The Misadventures of an Indigo Traveling to Edinburgh

The first time I visited Scotland was over 20 years ago, while I was spending the summer studying in London. I took the train up for the weekend, and I was sick the whole time.

I got to go back for a wedding ten years later.

In the summer of 2022, I was sooo excited to be going back after another decade had passed.

It was a journey not without obstacles. The whole reason I was traveling back to Scotland, at this time, was to see my very favorite band in the world, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, kick off their European tour in Edinburgh.

The morning I was to depart Maui, I got a notification that the show was cancelled!! Zack de la Rocha had injured his leg and couldn't travel. I was about to fly across two oceans for them! I was in shock and started laughing hysterically. 

The concert wouldn't be the only thing that got cancelled...

(By the way, I also had tickets to see Rage in March of 2020, but that show was cancelled as well, obviously.)

I grew up in Arizona, with a car. I am public transportation illiterate. I just don't use it in the US. Never had to. So, I'm really bad at it when I have to use it while traveling. I am so envious of people just getting on and off buses like they know what they're doing.

The night before my train to Scotland, I was in London, still jet lagged, and woke up at 4 am. I checked my email and saw a rather confusing notification, that my train might be canceled due to a technical issue, or it might not be canceled - it depends on whether my train is still on the schedule or not! What?!

Mine was not on the schedule. Ensue panic attack.

This was my first time out of the country with a smartphone. I was having a lot of difficulty getting my phone to work, and I wanted to speak to a human at the train station. So, I got up and walked to King's Cross. I got there about 7:00 am, and no one was there. The ticket counters were closed. 

There were kiosks where I could check the schedule. The trains from London take anywhere from 4.5 hours to 7+. I wanted the quickest one. I found a train I wanted to take - but it departed earlier than my original train, which left me less time to get ready, and I hadn't packed yet! So, I ran back to the hotel and tired to book the new ticket from my laptop, but there were no seats left!

It was just one thing after another and I started to spiral with anxiety.

I eventually found another train with seats available, but it was more expensive than my original ticket - which was a first class seat! Booking the new train, I couldn't select my seat or even see where my seat was, but I had no options. I just had to hurry up and book it because everyone else who had been cancelled was trying to rebook as well.

I packed while my hands trembled and then hauled ass back to King's Cross, hoping to talk to someone to sort out my ticket to see why the price difference and where my seat was. But this time when I got to the station, the line to the ticket counter was massive. Forget that. I'd never make it through in time. I'd just have to eat the cost difference.

So, I just sat down across from the Platform 9 3/4 store and waited to see what platform my train would be on.

The TV screens don't tell you what platform your train is on until about 15 minutes before departure. So, when it finally shows up, everyone jumps up and runs to the platform. I found myself in the mob of people running towards the train, when I realized, oh yeah, I still don't know where I'm supposed to sit! Which carriage am I in? Where is my seat?

The e-ticket that I just got did not have a seat on it. I found the email they sent me after I rebooked and I just looked at the top and saw a seat number. I went to that carriage and the luggage rack was completely full. I had nowhere to put my suitcase. The guy behind me so graciously took all the bags down and rearranged them so I could fit my bag and he even lifted it up there. My bag was on top and then more bags where on top of that.

Then I get to my seat and find a little kid sitting there. I said, "Hi, is this where you're sitting because I have this seat." His slightly older sister sitting behind him pops up and shows me his ticket and says, "this is our seats, look!" And she did. Her dad was sitting behind her and he pops up a bit aggressively and asks/demands what's the problem here?!

Fuck! I want off this train!

I go back down the aisle, and I yank my luggage off the rack as hard as I can to get out out from beneath the stack of bags on top of it, and in doing so, I sliced my hand open.

The train doors are now closed. I push a button and they open. I get off with my bloody hand and luggage and decide I'll just go back to the hotel.

Then I see an employee on the platform, and ask him to help me get sorted. I told him that I have a ticket and there's a little kid sitting in my seat with a ticket. He looked at my email and said this ticket is for the train that was canceled. He scrolled down further and found my new ticket. "You're way down at the end," he says.

I get to the correct carriage and there's plenty of space for my luggage. I slid it in. I sit down and look at my hand covered in blood.

It was rough.

I sit down and start listening to a podcast for like half an hour, but I'm too distressed to pay attention. I needed to process what just happened.

So, I start writing in my journal, which makes me start crying. I had my mask on and put on my sunglasses and just silently cried for a few minutes but then I had to stop. The train made a stop and a guy got on and sat next to me. So I just had to sit there like a statue the rest of the trip.

It was a four hour trip. My butt and back were stiff and sore. And I had to pee for hours. The joys of traveling!

Anyway, I made it! That's half the battle.

I still did epic shit and had a good time. Check out my Scotland adventures.