We took a five hour train ride from King's Cross Station in London (I KNOW! The Hogwarts Express stops here!), through the eastern English countryside, to Edinburgh, Scotland. Our first change in countries! Doesn't that sound picturesque, lovely and peaceful?! It was...until...THEY came aboard! But for now, let's look at the picture below of a crazy-eyed, Harry Potter fan. In retrospect, I should've done a hundred other poses rather than this dull one, but, here I am. This mock platform (sadly, I found out there is no "real" platform 9 3/4) is set up outside for tourists. (that's me)
The big orange puff attached to my backside, is in reality, a neck pillow. I will NEVER use one of these again. What a pain in the tookus. I'd rather have a stiff neck.
Oooohhh, fun! I really do feel like I'm on the Hogwarts Express! And they even have wine and beer on this cart...who needs chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes?! (and is that someone pilfering on the right?!)
Our first glimpses of the North Sea!
Beautiful English countryside. (from a train window, so it ain't so good)
From the train again. It goes really fast. : )
A view of the many bridges coming into Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. That's right! Where the beer comes from! Yay!
Ok, now this is where it broke bad. There had been a sweet couple with two charming kids sitting beside us until Newcastle Station. The family got off, and THEY got on...a bunch of drunken, hiccuping lads, with a Scottish brogue so heavy, I swear I thought they were speaking another language for a good 15 minutes. Hahaha, I thought to meself, this is good fun! Then I realized that the word f**k (pronounced feck) is used as often as we use the word "the" here at home. Uh oh, I don't think this is a soccer team. Then it began: "Can ya flyyyyy, Booby?!" shouted over and over and over and over from the lad beside us, toward any one of his mates in the car. For an hour and a half. With a priest and children on board. I wanted to strangle every one of those cute, intoxicated fellows by the time we hit Edinburgh. Turns out "Can ya fly, Bobby" is from Robocop, and these gents had just come from a weekend long bachelor party. Wow, what a lucky girl! -_-
The rest of the night was great, even though my camera ate those pictures the next morning. We just had to visit those pubs again the next night!
Tomorrow: Lost in Edinburgh, and the Elephant House!
