Back in Aberdeen!

I honestly don't know how I managed to accumulate so much stuff during my 6 weeks away. I got some gifts, some food, some new clothes, a pair of boots and some journal articles so why is it that my luggage is so much heavier than when I went there? It was between 25-30kg! Plus I couldn't fit everything in this time! I had an extra box (that came with the boots) that I stuffed things into AND 2 other smaller shopping bags IN ADDITION to my huge luggage!

Shockin'!

Thankfully, Jennifer offered to take my shopping bags so I just had to struggle with my luggage and the box.

The travel from Crosshouse Hospital to Aberdeen is an experience itself! It involved getting to the bus stop in Irvine (some 10km away), to catch a bus to Glasgow (1 hour bus journey), to catch another bus to Aberdeen (3.5 hours bus journey) and then to get to my hostel.

I called for a taxi from Crosshouse Hospital to get to the bus stop to catch the bus to Glasgow. I specifically said: Can I please have a taxi driver that can help with my luggage? I've got a very heavy luggage.

And who did they send?

A man.

Head full of white hair.

Who looked at least 60.

So what happened?

He huffed and puffed and coughed all the way down (not joking here), carrying my heavy luggage from the 3rd floor to the first. At one point, he started sputtering and all I was thinking was: Oh God, he can roll my luggage down the stairs but please don't let him have a heart attack right now.

My next hurdle after getting to the bus stop without the taxi driver having a heart attack (errm, yeah, I left a tip for him), was to actually board the bus that would bring me to Glasgow. The bus arrived and my heart sank.

3 huge steps UP to the bus.

Luckily, I met a kind soul who helped me. While the young bus driver sat comfortably in his seat looking impatient, an old lady who looked about 70 bent all the way down to lift my luggage from the bottom while I pulled it up from the top. Very embarrasing for me. But I think the driver should really be ashamed of himself.

Getting off the bus was next.

Fortunately, I met another kind soul (I must say I'm very lucky in this aspect). The kind soul this time was a middle-aged man. Who walked with a limp. And used a walking stick.

Is this not ridiculous?

Surely, I can't be the only one who sees the irony here.

But it also illustrates beautifully the concept of karma. What you give, you eventually get back. In this case, it was kindness.

Going the extra mile, this man said: You better go to the loo before you get on the bus to Aberdeen. It's a long journey.

With that, he (limping, walking stick and all) approached the staff of the bus station to get the key to the disabled toilet so that:
1) I didn't have to pay 20p to get into the regular toilet
2) I could lug all my luggage in with me to keep it safe because it was such a large toilet

As a goodbye, he said to me: Oh you wee slight thing. You must be only 17 or 18? What an independent monkey!

But how could I possibly be offended by such a kind man?

I'm really a very very lucky girl to have met so many kind people.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I eventually ended safely back at my hostel last night where my sweet sweet flatmates welcome me "home" with a big rhubarb cake!

Awww...

*warm fuzzy feeling*