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It was a wonderful but, a very tiring trip because of all the walking I had done. I am getting older and I think, I should enjoy travel more since it looks like it is going to be harder as I age. Honestly, given my current condition, I do not see myself traveling much after 70. So, in these 14 years ahead of me, I should travel more to the places I really want to see.

Here are some do's and don'ts in Edinburgh

1. Take the City Sightseeing tour on the first day of your visit and purchase only the Green Line. You really do not need the Red Line and the Purple Line. I did them all in 48 hours and saw that, it wasn't necessary.

2. Use the Lothian buses. I loaded the app on my cell phone and it was great. They have what they call Tap Tap Cap which is an inexpensive option to travel around the city. 

3. If you want to go see the Royal Yacht Britannia, you can take the tram or a Lothian Bus. No need for the Purple tour. If you haven't watched The Crown, I would recommend you to watch the few episodes Britannia was shown and talked about especially the Queen's bidding farewell to her beloved yacht before visiting.

4. I think, Maid of Forth is an overrated tour. I did it but, if I hadn't, it would not be a loss. Couldn't see any puffins. Bummer. It was interesting to see three bridges built in 3 different centuries though. 

5. I chose not to drive but, now I think, I could have driven to places like The Kelpies, The Stirling Castle and Inverness etc. I will do it next time. I stayed in the City but, I could have stayed a little out of the City, took the buses in and drive out to the places above. Next time. 

6. Even in July, it was cold and it rained almost every day but, the showers were short so, they weren't joy killers at all. I had a cotton sweater and a lightweight winter jacket with me and I am glad I had them. And yes you need an umbrella and a raincoat. 

7. The Holyrood Palace is a great place to see. The gardens are awesome.

8. Didn't go up the Edinburgh Castle or Arthur's Seat or Calton Hill. If you are young and have good knees, by all means do it.

9. Most museums were free so, enjoy as many as you like.

10. Try haggis. It is quite tasty in fact.

11. Can't drink hard liquor so, I had no whisky and gin tastings but, I heard, they are really good.

12. Bring really comfy shoes. I love my New Balance 990s and I could not have survived this trip without them. I walked between 10K and 15K steps every day. I am also glad I brought some Voltaren with me to rub my tendons after a nice shower each day. If you forget it, it is available OTC by the name of Voltrol or something?

13. I used Expedia to book my flight and hotel as a package and it worked well. The direct flight from Istanbul to Edinburgh on Turkish Airlines takes about 4 hours. 

14.A lot of friends asked me why I did not join a tour. Here is the reason: I am notoriously independent. I just can't deal with other people on vacation except for my SIS and BIL and a couple of friends. They know me well and even when on vacation together they know when I need my space and do my thing. If tours are your thing, I am sure there is a lot of value in joining one.

15. Took a day trip to Glasgow. The University of Glasgow was breathtaking. It is a must see in my opinion.

16. I stayed at YOTEL Edinburgh in a Premium Queen Suit. It was tiny but enough for one. For two, it may be overcrowded. They also have a design problem with shower stall. Each time you shower, water finds it's way out of the stall. It is annoying. I had seen this in the comments but, I thought that it would have been fixed. Not. 

I will be posting pictures soon.

Good to be back home and take a long nice shower in my own bathroom.