Monday, April 19, 2010

Changing Plans…


Many of Edinburgh’s downtown streets are torn up for utilities work related to new tram lines—so it’s challenging to get through many intersections. Likewise (on a much grander scale), the volcanic dust cloud airport closures present huge challenges for hundreds of thousands of travelers. Ah, but where there is challenge there is often opportunity. Monday AM I found out early on BBC TV news that all UK airports were closed for the day, thus putting the kibosh on my 1 PM flight to Paris.

I didn’t come all this way just to sit and stew in Edinburgh though if you must be stranded somewhere E is a fine city to explore, street construction notwithstanding. I formulated a plan to get to Paris by train: get a seat on the Eurostar train from London to Paris-2 hrs 15 min—done online but I could not get Tuesday, had to get for Wedsnesday; buy a cell phone to communicate with Karen and make arrangements to use her spare flat then buy a train ticket from E to London—4 hrs 45 min. It took most of the day to do but I accomplished all the chores. Again I used the cable from the Haymarket Hotel after breakfast; another hat-tip to Adrena. I emailed my Paris hotel to expect me Wednesday not Monday and regretfully cancelled my Tuesday morning stroll with Paris Greeters.

The desk clerk in the hotel across the street from the Lairg (a bonnie young lass) was most helpful in the process. She looked up and printed walking directions to Karen’s flat and gave me a brochure for Grayline coach tours. Used my new cell phone to book a tour to the Highlands and Loch Ness (12 hrs) and my pickup in the morning is at a Travelodge nearby the flat. I asked for and received a £5 senior discount (concession) on my £40 tour ticket—pay the driver at pickup.

I hoofed it around the city to get the phone, pick up the keys at Karen’s attorney’s office, etc. Signage is excellent around the city or I’d have been continually lost and asking for directions. There are signs on the 2nd story of buildings at every junction. E planners deserve credit for allowing lots of green space around the city. Here’s one:

At Karen’s flat I was able to get online and she emailed me directions for turning on the heat and hot water and how to get to the closest shops. She has a Hondo large body guitar. I tuned it a little and wrote her a song, “Thanks to Karen”. I used the webcam and mic in my netbook to record the tune on YouTube then sent her a link.

I found a really good supermarket just where she said it would be—down the steps and walk along toward the “fancy building” to the busy street about a quarter mile away. Bought 2 bags of goodies, enough for 2 breakfasts and 2 evening meals. Here’s the landmark building:

I felt good at the end of the day because I had accomplished a lot. The journey continues minus 2 nights in Paris plus a day trip to the scenic Highlands, a new cheap (£23) top-up cell phone usable in UK and in Paris if necessary with a new SIM card and 2 nights free lodging here in this lovely and historic Scottish city.

Voila!

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