May 2023 - Tim Boyer's Blog

So took the train down from Edinburgh to London. Because of a whole bunch of AmEx points and a good offer, I was staying at L’Oscar London. This is not my usual type of hotel. And I probably wouldn’t do it again. But it was a fun thing to do once. Turndown service and all that.

The reason I picked this hotel is that it’s smack in the middle of London, right around everywhere you read about in books. Half a mile from the Charles Dickens Museum; quarter mile to the British Museum;

two blocks from the John Soane. Short walk to the Thames:

St. Paul’s:

and right next to the neighborhoods you always read about in London: The West End:

Soho:

The best thing about this? My first trip to the UK in 1994 was to Brighton, for the UK Data General conference. Back when I was a young boy. With this game I have now officially played the silver ball from Soho down to Brighton.

My favorite, though, was the London Science Museum. Everything from Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ to

It wasn’t in walking distance – but I have an Oyster Card, and the tube is simply wonderful.

Oh, yeah. I went to a pub or two. 🙂

Fantastic trip, and I will be going back. I flew Delta First, but the flight was actually run by Virgin Atlantic, so I got to take advantage of their lounge at Heathrow. This will give you an idea.

Had a wonderful time. Flew into London two days before the coronation, but luckily my London time was at the end of this trip. Got on the Edinburgh Express. 400 miles from London to Edinburgh and the train takes less than five hours. I love travelling by train!

Spent five days in Edinburgh

walking around things like this:

And no, there was no escalator up to the top. I looked.

And there was whisky, of course. I am now an official member of the Scotch Whisky Appreciation Society, which I believe entitles me to 10% off a bottle I couldn’t afford anyway. But it was fun.

Drank a beer or two. I was amazed at the amount of cask ale in Scotland. My first visit, nearly 30 years ago, you couldn’t find any.

But even after 30 years, some things never change.

From there I rented a car at the airport and drove up to Inverness, at the top of Loch Ness. I’ve driven in the UK before. It isn’t relaxing – I keep trying to scrunch to the left, and on Scotland back roads there’s either a mountain or a loch on your left. I got through it OK. Hertz cooperated by giving me a Volvo, so I didn’t have to learn any new controls. The most common road sign was this, which made me nervous. Tell them not to do that!

But it was breathtakingly gorgeous. Pictures don’t do it justice, because you can’t stop and take them where it’s really stunning.

I took the long way up so I could stop at Bannockburn and Glencoe. Stopped at the Claddach Inn in Glencoe, per Doug’s suggestion. I’m a MacDonald (my paternal grandmother), so I appreciated this:

See Massacre of Glencoe

Did a Loch Ness tour, and got to go to Urquhart Castle.

Drove the ‘easy’ way back to Edinburgh, dropped off the car, and hopped the train back to London.