end of holidays

It's 12 January, and I've just done my second essay within the week. The first was the marketing one, which I was struggling a bit to get done before my big road trip. That was submitted on Monday. Tomorrow morning is HR.

Which kinda marks the end of my holidays. So I might as well finish up with my blogging on my road trip.

Day Ten - 31 December 2006

THE day, the reason why we're at Edinburgh on the very last day of new year - for the amazing Hogmanay party. Reputed to be like damn happening, with over 100,000 street party goers on Prince's Street, damn exclusive, must buy tix to go in one.

And so we did. But the howlling gales prevented us from going, and Hogmanay was cancelled. If it was anything good, it was shopping at Livingston. I didn't buy much. Was tempted to buy the £15 UGG imitation boots. But didn't in the end. Janet was furiously shopping.

By day ten, my lousy foot was hurting way too much. So when we returned to the B&B I told the gals that I would ride out their trip to Holyrood Palace, official royal residences. The gals took my brolly and braved the wind and rain to Holyrood. I slept most of the day at the B&B, called S to bug him and read some "Witchery Tales" of Edinburgh. It was really interesting cos that's when I read about stuff like Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde story originated from Edinburgh, and they had other things, which I can so imagine happening in Edinburgh.

The gals came home with bags from Sainsbury's, I was glad that they at least had a chance at Sainsbury's hahahha :) And KFC. So it was another eat in session. At 10pm, we realised on TV that Hogmanay was cancelled from another 2 guests at the B&B.

Left to right: Some view of Edinburgh with a rainbow; welcome 2007!

Day Eleven - 1 January 2007

We woke real early that morning, as we had a long ride to York. But Janet who always wakes up earliest had bought Bons and I a teddy each.


Ed, my teddy from Janet. Christen Ed for he was given to me in Edinburgh; how the hell do u rotate the pix!?

Almost final leg of our journey. I realised that after that night, I wouldn't see the gals in a long time after that. I did feel a bit sad, and jealous, especially Janet, that she was going back to Singapore to see rascals to hand them their gifts.

It was a long drive - about 4 hours from Edinburgh to York. Bons did the first half, I took over and did the second. We did a slight detour as we were going down the M6 again, and wanted a change of scenery. So, Bons directed me off the M6, and coincidences of coincidence, we were back on the trail that we took to Hadrian's wall just a few days back. But we aborted the detour when it would take us another 4 hours to get to York. I don't know how the navigation system worked, since it was cutting through anyway.

Holmes Lea Manor at St. Peter's Grove in York is beautiful. When we stepped in we weren't so thrilled to find that our room was the exclusive "penthouse" ie, highest floor. With heavy pieces of lugguage, we lugged it up the stairs. However the room was beautiful. It had 2 rooms really, the first upon entry had a double bed, with one of those attic windows on a slanted ceiling. The walls had really nice wallpaper, everything looked a bit modern and romantic, and cosy. Very Laura Ashley if I may add.


Clockwise starting from top left: Janet sitting on day bed, bons on my bed; view of the twin bed in second room; Bons and my royal pose; take 2 of our group shot, this one has my feet behind bons' ear

We were soooo reluctant to get out of the B&B but had to get food, and kinda see what York was like, so we took the car out, even tho York is pretty small, like Bath.


Clockwise starting from top left: Bons and Janet in their rooms; view of my room; York Minster, Me with view of York Minster behind

Since everything was closed (it's NY day) we bought Micky D's back to the room to eat. Also the realisation that it was our last nite together hit me. Bons caught a flu that night, and was sick for the rest of the week.

Day Twelve - 2 January 2007

We had to set off early as we didn't want to hit London at its peak congestion. However we were overly ambitious and woke too early. With Bons sick, and me not having slept well the night before, we were too zombie-fied to set off, so after breakfast, it was back to the room for another catnap.

I drove back the entire leg of York, cause Bons was sick, and although she volunteered, if I quite like driving, and knowing I'll miss it for some time to come, so said - it's okay.

We reached London at 3pm. Hertz had NO record that the car was wrecked, to which we quickly said thanks and got out. We hung out at Starbucks till 5, where the gals split to head to heathrow, and me towards Paddington. Somehow, that stretch of London was kinda familiar to me and I wasn't completely homesick. But it felt strange to be alone again.

--------------------more on rascals---------------------

I called B2 just because it's her first day at school.

"Hey princess, did you like school?"

She said," YAH!" Then continued her muffled conversation with me, as her mouth was too close to the mouthpiece.

My mom told me that she said,"Yee Yee, I miss you."

Super heartbreak man.