Our royal steed outside Old Racecourse Hotel in Ayr |
As usual, the rep tried to upsell us to a larger car, but having driven in the UK previously, we know that roads are frequently tight for even small cars, so we declined. Only by packing light was it possible to fit four adults and luggage into that fuel-miserly Fiat, which proved to have plenty of head and leg room and was quite comfortable throughout the trip. If we had four medium sized suitcases, I doubt we could have crammed in, but the trunk held each of the kids’ large backpacks, plus the rolling suitcase and duffle bag Julie and I shared.
No, this is not a Vogue ad |
Edinburgh Skyline |
Most people who see me at home know my clothing choices are usually flip flops and swim trunks or white Skechers and shorts, either set-up worn with tee shirt or Hawaiian shirt, so if I felt limited on my clothing choices, you can imagine what went through the minds of the more fashion conscious Julie, Jay and Amy. Passing some of the great tweed stores near the Royal Mile, Amy fell in love with the best women’s tweed suit, with a double-breasted vest and matching English riding pants, which we all agreed was an amazing outfit.
There was, however, no room left in her backpack, and realistically it was too expensive for a young journalist, even if the price that seemed high in pounds would have had been a 1:1 exchange rate to dollars, which it was not. It was tempting enough to return to the same store when we returned to Edinburgh for the last day of our trip.
Okay, I admit the aqua ones aren't available here. |
Jay also was tempted by tweed, in the form of a natty Harris Tweed sports coat. He liked the idea of buying one in Scotland, even if it was far more than he would spend on clothes back home. That’s the temptation of shopping on trips when you packed light.
After a few days, you become accustomed to the fact that everything is more expensive than back home, and a few hundred dollars for a sports coat sounds reasonable, even if you wouldn’t normally go down to Macy’s during a sale to snag a similar one for $79.
Bagpiper on Royal Mile in Edinburgh |
Instead, Jay opted for a far more practical fashion purchase on the last day in Edinburgh: a navy blue and green kilt, with the mandatory knee-high socks. At least the total came in at under 25 pounds. And somehow he found a way to squeeze his purchases, including a few souvenirs for friends, into his backpack.
Better service leads to better trips!
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