On My Way

(Written on September 6th)

Edinburgh, here I come!

I’m writing this post from the ‘Flying Scotsman’ train, on my way from King’s Cross Station in London to Edinburgh. (Unfortunately, my train left from Platform 1, otherwise I totally would’ve taken a Platform 9 and ¾ photo, disappearing trolley cart and all!)

My mom and I have been here for the past three days, exploring the beautiful and diverse city that is London. We’ve jokingly come up with a motto for our trip—‘it could’ve been worse’—mainly because it has been quite an interesting trip. And by interesting I mean a stressful mess!

Amid wrongly transferred luggage, stolen phones, getting lost in the Underground, and waking up late for an all-day tour, it’s been an adventure. Although, I must say that I think we’ve racked up enough travel karma, because today has gone quite smoothly! :)

I’ll be posting separate blog posts for each day of our London trip since I have so many pictures to share. Stay tuned!

My To-Do List Before I Leave

#1. Eat at all my favorite restaurants.  Because when you’re in California, somehow a burrito just doesn’t taste the same anywhere else.

#2. Cuddle my dog more times than necessary.  And my cat.  Just because I will miss them.

#3. Finish re-reading the Harry Potter series.  Yes, all of them.  But the last thing I need is to lug around the last three in my suitcase, which I’m convinced will put me over the 50 pounds weight limit.  (In case you were wondering, I just finished the Goblet of Fire!)

#4. DEVOUR ONE LAST IN & OUT BURGER.  Double-double with fries…absolute, mouth-watering heaven.

#5. Soak up as much time with family and friends because I will miss them all very dearly.  <3

#6. PACK.  Enough said.  ;)

Two weeks until I leave.  Eeks, this is getting close!

Pressing ‘Play’

I can’t believe that in less than three weeks, I’ll be boarding a plane from SFO to London’s Heathrow Airport.  Three weeks!  When I received my acceptance from the University of Edinburgh back in March, it seemed as though I had all the time in the world to prepare for my one-year postgraduate program abroad.

But now, it’s getting down to the wire.  I’m a mixture of panic, excitement, fear, sadness, and nervousness.  (But mostly excitement and nervousness!)

When I first got accepted into grad school, I was telling my good friend Katrina, who went abroad not once but twice, that I felt like my life in the US was in a perpetual countdown.  Like I hit the ‘pause’ button.  It was a weird feeling, knowing that when September came around, I would be leaving my friends and family to live abroad for a whole year in a country I’d only ever read about.  But now that I’m about to leave, I feel like I can press ‘play’ again and begin the life I’ll have for the next 12+ months.

This blog is for me to document my life in Edinburgh, including food, fun, studying, and travels.  Mostly, I just want to pretend Hogwarts is real, amid all the cobblestone streets and castles.  (A girl can dream, right?)

I hope you’ll be along for this crazy, scary, exciting ride!  :)

I do believe it’s time for another adventure.