Where I damn well love Edinburgh, and in fact, it is my favorite city, there is no way I would want to live there on a permanent day-to-day basis. First of all, if I did, the poor man I pray for would be torn between pulling his beard out or diving off of Arthur's Seat, and I really don't want him feeling stressed; nope, only blessed. I think it's best, for his sake if nothing else, that I make my plans to reside about an hour's distance by train, to the city of Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders. I'll tell you why.
Galashiels, like Avon, Indiana, is really an amazing little place that is both affordable and beautiful in its own right. Galashiels is not very big, but it's the same size as Avon, maybe a bit smaller, but it has all the shops I'd need, and it's smack dab in the middle of the moors, streams, dwellings, estates, and historical places that I would have so much fun visiting. There's even a museum of sorts for a $7,000,000, 143-panel tapestry of the history of Scotland, which of course, I would have to see. If I had to go to Edinburgh (she says with a giggle), which I would be going, it's only about 54-60 minutes by train, as mentioned, and the train is a great way to travel! I would simply love it. I wouldn't need a car, but I may rent one after learning to drive in the UK. I wouldn't drive the said car to Edinburgh or Glasgow, but I would drive around the moors and backways. I would do that. I would visit the sheep and coo.
Galashiels' prices are amazing compared to Edinburgh and, really, compared to a lot of places. The same two-bedroom and one-bath apartment I could buy for (I have to use USD since I don't have a symbol for the British Pound on my keyboard) $90,000 would cost me 3x that in Edinburgh. No, thank you. Yes, I would be closer to the castle, but I can see it on my trips once or twice a month. Yes, I would be closer to the Royal Mile, the Surgeon's Hall, etc., but again, I can visit those. They aren't going anywhere. $11.00 train ride (times two, as I would be returning) would be worth the price of not driving myself, not paying for insurance, and not paying for a car payment if I chose to not get a car and not pay for gasoline or maintenance. Why in the hell do I have a car? I'm really thinking this through now, aren't I?
I would most likely (very likely) live in a flat downtown and rent for $650 a month for a two-bedroom, one-bath flat. Not kidding. It's unfurnished, but it has the "whites" or the appliances, and it has a bathtub. I'm not going to rent anything that doesn't have an actual tub. That's just silly talk right there. The same apartment in Edinburgh would be $1100+, and it would not necessarily have a bathtub as they have closets for bathrooms, and sometimes, no, I am not kidding, the sink and toilet are in one closet while the shower is in another. In Galashiels, I would have a regular flat, no crazy tourist noises, no crazy nightlife noises, and I could lease a horse. Yes, I could lease a freakin' horse! But, I would have to find someone who wouldn't mind me riding said horse western style. That may be harder than I think. I may have to buy my own horse now that I put my brain to it.
Galashiels has been a burgh since 1599 and has a "Braw Lads' Gathering" with riders on horseback running through town, and they're not all boys now. There are quite a lot of horse enthusiasts there. I like that. Sir Walter Scott built his enormous estate just outside of Galashiels; it's too amazing. There's one university there, the Heriot-Watt University, a school for textiles and design. I could ask if they need a general ed professor, one who visits and teaches Philosophy, Logic, Humanities, Composition, and/or Romance Novel writing. I could do that. The thing is, I'm going to be a claims adjuster, work really hard throughout the summer and early autumn, then take off and rent in Galashiels this coming year or early next, and when I do, I'll have the withal to figure out if I want to stay or just have extended visits.
I can write, I can trade, I can lecture. I don't have to be paid. I can volunteer as long as I'm, again, not being paid, and I can research my books. I can stay up to six months without needing a visa, and with the claims adjuster gig, I can find sponsorships. I could stay! I don't know if I want to yet, but I could; the thing is, I could IF I wanted to. I think what I'll do is take it one pass at a time. I'll go, I'll hang out, maybe stay 5-6 months this time, and see what I think I could handle. I passed on Fife because I really think I want the moors over the sea. I know that sounds incredibly silly to some, but I'm a land lover, a woodsy kind of girl - - I like castles, trees, creeks, and streams over larger bodies of water. I like the architecture of the Scottish Borders over what I've seen in Fife. (Don't get me wrong, I love the Kingdom!)
This is my plan. It's something I can hang onto and dream about. I could wake up, walk the town, get my coffee, get my steps in, research, talk to people, and hang with the horses and the dogs. You really can't get better - - unless you take the train to Edinburgh and stare at musicians in the park; not all of them, just you know...interesting men with guitars and stories to tell through their music.
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