Edinburgh

Today was a sunny day. And quite warm.

After sampling haggis for the first time at breakfast, and managing to avoid thinking about what was in it, we packed up the car for the last time and headed off for Edinburgh. When we arrived we unpacked our bags at a laundrette next to where we were staying, and while Petra dealt with our overflowing laundry bags, Phil took the car back to Avis. At least he did after getting lost around the streets of Edinburgh several times. Sadly, the people at Avis told him that our Audi was being retired, and we had taken her on her last journey as a hire car. All 2,506 miles we travelled in her were a delight.

But enough sentimentality.

Having finished our laundry, we left our bags at our flat and started wandering the streets to get our bearings. What a fantastic city! Even though its a Sunday there were people everywhere and something to look at no matter which direction you are facing.

After hours of walking and stopping where we felt like it - including at a shoe shop for Petra to replace the shoes she wore out walking Hadrian's Wall - we went back to our flat and settled in for a bit of a rest before venturing out again. Unfortunately the guy in the upstairs flat decided to have a bath in a faulty bathtub and water started pouring through our ceiling! This meant that we had to move to a new flat which is in the Royal Mile just about as close to Edinburgh Castle as you can get.

And now we are sitting in front of the TV watching the first episode of the new series of Downton Abbey and going ga-ga every time we see one of the rooms we toured through at Highclere Castle almost three weeks ago.