A Stagnant Life is an Unhappy Life

It has been a bit rough keeping busy these last two weeks while awaiting the start date of school. However, I am trying, because there have been a couple days where I haven't left the flat and there is nothing worse than staying inside during a beautiful day. Therefore my life consists of A LOT of walking around Edinburgh and trips to the bodega. So although not much is happening activity wise, I have been trying to take a lot of photos. So here are the ones that haven't made it up on the blog yet.

Reunited and It Feels so Good!

This past Saturday my long lost Au Pair pal finally made it across the pond to Scotland as well. It was so much fun spending the weekend with one of my very best friends. We spent all of Sunday wandering around this amazing, gorgeous, historic city soaking up every moment.

As we wandered down to the City Centre (luckily only about a mile from my flat), we noticed this amazing park across from all the shops. The Princes Street Gardens are full of beautiful landscapes and had the best view of the Old Town.

After wandering up through the Old town and visiting The Elephant House, where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter, we realized we had grown a heavy appetite. We stumbled upon at beautiful old pub and decided to indulge in our favorite type of food: Steak pies, potatoes and plenty of gravy.

It was such a nice weekend and I was sad to see my pally head up to Stirling for school on Monday but so glad we could have a relaxing reunion.

Below are a few more snaps from our wanderings (click to enlarge).

Edinburgh Castle

view from Princes Street Gardens

The Elephant House

Birthplace of the Harry Potter Series

Princes Street Gardens

The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

Scotland, We Have Arrived!

Wow, this trip has been a whirlwind. I left Boise on Wednesday (Sept. 4) afternoon and arrived to Edinburgh midday Thursday. It was a bit of a struggle getting my life together all on my own (first major step of adulthood?). I was the first to arrive in my 8 (!) person flat, and let me just tell you it was a very unglamorous entrance. It always astonishes me, that no matter how hard you try, you will never look beautiful after a transatlantic flight. I left Boise showered, groomed, perfumed and bright-eyed only to arrive sweaty, disheveled, and accompanied by large bags under the eyes.

Luckily, I was able to get a taxi easily, and was graced with the cutest cabbie ever. He was so sweet, offering various life tips for an American living in this great city. It seemed that this transition was going to go very smoothly. And then I got to key collection...

I arrived at my campus to sign my lease and collect my key. My cute, adopted grandfather of a taxi driver graciously waited with my luggage so I wasn't burdened with the struggle of hauling it up the mountain of stairs leading into the building. I ran up the stairs expecting a swift, orderly process. What I got was a 45 minute queue just to check in, and then another ten minute line to sign and collect. I longed for the efficient lines Utah State had taught me to expect from the world.

Eventually I made it back to the taxi and then to my flat. The damage? Forty-five pounds. But it was okay right? I had arrived and thats all that mattered...until they told my my name wasn't on the list, as if it were a posh night club and I had zero chance of getting in. Eventually everything was sorted and I was led to my room where I collapsed on my sheet-less mattress with the energy to only do one important thing: get some Wifi.

Once all social media outlets had been checked and updated (give me a break...I'm a PR grad, its in my blood), I mustered the energy to refresh and head out on the town in search for my number one priority purchase, Diet Coke. Yes, that's correct, more important than sheets, towels or any actual sustenance, I sought after the elixir of life, Diet Coke.