My deepest apologies to those of you who decided to read this because you thought there really is a Harry Potter Land in Edinburgh (Sorry HP fans!). I regret to inform you that this is but the fruit of my own imagination. 😊 Read more about it in my first impressions on Edinburgh.
Seems like yesterday when I first visited UK. This was the first time I have ever set foot in Europe.
I had mixed feelings: frenzy at the thought of new adventures and experiences, yet slightly jittery about having to be away from home for a month and a half in an unfamiliar environment.
To clarify, I was not solely in Edinburgh to travel, but for a short language course at the University of Edinburgh. The university staff has kindly arranged for accommodations at different homestays for me and other members of the group.
First Impressions of Edinburgh
As part of our program, a bus tour was arranged for us on the first day, upon our arrival in Edinburgh. The bus tour is open to the public and anyone can pay the fare to join. Basically the bus stops at a number of major tourist spots and tours the city. If you wish, you may stay on the bus through all the stops like me and admire the city without having to walk a lot. The following is a link to more information. Note that there are other bus tours you may choose from as well but for your reference, this was the one I joined.
https://city-sightseeing.com/en/91/edinburgh/129/hop-on-hop-off-edinburgh
My first impression of the city was that everywhere looked the same. Haha Everywhere I looked, I see settings and scenes ripped off pages of Harry Potter books (I feel obliged to apologize to HP fans for my potentially inaccurate description haha). I later learnt that J.K. Rowling lives in Edinburgh and she used to write and get her inspirations at a café called the Elephant House. I have passed by this café several times but never tried it myself. My friends have tried and said the food there was average. Nevertheless, if you are a die-hard fan of HP, you should definitely pay a visit.
These are some of the photos I took on the upper deck of the bus on our tour.
My Homestay and Host
My host is a sweet old lady in her 60s. She lives alone in an apartment at Haymarket, a train station away from Edinburgh Waverley station (where you can take trains to other parts of the UK). The location is very convenient, as it only takes 5-10 minutes by tram or bus to get to the main shopping areas on Princes Street. So if you are looking for more affordable accommodations/hostels/airbnbs apart from those on Princes Street, Haymarket might be a good place to stay.
Although my homestay is in an apartment, it was obviously MUCH MORE spacious than the flats in Hong Kong. I could fit five or more of my bedroom at home into the room I stayed in in Edinburgh. Coming from a city where land is scarce and property prices are skyrocketing, I was a bit shocked at the vast difference in the amount of living space and population density. I would say many live in cubicles and cages compared to the homes they call ‘apartments’ or ‘flats’. Nonetheless, scenic spots and attractions in Hong Kong seem to be more concentrated and accessible, so travel time between one destination to another can be less than in Edinburgh.
Due to a difference in culture, I was originally quite worried that I might fail to adapt to the lifestyles and routines in the UK. One main aspect was about food and diet—I was aware that potatoes are a core part of the British diet, whereas in Hong Kong, we consume a lot of rice and green leafy vegetables (at least in my family haha). Fortunately, my host is very concerned about healthy eating herself, so the meals she prepared are mostly a balanced diet, composed of vegetables, potatoes, meat (mostly fish) and a side of salad or dessert. I am also thankful for her efforts in preparing the occasional Scottish dishes for me to try out. The following are some meals I have had during my stay.
haggis
bangers and mash
fish and chips
chow mien because my host knew I was homesick <3
University Environment and Facilities
The University of Edinburgh arranged for a brief tour of the university for me and my mates. We walked by many main structures and facilities of the university including the university library and common areas for meetup and discussions.
Transport
Traveling around Edinburgh is quite convenient with public transport. The tram runs from the airport to York Place, with stops on Princes Street and near Edinburgh Waverly Station. Buses run throughout different parts of the city and their latest schedules on the next arriving buses are often displayed on small screens at bus stops. I would recommend using the bus and tram application available on the App Store and Play Store, as it proved extremely helpful throughout my stay.
You may obtain more details about the app through the following link. http://tfeapp.com/
If you are in Edinburgh for a week or more, and you plan to travel quite frequently, you might consider purchasing a bus and tram pass. Having stayed there for a month and a half, I purchased a Ridacard (a bus/ tram pass) for one month plus two weeks. It made sense to buy the pass since I had to attend courses at the University during weekdays and I travelled around on the weekends. You could find out more about the prices and ways to purchase the card in the following link before you decide whether you need it or not. Note that students are eligible for a discount. 😊
https://edinburghtrams.com/tickets/ridacard
Finally, if you are a full-time student and you are travelling to several places/cities in the UK, I would recommend buying a 16-25 Railcard for £30. This Railcard takes you 1/3 off rail fares when you purchase train tickets. I bought one myself, and used it for three roundtrips to Manchester, Glasgow and Linlithgow (which I will talk about in later posts) and this helped me save a total sum greater than the price of the Railcard. For more details, visit the link below.
https://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/
This is pretty much it about me settling down in Edinburgh and some initial explorations of the city.
I assure you, there is SO MUCH MORE about this city that I would like to share with all of you. Unfortunately, I cannot cover all of it in one post.
So please follow me and stay tuned to learn more about the culture, history and must-dos in Edinburgh in the posts to follow.
I hope you liked my sharing of personal experiences and travel tips. Thank you for all your time and support. <3
Love,
MK