SNOW!!!!!! Big glorious flakes of snow. Ah it's wonderful. Although apparently the city is going to shut down now. Ha ha. I've heard even with flurries people miss work and everything. And right now it's coming down pretty decently. It's making me smile. Yay yay!

That's the excitement of the day thus far. Although it is only 9:30 am. Please leave comments. My email inbox and comments have been depressingly low.

Hard to believe I've almost been here for 2 months. It feel like a lot less time but when I think back to when I arrived it seems like millions of years ago. Strange how that happens.

My life as of late has been pretty routine. Work. Coming home. Coughing up my lungs. Going to sleep. Work. It all sounds so exciting eh? No complaints though - I'm making money so I can be a nomad and see exciting things. I have had a few groups of friends move into new flats so that's been nice. We're branching out from the hostel. More comfortable places to drink. Which I have been doing in moderation due to the fact that I'm being thrifty.

We had another flat party on Saturday because it was my flatmates 19th birthday (yes I'm living with a bunch of younglings - 2 of the other ones just turned 18 - and this results in them calling me 'mom' sometimes much to my dismay. It is probably due to the fact that I scold them about not doing their dishes or keeping their lights on when they are out of the room. So I guess I'm asking for it). Good times abounded.

On a more travel related note - I went out on Saturday bright and early and was a tourist for the day. I walked up the Calton Hill and got a great view of the city. On top of the hill there is one of 'Edinburgh's shame' which is a replica of the Parthenon that was never completed. There are also some old observatories and some military monuments. It was quite nice and it was actually a bright sunny day so the sightseeing went well. I then walked around city centre and the Royal Mile and fit in with all the Japanese tourists frantically clicking away on their digital cameras. Took some pictures of my favourite places that I see everyday on the way to work.

Ooh here's a good one. I am trying (and I think it will be successful) to plan a trip to Dublin for St. Patty's day. I'll have a few vacation days by then that I won't have used in my Spain trip, and I have a few friends that just moved from Dublin so they know places to stay. I can just imagine how much fun that would be. Apparently it's pretty tourist centred. But it would still be amazing. Never been to Ireland either. So I'm thinking it's going to pull through.

Must get back to 'work'. It's really cold in my office today for some reason and I'm having a hard time typing as fast as I normally can.

I just booked my first holiday! Going to Barcelona, Spain in January. And I'm excited! I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make there on my spring/summer trek across Europe so I'm glad I'm hitting it up now. Plus RyanAir has these free flights where all you pay is tax. £21 for return. It's awesome. I'm tres excited.

I've put off my Highland tour until December so I can do a cool 3 day one. I think it'll be worth it. Plus perhaps there will be some snow up there by then. I doubt it but here's hoping. This tour hits up the Isle of Skye (which apparently is beautiful), the Wallace Monument, Loch Ness, and many other super cool places.

In job related news - I applied for an outdoor ed job up near Inverness (north highlands) and am waiting to hear back from them. I'm slightly underqualified but I've noticed that playing the Canadian card works sometimes so perhaps they'll overlook my lack of qualifications for that. On the other hand - it's a 6 month contract starting in Jan - which is longer than I hoped to stay in one place. We'll just wait and see.

I am so sick again. Arg! Damn cough. I'm starting to sound like an old man.

It's the 11th. Remember today.

Getting all settled in:

32 Hillside Street, Flat 3F1
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
EH7 5HB

If anyone wants to send me anything :) I'm going to the post office today to figure out stamps etc. so I promise people will be getting postcards and such at some point.

This morning whilst walking to work I saw a drunk Scottish man take off his shirt and pants and throw them onto the street and into oncoming traffic. What a way to start a Monday. I live just on the border of Leith – which basically is the ghetto, and sometimes it is quite evident that we are just a few blocks away from it. The key is not to look directly at the crazy people.

So I STILL don’t have internet on my computer. Grrrr arg. The paperwork you need to do to get the freaking internet in this place is a mess! I’ve given up all hope. It’ll be like 3 days before I leave and they’ll give it to me. Ohhh. I just figured out how to get around my internet problem. I am the champion. Now to do as little as work as possible. I'd do work if they gave it to me. Honestly.

Last night I went to a hockey game. It was great to see since they don't even mention hockey in any of the newspapers or tv or anything. I had to explain much of the game to my aussie friends, but it was good fun. The smell of hockey arenas is comforting to me. Is that a weird thing?

I'm planning a quick trip up to the highlands for next weekend. Perhaps to Loch Ness. Who knows what I will find. Apparently all the Loch's have monsters - it's just that this is the most famous one. The things you learn.

It's a bright sunny day today and I wish I could go out and be a tourist with my poor deserted camera.