sit here in 19D, I think of all that I am leaving behind….I can literally see all the things and feel like they are still there (my house, car, work, Riley)….but I keep looking ahead and think about the future. There will be new friends (not to replace the old, but to add to the bunch), a new job at who knows where, new places to hang out, new everything. I try to look ahead so I don’t feel sad. It’s hard though, thinking about all I am leaving behind.

Blast from the Past

To be able to look back upon one's past life with satisfaction is to live twice. - Lord Acton

Today I had the privledge of spending the day with my old children's pastor. I haven't seen her in 10 years. Since that time, she has gotten married, moved across the country and become a senior pastor. And, obvioulsy I have changed a little bit during that time! But, it was like I had never stopped seeing her or keeping in touch. She shared many things about my childhood that I had forgotten and some that I never knew. She told me about how I was always her favorite and had worked my way into her heart. I always loved her and remember so many good times with her. She used to have tea parties at her house for us youngins...and she would let me drink coffee! That is a privledge when you are 11! She shared a story with me about how I got the lead in the Christmas play one year...I remember there being drama and people shedding tears, but that is it. I guess there were a couple of us that wanted the part, but she felt I deserved it. So, she decided to draw a name from a basket to determine who would get the part. What she admitted to me today was that my name was the only one in the basket. I thought this was pretty funny. But, at the same time, it is nice to know that I am so loved. I also got to hear stories about the stupid things I did...but if anyone knows me, they should know those stories are plentiful...ha, ha! Yeah, some story about me and my brothers and her daughter tagging on the back fence. Boy weren't we bright kids!?! I also recall having a bonfire in her front yard, which I am sure she wasn't too pleased with.

It seems like in life as we move forward, many times we forget the road we traveled. Now, I know there isn't much road to travel as a kid, but it is nice to revisit those memories and know that even at a young age, someone had my back! Oh yeah, and this great lady still has a picture of me in her office from when I was 13! Anyone who has kept a corny picture of me up in their house for that long has to be cool...or stupid; one of the two!