Queensland couple Neil McLean and Gai Reid journeyed to Europe to enjoy some authentic travel, ‘living like locals’. The result? They spent 300 days pet- and house-sitting their way across four countries, spending less than it would cost them to live at home. Plus they started a new business, Village to Villa! Here’s the next chapter in thefabulous account of their escapades…
[To read episode 17, click here]
By the time Gai and I reached the famous city of Edinburgh, we were ready for some Scottish fun.
This fascinating city is essentially split into two parts, the older and the newer. There is a lot to see, so leave plenty of time to explore. Parking is also tight, so allow for that too. Like many famous cities, the Hop-On Hop-Off bus is a great place to start. It gives you running commentary and helps you to get a feel for the city, its history and stunning architecture.
One of the most obvious things to do is to walk the Royal Mile, the main artery that runs through the heart of Edinburgh. It is an ancient strip that’s filled with quirky little streets, laneways and closes. The Royal Mile got its name back in the 16th century. It joins the regal elevated fortress of Edinburgh Castle to the palace of Holyrood House, approximately a mile away. Its name was coined in tribute to the king who would use the cobbled thoroughfare between the two huge buildings.
The Royal Mile is dotted with the usual street performers like traditional buskers, but you won’t have to walk far to see a stunning variety of other attractions, First up, we saw – and heard – a Scottish piper in the national dress, a kilt.
We then stopped in a small alcove to visit Hazel, a huge Eurasian eagle-owl perched on a stand, allowing pats and a friendly chat with her owner. Hazel must be the only owl in Great Britain NOT to be summoned for a part in the Harry Potter movies!
A little further along, there was an imposing Scottish warrior. Dressed in traditional garb, this tough-looking thespian gave us a quick history lesson about the Jacobites who fought for Scottish independence from the British.
We even witnessed a Japanese couple in their wedding outfits being snapped in hundreds of poses… it was quite comical!
Of course, being a high tourist area there are literally dozens of eateries along the way, many with outdoor seating and colourful signs. Despite the amazing number of outlets, if you’re going out for more than a casual stop, you definitely need to book prior to your sitting.
The Royal Mile is the also central focus for the annual EdinburghFestival Fringe. Founded in the late 1940s, the month-long event is the biggest of its kind in the world and runs through most of August each year. Last year there were 55,000 performances, 3,500 different shows and more than 300 venues – wow, that is some kind of event! Accommodation is nearly always booked out way in advance, so get in early if you want to be there.
Read more: Living like locals: Jane Austen’s Hampshire
Gai and I had the pleasure of staying at our own private modern castle in the hills of Glenfarg, a tiny village of about 500 people just north of Edinburgh near the cities of Perth and Kinross.
Our house- and pet-sitting assignment was for a Glenfarg couple who were travelling internationally and needed someone to care for their precious puss, Becky – a regal, 15-year-old tabby cat. She was a delight to look after, even if she did deliver ‘treasures’ into the huge house each day in the form of mice! Daily visitors included a colourful pheasant and a – usually elusive – red squirrel. Had the property not enjoyed the security of a high stone wall and electric gates, we would have had deer through the place as well!
Read more: Living like a local: What’s life in France really like?
The village of Glenfarg is home to a famous pub called the Bien Inn, conveniently located within walking distance of our base. It’s owned and operated by a larger-than-life Scottish couple who lived in Australia for decades. Aside from their gracious hospitality we took ‘Scottish lessons’ from them and truly learned how to live like locals in this tiny slice of Scotland.
Glenfarg is an excellent base to look around this part of Scotland. Gai and I day-tripped to many places to investigate our respective Scottish heritages. We also took lots of road trips to visit HMS Britannia (the retired Royal Yacht), Balmoral Castle (the Queen’s summer home) and the giant Glamis Castle, (pronounced “Glarms” and reputed to be the most haunted in Scotland). A huge highlight was the annual Game Fair (a bit like our agricultural shows, but without sideshow alley) at the famous Scone Palace. Forget the age-old debate about whether scone should be pronounced to rhyme with “gone” or “bone” – in this case, the beautiful stately home of Scone should rhyme with “spoon’!
Scotland is best visited in the warmer months. You can, of course, go in the winter, when the top half of the country virtually shuts down, but be prepared to really live like a local and don’t forget your thermal undies!
Look out for episode 19 of Neil and Gai’s ‘Living like locals’ housesitting blog on Travel at 60 next week!
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