So this is it - my last blog post from Edinburgh/Scotland/Europe. Since I've started this blog I've done 227 posts - that's pretty good for a year and a half of living eh? And yes, I will be continuing to post after my return to PEI. Sadly I can guarantee more frequent and probably mre creative posts in the future due to lack of employment and social circle :)

Sad & Lonely Shan Planet. Sigh. I can't believe I am spending my last afternoon in Edinburgh ALONE. I am going to try not to read too much into that and remind myself that half of my favorite people/friends have left the country already.

Notes from the past few days:

Tuesday - Wandered around town, did some shopping, enjoyed the last of Edinburgh's summer adn sat in Princes Street Gardens reading 101 Things to Do Before you Die, which I had just purchased at FOPP. It is the coolest book with ideas and instructions on how to go about dong some rather outrageous and exciting things such as doing a runner from a restaurant, gate crashing a fancy party and meeting someone with the same name as you.

SIDENOTE #1 - There are too many Shannon Courtneys out there. A week or so ago I recieved an email from a guy named Andrew, whom I had no recollection of ever meeting. I opened the email anyway. This dude was just writing to let me know he had a friend with the same name - a male friend! And he had attached a picture of his friend, Shannon Courtney, for my benefit and requested I write the guy. What a laugh! So, of course, I did email Shannon and let Andrew konw I'd done so and heard back from both. Maybe the first step to meeting someone with the smae name as me and checking off one of those 101 things to do....

Tuesday evening I went to see Crash with Helene, Derek & Beth. An interesting movie, not entirely amazing but disturbing enough. Afterwards Beth and I went to the 3 Sisters for a few bevys of the non-alcoholic nature and had a lovely chat.

Wednesday - Met Raeanne at the airport - another Islander in the house :) It was great to see someone from home, especially Rae Rae! We had a bite to eat at the Last Drop then wandered and wandered and wandered some more. Eventually we stopped again for another bite then headed to Stockbridge to do a pub quiz withBrandon & Ross. Predicatably we bombed but who cares - it was fun anyways!

Thursday - Met Chris & Wendy at the airport - two more Canadians in the house! They had cute matching suticases with huge Canada flag stickers on them. We met up with Rae at the hostel and I proceeded to lead them down the mile (both Rae & Chris asked me if it was really a mile long. I don't know - I am not a details person :) Anyways after a quick stop for a free sample at the Fudge Kitchen we proceeded to climb Arthur's Seat. This is when I decided that wearing sandals was not the wisest idea :) Following on our hike up the hill we sat down for a Chinese buffet - Saigon Saigon one last time and yes, it was 2 for 1 !! In the evening I took them to the Walk About because the drinks are cheap (£1) on Thursday night. Chris quite enjoyed this deal and consumed 5 pints of Stella. Stella is one gal in high demand. We ended up at Finnegnan's Wake where the band that usually plays at Drop Kick's were fiddilng away. It was brilliant EXCEPT that my feet decided to give out on me. I was in pure agony and am still in quite a bit of pain - teh pads of my feet are always burning. Blah - I need insoles in a bad way.

Friday - the rainiest, coldest day I've experienced in a LONG time. I had a lunch date with Beth who generously offered to take me to a fancy place for lunch as a birthday/leaving pressie. It was delicious and thorougly enjoyable. Thank you Beth :) The poor girl has been having a rough time of it lately as she discovered that there are bed bugs at her flat. After lunch I met up with my Canuck visitors and we went to a pub for haggis. it was definitely a day of eating. Sigh.

I said my goodbyes to Helene at her flat. Sigh, it is getting harder and harder. I also had to say goodbye to Rae, but I know I will see her soonish...back in Canada.

That evening Chris, Wendy & I had dessert and then a bit of cider at Drop Kicks.

Today - Did some last minute shopping with Chris & Wendy then saw them off. I hope I will see them again soon as they are brilliant company and both very lucky to have found each other....

Got roped into doing a market research survey about electrical goods and then wandered in here.

So that's where I am now - no last prophetic wordsfrom Edinburgh. It's all a bit too surreal and sad at the moment. Not to mention expensive. I'll do the whole contemplative/reflective post from the comforts of home sweet home.

Well here I go again, throwing myself into the unknown, but familiar. ReadyI am not, but I'll cope. Singing off key from Edinburgh one last time......