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thanks, caroline_edinburgh! I was hoping that on this year's trip I could connect with you and maybe Sheila, but I guess we will just have to keep meeting via Fodor's threads!!!
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Hi caroline_edinburgh,
I don't remember specifically the picture, though I probably saw it. At this point, I've more a memory of admiring a church that was beautiful all over. I don't know how I learned about Greyfriars Bobby, either something I saw or something I read a long time ago. I'm the type to pick up anything in print :-) |
Last thoughts
I mentioned way at the beginning that I wanted to share things I learned, so others could use the information in their own trips. If you agree, here you are; if you disagree, no problem! To each her own. The greatest change has been since I returned home. In the last two weeks many people have asked about my trip, usually asking what tour I used. When I say I went by myself, they first think I traveled alone, but it was on a tour. The idea of actually traveling solo is apparently very hard to comprehend. I’m starting to feel like I am in a sci-fi novel. The ones where a traveler claims to have come from a certain direction and the locals insist it’s impossible, no one could come that way. Interacting .. this is where I need to work the most on my next trip. I need to get over my shyness and reach out. It’s so hard, for me, personally, to be the one to start a conversation, but I should do it, at least a couple of times on a trip. Itinerary .. jam-full days. I am so glad to have seen all I did, but perhaps I could have found something very special by allowing some time for serendipity and spontaneity. I think I will try prioritizing (as so often recommended on these forums). The “must do” category must be done, of course, but I should also be sure to have more items on my list, <i> not just</i> “must do” items, and treat those other items with flexibility. Overpacking .. I started with 18 lbs. I want to back that off to somewhere down by 13. This is me, traveling alone. If I take a tour with a school group, I could take some more, because I wouldn’t have much disposable time for shopping. Hindsight is 20/20. I know, now, that just the New Balance walkers would have taken care of me for the whole week. I put the other pair shoes in a bag and added other things I never used and came up with over 3 lbs. I took a pair of jeans, because I didn’t have another pair of knit pants, and jeans sure do weigh a lot, just as everyone on Fodors writes :-) So attending to that before my next trip would further lower the weight. Yes, I read frequently that multiple shoes are so important, because what if you get caught in the rain? Or some other travel calamity. Shoe store, is now my answer. A lot of what I took and never used came under the heading of “What if?” I had put a small bag of OTC meds in my day bag. I never used them and also never used the others in my pack. Just the zip lock in the day bag will be on the next trip. I want enough doses to make myself comfortable while waiting to get to a pharmacy. I put this in my day bag always, now, because to discover something you ate disagreed with you is not something to realize when the Tums are back at the guest house! I put some creams in my 3-1-1 bag because I read them as suggestions for using on trips, such as a leg/foot cream. This will seem a sensible suggestion now, but I confess to not doing it: try such ideas while still at home! There’s no point to taking up precious 3-1-1 bag space with a cream you don’t find useful. I took a silk sleepsack to try and be sure I would be warm. Tried it once. The midweight pair of SmartWool socks did a lot better job of keeping my tootsies warm, thus I was warm. SmartWool, yes; sleepsack probably staying home. I took along a scarf and hat. If you saw me walking around town all winter (New England, not infrequently 20F (-7C) or <i>colder</i>, would you see a hat? Rarely. Scarf? Almost never. I took both. Along with other trip items: if you don’t use it at home, why do you think you’ll wear it when away?! (FYI, Not judging anyone else, only myself.) Money-wise I did well .. two credit cards and 2 ATM cards. Someone on Fodors used the expression “bristling with plastic.” I like that thought :-) Most of my cards (and cash as taken out of the ATMs) were in my security wallet, just an ATM card and small cash in front pocket. Pockets .. yes, all my clothes (pants and shirts) had pockets. As I look for good travel clothes, good pockets are a deciding factor in even considering purchase! Now that I’ve actually gone on the trip, several friends are indicating they would love to go on a repeat trip. That’s fine, though if they back out when I get ready to plunk down money for my ticket, I won’t be stressing over going alone! |
Excellent job and very enjoyable read. I especialy like this bit of advice: <font color="blue">. . . if you don’t use it at home, why do you think you’ll wear it when away?! </font>
Now I'll just try to apply it . . . :) |
Well done on the report.
I, too, used the GBHP on my trip in 2007. The only place where there was any substantial line was Edinburgh Castle, and it did allow us to cut to the front of the line (which was nice since it was raining lightly at the time). Otherwise, there was never any significant wait to purchase tickets. We used the family pass which was a great bargain for what we saw on our trip to London, Edinburgh, and the Highlands (I did a trip report if anyone wants to see where we used ours). |
Thanks, twk, for the info. about your report. I haven't time to read this evening, so am linking for others and myself to read later!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35022750 Cheers. |
Scotlib,
I just wanted to thank you again. I really enjoyed reading each installment of your report. I also want to say that I have been inspired to try to use the all-carry-on strategy rather than checking luggage for our trip in July. Unfortunately I have to bring my laptop for work (self-employed with an internet-based business), so that adds to what we have to carry, but I'm going to try. I'll scour this forum for tips over the next couple of weeks. We ordered the GBHP passes also. It has been so much fun going through the map and book and planning all the places we want to go. But, in keeping with your advice I have definitely tried not to overdo it, to allow for spontaneity. It sounds like you did excellent on your first solo trip! I love to travel but have more flexibility to do so than my husband, so someday I'm going to have to muster the courage to go solo too. Quick question about money: Our bank here at home will exchange money for us before we go, with no additional fees. Do you suggest that we do that or should we rely mainly on credit cards (which seem to add fees I didn't expect when I used them to buy the GBHP passes and to reserve a hotel room)? It sounds like you used all credit and debit cards. That would be my preference and it is how I usually travel so I don't have to carry cash, but if I can get a good exchange rate with no added fees... Besides a few days in Edinburgh, we are spending ten days in the Highlands, so we are renting a car and will need cash for gas, food, and other incidentals. Thoughts? Thanks! |
"<i>Our bank here at home will exchange money for us before we go, with no additional fees. </i>" The issue isn't "fees" your bank may or may not charge. It is the exchange rate they use. No Stateside bank will do a currency exchange w/o making their own profit. So they use an inflated rate for the £.
Getting cash out of ATM machines in Scotland and using credit cards when possible will be much cheaper than getting £ from your local bank -- without exception. |
Hi michellemd,
Ah, good, janisj has much more experience than I. I'm glad she found your post to give some good advice. I can share what I happened for me, if it helps. I have seen on the boards a division of opinion: arrive with foreign currency vs. hit the ATM at the airport. Each group is more comfortable with its version of what to do. I brought some USD, a bit in pocket, a couple of hundred US in my security wallet. You need some cash for the home airport, and the security wallet cash was "in case." The in case an ATM eats your card or doesn't acknowledge it scenarios. You wouldn't get a good exchange rate, but it'd be some cash while calling back home to the bank. (My cash is waiting to get deposited back in the bank--not needed, of course). Just at the "wait until you get there" crowd insists, I put both cards into a HSBC ATM at Terminal 5 and out came my pounds. I deliberately did each one for £80 and each card charged me $159.58 on that particular day in April. According to http://www.oanda.com/convert/fxhistory, a two to one exchange was about that day's rate. And the HSBC ATM did not charge a fee, and neither of my banks charged a fee. One ATM card is with Capital One Direct Banking and the other a debit/ATM card from a local bank. My local bank has a $1.00 fee for use at "foreign" ATMs (foreign meaning any away from the bank's network, not necessarily out of the US, lol), but my statement has come and no $1.00 fee was deducted. My credit card is also Capital One, and as of last month it still doesn't have a foreign transaction fee, which I like. You will want some cash. For some B&Bs it's a preference. Other B&Bs accept credit cards and may pass on a surcharge, such as 5% to do so. Cash is better for small purchases, too. Hope this helps. Cheers. |
If it looks like I went the week with just the £160.00, no, no, I made a couple more withdrawals, all no problem (and no fees) over next couple of days.
Cheers :-) |
here michellemd,
A recent thread, if you didn't catch it. Very nice that it has some packing lists for each gender: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35129322 A thread going on the Smart Travel Tips forum: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35130029 As suggested by someone on the thread, searching Fodor's for packing lists would find more threads: Travelsmith.com has a packing list, but I'm not sure if the site is working correctly, http://tinyurl.com/63hebl another list: http://onebagger.squarespace.com/list/ and finally (though by no means the limit to packing help on the 'net!) http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/tips_menu.htm for the packing tips in upper left list Cheers! |
scotlib : thanks again for a very interesting and thoughtful report. It is nice of you to share your findings on what was & wasn't worth packing, etc.
Your comment about feeling like you are in a sci fi novel made me smile ! These days in Europe it seems normal to most people, I think, to arrange their own holiday. Although my beauty therapist does still go on packages, says she wouldn't know where to start organising her own hol, but is astonished when we swap notes on costs - she pays much more. But she has 2 small children so probably for the type of holiday they take at the moment, a package is easier. As for interacting, it had earlier struck me that you sounded like you got talking to lots of people ! I think I used to get talking to other people a lot more when travelling on my own pre-DH. Most of the time I'm happier left alone with my book (although I think that works better on a holiday somewhere warm where you can sit outside) but I did have some interesting encounters back then. Astounded & impressed by your packing - "started with 18 lbs. I want to back that off to somewhere down by 13." !!! *lbs* ?!? My suitcase always seems to come in at around 23*kg* (for a summer holiday) !!! And I do usually use everything except maybe a few clothes, but they wouldn't add much weight - the odd t shirt & cotton skirt. Plus - I always used to take a jumper and a mini brolly just in case, had never used them until 2 years ago so went without them that year. That year it was cold ! The day after we arrived at the venue for the lying-on-the-beach-for-a-week part of our hol it rained all day & was 16 degrees C - colder than it was in Scotland that day ! We had to resort to going back to bed to keep warm !! So the jumper & mini brolly were back in my bag last year :-) (This was staying on a beach, with no way in or out except by open boat, so shopping wasn't an option.) You refer to shopping, though - what did you buy here ? Books ? noe847 : it will be nice to meet up if you make it some other time. |
Hi caroline_edinburgh,
I declared $100 USD on my customs sheet coming home: 2 little, made-in-Scotland soaps, 2 deck of cards from Historic Scotland (52 pictures of Scotland scenes!), a pack of golf tees, a key chain, a sticker, a sew-on patch, 2 pieces Edinburgh Rock, the picture and a guide book to Mary King Close, and a needlework bookmark .. hmm .. I think that was it for shopping to take home. Well, I did get a joke gift for my hubby .. in the Anstruther public toilet .. 'nuff written? (where's that blush face) I did have good time chatting with the ladies in the National Trust for Scotland sites: Gladstone's and Georgian House, but that was about it. The young lady who handled breakfast at the Dene Guest House .. I chatted with her each morning. By mid-week, when I realized I probably would see her each day, I also realized I didn't know her name, and felt too awkward to ask. It's that sort of interaction that I'm such a klutz (sigh). Some people can start a conversation so easily, but that sort of bump in the conversation road can look like Everest to a shy person. Cheers. |
Hi scotlib. I wasn't thinking so much of souvenirs etc which you took home, as when you said "If I take a tour with a school group, I could take some more, because I wouldn’t have much disposable time for shopping." I thought that meant that you bought some stuff here instead of bringing it with you to cut down on packing - I thought maybe books, toiletries - but maybe I misinterpreted that ?
I don't normally buy anything when I'm away, but have just about got round to thinking I won't buy any more suntan lotion to take with me this year - what I have left from last year might do, but if not, I can buy more on hol. That's as far as I've got with buying stuff there, though ! |
Hi caroline_edinburgh,
<i>"If I take a tour with a school group, I could take some more, because I wouldn’t have much disposable time for shopping." I thought that meant that you bought some stuff here instead of bringing it with you to cut down on packing - I thought maybe books, toiletries - but maybe I misinterpreted that ?</i> oops, I replied on a wrong tangent, lol. Traveling by myself, yes, I would be able to spend time in stores for anything needed, but on a school tour, there's little time to find a right store, especially. for example, if I should take only one pair of shoes and find I need another pair while traveling. I'd have more time for a longer trip to Scotland if I wait for a couple of years, but I don't know if I will wait. You could see notes from me as soon as next year. Cheers! |
Haste ye back !
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Wow, terrific TR Scotlib! Thank you for posting it. I really enjoyed your videos and comments!
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bookmarking
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Just got back to this. As I mentioned on your other report, I found it confusing trying to read both at once. I enjoyed this one very much!
Thanks for mentioning the tipping on the Rabbie's tour. I wouldn't have thought of that. I don't suppose you have any idea how much people were tipping? |
Hi CAPH52,
I do not know what was being handed over, did not try to peak! Actually, now that I think about it, it was a paper bill, so that means at least a fiver (remember, no one-pound notes!), but it could have been for a party of two. I don't think I was the only rider to not tip, though I was not particularly checking on that either. I tried a few web searches and found some travel links that do mention tipping tour guides a small gratuity when pleased with the service. One suggestion was 10% of the tour cost, so a typical 30 pound day tour would be a couple of pounds per person, when pleased and wanting to tip. I think 10% is the rate I have seen for tipping in UK restaurants, when it is not included in the bill (look for a note on the bill if service is included). Looking up a Rabbies sample tour, I note on a multi-day tour that optional tips for the driver/guide are listed in the "not included" section. A sample one-day tour does not mention tips specifically, but if you had a good time (and I hope you do!), now you'll be ready. Do remember to bring money to cover any entrance fees for places you visit while on the tour. Cheers. |
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