E-Postcard from Scotland

Hello fellow book clubbers, I write to you from across the Atlantic and, technically, from the future. I have now been more than a week in Edinburgh, Scotland.
It was a rough start as I did not anticipate that a 7-hour flight, crammed between people and plastic could be so hellishly uncomfortable. And then, as it turned out my hostel doesn't allow people to lodge until after 2 pm so as not to disturb those that are, presumably, still asleep, though I only wanted to join them. But that was merely the beginning. In a week's time I feel I have done enough for two vacations. I have entered two castles, one of which required me to take a bus out of the city, and will hopefully add two more to my collection today. I have visited numerous museums, of fine art, history of the country, the city, and the people, even one concerned only with the most notable Scottish writers, Burns, Scott, and Stevenson. I have strolled up, down, and across the streets and alleys (or gates and closes) of the oldest and slightly newer areas of the city, sitting in the pristine parks and reading over some Scottish cuisine (haggis is actually good, I can report). I have climbed the miniature mountain nestled in a corner of the city, encountered some true Scottish sheep (much louder in person), and spent a day at the Edinburgh Zoo. And I still have more to do.
Another aspect that I did not have the proper foresight to predict is how lonely it can be, isolating yourself from the entire social sphere that you know and moving to where no one at all knows you, let alone to a place where half the people are not fluent in your language or are already part of a well-established social group. I think in the future I will not travel alone. However, especially for this initial trip, there is a manner of experience that can only be had in solitude. I have found that it may very well be because I am a solitary traveler that I have encountered true moments of serenity and an unrivaled recognition of the wonder about me. I hope that the rest of my time here will suit me in this way. I am more than glad to have made it here.
By our next meeting I will have plenty to show you, as I am stocking up quite a gallery of pictures. Until then, I hope all of you take care of yourselves and happy reading.

Michael