Thursday, April 12, 2007

Edinburgh by very large four wheel drive vehicle...and back

A Toyota Tonka Toy Landcrfuiser, to be exact, belonging to my wife and On No Account To Be Scratched Or Dented While In My Keeping On Pain of DREADFUL REPERCUSSIONS!
Hmmm...Edinburgh is no place for cars. It's ancient streets tie the traffic in knots, and this has been compounded by the city centre's omnipresent building work and some incredibly strange traffic management decisions. Two hours, leaving at 4.00pm, from The Tun at Holyrood to Byres Road. I couldn't be bothered doing that every day.
Why the Landcruiser, you ask? Well, Susan had to go home, leaving her Beloved Vehicle in my hands. I had to go to Edinburgh to get young large James, deliver him and double bass to the NYOS course at Merchiston Castle School (normally a care home for posh people's weans, so I understand) and then do the radio show from Embra as well. All would have been straightforward had it not suddenly become apparent that James needed the following for the course: A music stand; a double bass stool; a pair of smart black trousers; a pair of black shoes; a pair of black socks; a plain navy blue tie; a white long-sleeved shirt. None of which he had with him.
An exclusive music shop called Stringers in York Place were very unhelpful (and patronising). Rae Mackintosh at the other end of Princes Street were great; The Morningside Oxfam Shop were superb (they even had a suitable stool) and the smoked salmon sandwich in Starbucks on George Street was foul in the extreme. Somehow, we managed to get everything but the tie and the shoes. BUT Fiona from the BBC is lending me a pair of her son's shoes, which, amazingly, are size 13, like James. And there must be a plain tie in a charity shop somewhere in Glasgow. I WILL FIND IT! In time for the concert on Saturday...probably...

1 comment:

hoolet said...

hi tom
aye embra is a horrendeous place for caurs your better parkin at the gyle and gettin a bus