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The Long Road to Scotland
13 years ago
General
Furmeets, late-night coaches, old friends and new places... Yesterday I arrived back home from my first long trip in several months. Over those five days, I took in three nations, two furmeets, and a whole host of new experiences. A really interesting little journey! Here's what I got up to:
Saturday 1 December - London
A 4am start, and by 5.15am I was out bracing the freezing Welsh winter air. My coach left at 6, and by 9.30am I arrived at my first stop... London! From Victoria I made a quick trip to Barnet, then back into the City and to Moorgate station for the London Furs Winter Party. My first visit to the Old Smoke since the Olympics, and my first Winter Party. It was good to see my old friends, and as always it's a pleasure to meet the new furs. And let me just say, what a great venue! All the right ingredients were there: great people, fursuits galore, a fun little walk, and of course a good supply of Baileys, a newly-found fondness of mine (I blame you
kai-llewellyn!)
It's a shame I had to leave early... okay, it was only half an hour early. But still, I had my next coach to catch. So a quick Tube journey back down to Vic, and by 11.30pm I was back on my way, on to my next destination...
Sunday 2 and Monday 3 - Newcastle furmeet
On an overnight coach, luxury is hardly the name of the game. You sleep as best you can. And it's annoying to say the least waking up halfway through the trip, thirsty as anything, and finding your bottle of water's disappeared without a trace. Thank goodness for the 3am service station stop. But that's all part of the fun: a new experience, leaving one fantastic destination and reaching another, and enjoying the ride too!
And at 6am on Sunday I had arrived at my next stop... Newcastle! My plan was to wait in the bus station until the meet. But it was closed for the next four hours, and freezing outside! So for the next few hours I wandered the city, as the sun rose over those famous bridges. Soon the first shops opened: I took a paper and took up station in Starbucks for the next couple of hours, readjusting to the Geordie way of life, with the help of some Dire Straits on the radio.
For me this was something of a homecoming: my old home (about 15 minutes down the road), and the first furmeet I ever attended nearly three years ago. Meeting the
tynefurs at Central Station is always a pleasure, bleary-eyed as I was. Indeed it was a joy to see the first furs I ever met, way back on that February morning. Brilliant.
Most of the day was spent at our 'base' bar, drinking, chatting, and just generally catching up after my few months away. There was a break for lunch at a Japanese restauruant, an old favourite, and a trip around the bars in the evening. Then it was on the Metro, and on to Sunderland for the night.
Monday was a day at leisure, time to shop, to refuel and to enjoy another day in north-east England. Thank you very much to my hosts for the two nights.
Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 - Edinburgh
Everyone loves Edinburgh. Whoever you talk to, they all say it's a lovely city. And they're right. From the history and heritage of the Royal Mile, to the splendour of the Georgian New Town, Edinburgh is a capital which the Scottish people are righty proud of. This visit was actually a study trip organised by my University. It was also my first visit on over four years, so steping off the train at Waverley station, I was fairly excited.
Tuesday afternoon our University group reconvened for some talks, before we headed down to the Scottish Parliament (striking, confident, and as different to Westminster as you could imagine). Afterwards there was time for a meal and drinks, before we headed to the hotel.
Wednesday morning there were more talks, and Wednesday afternoon we were free for shopping! Unfortunately we ran out of time to see pandas at the Zoo, but a spot of Christmas retail therapy gave us plenty to focus on.
Soon though, it was time to leave Auld Reekie once again. A bus to the Airport, a stroll through Security, and an hour and a half airborne. And an hour and a half after that, I was home!
So, any plans for the future? Well,
eda and I are travelling up to Birmingham this Saturday, and I'm heading back to East Anglia for Christmas. At some point I'd like to make a longer journey like that, but travelling with someone. But right now, I guess it's back to work!
Saturday 1 December - London
A 4am start, and by 5.15am I was out bracing the freezing Welsh winter air. My coach left at 6, and by 9.30am I arrived at my first stop... London! From Victoria I made a quick trip to Barnet, then back into the City and to Moorgate station for the London Furs Winter Party. My first visit to the Old Smoke since the Olympics, and my first Winter Party. It was good to see my old friends, and as always it's a pleasure to meet the new furs. And let me just say, what a great venue! All the right ingredients were there: great people, fursuits galore, a fun little walk, and of course a good supply of Baileys, a newly-found fondness of mine (I blame you
kai-llewellyn!)It's a shame I had to leave early... okay, it was only half an hour early. But still, I had my next coach to catch. So a quick Tube journey back down to Vic, and by 11.30pm I was back on my way, on to my next destination...
Sunday 2 and Monday 3 - Newcastle furmeet
On an overnight coach, luxury is hardly the name of the game. You sleep as best you can. And it's annoying to say the least waking up halfway through the trip, thirsty as anything, and finding your bottle of water's disappeared without a trace. Thank goodness for the 3am service station stop. But that's all part of the fun: a new experience, leaving one fantastic destination and reaching another, and enjoying the ride too!
And at 6am on Sunday I had arrived at my next stop... Newcastle! My plan was to wait in the bus station until the meet. But it was closed for the next four hours, and freezing outside! So for the next few hours I wandered the city, as the sun rose over those famous bridges. Soon the first shops opened: I took a paper and took up station in Starbucks for the next couple of hours, readjusting to the Geordie way of life, with the help of some Dire Straits on the radio.
For me this was something of a homecoming: my old home (about 15 minutes down the road), and the first furmeet I ever attended nearly three years ago. Meeting the
tynefurs at Central Station is always a pleasure, bleary-eyed as I was. Indeed it was a joy to see the first furs I ever met, way back on that February morning. Brilliant. Most of the day was spent at our 'base' bar, drinking, chatting, and just generally catching up after my few months away. There was a break for lunch at a Japanese restauruant, an old favourite, and a trip around the bars in the evening. Then it was on the Metro, and on to Sunderland for the night.
Monday was a day at leisure, time to shop, to refuel and to enjoy another day in north-east England. Thank you very much to my hosts for the two nights.
Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 - Edinburgh
Everyone loves Edinburgh. Whoever you talk to, they all say it's a lovely city. And they're right. From the history and heritage of the Royal Mile, to the splendour of the Georgian New Town, Edinburgh is a capital which the Scottish people are righty proud of. This visit was actually a study trip organised by my University. It was also my first visit on over four years, so steping off the train at Waverley station, I was fairly excited.
Tuesday afternoon our University group reconvened for some talks, before we headed down to the Scottish Parliament (striking, confident, and as different to Westminster as you could imagine). Afterwards there was time for a meal and drinks, before we headed to the hotel.
Wednesday morning there were more talks, and Wednesday afternoon we were free for shopping! Unfortunately we ran out of time to see pandas at the Zoo, but a spot of Christmas retail therapy gave us plenty to focus on.
Soon though, it was time to leave Auld Reekie once again. A bus to the Airport, a stroll through Security, and an hour and a half airborne. And an hour and a half after that, I was home!
So, any plans for the future? Well,
eda and I are travelling up to Birmingham this Saturday, and I'm heading back to East Anglia for Christmas. At some point I'd like to make a longer journey like that, but travelling with someone. But right now, I guess it's back to work!
avon
~avon
Wave to me as you pass Wakefield on your way back ;)
Ziegenbock
~ziegenbock
OP
Will do!
rambrissot
~rambrissot
i missed ya never new you where in town glad to here you had a good trip hugs
Ziegenbock
~ziegenbock
OP
Yes, I had a great time. Didn't have nearly enough time to visit everywhere, though. No time to visit Durham, for example.
rambrissot
~rambrissot
that is a bummer well i am glad you had a good holday
kai-llewellyn
~kai-llewellyn
Sounds like an awesome trip! Also, hurrah for Baileys related antics! <3 Glad you had fun though!
