Day 1: On My Way to England 🇬🇧🚄

 

My alarm went off at a time when most people would happily roll over and go back to sleep: 3:00 AM. The goal? To be at Amsterdam Central Station by 5:15 AM for my very first train journey to England.

 

Once I arrived at the station, it quickly started to feel more like an airport. First check-in, then the X-ray scanners, followed by passport control. Everything went smoothly... until the customs machine apparently decided that my passport looked suspicious. Thankfully, nothing was wrong, and I was soon on my way.

 

After that, it was time for the most important part of every early journey: coffee. ☕ Armed with a steaming cup, I waited at the gate for another hour and a half.

 

Shortly before departure, I started chatting with a man who was also travelling alone. That's one of the special things about travelling. Sometimes you have a nice conversation with someone you'll probably never see again.

 

My seat turned out to be a four-person table, shared with three men who were all busily working on their laptops. One of them, an Indian man, spoke English with a typical Indian accent. At times I had to concentrate a little harder to follow everything, while also appreciating how differently English can sound around the world. My earphones came in handy from time to time while I tried to catch a bit of sleep myself. 😄

 

I did try to sleep during the journey, although it was more the kind of half-sleep where you think you've slept, but in reality you've just been lying there with your eyes closed.

 

After a small delay, we finally arrived in London. The adventure had truly begun!

 

And what chaos that was. As soon as the doors opened, it felt like everyone wanted to be the first person outside. I then had around four hours to kill, so I went in search of a UK plug adapter. I probably paid far too much for one at a little street stand, but without an adapter, the adventure would have been a lot shorter.

 

After that, I withdrew some cash, grabbed a sandwich and, most importantly, water. Lots of water. With temperatures around 33°C, it was definitely necessary. After visiting a toilet that somehow felt even hotter than the outside temperature, I quickly found some shade and swapped my hiking shoes for sandals. I was slowly turning into a melted Dutchman.

 

Another thing I noticed about London: there are hardly any rubbish bins. Apparently, it's for security reasons. The station also has a limited number of platforms, and your train platform only appears on the boards shortly before departure. The result? Organised chaos.

 

The train journey to Scotland was much calmer. Up until Newcastle, I even had the seat next to me all to myself. I did notice that the trains are narrower than those in the Netherlands, so if they're full, spacious seating isn't really an option. And with my large backpack, navigating the aisles was occasionally a challenge.

 

Once I arrived in Edinburgh, there was one final challenge waiting for me: a steep climb up from the station. Fortunately, my hostel wasn't far away. After checking in, taking a shower and relaxing for a bit in my pod bed with its little curtain, I started feeling human again.

 

Still, I decided to head back into the city to buy some food, drinks and snacks. Back at the hostel, I met a German woman who was also travelling solo for the first time. It's always nice meeting people who are on the same kind of adventure.

 

Not much later, I went to bed fairly early. I was quite tired, but above all, incredibly happy that the adventure had finally begun.

 

Day 2: Exploring Edinburgh 🏰☀️

 

After a good night's sleep, the day started calmly with breakfast at the hostel: waffles with banana, maple syrup and a mocha coffee. Not a bad way to begin the day.

 

During breakfast, I chatted with a woman from Spain. We talked about where we came from and what our plans were. Later, I met the German woman again, and it turned out she had lived in the Netherlands for a year. So there we were, speaking Dutch in Scotland, which felt quite funny.

 

Today's mission was to find an outdoor shop on the other side of the city. After getting lost a few times, taking some extra steps and sweating in the heat, I finally found it. Along the way, I had plenty of opportunities to admire the city and even discovered a fancy sandwich shop where I grabbed a delicious lunch.

 

At the outdoor shop, I treated myself to a new T-shirt, a pair of shorts, a pocket knife and a gas canister.

 

Later, I found out that the trams had stopped running because of a fire on Princes Street. Coincidentally, I had walked past there earlier that day. Eventually, I managed to squeeze onto an overcrowded bus and made my way back to the hostel.

 

After freshening up and resting for a bit, I enjoyed a traditional Scottish pie at the hostel. In the evening, I couldn't resist taking another walk, this time up to Calton Hill. The weather was beautiful, and the views over the city were absolutely worth it. I managed to take some fantastic photos.

 

Back at the hostel, I realised I had become slightly sunburnt. No cap and no sunscreen... probably not my smartest decision of the day. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad.

 

And so my second day in Edinburgh came to an end. The hostel is already starting to feel a little like home, I've met some lovely people, and the adventure has only just begun. 🇬🇧🥾

 

Day 3

 

Today was a relatively relaxed day. The morning started with a mocha coffee and a bowl of overnight oats. Excellent fuel for another warm day in Edinburgh.

 

I had a mission today: sending some of my unnecessary gear ahead. I'll pick it up again on my way back from a friend in Newcastle, someone I met years ago through gaming. He's an older gentleman, but we've always stayed in touch. It's funny how friendships sometimes develop in unexpected ways.

 

So first, I headed to the post office to get a box. I'm slowly starting to understand Edinburgh better and can even find my way back to the hostel without getting too lost. There, I unpacked my bag and decided to sacrifice a pair of trousers, a jumper and two pairs of socks to the parcel. Every little bit of weight saved helps.

 

After that, I returned to the post office and successfully sent the package. Mission accomplished. 🫡

 

I then wandered through the city a bit more and came across an interesting little shop selling homemade products to protect against midges, those infamous tiny Scottish biting insects. It's fascinating how much attention these miniature vampires receive here. That definitely promises something for the coming days...

 

Several more litres of water disappeared during the day as well. Eventually, I found a Mexican restaurant in the late afternoon and treated myself to a late lunch.

 

With the help of Google Maps, a healthy amount of stubbornness and the belief that I definitely knew where I was going, I eventually found my way back to the hostel. First things first: a shower to wash away the heat and sweat, followed by some rest and writing my blog.

 

Tomorrow is the big day. I will finally head to the starting point of the West Highland Way! 🥾🏔️

 

Later in the evening, I ended up in a pub for a burger, and I have to admit, it was absolutely delicious. There, I got talking to some locals who had also completed the route. They warned me once again about the midges, which will probably become my biggest challenge in this warm weather.

 

At the same time, they couldn't stop talking about how beautiful the trail is.

 

"Bloody beautiful."

 

And honestly, when Scots say that, you believe them immediately.

 

That's one of the best things about travelling. You share a laugh, have conversations with complete strangers, and suddenly you feel like you're part of their world for a little while.

 

On my way back to the hostel, I bumped into the two women staying there as well. In the end, we decided to have one last cocktail together at the Edinburgh Gin Distillery. The place turned out to be surprisingly fancy and atmospheric. A wonderful and unexpected end to the day.

 

Now I'm lying in my pod bed, still doubting a little.

 

Do I really start walking tomorrow, or do I stay in Edinburgh for one extra day?

 

On one hand, I'm eager to finally begin the hike. On the other hand... this is also a holiday, and an extra rest day might not be such a bad idea.

 

I'll make that decision tomorrow morning, depending on how I wake up and, most importantly, how fit I feel.

 

To be continued... 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥾🍸