Edinburgh Weekend: Part 1 - Getting There & Shopping

I may have mentioned, just once or twice, recently that I was graduating with my degree through the Open University on the 25th of October. Obviously, living on a little island just off the west coast of Scotland, heading to Edinburgh was going to involve an overnight stay in the big city. Mr Click and I decided to make a weekend of it, a honeymoon (since we never actually got one when we got married) and travelled up the day before to get checked into the hotel.

Thanks to a colleague at work pointing out that Premier Inn were having a deal on £29 rooms I managed to get the three night stay for a bargain way back in the summer, before I’d even found out whether or not I’d passed my course. I was being optimistic. It paid off. You may remember a little post way back celebrating my 2.1 pass. ;-)

The journey across the country was relatively smooth, apart from the fact that we were expecting a blue and yellow Megabus bus which turned out to be a blue and yellow Citylink bus. And we may have gotten on an earlier one than our ticket was for. Oops.

That was actually another bargain, £10.50 return for two people. We had investigated trains (which would’ve come in at a grand total of around £70) and the bus worked out best, not only for the price but also for the luxury of not actually having to change anywhere. We were lugging a little suitcase and a suit carrier, as well as backpacks, and I would not have appreciated having to rush anywhere to meet a connection.

I’d been Google Earthing the hotel and the street we were on and worked out that we were just down the road from the Usher Hall where the ceremony was taking place. Going out for a little wander once we checked in revealed that we were also just down the road from Princes Street. This resulted in an impromptu Christmas shopping trip during which we spent a bunch of vouchers we’ve been saving for just such an eventuality. I managed to get best part of Mr Click’s birthday and Christmas presents for £9.97 while he found a nice shirt £45 shirt for just £12.

We also experienced the delights of a little something called a bubble tea. I’m still not entirely sure what that was but mine was warm and milky and had bits of jelly in the bottom. I was a little bit concerned that I wouldn’t like it (and I totally sucked at getting my straw into it making a bit of a mess on the floor of the shop, oops) but it was lovely. Totally different and I’m planning on going back for another one next time I’m in the city.

So the first day in Edinburgh, even though it was only a half day, felt like quite a long day. Especially as the shopping trip involved us walking down to Princes Street, realising we could spend our vouchers and having to walk all the way back to the hotel to get them, before walking all the way back down again to do the shopping. I took advantage of the return to the hotel to pick up my camera to take some photos while we strolled through the park.

And then it was early to bed ready for the big day. Which I’ll tell you all about next week.