The Return

At the start of February, I returned back to Scotland for the first time in over a year.  Although, thanks to BA I almost never got there.  I landed at heathrow from Tokyo, and found out immediately that my flight to Glasgow had been cancelled, due to a tiny little bit of snow!!!  I wasn't the only one in this situation, hundreds of flights had been cancelled throughout the day at T5, which meant thousands of passengers.  Once of the plane I was told that I would need to go through to check in and re-book my another flight up to Glasgow, well all flights that day had been cancelled, so I knew that I would more than likely be staying the night in London.  I got through to check in to be met bit a queue of about 10,000 people trying to re-book other flights all over the world.  Many people were pissed off and tired, including me as by this point I had been up for almost 18 hours.  So I joined the queue and 5 hours later, I was still no where near the front, this was when one of the customer services people got to me.  I was that because I booked the flight through quantas and not BA I had to phone up Quantas to re-book the flight and that standing the queue all this time had been a waste of time.  Well, I almost hit the guy that told me! Although, I refrained but then he told me he didn't have the number for Quantas and I would have to find it myself. I did, as I am sure most people would do at this point, felt like crying and then punching and kicking anything in my way.  I eventually got through to Quantas, and although BA had put another flight on that night, it had been fully booked in the time I had spent in that queue.  I did get a flight at 7:05 the next morning though.  Which meant I had a night at my Aunt Barbara's in Marlow, just 20 minutes drive down the road from Heathrow, and £75!!!  Which will be getting claimed back from BA! But thanks for the feed and looking after me aunt Babs!

Anyway, eventually I was home and I had 3 weeks to look forward too in Scotland.  The first week was spent catching up with family and friends.  A lovely dental appointment, and some shopping.  At the weekend I travelled through to Edinburgh to stay with Gary and Ais, a night out in the Kings Wark on the friday with some current Leithers, which was great catching up with Matt, Jill, Grant Christine etc!  Then on the sat Gaz and I went through to Kilmarnock to watch the hearts game and enjoy a killie pie!  We then went out that night for dinner and drinks with Ais, Hayley, Tina, Kris, and Sarah.  It was a great night, made even better by heading to the famous place of CITRUS!!! Our favourite night club in the burgh!

The following week, my dad took the monday and tuesday off work and the 4 of us, Nic and Mum included, headed to Stirling castle, the first time I had been there in about 15 years.  I love our Scottish castles but I had forgotten how amazing stirling castle is, it was a great day! I learned so much more about scottish history and spending it with the family was great.  What was also amazing, was the views available from all around the castle! I'd love to show some of my Aussie friends around there one day.  The next day we headed up to Loch Lomond, and had a great lunch and a walk around Cameron House.  The following weekend I headed back through to Edinburgh, a great curry and beers with Gary on the thursday night was followed by a night out on the friday, with loads of people from Uni days.  Again it was great to see everyone ans hear all your news! 

On the saturday, Cat and Emma came up from London to Edinburgh and Robbo down from Inverness, just to catch up!  A group of about 10 of us went to our favourite pizza place, Pizza Express and then headed to Garibaldi's!  One of the worst but best clubs in edinburgh the broken floor, pole dancing pole and mirrored ceiling says it all I think.  I think a few of us who had the Calabese pizza thought we were going to die after eating it though, especially Gary, he actually looked like he was going to have a stroke. I could feel my eyeballs sweating during eating it, it was that spicy.  My last day in Edinburgh was very relaxed, robbo, ross and I all stayed with Gary and Ais, and Robbo was up fairly early and away to Inverness.  A few of us then had lunch and Ross and I headed back to Irvine.  My last week in Scotland was spent in Irvine, meeting friends, and family for meals and drinks, doing a lot of shopping in Glasgow, I bought a whole new wardrobe! 

It was great being home, I am sorry if I didn't see you when I was back, but it's likely that it won't be long before I am home again so will definitely catch up next time!  Thanks to everyone who travelled to see me and thanks to Gary and Ais for letting me stay with them, and everyone who took time to come see me and catch up, it was a great holiday.