Back to the Future

I love going away, the further away, the better. Being a part of the Christmas cheer isn't my thing. I hate being at home during the long holiday period. Christmas' at my place are lucklustre, material and largely spent in front of the television.

Then I discovered going away! And it was all bright colours and ice cream from there on.

Last year I got to go away for seven weeks courtesy of mum and my step father - they paid for everything. Flights, awesome hotels and fantastic tours and treks. This year, when Im organising my own trip, oh boy, Totally appreciating the work and effort put into last years!

Agent152 aka Kritan is heading out with me: my very own travel buddy. I can't think of anyone I'd rather be doing this with. She is incredibly easy to get along with, one of my more humorous friends and above all someone I trust entirely with choosing anything.

We spent a solid few hours tonight on the phone and internet simultaneously attempting to organise our hotel for Xmas eve, Xmas day and Boxing day. All three of which, we decided a while back would be spent in a lavish hotel with a major splurge on our parts. Haha, note, this is so much easier voiced than it is demonstrated.

We've come to the conclusion - after weeks of searching and inquiring - that 5*s are out of our range. So settling for 4*s we've been on a hunt to find one that is classic, by which we mean, reminds us of Hogwarts. Decked out with fireplaces, christmas trees and a strong dose of traditional British Christmas cheer.

It isn't Christmas season in my opinion, till its been witnessed in London.

Seeing as we've left it late..*honours thesis rears its head again* what we are finding is the places we like and can afford, are booked out to a large extent GRRR. Then there are the places where we would like to go but the only rooms left are too expensive, in a turn of irony we found places we could afford and liked only to find they are available only from Boxing day onwards. Oh dear, indeed.

However, we can be glad that we have found lovely hotels in Cardiff and for the rest of our approximatley two week stay in London. The London Vicarage [who have rung me twice today] shall be subjected, I mean given the pleasure of our company, for the initial and last few weeks/ days of our stay.

Edinburgh was like a sore foot with multiple blisters combining themselves gradually across the base of one's sole. My inbox is brimming with twelve 'sorry we are booked out for the period you have requested' letters. One lovely Scottish accented boy rang to apologise verbally! Mum answered and raised a brow before saying, 'Scottish sounding man on the phone, can't decipher what he wants, presumably you?' I wish!

The epic phone conversation of tonight deduced, an agreement upon Aonach Mor Guest House and they have space for us!! Hogmenay, Concert in the Covent gardens and street party here we come! We have 6 days and 5 nights in Edinburgh which, between us have been filled to their capacity: Beauty and the Beast at the theatre, storyteller tours, pub crawls and copious amounts of activities I can't remember - though cycling through Edinburgh is a must!

Onto Cardiff we go, where Lincoln House shall host us. There are three beautiful, and different castles I wish to see here - and given Kris likes castles we shall be doing all three. There is a Dr Who exhibition in Glasgow which sounds interesting.. we've said if time permits we'll go across to Glasgow and see if we can catch this. Other than that there are quite a few Welsh landmarks to see along with bookstores, cafes, bars and clubs that sound like a good time to come =-)

That is all for now on the holiday.. no doubt, many more posts will follow on these events. And no, I haven't forgotten the pooja and its leadup, there shall perhaps be an update on that..aspect? some time soon. Till then, I highly recommend Jennifer Rardin's Once Bitten Twice Shy, for anyone wanting a female detective novel with a little bite and some magic.

Today's Muddle: where will we be staying across the Christmas holiday days?