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Scotland

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.

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Next trip

Scotland in May. Doug is jealous. Five days in Edinburgh, then driving around the highlands for another three, then four days in London proper. Details to follow. But there will be scotch and beer involved somewhere.

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Things that I know

I have many.  But here’s mine for today.  Do you have a microwave with those under-the-microwave lights that you keep on all the time?  Those suckers are 40 watts *each*.  80 watts x 24 x 365 = 700 Kw per year.  If your electricity is about $0.10 per Kw as mine is, that’s $70 per year.  And you need to replace them every couple of years because you have them on constantly.

Buy this: 

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0B214553H?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_asin_title&th=1

$8.  Will last a decade.  Pays back in 6 weeks in electricity alone.

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Wilde at heart

My great-grandfather’s first child – my great-uncle – was born in southeastern Ohio in January 1884. In 1882, the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde made his famous America tour, with stops in Columbus and Cleveland.

I have no definite proof that my great-grandfather saw him – but his first child was named Oscar Wylde Price.

Here’s Wilde:

And here’s my great-uncle in 1905:

Oscar Price and Murdoth Martin 12-5-1905

I think he has the look down. Anyway, fast forward to 2021 and my nephew Seth and his wife Hannah have a child, and name him Oscar – because they like the name and the family connection.

On my latest trip to England, they put me in this room:

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England – getting there was *not* half the fun.

Flight was from Cleveland to Minneapolis to Heathrow. Cleveland to Minneapolis, no problem. Minneapolis to Heathrow…

We were supposed to leave Minneapolis at 5:20PM, and arrive at 7:05 AM. The weather was bad on the 3rd but it had cleared up by Wednesday.

Then we weren’t going at all. The second co-pilot had to turn back on his flight, so we were short a crew member.

But wait! You only need three if the flight is over eight hours! They were frantically making calls to Atlanta, and finally got permission to go. We boarded around 10PM. It was snowy and icy, so they towed us out to be de-iced.

And the towbar broke. And they’re rushing around to get a replacement. And they find one. I am sitting wondering if the FAA rules are eight hours in flight, or eight hours in the plane.

A half hour later, I find out. It’s eight hours in the plane. They taxi back, unload us all, and we go find hotel rooms.

In Delta’s defense – and as opposed to Southwest – they paid for the hotel, paid for food, and then gave us a $1,750 voucher. My next vacation flight is free! I have to use it this year, so I’m looking now.

So got to England, and there was a train strike. Because of course. Trains were leaving, but they were sporadic and full. I made a decision. I took a taxi.

This is the exact equivalent (well, 30 miles closer) of taking a taxi from Pittsburgh to Washington. And cost $500. But at that point I was heavily into ‘screw it; I just want to get started!’ mode. It was worth every penny. I slept in the back for the four hours it took to get there.

And on the way back. Got into JFK at 7:30PM for a 8:59 flight. From there it’s a two hour flight to Cleveland – piece of cake. Except, of course, for the thunderstorms over Boston, which delayed all flights. OK, taxied out at 10:30.

‘Um, this is your pilot speaking. Due to the weather issues, there’s a backup for takeoff. We are number 25 out of 25’.

Got back to Hopkins around 1AM and went out to the shuttle bus to parking. I’ve been parking at Park Place in Cleveland since the days it had Monopoly names for the rows.  Asked for F54 and the driver gave me this… look. I was on the wrong bus. There’s Park Place, and there’s Park ‘N Fly. I was on the Park ‘N Fly shuttle. I was majorly screwed.

He drove me over to the Park Place.  The lovely lady in the booth let me stay inside until the bus picked me up.  The driver dropped me off and stayed until he was sure my car started.

My faith in humanity was restored by parking lot attendants and drivers.  

Got home a little after 3AM.

The only saving grace is that Delta made good with the voucher, and thanks to my AmEx card I had lounge privileges everywhere. I estimate I spent 12 hours sitting in lounges this flight.

And the more I read this – the more I think that this is what my family calls a ‘first world problem’. Oh, no! I’m flying first class; it was delayed by 24 hours; they paid for my hotel and meals. And then gave me a voucher for $1,750. I ate and drank at their lounge for free for two days, and then I had to spend 0.003% of my retirement fund to get to where I wanted. Whatever shall I do?? I guess I’ll get over this… eventually. Life is rough.