I'll start with an interesting little story from yesterday: when I was checking in to the hostel and the young man behind the desk found out I was from Canada he asked me which hockey team I support.  Let me add that his accent sounds maybe Eastern European.  I told him I'm a Canucks/Leafs fan, and he said it was too bad about the Canucks last year, but what with the new coach and all....  I said "You follow Canadian hockey?!?"  And he said "Yeah, I'm a Canadiens fan."  Hockey - the universal language.

I managed to stay up until 7:00 last night.  My roommates were two young girls, one 17 year old from England (Kirsty) and one slightly older from California (Lorna).  The Americans' parents are English and the girls' moms used to work together.  I told them not to worry about making noise when they came in as I had earplugs and they couldn't wake me if they tried.  They told me not to worry, as they weren't party girls, and sure enough when I woke up at 10:30 to use the bathroom they were both sound asleep.

Got up around 8:00, stripped the bed and packed everything down those 53 steps, dropped my backpack in to storage again, then realized I left my towel in the room.  Back up I went. Tonight I'm in another 4 bed dorm, so far just with a German lady in her 50's named Stephanie. She loves bagpipes, and it's a good thing because our room faces the park and we can definitely hear them!  I am now on the 3rd (4th) floor, which has added a bunch of steps to make it somewhere in the mid 70's if I forget something.  And the kitchen is in the basement which means from there to my room is 91 steps.  I think I can eat whatever I want here because I'll work it all off quick at this rate!

I took the bus out to Paisley this morning, which is about a 1/2 hour ride.  Met a sweet older man at the Paisley Abbey family history centre.  The Abbey is stunning by the way!  He bought me a cup of tea, gave me some advice on my search and generally chatted. He then sent me off to the archives at the local library where I spent several hours happily researching.  I found a few obituaries, but they weren't all that common in the 1800's.  They then recommended I check out the Mitchell library in Glasgow for further research (tax rolls - sounds exciting!).  As I was leaving it started pouring so I ducked in to a shopping centre and grabbed a hot chocolate.  By then it was just sprinkling so I walked back to the town centre and caught the bus back to Glasgow.  I'm starting to get to know the area, though I have to admit, I waited for the bus on the wrong side of the road this morning!

Here is the view out of my new room:

God, it sounds like someone is practicing the bass drum in the conference room right over my head as I sit in the lounge. Time to go!

I Have Arrived

After spending eight long hours at YVR yesterday (something I never want to do again) I have learned my lesson and will book my Harbour Air flight more than 5 days before I want to leave next time.  Somehow I managed to forget that I had to get off the island to start this trip!  The flight was uneventful, apart from the inevitable crying babies.  Don't worry, no puke.  Those of you who have traveled Air Transat before will be pleased to know that they've upgraded to a newer plane with touch screens on this run.   I impress easily.

I sat beside a nice couple from Prestwick who had been visiting their son, who is going to Bible college on Thetis Island.  Who knew there was a Bible college on Thetis Island?

I splurged on a cab to the hostel (bit of a hairy ride) and arrived about 5 hours before check in (cue repeat of YVR hell yesterday).  Ok, not really, there has been lots more to do here, even though I'm doing it all in a haze because I've been up 26 hours now!

I checked in the giant backpack to storage and switched to the mid-sized backpack. Then walked a pleasant 5 minutes in sunny breezy weather to Sainsburies, kind of like Tesco Express, but at a gas station.  Managed to get some fresh fruit and veg and avoid most of the overly processed stuff.  Pleasant walk back to the hostel to pack a lunch and head across the street to Kelvingrove Park.  (Speaking of crossing the street, I feel I take my life in my hands at every corner unless the traffic is forced to stop at a red light).  Sat on a bench and ate while listening to ... wait for it ... a pipe band.  Apparently everyone is feverishly practicing for Worlds later this week, and Kelvingrove is the place to do it.  This band was from New Zealand, I also watched one from Portland.  There are always at least two playing at any one time (it's a big park).  Literally since I got here 6 hours ago I have been listening to pipes.  And when the pipes stop for a bit the snare drummers are practising.  My room faces away from the park so I can't hear them from there, but in the conference room one floor below a bunch of people are practicing the chanter. For those of us who miss hearing the pipes when we're in our rooms.

I am staying in a 4 bed dorm on the second floor (like our third floor). And with the high ceilings that's 53 steps.  Fifty.....three.....steps.  Two of the beds were taken when I finally got in to the room.  I'm only sharing with these people tonight then I move to another dorm room for my other 3 nights.  I haven't met them yet but they can party all night in the room if they want and I won't hear a thing.

Getting back to my adventures, I wandered around the park for a while until I figured out how to get to Kelvingrove Museum.  I probably walked 3 times the distance I needed to, but didn't trust myself to read a map in my state of sleeplessness.  I figured I'd get there eventually.  There is no admission but I donated £1 and got great value.  I saw the Spitfire!

Well that is the extent of my adventures today thus far.  Time to get some dinner and head to bed early. Will post photos tomorrow!

T Minus Two Days

In two days I will be at Vancouver International Airport on my way to the trip of a lifetime, but for now, I'm still at home, kinda halfway packed, and wondering if I'll have time to get everything done I want to do before I leave.  I have very mixed feelings about this trip, because my travel partner, my mom, is unable to join me.  I'm excited to have the opportunity to experience a month in Scotland, but I also feel some trepidation, because at the age of 49, I have never traveled any great distance by myself.  I have traveled to many places across Canada and the States, and even Scotland, with family and friends, but the furthest I've gone by myself is Campbell River to Prince George, which is about 1000 km.  That is a very familiar route for me, so was never a big deal, but this is something much different for me.  I know people who travel alone on a regular basis, and I know it's something that one gets used to after a while, but this will be a new experience for me.  I feel trepidation, but also exhilaration; the fear of the unknown, but knowing that something great is waiting once I get there.