Our lost together locations

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Things I Learned in the UK

1. They do NOT drive on the "wrong" side, but rather the "other" side. It's a complete and utter mindf**k driving from Glasgow up to the Highlands, and that's with Jodi as my navigator/co-pilot. Driving from Carstairs to Glasgow with nothing but a couple of Google maps and a mission was insanely bizarre.

2. Glaswegian "English" at its finest/worst is harder to understand than French. I only took French until grade ten. They're even hiring translators for Glasgow to aid in the comprehension of what they're saying.

3. Beer is SUPER good and SUPER inexpensive in Scotland.

4. They don't seem to understand the meaning of bite size pieces of lettuce.

5. Side salads are really just a tease in most places. But when you don't order a salada, it's amazing how big they can be when they magically arrive on your table.

6. Haggis is good. REALLY good. Salty, but really good. Don't knock if it you haven't tried it. I suspect I'll be making a Dave version in 2010.

7. I can pretty much distinguish between Irish, Scottish and English accents. Not always, but I'm rarely able to do anything "always".

8. Changing directions on the highways can be stupidly easy or stupidly hard. It's all where ya are.

9. Making illegal turns in Glasgow is only illegal if you get caught. I didn't. Remember, I was on a mission.

10. Pheasant calls are really annoying.

11. I didn't so much learn this as do it, but I've know urinated on two important "landmarks" related to Canada. One in Toronto and one in Scotland.

12. Sometimes budget hotels are better than hostels.

13. Sometimes hostels are better than others.

14. Air-dying laundry in Scotland takes a long time.

15. You don't need to live in Scotland to get a library card. For the National Library or the Glasgow Public Library.

16. Euros do not have Queen Elizabeth II on the back. Repeat after me, euros do NOT have Queen Elizabeth II on the back. (Still working on this)

17. Highland cows can gallop. As much as cows gallop.

2 comments:

Dawn said...

1. Jodi didn't tell you about our futile attempts to dry our tent in the hostels in Scotland?!
2. Some day I'd like to be able to try your haggis.
3. And I wish I could have seen a highland cow gallop.

The 40 Year Old Father said...

I believe there's a photo of the cow in gallop/flying. Somewhere. I also learned (from a guidebook really) that owing to taxes in Scotland, the best place to get scotch is French supermarkets. I'll find that out in a few days. That said, we did score a deal on four 100 mL bottles of Glenmorangie for 22.50 pounds. Also, the tour was MUCH better at Glenmorangie than The Macallan, but we did see the Highland Cows at The Macallan, and we did a few extra "wee drams" from the lovely lady at The Macallan.