09.39 Today is the Epiphany or Twelfth day. We’re awake and have showered. Christer met the same Asian young man in the shower room that he met yesterday. At breakfast we noticed that it was snowing, but it has eased now. Today a day trip out of town is on the schedule.

10.21 We’ve left the Caledonian Backpackers hostel and we have reached Young Street a block away from where we live. We are now standing outside the Oxford Bar, the pub we’ve read so much about. This is where the detective John Rebus go to quench his thirst. In reality it is rather the writer Ian Rankin who likes the place.

The Oxford Bar (http://www.oxfordbar.com)

10.49 We walked further and reached the Saint Andrew's Square where we looked for a bus stop. We just missed the bus that would have taken us from here. Now we just have to wait. Well something else might be done in the meantime.

11.09 We are walking around the area near Waverley Station, the station where we arrived the other day. We are about to find out more about this area.

11.40 We’ve found out where the shuttle bus to the airport departs from. We will be using it tomorrow morning. Now we are onboard another bus, bus 15A from the company Lothian. We're going to the village of Roslin. An English girl has just got on and then walked around and asked someone to change her pound note. The bus ticket machine only accepts coins.

The small village Roslin.

Scotland received some snow during the night.

Snow white hills south of Edinburgh.

12.18 Our bus ride took us through South Edinburgh and the countryside. We passed among other things a modest ski resort and various villages. We are now in the peaceful village of Roslin. The sun shines and there is fresh snow on the fields around us. The only people we´ve seen here are the passengers who got off our bus and a few others who are waiting for a bus in the other direction.

12.46 We are now at Rosslyn Chapel known from the book and movie The Da Vinci Code. It was a short walk here from the village centre. It cost us £7.70 to enter here. We are not in the chapel, but in a small building nextdoor. Here we are looking at a small exhibition. We are about to see a short information film. We are just waiting for the ongoing performance to end.

13.02 Now we are standing outside the famous, much talked and written about chapel. It is surrounded by scaffolding. What is it about us that we so often come to landmarks with scaffolding around it?

13.14 I'm sitting on a bench inside the chapel. Here it is quiet and cool/cold. There are beautiful pillars and ornaments everywhere. Here are biblical/religious connections but also maize. This rock art was made 50 years before Columbus discovered America (and maize) and is one of the most mysterious things about this chapel (http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk). Unfortunately there is a photo ban inside the chapel. We have to memorize what we have seen.

We look for knowledge and will not say no to a free information video.

Rosslyn Chapel is being renovated outside and inside there is a photo ban.

Christer is entering Rosslyn Chapel.

13.39 The chapel was clearly worth visiting but the question is whether it was at least as amazing to walk around in this small Scottish village, see all the lovely scenery and feel the calm that prevails here.

13.54 After looking at the village church, we have now walked out of the village. We are standing and getting overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery. Christer who suffered from acute hunger and energy shortage bought a few bananas and some candy in one of the village's two shops.

14.13 After a bit more walking around in the village, we are now waiting for the bus back to Edinburgh. A short distance away at 29 Main Street John Lawson Johnston was born. He is the man who created Bovril beef tea? A high-tech display at the bus stop is counting down the time for the arrival of the next bus. Any delay is also listed on the display.

Beautiful winter landscape north of Roslin.

A very modern bus stop in Roslin.

14.29 The bus came, albeit slightly delayed. The journey home to Edinburgh has begun. There is pure white snow here and there. We are sitting on the bus’ upper floor and are looking through some forgotten free newspapers.

14.58 We’ve jumped off the bus and are now walking through the park area Bruntsfield Links. We are looking for our police hero John Rebus fictional apartment and we are also in desperate need of a lunch. We have to hurry before the lunch turns into a dinner instead.

15.12 We finally arrived at Arden Street. It is on this street he lives, John Rebus. I know I keep talking about this man but the books about him are really good. They are for a start really good detective stories which also contains great descriptions of Edinburgh and crude Scottish humour. The other books by Ian Rankin are also recommended (http://www.ianrankin.net).

Peter is standing on Arden Street.

15.41 We are not just looking at the different sights. Recently, we’ve watched and read from a menu. We are in the small restaurant Tikka Mahal. They offer Indian cuisine and are located at 53 Clerk Street. The man who took my order said something about my food. It sounded as if he said "Swedish" but he probably didn’t. He more likely said something with "dish". I wonder if it is spicy. It sounded like a warning.

17.06 It was not spicy at all, but very tasty. Christer ordered a "Tandoori mix” and got various dead animals on a steaming iron tray. The prices were also really good. We later passed the city morgue on Cowgate on our way home. Even this place is mentioned in the books mentioned. Now we are visiting our third Starbucks in town. Coffee is great! and so are muffins.

Christer's delicious "Tandoori Mix, affordable and good.

Christer has received a "hot dish".

18.19 We are back in room 9 again. We are counting the money and planning the evening. We must find balance in it all.

20.55 After browsing a bit on the internet, we´re ready to go out for one last night here in Scotland.

21.17 We stopped in a wine and liquor store and bought something to take home to the ones there. We saw a young lady with a big backpack in the store. Now we are at the Rendezvous, Edinburgh's oldest Chinese restaurant (http://www.edinburghrendezvous.co.uk). It opened in 1956 and is located at 10a Queensferry Street. This is the place we could watch from our room. Here is also the backpack girl.

22.06 It was a delicious last meal. We also bought some sweet things in a grocery store. Now we have packed everything for the departure tomorrow. Now it is time to get a bit lazy, some sweets and a little reading.

23.16 My part of laziness and reading has come to an end. Now I'll start to climb up to the upper berth. Tomorrow is dedicated to a single long journey home.

Friday 7th of January

07.38 Two men with a cold has just woken up, the last breakfast on this trip will soon be eaten. After that follows the final packing procedures before the trip home begins. We will, if all goes well, be sleeping in Sundsvall by this time tomorrow.

08.10 Christer has been taking a shower and have for the third morning in succession, met the man, a man of Asian descent. Back at the room, he threw away his blue and white towel. It has been with us on many trips. Now it is on the journey towards the unknown.

08.58 The breakfast is finished. Now it's time for a last Scottish dental care.

Warnings about "black ice" on the roads this chilly morning. The picture is from Princes Street.

Peter will use the airport bus.

09.42 We are sitting on yet another airport bus. It is the third on this journey. We can, just like we did on the bus in Dublin, watch the luggage downstairs on a TV screen. In front of us a Swedish lady with her daughter is sitting. It is the Swedes who we saw at Euro Hostel in Glasgow. It sure is a small world!

10.54 Ahead of us in the check in line for the Ryanair flight we saw the Asian man, the guy from the shower. He had his girlfriend with him and they are, according to their passports, Thais. The scanner could not read our pre-printed boarding cards at the check in. New ones were made. Then we had to take our backpacks to counter 0. This is where special baggage is sent from. We should arrive to Sundsvall in about 16 hours. Now we are at Caffé Nero for a coffee break and to spend our last pounds and pences.

Edinburgh Airport

Christer is having a light lunch at Caffé Nero.

11.52 We slowly moved through the security checkpoint. We are now however ready to queue at the gate.

12.17 So here we go again. We are sitting on another plane from Ryanair, a plane that will take us to Skavsta Airport. Now it's also time to set the clocks on Swedish time.

We are leaving Scotland for this time.

The bridges across Firth of Forth.

13.53 Our plane has taken off and we have left Edinburgh behind us and flew straight over the Firth of Forth bridges. One of these is mentioned in one of the Rebus novels, in the context of a rather tragic event. Right now we have the county of Fife outside and below the window. The author of Rebus, Ian Rankin, comes from here/there. Now there is an offer to buy smokefree cigarettes on this plane.

15.02 A dull flight begins to come to an end. I slept on and off during the trip.

SWEDEN

15.34 We've landed, but can/are not allowed to leave the plane. They want everyone in the plane next to us to board first. Now something is happening.

16.03 It was only a short wait. We went through passport control to the luggage belt. Now we are on board the airport bus to the City Terminal in Stockholm. Believe it or not by the luggage conveyor we saw that Asian man again!

18.11 We finally arrived in Stockholm. Due to change of departure for our flight, we could not travel with the bus departure at 18.00. We managed to change the tickets to the Y-bus night bus instead. Therefore, we now have some time to kill. Right now, there will be dinner at a fast food place, Maestro Kebab. I managed to order the hamburger meal, something they don’t even offer. I even said it three times.

We spent a few hours in a snowy Stockholm.

19.45 We have been walking around in a wintry Stockholm. We bought our upcoming breakfast at an ICA grocery store on Sveavägen. Now we are back at the City Terminal, waiting for the Y-bus to take us to the north.

21.11 So, we are back in place on a Y-bus again. The travelling is over for this time. All that now remains is the return journey. There has been an eventful trip. We go home filled with new experiences and ideas. Now we will soon return to everyday life, a day that will be spiced up with plans for new adventures.

Saturday 8th of January

01.30 Our bus continues towards home. We got off and stretched our legs at the food stop in Tönnebro. We also sat down for a little something to eat.

02.35 We’ve reached the bus station in Sundsvall. We are about to walk slowly towards Christer´s apartment. It is plenty of snow here and we already miss the easy walked streets on the British Isles.

03.15 We are in Christer´s apartment. All I want to do is sleep.

One last walk in the winter night. After that the trip is over.