Scotland has no secrets anymore except for where my carry-on luggage is
Yes, you read the title right. On this last trip abroad I discovered Scotland and all it had to offer. Unfortunately I also lost my carry-on during this trip. So that’s a short explanation of the title.
Flying to Scotland
I booked a flight at the website of United airlines for a really cheap price in economy class. You need good timing and some luck to get the best price.
I left from JFK airport in the US where I checked in my luggage. I didn’t have a direct flight to Scotland so I landed in Heathrow, London. From there I had a transit flight with British Airways to Glasgow International Airport.
Upon arrival in Glasgow I noticed that I forgot to take my carry-on luggage with me from my flight before. I immediately reported this to United, but it seems they didn’t find my carry-on luggage in the overhead compartment. So it’s lost.
Discovering Glasgow
After checking into my hotel I fell asleep. This is normal when you have been on an exhausting transatlantic flight.
During the week I stayed their overseas I visited a couple of important places in Glasgow such as the Glasgow cathedral, the botanic gardens, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Clyde Auditorium.
I also visited the soccer stadium of the Glasgow Rangers and Buchanan street where I bought some souvenirs for some friends and family. It’s really easy to get everywhere by subway.
Besides Glasgow I also went to see other major Scottish cities such as Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh (the Scottish capital), Inverness and Stirling.
About the Scottish folks
Most people in Scotland are heavy drinkers. This doesn’t mean they are alcoholics of course. But on average Scots drink more than people in the USA. Also we drink beer, but over there they prefer stronger liquor such as whisky.
They also have special traditional clothes called kilts. These are actually skirts but then worn by men. In combination with these traditional clothes they also have a legacy to play traditional music with bagpipes.
They speak English, but they also have their own language called Gaelic.
Independency of Scotland
Recently the Scots had a referendum to vote for their independency. Currently they are part of the United Kingdom. However not every Scot is happy with this and so a referendum was asked. It was close but most people voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. Most of them thought that being independent wouldn’t help their economy and also wouldn’t create any new jobs.
Will I go back
If it’s up to me I wouldn’t go back immediately. I think I’ve seen most of what Scotland has to offer. So maybe I will go back at a later stage of my life when there are some new things worth seeing. Also keep in mind that a flight from the US to Scotland isn’t cheap, certainly not if you lost your carry-on bag. I had to buy a new suitcase. So I immediately bought a carry-on bag that is within the carry-on luggage restrictions of most major airlines in the US. I’m looking forward to take it with me on my next vacation.