Alvy: Travel To Edinburgh, Scotland

TRAVEL TRIP (AUGUST 2011)

As explained in my previous post, from Liverpool I took a 10-hours bus journey and reached Edinburgh early in the morning. You can quote me on this "As I stepped down the bus, I looked around me and completely fell in love." The city was so beautiful. Do you know the feeling you get when you saw an outstanding landmark or great monument that you have never seen before? It was that feeling. Amazingly in this case I didn't see any landmark thus the whole place that actually evoked this sensation in me. How great was that? The whole city in contact created a beautiful picturesque to my mind. Not because of any singular effect. It was a unity sensation. I have been to many places, Edinburgh is one of the best cities in my heart!

Locals were kind and helpful too (although I did not understand the Scottish accent well). The buildings and nature correlate in a great set up that interpret such magnificent scenery. The old vintage edifices were well kept, and surprisingly unlike most old cities where the town planners did not plan their city’s permeability and structures grid well, Edinburgh general city arrangement was good. The buildings allocation, the texture, the rhythm, the movement of the city skyline and beautiful landscape were all well-coordinated. I was really impressed how the developers here in their old generation had come to this great of sensibility.

TRANSPORTATION

1. From Malaysia
If you are travelling from Malaysia, usually you will departure from KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport). KL or Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital with lots of city attractions.

There is no direct flight to Edinburgh (check for latest update). You may choose any airlines that fly out from KL with transit before continue to Edinburgh for example KLM and Etihad Airways. Duration of the journey depends on your airlines transit country, layover period and amount of transit. My advice is too study the world map. Choose an airline that transit somewhere in the middle of the journey. For instance if you pick Cathay Pacific Airways, the fare might be cheaper but the route to Hong Kong for transit is diverting from going straight to Scotland.

You can also do as what I did. Fly to London for a visit and take a bus/train to Edinburgh. MAS will lands in Heathrow Airport while AirAsia in Stansted Airport, London (check for update information).

2. From Liverpool
By Road:
You may travel by car/bus/taxi to Edinburgh. Journey is about 10 hours. By car the distance should be shorter without stops along the way. The National Express coach is very reliable. National Express is an intercity coach operator providing services throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

You can check this website for more information on UK National Express: www.nationalexpress.com.
You can check these websites for car rental: www.avis.com.my, www.europcar.com.my, www.thrifty.co.uk, www.hertz.co.uk, www.enterprise.co.uk.

By Rail:

If you want to travel by train, please check this website www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com. The journey will also takes about 4 to 5 hours. Train to Edinburgh will departure from Liverpool Lime Street Station and arrive in Edinburgh Waverley Station.

ACCOMMODATION

Before deciding on places to stay in Edinburgh, you need to choose which area is your preference. There are 4 favorite neighborhoods with its own characteristic that may help you to decide:

1. Old Town
Encompassing iconic areas such as the Royal Mile and Grassmarket, Edinburgh’s Old Town is the medieval heart of the city, with grand old tenements and twisting cobbled alleyways to explore. Here you’ll find the magnificent Edinburgh Castle, St. Giles’ Cathedral, the Royal Museum of Scotland and the atmospheric ruins of Holyrood Abbey. Arguably the most central area of Edinburgh, the Old Town has a diverse range of accommodation, allowing visitors of all budgets to stay within sight of the Royal Mile. Arty hostels share streets with international chains and classy hotels.

2. New Town
As its name suggests, this part of the city was built more recently than the Old Town, but it’s still not really ‘new’. It was slowly built over a century from 1765, in a grid format of Georgian and neo-classical architecture. The New Town features Edinburgh’s main shopping streets, including the famous Princes Street. The streets of Edinburgh’s New Town are stuffed with attractive and traditional hotels, some of which are five star rated. This area is also a good choice if you are looking to stay in a private apartment.

3. West End
To the west of the center and encompassing the other train station of Haymarket, this area of Edinburgh is another charming district of Georgian streets and crescents. The West End is a prime location for culture vultures, with venues such as Usher Hall, the Royal Lyceum and Edinburgh’s classically independent cinema, The Filmhouse. The West End is home to some of Edinburgh’s most upmarket hotels, offering both international brands and local gems. Perfect if you fancy a four poster bed or a need a posh conference center.

4. Leith
Built around the old port of Edinburgh and on the shores of the Firth of Forth, the vibrant and exciting area of Leith is a couple of miles outside the city center. With a distinctly different feel to Edinburgh, Leith has a flourishing gourmet scene, several cultural festivals and unrivalled waterside walks. Visitors to Leith find hotels to be more affordable here than the center of the city, when comparing the same national brands. You’ll also find cheap and cheerful hotels and guesthouses around the park of Leith Links.
Source: http://www.hotels.com/articles/ar003274/where-to-stay-in-edinburgh-a-neighborhood-guide/

PLACES OF INTEREST

As I always said in my previous posts, POI depends on the traveler him or herself. Things that excite me might not work for other people. That is why I hardly list down any places of interest as they are very subjective. It is an individual personal choice, for instance I am not a museum person. I would never list down museums as places that I will go for a visit. I can only share based on my interest, you may not want to miss these; Edinburgh Castle, George Street and Arthur's Seat.

Although Edinburgh might not be as 'happening' as London or Paris in particular, but the essence of this city still leaves remark on me until today. I took the City Sightseeing Bus Tour for all of my trips where I had very limited time frame (especially the ones I did not stay for a night). By taking this bus, I can come down at every stop of the service (each stop for different attraction) and maximize my time there. The weather in Edinburgh was also kind to me. It was sunny with very few light showers, making the day perfect for my adventure.

POI that I love so much in Edinburgh is the Edinburgh Castle because it resembles greatness plus the one million dollar panoramic set up on an enormous hill of the city. Edinburgh Castle dominates the city skyline from the peak of an extinct volcano. An ancient stronghold, it has been home to royalty for hundreds of years including Queen Margaret, Mary Queen of Scots and James VI. I spent hours in here.

George Street is home to some of Edinburgh’s trendiest, shops, bars and restaurants, George Street is the perfect spot to indulge in some retail therapy and catch up with friends for drinks, dinner or a light bite.

I also climbed a hilly mountain nearby the city (Arthur's Seat) to reach at the top and see the whole Edinburgh city from this height. It was a breathtaking moment. With amazing views to start your day set off early to enjoy the spectacular vistas from Arthur’s Seat. For walkers, this 251m high extinct volcanic summit is an easy 30 minute climb from Dunsapie Loch but can be accessed by bike or car for a quick circuit around the steep hillside. A superb location to watch the sun rise but be sure to wrap up warm to make the most of this experience.

The memory in Edinburgh was so unforgettable and meaningful for a solo traveler like me. It was one of those places where you just chill back, relax and walk around the city to enjoy the place yet did not feel bored at all. And it still excites me until today whenever someone asked me which are the top cities in my list that I might want to go and live there one day. Edinburgh is still in the top 5.