Random Traveller Hello and welcome to the long discourse on Rhiannon’s Adventures So Far, that I finally made myself sit down and write because of the impending DOOM that is called Manufacturer Default. My little baby is a lovely shiny white Macbook that I’ve decided to name Poodle. This is because its main function is to be pretty. However I will soon have to send it off to some unloving ruffians who will beat it and tell it not to keep randomly shutting down on me.

Ryanair, it really is a love-hate relationship. They’ll fly you across Europe for 15 Euros then the bus from their middle of nowhere airport to your actual destination will cost you 20 Euros. Warning: don’t you dare go over their 20kg luggage limit or you’ll have to sell your first born. Both James and I had interesting journeys trying to meet up in Edinburgh. James’ flight arrived in Prestwick after the connecting busses to Glasgow had stopped. Split between 4 people the taxi still cost more than his flight. Dumped at the currently closed Glasgow railway station he asked a Policeman directions to the closest hostel and was told something along the lines of “There are some over there, but if you go to that side of the river you’ll probably get mugged.” Deciding against crossing the river he found a well lit stairwell, put on every warm item he owned, socks on his hands and passed the night in the company of roving drunks and patrolling Police. I also found myself without a place for the night before my flight into the UK. I discovered on arrival in Santander that the hostel I wanted to stay in had closed down. The Spanish are quite firm believers in not working on a Sunday so I couldn’t even find a piece of bread to eat with my whole tomato. I had no idea where to find another hostel and lugging a backpack up and down a mountainside in search of food is not fun. While sitting on a curb munching away I thought “What the hell” and pulled out my laptop. I love that the Spanish have all discovered the joys of Wifi, but are yet to learn about internet security. Half an hour later accommodation was sorted, email checked and a few episodes of anime downloaded courtesy of Youtube. Edinburgh is a lovely city. We visited Edinburgh castle, listened to some tours and saw the giant siege cannon Mons Meg. Behind Holyrood Palace is Holyrood Park, a small island of traditional Scottish moor right in the middle of the sprawling metropolis. We climbed up the bluff for a magnificent view of the old city and surrounds. Of course the moment we decided to do this we were subjected to the classic Scottish weather of harsh winds and frigid rain, fully completing the experience.