Day 4: The Road to Scotland

Expat Explore Bus Tour Day 2:  We rose and shone  at 5.30 in our eagerness to get to Scotland before the day was done.  Our first mission was breakfast, smooth sailing except of course for the black pudding challenge, which both of us happily failed at. We left York at 7.10 in the rain.

Our first stop ( apart from our comfort stop) was Hadrians Wall, a wall built by the Romans in about 100 AD, a UNESCO site, and I know I keep banging  on about the history but it really is quite overwhelming. I failed to take a picture of the wall but here is some beautiful English countryside surrounding it.

At this stop it was quite obvious that the comfort stop was a little too far away for some ( Sandy and Tour Leader) who appeared from behind a wall( not the famous wall) with a look of apparent relief.

Back on the bus and a number of people had a telling off for climbing the wall and not respecting the significance of the site, wasn't us thankfully. We were now heading towards the border ( rolling hills, old houses, villages, sheep with black faces), about 5 mins from the border the sound of bagpipes filled the bus and increased in volume until we arrived.

On departing the bus there was a bagpiper playing and it was surprisingly moving, especially since neither of us are Scottish ( just tired I think..). 

Back on the bus we made our way to Jedburgh, a border town for lunch, beautiful typically scottish village with spectacular Abbey ruins.

After Jedburgh it was off to Edinburgh where we have a full free day to explore, and a sleep in. It was another long and satisfying day. What did I learn today; Scottish people speak funny and I don't think haggis should be an option on a toasted sandwich.