Bonnie Scotland

This weekend was long, tiring, rainy, windy but worth it all. Left Hull at about 7:30am on Friday, and got to Edinburgh two hours after our expected arrival time of 1pm. The drivers decided that taking a scenic route was the best course of action, so while it was a very pretty drive - lots of lakes and hills and sheep and grassland - it was long. Everyone was tired and hyper, not a good combination. But we got to Edinburgh about 2:30, 2:45 ish, only to spend 20 minutes circling the city centre trying to find the hostel. For those of you who have been there, you'll know about the different levels of the city, and the difficulty in getting from one level to the one below it, especially in a large coach. But we got there, we settled and we left to ramble. I spent most of the weekend with Vicky, Karolina and Jan. Which was entertaining, since Jan met up with a childhood friend and those three spent the weekend conversing in Chezk {I've no idea how its spelt. Corrections?}. It wasn't too bad though, as Jan's friend Peter got a little bit more alcohol in him he began to speak more English. I really need to learn another foreign language. Properly!

The Saturday morning we spent wandering around the castle, and almost being blown off the cliff. The wind was so strong that certain parts of the castle grounds were closed off, because they became a very strong wind tunnel. We saw a large wooden bench be tossed across the courtyard, at which point the guy on duty decided we should leave. We thought it was a good idea too!

The rest of the afternoon was spent just wandering around the city. The Writer's Museum - which I was just dying to go see - was closed, due to an electrical fault. But its ok, just gives me an excuse to go back again. Although I think I went back too soon. It's only been a year since I was last there, and though it's a beautiful city, and one of the few I could see myself living in, I think it was too soon to do a touristy visit again. But on the plus side, I knew my way around. Was pure delighted with that. I knew where I was going! Makes a change! I even found the same coffee shop that I loved last year. It's called The Elephant House, and for all Harry Potter fans, it's the place that J.K Rowling wrote the first book. And sitting in there you can see why. It's a beautiful big room at the back, with a fabulous view of Edinburgh castle, which from that angle looks remarkably like Hogwarts. They do a fabulous array of food and teas and coffees. I could spend hours upon hours in there reading or writing or just people watching. We went back on Sunday morning to kill an hour, and it was jammed. The queue was from the counter to the door (about 15 people in lenght) and a few people outside it too. And the range of people in there was very wide. There was the group of girls, late teens early twenties, recounting the night before. There was the couples having their sunday breakfast with the newspaper. There was the writer. And there was everyone in between. Including the tourist's coming to see the birthplace of Harry Potter.

On Sunday we took the quick route home and got back to hull shortly before six. And I went to see Stardust - again!! Its brilliant!! I love Robert Di Niro. No one else could have done that role as well as he. It's a fantastic film, possibly the next The Princess Bride. Well worth seeing, and definately needs to be seen on the big screen to be fully appreciated.

Monday night I had to attend Union Council as the girl on the ISA committee that normally goes couldn't make it, so I went in her place. It was not nearly as exciting as I expected, and that's saying something. But it was an interesting evening none the less.

And yesterday I was taken to dinner again. I'm liking this. Twice in a month, I'm impressed. Might keep this one for a while!
Went to a restaurant and wine bar called Sleepers, quite near to where I live. Never been before, it was really nice. Food was good, which is always a good sign. Had a really nice night.

Edinburgh photos to follow soon. Haven't uploaded them yet!

Edinburgh

I'm heading up to Edinburgh for the weekend tomorrow. Very early start though, well compared to what I'm used to. The bus is leaving from Uni at 7am. So that means at least rising at 6am. *shudder* I'm debating this morning why I'm going though. I went last year and did almost all of the touristy things, and yeah I can do them again but surely the castle hasn't changed much in the last twelve months?? But it IS a beautiful city, and if nothing else I get to sample the shops and the clubs! Promise to have photos next week.

Rants

It's a bit peculiar, I have been really really busy for the past two weeks, and yet I have nothing to write about. I've been reading, trying to keep up with everything that needs to be read for class. I've been doing stuff with the ISA, trying to organise a festival, a winter ball and trips. I've been trying to still be sociable, my nights out though have dropped back to one {occasionally two} a week, and it's generally still karaoke. An ISA party if there is one. Have not been to Asylum since Halloween, and even then I left early as was just too tired to enjoy it. Invited there tonight but just could not pluck up the energy to go, even though it's Hillbilly night. Which could be really funny.

FINALLY saw Stardust!! It's a fabulous film! Well worth going to see! Two or three times! Possibly one of the best fantasy films that's come out in the twenty years since The Princess Bride was released. Yes, it is twenty years this year since The Princess Bride was released into theatres. How scary is that?? But yeah, anyway, back to Stardust. Robert Di Niro is amazing. I knew this before this film but it just adds to his awesomeness!!

It was a month with Nick the other day. Seems a little strange to me. I generally get to a couple of weeks with guys and want rid of them, but it hasn't happened. Even a friend of mine commented, saying "Isn't a week about normal for you?" and he's right.

Anyway, if I don't stop now I'll end up rambling about absolute nonsense. Such as the fact that Westlife have been allowed - yet again - to disfigure and demolish an amazing song. They have gotten their grubby mitts on Michael Bublé's 'Home' and destroyed it. And yet the general public seem to love it. Why are people so stupid? Why do they follow the crowd, liking what they are told to like? They should think for themselves and realise that Westlife only do covers, and all of the songs they have ruined were in fact once amazing.

News 'n' Stuff

Haven't written in a while, but that's mostly because I've been very busy with different things. Firstly, on Thursday, a really good friend of mine came back to Hull for the night, and it was so good to see him. He's based in London this year because of his course {Politics} and doesn't get to come to Hull often, so it was a special night. Even if he did take my new boyfriend aside and give him the 'hurt her and I'll hunt you down' talk.

Then Friday saw the November ISA party. It was a ball. We had it in Asylum for probably the first time ever, and it worked! We had a theme too, a 60's, 70's and 80's night, which was a lot of fun. I went for the preppy 60's look. Supposedly I looked like I just stepped out of Hairspray. I wouldn't know, haven't seen the show or the film. But it was a really good night. A lot of fun.

Sunday {Yesterday} we went to the fireworks display in Hull City Centre for Guy Fawkes day. They held them a day early for convenience and it was a lot of fun. Today however, the actually Guy Fawkes day, has kinda got me scared. I guess I'm used to fireworks being illegal, aside from actual fireworks display companies and pyrotechnic companies and the like, so I'm not used to seeing them often. So walking home and having fireworks flaring on all sides of me freaks me out a bit. I think its also the thought of the potential dangers. I like that they're illegal at home. makes me feel safer or something. Had a few offers to go with people and celebrate Guy Fawkes Day by them setting off fireworks in their gardens or whatever, I declined on all counts. I just can't stand there and watch my friends light potentially fatal devices. They are explosives after all.

Not a lot else is going on. Kinda homesick at the moment if truth be told. It's finally hit me that this is my final year and it's scaring me. I handed in my first piece of coursework this morning and it was right then that I realised this is it. This is year three! The past two years and this one will mean nothing if I don't do well in June. I also worked out that between the four papers I have due in December and January I have an approximate 18,000 words to write. Woopee!! Anyone want to write them for me?
I also think the homesickness is coming from the fireworks. When I'm scared or nervous I want to be at home. And I was very nervous walking home this evening. I walk those streets every day practically, during day and night, on my own and with others, and I rarely feel scared or nervous, but with all the explosions I did tonight.