The adventures of Matt and Rach in Edinburgh!

I am sitting here thinking about the best words to describe Edinburgh... picturesque, stunning, friendly, a feast for the eyes! But none of those really do it justice- luckily, I have photos! These don't show nearly half the beauty of the city, but at least I can give you some visual idea of what I am about to ramble on about!

A couple of weeks ago, my house mate and good friend Matt asked me if I wanted to go to Edinburgh because he had a spare train ticket. Of course I agreed, because I have wanted to get to Scotland for a while now! So last Saturday, Matt and I popped over there for the day! (The fact that we could do this JUST FOR THE DAY still blows my mind!)

We had to get up really early. We left our flat at around 5.30am to catch a train to Newcastle, where we would board another train for Edinburgh. I didn't mind because I am a morning person...but a vanilla latte from Starbucks (my latest addiction, it seems) definitely helped me along!

The train ride was only about two hours. When we got off at the Edinburgh central station we walked out side and straight away were in awe of the city around us. The above photo is pretty much the first photo I took, just meters from the station!

I don't know how many times I said 'HOW COOL IS THIS!?' and I am sure Matt was sick of hearing it, but the scenery was honestly breathtaking! The buildings are so old and the whole city is built over a hilly landscape, giving the impression that all the buildings are piled on top of each other. There are so many contrasting layers to the landscape- gorgeous parks full of trees and green grass, old churches, rickety streets, castles- all in the one glance!

One of my favourite photos of the day

Something that Matt was probably used to (being from Chicago) that I could not get over, was the beautiful Autumn trees! I have obviously seen Autumn before, but not like this. The grass in Edinburgh is so GREEN and perfect- it is like green carpet. The yellow leaves from the trees had started to fall and they looked so beautiful sprinkled all over the perfectly green grass. In Australia, I guess I am used to yellow grass and a few browned gum leaves scattered over the ground (which also has it's own beauty), so I was really amazed by the trees for my entire day in Edinburgh. I'm sure Matt was probably sick of hearing 'Oh my god, look at that tree! Matt, can you see the tree!? Isn't it pretty?!! Matt?'

Haha!

The first thing we did was go to Edinburgh Castle, which is a definite 'must' for anyone going to Edinburgh.

Matt and I agree that it is by far the coolest castle either of us have ever seen. The old bricks and pathways have been really well preserved, and you almost feel like you have gone back in time when you walk around the castle walls. Plus, they have heaps of old cannons!

Matt was thoroughly impressed by the cannons

I was thoroughly impressed by the morning Whisky tastings

After the castle and some Whisky tasting, we went for a wander through the streets. As usual, this was my favourite part about the day. Having no real agenda and just having a stroll is, in my opinion, the best way to experience a city.

I had to take a photo of this. My immaturity got the best of me when I saw what
someone had done to this poor statue. 

You couldn't walk far without hearing the music from one of these guys. By the end of the day Matt and I wondered if they knew more than just the one song that always seems to be played on the bag pipes....

We watched a street performance for a little while.
Always a laugh

Next was LUNCH! We found a pub that seemed 'scottish' enough, and first of all ordered a whisky and a beer. My whisky was absolutely foul and I am a little ashamed to admit that I didn't finish it! My Scottish beer, on the other hand, was a delight!

I had a beef and dumpling stew and Matt ordered Haggis! I was very proud of him for being so adventurous... I love trying new things but I couldn't bring myself to order that. I did try a little bit of his and it was not bad at all. Plus, he said he enjoyed it!

Matt and I, having a Scottish beer!

After lunch, I wanted to go on the Close Tour, which is a tour of the underground streets of Edinburgh. But it was all booked out, unfortunately, so we went for another wander through the streets. We ended up finding a giant hill (which we later found out was probably the famous volcano that Edinburgh is built around).

Matt had never climbed a mountain before, because there are no mountains or hills in Chicago (or so he has told me!) So we had to climb the one in Edinburgh...

I don't think we realised just how high it was. My legs are still sore from it and I am writing this post four days later!

But it was well worth it! The view was... well I can't even describe it! I have climbed a few hills/mountains on my travels, but this one had the best city view! As much as I do love Adelaide, this view sure beats the one from Mt Lofty on a Saturday morning! (Sorry, only my Adelaide readers will get that reference!)

I like this photo. And I like that I got to be with Matt on his first mountain-climbing experience!

This is another of my favourite photos from the day! This little dog was so excited to be up
on the mountain! He made climbing it look so damn easy, too....

After enjoying the view (and a sneaky swig of whisky at the top of the mountain!) we walked down and headed back towards the city. On the way, we saw a nice duck pond full of white swans...as if Edinburgh wasn't pretty enough!? I was starting to think the city was just showing off at this point...

That was my day in Edinburgh! We left at about 7:00pm...so it was a very long day and I fell asleep on the train home (Matt experienced first hand my extreme sleeping skills!)
Edinburgh is one place that I really REALLY wish I had more money to go back and see again. But I guess I will just have to put it on the future-travels list (I swear that list is never ending!)
I am also really glad I got to spend the day with Matt. This trip has taught me how valuable it is to find people you really 'click' with and feel comfortable enough to just hang out with. Matt is definitely one of those people! I am very grateful that I got to see Edinburgh with such a cool person, and that even in many years to come I will remember our day in that amazing city!

My first derby day: SUNDERLAND FOR THE WIN!!!!!!!!!

I have had a really busy week- I feel like I have not stopped and chilled out since last Wednesday! I partied last Wednesday night, hung out with mates on Friday and went to Edinburgh on Saturday- but that will all have to wait until my next post, because I have to talk about my first ever derby day in the UK!!!!!!! 

Yesterday was Sunderland VS Newcastle. These two teams are such big rivals that security is always increased wherever the game is being played. Yesterday was a Sunderland home match, so I got to see first hand what the town turns into when there is a derby day on! There were people in the street from early in the morning. I was originally going to go to the pub for breakfast and start drinking from there, but I was really tired from my day in Edinburgh the day before. So a few friends and I made our way to the pub at around midday for a 1.30 kick off.

I didn't buy a ticket to this game because they were hard to get, but also because Beth and I planned to see what a home game was like from a pub perspective- and it did NOT disappoint! 

We chose a place called Ttonic, which is a bar in the city. It was good because they had screens on every wall and the whole place was packed out, providing a very adrenaline-filled atmosphere! The day was also a rainy, drizzly one, so it was good to watch the game from inside a warm pub! 

The locals take their football SO SERIOUSLY!!! I would not want to be a Newcastle fan in the middle of the crowd we were in! 

To be honest, we were told to not expect too much from Sunderland. They have been on a losing streak, and Newcastle have been doing ok this season. So when the first goal was kicked by Sunderland in the first 15minutes, the whole bar erupted! (See pic above!)

Matt, Sina, Mascha and Beth- a good crowd! :)

Beth and I enjoying a beer....I think that is probably my 6th one... I love Newcastle Brown Ale, and also found another
brown ale that I really like- Maxims. Not sure which one I am drinking here...

SUNDERLAND SCORE AGAIN!!!

After Newcastle evened the score, the pressure was really on! Being in that crowd was one of the most electric feelings I have ever had- probably helped along by all the beers. People would have thought I had been a supporter my whole life by the way I was getting into it! 

Since I wasn't wearing any red to support the team, I kept reapplying my red lipstick! Beth caught me doing this after
a few too many beers....

Although it would have been awesome to get tickets to that game, I am happy I saw it from a more 'local' perspective! Being in that pub after Sunderland won was phenomenal! Everyone was dancing and yelling. I got a few hugs from random locals, which I thought was awesome! I don't know if people back home will believe me when I say this, but I swear that the sun actually came out when the match was over and Sunderland had won! People poured out onto the streets and the pub opened all it's front-bar windows so that you couldn't really tell where the street ended and the pub started...once again, a view probably supported by all the beers I drank!

It was a day I will NEVER forget, and I don't care how cliché that sounds!

GO SUNDERLAND!!!!!

My 100th Day away from home and why Cath Kidston is my new best friend

This Monday just gone marked 100 days since I left Australia. It was pretty much like any other day here in Sunderland- I had class in the morning and in the afternoon, as well as a couple of gym sessions to fit in. I did a lot of walking to and from the Uni, and it gave me time to think about the past 100 days- the fun times, the hard times, the exciting times, the lonely times...the breath-taking moments...

And although I felt a little bit sad thinking about being away from the people I love for 100 days already, I am also so grateful for what I have experienced, the people I have met and the fact that I can be proud of myself for all of it. Even without the travelling before Uni started, this exchange has been the best thing I have done in my life so far and it makes me happy to think that I still have another few months to enjoy it more!

Anyway, enough of my sentimental stuff! On the weekend I went to Newcastle with Beth! I LOVE Newcastle- it kind of reminds me of somewhere like Adelaide city or Melbourne with all it's little arcades, old buildings and cute shops.

Beth and I had no real plan- I just wanted to go there again because last time I was hung over and it was raining.

When we first arrived, we found that the weather was being much nicer to us this time. We could walk around WITHOUT our jackets pulled over our heads! Always a good thing!

The first thing we did was coffee. I don't care what anyone says- Starbucks makes a good coffee! I don't usually drink it, but when I am in the mood for a vanilla latte, Starbucks is my go-to place! We sat there for a while, catching up on girly stuff and enjoying our coffees with a muffin. Afterwards we had a little wander around but the weather decided it had been kind enough for one day and it started to rain. This pushed us inside the huge shopping mall, which lead to shopping. Very naughty... my weekly budget was definitely broken!

There was something called 'The Elephant Parade' going on in the shopping mall. There were statues of elephants everywhere- each with a different artistic design. I was loving it- Art+Elephants= Happy Rach.

We also found the most AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS fancy restaurant! It was called 'Pleased to meet you' (if I remember correctly). Now, don't get me wrong, I love Sunderland. But I will admit it is hard to find a really nice place to eat around here (or at least I don't know where to find one!) So when Beth and I saw this restaurant in Newcastle, we had to go in and get our fancy-pants on!

We started with drinks. I had the Merlot and Beth had a coconut and grapefruit gin and tonic

Then we had some bread and cheese to go with our drinks... Our pinky fingers were definitely up in the air as we consumed this! We felt like such ladies!

Then the not-so-ladylike part of the meal. This was roasted mushrooms and rice with Yorkshire Pudding, dripping-roasted potatoes and creamed spinach.
TO.DIE.FOR
We ate the whole lot, apart from some potatoes, and the waitress actually said 'Well done' to us when she cleared our plates away!

Apart from the amazing lunch we had, my favourite part of the day was definitely visiting the Cath Kidston store. I absolutely adore everything in that shop!

I had to laugh when we walked in and Beth said,

'Rach, if your personality was a shop, this would be it!' 

Everything in there is polka-doted, floral, printed or colourful! There is everything from tea sets to craft materials, clothing to cooking utensils, bags to home wares! I wanted to buy everything in sight! Unfortunately, it is also very pricey... I will have to wait until I am rich to come back and shop there!

Dear Cath Kidston, can I please live in your store? Sincerely, Rachel Darling

Runs around Sunderland, playing with my food and CLANNY CAT :)

It has been a lovely week for weather...kind of. When I say 'lovely,' I realise that I am starting to forget about what that term means in Australia. I am being quickly conditioned to consider any day that is not windy or rainy (or both) as 'lovely!' Even when I am really really cold, I am not bothered anymore as long as it isn't wet or windy! So this week I have been making the most of it- I already walk to uni whenever the weather allows me, but this week I have also been going for lots of runs. The biggest run so far was this morning with one of my flat mates, Sascha. It was good having him to run with because he made me run further and for longer, and probably a little quicker, too. But to be honest, my body is absolutely wrecked after swimming this morning and then running with Sascha! Safe to say I will be giving the gym a miss today!

I really enjoy running/walking around Sunderland. Even though it is a very small city, there is still a lot I haven't seen yet. My favourite place is definitely down by the river- I like that the path is away from all the traffic and roadworks of the streets.

These are the stairs of death. You can only see about half way up in this photo and they are soooo steep!
Good workout though :)

This was the view from my stretching point a couple of days ago. Yes, I am stretching- which explains my random foot just popping up into the photo! Plus, I love my running shoes, they are sexy :)

My friendship with Clanny Cat has been growing- I feel like he is making himself more available to everyone these days with hopes that he will be let inside someone's flat and into their bed... I am pretty close to letting him into mine! He is the friendliest cat I ever did meet, and that is coming from someone who doesn't usually like cats at all!

Clanny Cat sees me...

Gets closer...

...and closer...

'Let me inside your flat, please!'

I also did my first shop at the big Tesco's store here in Sunderland. It is so big that I made a day of going there last Sunday. It was really good there- they have everything! It even has a cafe, which makes it remind me a bit of IKEA. I bought HEAPS of groceries- all yummy ingredients for me to cook with!

Making my food look pretty every day! This salad was really delicious: Spinach, cucumber, tomato, asparagus, beans, almonds and oregano! Mmmmm

I don't always make my food pretty- sometimes it looks scary! This is a capsicum imitating a halloween pumpkin...
proving that I am overly excited about Halloween coming up in the next couple of weeks!
HALLOWEEN PUB CRAWL! woo!

...back to pretty food. This was my breakfast this morning: Warm quinoa with coconut milk, cinnamon, kiwi, raspberries and chia seeds. Who says students have to eat basic, boring food!? :)