Playing Catch Up

It's official: I have lost my touch with technology. Usually, I am much better about keeping in touch, but it's almost as if my constant access to technology has stopped me from replying to everyone's various e-mails or writing blogs. I was behind on my journal and I promised myself that once I caught up with that, I would finally post a blog.

So far my travels have been fairly painless. There have been the usual delays, including a scary moment when I was a bit worried I would be living out the movie Terminal because I couldn't connect to the internet to get an official address for the farm in Scotland where I would be spending the majority of my time while in the UK. The border agent seemed completely unconcerned about it all, looking at me like I was an idiot for not having a full address. Andy got through fine, though he was the one who was more worried. I ended up having to sit in the departures area and connect to the internet to find the address in my e-mail.

London was, as usual, an overwhelming but fun experience. Andy and I both got a bit of jet lag. I'm convinced that it was almost catching. Normally I would power through, but Andy insisted on multiple naps and I wasn't cruel enough (or energetic enough) to leave him to his naps and wander London by myself. We had quite a few late days, but still managed to see a few things that I hadn't been able to see the last time. I was so frustrated that the one week we were there, the London Eye was closed for maintenance. Luckily, we managed to meet a lovely cellist named Demetri under a bridge and chatted with him instead.

The view from our hostel made me feel almost as if I were living in a city still going through the Industrial Revolution. I think it was the smokestack in the background and the construction, though of course construction during the Industrial Revolution was obviously not so advanced.

Our time in London was mostly spent wandering here and there and figuring things out as we went. Our first real day we did a bit of a walking tour, including Portobello Road Market, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Cathedral as well as the Houses of Parliament and of course Big Ben. Our first night we'd eaten at Chinatown and the rest of the time in London we tried to do at least one decent meal a day, plus an easy or cheap lunch. I bought breakfast materials, so that kept me spending a bit less money.

Portobello Road Market. Not pictured is an men's a capella group which was singing while we passed into the market. While walking we got one of the best cappucinos out of the corner of an antique map shop then an amazing Nutella and banana crepe.

The rest of our time in London was spent wandering and eating. We spent quite a bit of time in Shoreditch, a neighborhood that a friend of mine in London had told me about. There were vintage shops mixed in with food stalls and Indian restaurants all along Brick Lane that reminded both of us of Austin a bit. On Sunday there were so many stalls and people that we had to carefully wind our way through the throngs to see the different bits. We had gotten lunch at a place called Pizza East which was one of the best meals I have ever had, almost overtaking a meal I had in Trabzon, Turkey on my way to Istanbul. We almost regretted that meal, as the smells coming from the food stalls was absolutely heavenly.

In addition to Shoreditch, we also spent a good portion of time wandering museums. We covered all of the Tate Britain, including the Turner collection where we got an unexpected free tour and explanation of Turner's development as an artist. I had never seen much Turner and was surprised to find that I fell in love with a few of his pieces. His later work, with the bright colors and almost smeared images were my favorite.

We were planning on covering the Tate Modern as well, but we simply didn't have time. We did manage to cover almost all of the National Gallery with a break in the middle for lunch at a restaurant in Chinatown. Andy and I had previously sworn we wouldn't eat at any place that had Sweet and Sour Chicken on the menu, but we chose convenience this time and it was sadly our only mediocre meal of our trip. 

During the time in London I also ended up deciding that it was simply ridiculous to travel with three bags, especially because I knew I would be going to small towns which generally don't have elevators or other helpful bits to make traveling with luggage easier. So, rather than simply get rid of everything, I got an enormous box and packed as much as I could spare into the box then sent it to Poland ahead of me. It was a very nerve-wracking experience, having never mailed large packages across continents before. Especially as some of my family photos and favorite knick knacks that I had chosen to keep with me were in that box.

On our last night in London we did a pub crawl with a true Londoner, and were treated to some great British beer. We also decided out of sheer curiosity that we had to have Mexican food while in London, to see if it was worth our time. The place we went was called Wahaca, and while the authenticity was lacking, it was delicious. We gave them major points for effort, but Andy and I both agreed that the taste of all the dishes was just slightly off.

The trip to Leeds was fairly painless once we'd actually procured our tickets. Andy had a bit of a problem there, since he'd forgotten to print out his reference number but we got the train in the end. There was snow for most of the train ride, and that trend continued for almost a week over most of England and some of Scotland. I was upset not to get a picture at Platform 9 3/4 in Kings Cross Station, but I've promised myself that someday I will go back and get a photo of me going to Hogwarts.

Leeds was a bit of a whirlwind, with Andy realizing that he was quite a bit older than everyone in his flat and even in his block. We danced, we drank, we had a blast acting much younger than our age. After those few days, I was pretty happy to board my bus to Scotland. I can only take so much time with younger people, especially when my nights are spent sleeping on the floor or in dorm beds. I feel like I did my time in the dorms and don't really wish to rehash the experience.

I got to see the sunrise over Scotland on my train ride from Inverness to Brora. Funnily enough, I saw the farm at which I would be working from the train, though I didn't realize it was the correct one until I'd been driven there from the train station.

Farm life has been treating me quite well. I was expecting to be working constantly, as I have never actually worked with horses before and was unsure of what would happen. In reality, most of my time has been spent drinking tea by the fire and answering or asking questions. There are multiple people all staying on the farm with me: the couple who owns it, Jan and Graham; two girls who work full time, Eileen and Kylie; another workawayer from Australia, Peter; and periodically other work holidays, for the first week Louise.

The schedule and work is easy to remember. In the mornings, we muck out the yards and refill/replace nets full of hay for each horse. Jan and Graham take hay-filled wheel barrows down to the beach pasture where they have a few ponies. Kylie does the stables and Eileen does most of the hay for the horses in the pasture across the creek from the house. If there isn't anyone on a work holiday, then it's just Peter and myself doing all of the mucking until Eileen has finished with the hay and comes to give us a hand. After the morning work, which we finish at about 10, we usually have until 2:30 in the afternoon before we're required to do anything. I tend to take walks or runs on the beach, go riding when I can or just help out with something that needs doing around the house. In the afternoon we do a repeat of the morning work, but with less to do with mucking because there hasn't been as much time between cleanings.

About five minutes from my house there's a path leading to the beach. You walk along a creek and under a bridge, then wind away from where the creek runs over a cliff and streams into the ocean.

The creek runs right under the bridge made by the train tracks and when pushing wheel barrows full of hay, can be a bit on the slippery side which makes it all the more challenging.

Once I'd been in Brora for almost a week, I decided it was time to do a more difficult trek and went to see Dunrobin Castle about 3 miles from the farm. It was a perfect day to see a Scottish castle as my trip coincided with Burns Night, which I had been told about by Rachael when we were in London. For anyone who doesn't know what Burns Night is, it's a holiday celebrating the Scottish poet Robert Burns. It's his birthday, and the tradition involves bagpipes, haggis, neeps 'n tatties (mashed turnips and mashed potatoes), whiskey and singing. After the usual morning work, I went for my run to Dunrobin Castle to work off the calories I knew I'd be consuming that evening. 

There was a Broch along the way to Dunrobin Castle that Jan instructed me to visit. It was definitely worth it. Places like this always make me feel as if I'm literally walking through history.

The clock tower of Dunrobin Castle. I particularly liked the blue face of the clock. If you look very closely, you can see the motto of the Sutherland Clan which is Sans Peur (Without Fear), which I also liked.

Our Burns Night included all of the above list of traditional things, though it was actually Peter, the Australian, who was wearing the kilt and playing the bagpipes. I doubt that's usually the way it goes, but we were lacking in Scotsmen who could wear the kilt as well as play the bagpipes. Well, attempt to play the bagpipes. Turns out they are very difficult, even for the musical sort. I was not as disgusted by the haggis as I was expecting, though I definitely preferred the vegetarian version.

My humble abode, with the Scottish flag proudly flying and my shadow (and Shamoo's shadow) in the bottom right hand corner.

From now on, I will attempt to be better about updating, but I've promised that before. I realized as I was updating my journal that I still haven't finished my journal from Georgia. Shameful, that, but I'll finish that someday.