Things are looking up...

I'm having an strange sense of deja'vu but for the life of me I can't figure out where I may have been in a similar situation... hummm?

Anyway, as the title suggests, things are definitely looking up. I have an interview on Wednesday for a job here (if, that is, the ruddy recruiter comes through - have been having problems with that guy), and potentially another interview for a job in Soho London sometime next week. And I've had bites from other recruiters too, so I'm feeling happier about the whole job thing now. My hostel has become friendlier too - have met a couple of the inmates (one from Norway, another from Poland), and have established connections. My room is called Addictions and my bed is called Drugs... their way of identifying who is where. Rather amusing! I think I am also getting better, which always improves one's mode - was quite depressed the last two days. But everything is brighter when you're healthy.

I did manage to get on a couple of the Buses - and saw a goodly portion of the city. We drove past the Castle, The Palace of Holyroodhouse (a Royal Residence), the Royal botanical gardens (which I want to go back and visit when it's warmer - looked absolutely lovely!), the new Parliament building, Sir Walter Scott's Monument (which I climbed this afternoon - 287 spiralling steps up to a wonderful panoramic view of the city), The Royal Britannia Yacht, Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags, as well as numerous churches and museums. And I discovered why this town is so steep - it's built on a ruddy extinct volcano! The main street, called the Royal Mile, is built on an old lava flow, and the castle is situated on the central plug - but then I've also heard it said that Arthur's Seat, which is the highest hill around here, is also a plug, so I'm not too sure of my facts there.

It is unfortunate that the bus goes so quickly that you really don't have time to take photos. If I want to capture what I've seen, I'll have to walk there. And at the moment, walking would be a recipe for pneumonia, as it is much too cold for my cold. I went and sat in the upstairs, outside part of one of the tour buses for about half and hour - and even my hair became cold, so I gave up and stayed inside. I have taken photos from the top of Scott's monument, which I won't be able to upload until I get my laptop back, but when I do, you'll at least be able to see some of the city through my eyes! But the rest will have to wait until I'm either better, or it gets warmer.

Yes, it is summer here, and yes, it is colder than even the locals were expecting. I went on the hunt for gloves and a hat yesterday, asking at almost every department store and woollens shop I could find, and I came across no less than three sales assistants unhappy because they didn't sell them - because they wanted them too! I finally discovered a hat in a warehouse, and some gloves at an upmarket boutique. So, I am now warm, but definitely marked as a tourist, as everyone else insists on being hardy and cold. Ah well.

I am now going to let the fates decide whether I stay here or go back to London. If I say either way, I think that Murphy might intervene, and I'd prefer him not to. Here's hoping it warms up over the weekend!