Settling in

The first day of this trip is on the books. It was fairly uneventful. Although I feel like every time I connect through London-Heathrow, I vow that I will never do so again if I can help it. Maybe next time I’ll actually remember. (Security staff on power trips, I swear to God.)

I barely recognize Edinburgh Airport anymore. The tram line to the airport (which has been in progress since I lived here in 2011-2012) is finally complete, which means the exterior of the airport now looks very different and it took me ages to find the airport bus.  But find it I did, and half an hour later I was walking past my old flat on Hillside Street on my way to my Airbnb.  The old John Lewis building on Leith Walk is coming down, but other than that most of my old haunts still look the same. The fields outside Edinburgh and the flanks of Arthur’s Seat are yellow with blooming canola.

Some observations: My toenails need a trim before I start hiking on Saturday.  Nothing like having your feet encased in Salomon boots for 16 hours to show you precisely where all your sharp nail edges are. I’m also going to need to pick up some allergy tablets, because while North Carolina’s hay fever season is ending, Scotland’s is just about to begin.

It’s good to be here.

Cheers, y’all.