Don't feel bad about the car situation! You absolutely did the right thing if you didn't feel comfortable driving it. Too many people would have carried on anyway and risked hurting themselves and/or others! I would have done the same as you in that situation.
I agree. I think you were very brave just giving it a go. You're in a strange country where we drive on the opposite side of the road to what you're used to and you're not used to driving a manual car. Well done for trying and you made the right decision not to carry on when you didn't feel comfortable with it 😊
Doing these supplementary posts where you talk to camera expanding on your previous day’s holiday footage is, so good! And pretty unique, I don’t think I’ve seen it done by others on UA-cam, so “Well Done you!” - you might start a trend for Vacation Vlogs. 👍
N.B. We don’t drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, we drive on the ‘other’ side of the road. Horse and carts were travelling on the left here long before 1492.
You definitely made the right decision not to drive mate... If you did't feel comfortable or confident to be behind the wheel in a daunting new country with different laws. I am very confident to drive anywhere in UK but won't drive abroad myself 🙈. I'm loving watching your trip and hope you manage to get back over one day 💙❤️
Very true. Don’t even like driving in a town/city I’m unfamiliar with - so Edinburgh would be tricky to ‘hit the ground running’. For me it would be comparable to driving a car on one of the Greek islands… which I’ve done and is stressful
I tried driving in Florida and my instinct was to turn left (forgetting that the lane to the left of me) had faster traffic coming up 😂. Nearly caused mayhem
@@_Professor_Oak He probably thought he'd likely be okay - he stated he'd driven manual before - but add in jet-lag, stress, different country, high volume traffic, opposite side of the road and the heat of the day, and he decided it was too much. Gave it a good go though. Good on him for trying, and good on him for knowing his limits. And as for the clutch, I'm sure a guy who rents out cars (or at least that one) must know a decent low cost mechanic, or he's making a mistake renting out the car.
Stag and hen parties are a nightmare on trains and Edinburgh is a popular weekend destination for them. I am sorry you didn't get to see more of my home, Scotland, but I do hope you come back.
Hilarious! American tourists are infamously loud and obnoxious...luckily not all of them. Always respect the local customs and be a cool, kind tourist. You'll find intelligent, funny, cool, respectful, friendly people everywhere. You seem like two really nice people. I wish we could have shown you how to get around and where to go.
Hey guys, I get the whole driving problem you had. I've done two Scotland trips so far. First time I stayed and looked at Edinburgh for a couple days and did a smaller round trip with a short visit to the isle of skye and back via Inverness and I can just say, that there is so much amazing stuff just on the way, it never gets boring. I came back last year for a second time to do the NC500 and more, this time better prepared, knowing how most things work there. I would consider myself a decent driver with all sorts of vehicles, manual, 30 gears, whatever, but thats just one part of it right. You have the whole driving on the left side thing (which I had done befor, but in less busy regions...), but for me the most stressing thing was all the little differences. Markings on the road I had never seen before, and some I still dont know what they mean... Those giant roundabouts, sometimes just right on a 4 lane motorway with traffic lights and to me very confusing signs for the different lanes to get in and out of it... Bus lanes just starting and ending anytime anywhere,... But that was mainly around the busy bigger cities, and I somehow always managed to calmly get through to the quiter countryside. Ther, other perils await! Those roads are really narrow (I'm from Germany, so already used to way smaller roads than you should know from the US...), and often not much or not at all marked (lines on them...) Sometimes you get giant hedges right on the roadside on both sides, so you are driving through almost a tunnel, no clue where you are going. SHEEP!!! Everywhere! :) And so on. Did stress me out many times, so also struggeling with a manual car, I totally understand you. BUT: Come back, get a compact, somewhat sturdy automatic rental car and do that North Coast 500 thing ! --> It's worth any effort to have this adventure and see all that raw untaimed nature and beautifull countryside and the small towns and hiatory and all! DO IT! Wish you the very best on all your trips, I'll keep watching.
I`m Scottish, my German wife almost flipped the first time we encountered single track roads without markings, while she was driving. It was the lack of markings that did it, although driving in the middle of the road was a new experience, along with cattle grids and animals on the road. In saying that, I lost a couple of Kilos driving on German autobahn for the first time😅
You could have had a ‘highway code’ book sent out to you before you drove, it explains all the rules an regulations for driving, it would have been a big help to you…. 👍
@@stuborn-complaining-german I did the same when I went to Australia, they put there Highway Code book in the post an sent it to England, was really useful, enjoy your next tour 👍
I'm curious what markings on the road you didn't understand? and if you go a little further off the nc500 you will also encounter highland cows in the middle of the road lol
Smoke in the car sounds like you were burning the clutch by starting in the wrong gear. In a manual you have to work up from first gear to second gear and then third.....
Some of my family live there and my brother drives a huge HGV on tiny roads he sends me some amazing pictures of his trips. He just did the Scotland 500 in a huge wagon carrying a craine 🙈. Stunning environment it's on my bucket list
I tried to tell them that a dozen times on their live videos. I visited Fort William and Inverness in 2009 form Essex, and my photography career started there. Unmatched beauty in that part of the island❤
I see you have the classic tourist burn, but hope it wasn't too uncomfortable. I worked in hospitalities for a long time and people always underestimate the sun in Scotland, there is near constant breeze so it doesn't feel hot but the burn time can be as little as 30 minutes. All summer working in a hotel I'd see pale tourists in the morning and warn them to use sunblock, get dismissed by them ("It's not that warm") and then serve the new lobsters when they came back later in the day lol
As a fair skinned Scott I can burn after about 10 minutes. So now I wear SPF every single day (I'm in my 60s now) - staying indoors probably just my moisturiser which has SPF 15 built in but outside I use at least SPF 30, probably SPF 50. And I stay in the shade when I can - took me about 30 years to admit I just don't tan _ever!_ 😉
Just ask for help!! I'm a Northerner & when I see lost tourists I help as much as I can, Scottish people are equally as friendly, just ask honestly people will help, get out of the city take a train from Glasgow & head further up to the Highlands it's beautiful! & quiet & peaceful..........
I spent 7-days driving around Scotland this past May. Have driven manual shift cars and trucks for over 50 years so that was not a problem and left side of road no problem. But, the never ending roundabouts started to stress me out. I did hit a curb while trying to make sense of a road sign and promptly had a flat tire, Sat am in a really small village. Got the spare out and car jacked up no problem, but the rim with the flat tire would not break loose, what to do?? A middle aged man pulled up in a van, jumped out and opened his back door, pulled out another jack and large hammer and had the spare tire on in 5-minutes. Offered him 20 pounds for his trouble and he refused saying if he was broke down he would hope someone would stop and help him. Scottish hospitality at it's finest!! I will never forget that man! You have a beautiful country and I can't wait to return.
Yea I agree with get out of the city, if you must base in one then choose a smaller one. Anything on the outskirts of Inverness is a good base to be able to get everywhere while having easy access to everything you need, including an airport which can take you straight to a connection airport to USA
Very sensible not driving the car if you don't feel comfortable. A good tip is to drive late at night or to fly from London to Edinburgh...it's not too expensive and hassle free. I'm so glad you like Scotland. It's a wonderful place to live xx
Very good call! It’s incredibly stressful driving on the different side of the road of what you’re used to. I’m Danish and once I went with friends on a trip. One friend who was a good driver was going to be driving the whole time, and we made sure to have a gps. It was kind of ok at first, but the roundabouts got us. He just couldn’t place himself in the right lane, so we would get out of the roundabout by the wrong road, there were so many roundabouts, and we kept getting further and further away from where we were going! In the end, we took a break, drew sketches of roundabouts and figured out a strategy. It worked, but so stressful. So good on you for listening to your instincts.
I do not understand the problem. I am from the UK and have driven my car, with right hand drive, many times in France and elsewhere. I have never had a problem, even with roundabouts. Just concentrate
The UK rail system is often at maximum traffic capacity. So the scheduling and routing have to be very efficient, flexible, adaptable and quick. You often don't get platform announcements earlier than 10-15 minutes before departure. Because due to the maximum traffic capacity. What platform the train can come into often can't be determined in advance. Often the train is simply given whichever platform is currently free when the train is just a few minutes out from reaching the station. The train doors close to passengers 45 seconds - 2 minutes before departure. To guarantee that the train can definitely leave precisely at its departure time without delay and vacate the platform for the next train that will need to use it. Because of how maxed out the traffic capacity is. There simply isn't any room for delay. Just one significant delay can start a chain reaction that causes disruption and delay to multiples of traffic across large parts of the rail network.
I call just lazy design on that. If the schedule is that tight, then there should be no problem on pre determine what platform will be free at each point of time. Also if the doors closing is an issue. Why on earth just not announce the departure time 1-2min early and give passengers the correct time they have to be onboard.
@@ImaginarySpace pre-allocating the platforms works fine, provided everything runs perfectly to schedule. The moment anything is delayed, you then have to start reshuffling things around because the platform that the train was originally allocated to is now expected to be used by a different train. The other issue is that is a terminus station, and as such, the train gets cleaned as part of the turnaround (emptying bins, pick up litter left behind, etc.). The moment the platform is announced, passengers will go to the train and start to board, which then gets in the way of the staff that are trying to clean the train. It's not generally too much of a problem - passengers congregate on the station concourse waiting for the platform to be announced, and once that happens, there's enough time to get to the train and board. The only "problem" I'd see is that it's typically a bit of a bunfight once the platform is announced, as everyone rushes to get the "nice" seats.
@@ImaginarySpace You can't pre-determine which platform will be free because not everything arrives and leaves on time. As Andy stated, just one train leaving late means that platform isn't available for the next one, which has to go into another platform, which then becomes unavailable etc etc. This is a problem that mainly affects terminus stations like King's Cross because the trains are occupying platforms for longer than other stations where the trains just pass through. It's not rocket science.
@@ImaginarySpace Echoing what others have replied. The issue with pre-determined platform allocation isn't down to the scheduling. It's down to the fact that the UK's rail network is one of the densest and busiest in the world, and is permanently running at about 95% traffic capacity. This is because the UK for its small size has a very big population. Most of the population is densely packed together in the UK's cities and towns. As most of the UK is still very sparse uninhabited farmland and picturesque countryside. Hence why they said it reminded them of the American Midwest. As the network is running at 95% capacity and some of its big city stations are dead-end terminus stations, such as London's King's Cross station. Extremely efficient reshuffling of the rail traffic has to constantly take place in order to prevent complete traffic gridlock across large parts of the network. There just isn't enough flexibility within the almost full traffic capacity to always pre-determine in advance which precise platform a train will arrive at and depart from. Many trains converge from different routes and arrive at the choke points which are the stations roughly simultaneously. Consequently, the trains simply have to enter whichever platforms have been vacated and made available to them just prior to their arrival.
They don't announce the platform too early or crowding on the platform will occur and that may be dangerous as the train comes in. When the train empties its passengers on to that platform its made worse.
Love the recaps you guys are doing. It really adds to the videos you made &!Angela’s narration on the videos is really great. I really hope you can make it back at some point in the not too distant future because albeit a small country, there’s so much to see. Best wishes
My family and I have just returned after two weeks in Scotland and we go every single year without fail until the pandemic struck. We never travel all the way there from England. We start the day before we split the difference between the time we need to arrive to when we leave the middle bit is when we stop and book into either a hotel or guest house and continue the journey upwards. Edinburgh is one of my favourite places in the world. We book an apartment which is on the royal mile we have three bedrooms bathroom 2 on suites dining room sitting room it is beautiful clean and tidy coffee and tea facilities the only down side of it was it's right near the strip clubs. Arthurs seat I used to be able to do not anymore but it is worth it the views are awesome. The people are so friendly and we've been all over Aberdeen Glasgow the Lochs the highlands.
When travelling to England from the far north of Scotland we take a couple of days there and back. Only do it once a year if that. I agree you really need to split your journey especially when driving. Glad you enjoy the Highlands. My favourite part, but I might be biased 😉
You made the right decision. Top tip: in big towns/cities your better off without a car, most places you want to go will be serviced by buses, next time have a look at coach tours or, maybe get an automatic so you can explore rural areas ... large places also frequently have park and ride so you don't have to stress about navigating and parking.
Ah, the classic stag doo group of lads on a train. Love the East Coast main line coming in to Waverly .. so picturesque! Thats a classic munchy box! So much good chippy food in one box!!
Don’t know if you saw him but they often have a guy at Kings Cross with a Hawk that flys around to keep the pigeons out of the station. It’s not always there but it’s interesting to see this amazing bird flying around the station.
Last time it was at Trafalgar Square for me... and I spotted them because I noticed the pigeons were leaving. Wonder if it's the same people/birds doing the rounds across London, or organised separately?
My mum lives in Edinburgh and I live very near. I never get tired of it! You have to come back and do some countryside though and more of Edinburgh too!
I know you can get a train to Oban from Glasgow Central, I think there are 2 a day. Its a 3 hour journey though beautiful countryside and Oban is well worth a visit. I drove there and stopped multiple times to take photos, I think you pass 3 lochs including Loch Lomond.
You guys need to come back to Edinburgh to see Dean Village, the Water of Leith and much more. Clan Broonford UA-cam channel goes over a lot of less known Edinburgh sights
I live in Scotland and I get stressed driving in Edinburgh and Glasgow as there are lots of road restrictions and one way streets that can catch you out if you are a stranger to both cities so you did the right thing,I live 30 miles from Glasgow and always use public transport to get there,glad you are loving our bonnie Scotland
Hey Ethan, so sorry you had a bit of a stressful time with the car. I guess hindsight is 20/20 but next time just get an automatic!!! I am pleased it got sorted for you and that you were in such an amazing city so it is not a deal breaker. Loving the re-caps as much as the vlogs...Stay safe...
I always book an automatic if I'm driving in an unfamiliar country and on the opposite side of the road, it just removes an extra layer of stress and allows you to focus on everything else. The only time I had a manual was when I rented a car in Japan but they drive on the left anyway so it was pretty easy.
@@lloydmorganmoore7810 It's just as stressful driving an automatic if you are only used to driving a manual. Went to the USA back in the 1970s and had to drive an automatic and nearly crashed it before getting out of the parking lot! Nobody told me that if you took your foot off the foot brake, the car would lurch forward. Only just managed to stop it in time before it went into the car in front. Also getting onto the main road, I was looking the wrong way and nearly pulled out in front of another car.
@@CamcorderSteve Ah that's half the fun! You've not been on a trip driving on the other side of the road until you've ended up going the wrong way! I've done it in the USA, Greece, France... it's always great fun. It's nice to meet the locals head-on. Well maybe not, but it's certainly... invigorating. The first fifteen minutes is ****ing with the wrong hand, and after that everything flips around and it's fine. DW had a problem with the gearbox once in France. For me, first gear is 'to the left and forward', but for her it was 'away from me and forward'. The result was that she kept trying to pull away in fifth. That didn't work brilliantly. I'm interested to know what the smoke could have been, coming from OP's hire-car? Was it just clutch-smoke, or was it maybe from the handbrake?
@@simpleminded1uk Around a month ago I was driving home in my own car, so I had no excuse, and for whatever reason I found myself trying to accelerate in 5th gear, away from traffic lights going at around 10mph. Thinking about it, I must have been decelerating towards the lights, not bothering to change down and the lights changed just in time to prevent me having to stop and forgetting I was in fifth gear!! The point I am trying to make is that for about a couple of minutes afterwards, there was a strong smell of burning coming from the engine. So Nathan may simply have been a bit unlucky. Unlike me who should have known better...
Totally understandable about the car, you were definitely brave going for a manual, having to be on the other side, gear change with the other hand etc. Automatic makes life so much easier
Funny when you mentioned the kids having 'accents' as on my wife's first visit to Wales, on our first trip into town, she said "Wow, even the little kids have accents!" I asked if she expected them to sound just like her, or in other words, 'NO accent'! when they were young , and then pick up 'an accent' as they grew older! BTW, did any one else have difficulty understanding Ethan? Maybe it was the echo in the room, or he was talking faster in this video, but I missed many words. It wasn't the accent as I live in W Canada!
We normally stay just outside Edinburgh when we visit as its not worth taking the car into the city and the train is only 4 stops into Waverley. If you visit again the Royal Yacht Brittania is worth a visit.
If you visit the UK again, especially if you redo Scotland, then don't forget there is a huge part of the UK you will miss out on - the south of England from east to west - Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon & Cornwall. I think when most Americans visit the UK, they land in London and then go straight to Scotland afterwards. But this means you are missing out on the biggest part of the UK countryside which is south of London.
At King's cross You're never really more than 5 minutes walk from any platform. Also the trains for a given destination tend to go out from around the same platform number all the time, so just ask one of the uniformed staff which platform the train normally goes out from for your destination. They will tell you roughly which area you should be waiting in, which should take the stress down a notch or to two.
One of the joys of travel is the problems and obstacles you come across and learning how to overcome adversity. This stretches you as a person and it really enhances your ability to function confidently in life. However, some don't see the benefits and just see the frustrations. It'll be interesting to see where you end up at the end of your journey!! :)
These kinds of things make a holiday memorable. When it happens it's a nightmare, but later you can laugh about it. I remember when my luggage got lost in the Philippines and when I went to sort it out I found out it was a part-time airport. Luckily my taxi drive could speak English but that was an experience...
Making sure you got to Kings Cross half an hour in advance of the train does seem a bit excessive. Its not like you have to check in like with a flight. Its simply a case of if you're on the train when the doors close then its ok. I've only ever seen notices that say that doors close 30 seconds before departure. I assume that that's so that the train actually leaves on time.
@@shakz86 From what I can work out (based on what was written on a sign that featured in one of their videos when Ethan went for his walk at 4am), I don't think they were staying too far from Sloane Square. If that was the case then I would have taken the tube from there to Kings Cross St Pancras (changing at Victoria). Traffic conditions on the road would not affect my decision in any way.
Looks like Angela fell for the old 'wind + sun = Secretly being burnt to hell' trick. Im sure the stressful car story will be something you can look back on in the future and laugh about. Where's the fun if everything went to plan? looking forward to seeing more of your travels.
They don’t always know what platform the train is going to be departing from until the last minute as it depends on numerous factors, including the arrival of that train from the opposite direction, as the main station will be the end of the route. Also, there are so many platforms. 20 platforms is about the norm for the major London train stations (of which there are several). They always announce the platforms quite close to the train pulling in so you just have to keep your eyes peeled.
You should have gone across to st. Pancras railway station just to have a look. A beautiful railway station it's where you catch the Eurotunnel trains. Massive big red building. Maybe next time..
You were probably fortunate to visit during a cold snap, it's been pretty warm here the last week and is supposed to hit 97°F by early next week. That would have made all your walking pretty miserable, especially with the humidity.
I wouldn't feel bad about abandoning the car, I've been driving for 28 years and don't enjoy a single second of it - particularly in cities. Glad you had a great trip!
Great vid, can normally go to the information desks to check on what platforms the trains will arrive. But have not been to London for over two years or so, so may have changed.
Driving on the opposite side to what you are used to takes a little while but adding gear changing to the mix and town traffic is really daunting. I've driven on the "other" side of the road, but using my own car so there has been only one thing to get used to. You were right to change your plans. Don't be disappointed at missing what was on your list. There will be many things to see that you didn't expect that will be just as rewarding, of not more so. Enjoy the unexpected.
The sun in Scotland can be a bit sneaky. Sea breezes from the coasts can make it feel cooler than you think it is. You can't get further than around 45 miles from a coast in Scotland and between "Embra" and Glasgow the width of the country is around just 25 miles coast to coast.
I very much applaud your decision not to drive under the circumstances. I live in the northwest Highlands, where we have a lot of traffic accidents in the tourist season, - very many caused by people driving vehicles they have never driven before on roads they have never travelled before in a country they do not know. That said, I am a retired police officer with 55 years' driving experience and the benefit of advanced driver training and I have vowed not to drive in Edinburgh ever again if I can possibly avoid it. - One of the worst traffic management schemes I have ever experienced.
Don't feel bad about the car, years ago my hubby and I rented a buggy type vehicle in Spain, got to the first junction and nearly got killed...😲...immediately turned round and took it back...lol....we lived in central London at the time and drove every day ... Never felt more stupid 😁
I've caught the train coming from KC at York many times and it's always packed by then, and you get about 3 minutes to get on and that's it, the doors are closed ! Edinburgh has just been voted No. 1 city in the world to visit by Time Out magazine !
If you ever come back across the pond and visit Continental Europe then the major cities all have international rail terminals that have massive departure boards. These show departures all across many countries for example in Paris you will see trains to Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Etc. Etc! They leave extremely punctually and many the same time/multiple times per day every day. The complex timetabling inter- countries is awesome!
If your in to ghost tours....there is a tour in Edinburgh that takes you under Edinburgh to the catacombs,or other ghost tours . Glad you enjoyed our beautiful country...Glasgow has great shopping,and food x
Train boards: the information moves to the left as the time of departure gets closer; the train may be in the station, but the crews take that time to clean and check the trains, then it's committed to a departure time upcoming, which is when the platform number will be displayed. This keeps crowds from blocking access on or off the train long before the train is ready.
Don’t feel bad about the car thing, you made the right decision. I work for a car rental company and it’s not unusual for Americans to put the odd dent in a car. In one memorable incident a lady managed to write off the vehicle just a hundred yards down the road…
Sorry about your car trouble. Getting used to a manual on our left side smaller roads isn’t easy. I have driven all over the world, but usually start somewhere quietish when in a new country. As for Scotland, if you come back, I would recommend Royal Deeside, the Highlands and any where west cost north of Glasgow (loch lomond, Ullapool, Skye and the trip from Ullapool to Inverness is beautiful).
I’ve learnt that a number of things are pretty much guaranteed when we travel abroad. 1. I always over-estimate how much we are able to do in the time that we have. 2. When I try to stick to my ambitious itinerary I end up frazzled and miserable. 3. Travelling between sites ALWAYS takes longer than I think it will. 4. If something can go wrong, it will. To be honest, I think that it is the same when we travel at home, in the UK, but I don’t get so stressed out about it because we are in our own country, and because it is easier to repeat an experience if it doesn’t pan out. In spite of this, I love travelling and have learned to be more philosophical when doing it - and to plan less 👍
Hey guys. Maybe next time you come to the UK 🇬🇧 you can tell us what cities you are going to visit and I'm sure you will find some of your subscribers will be more than happy to give you a lift (drive) from the airport or train station to your hotel. Also don't forget we have taxis available here which your hotel can arrange for you and the cost isn't much more than 2 bus tickets when travelling within a city. Communicate with your subscribers and they will help you. Also may I ask, how do you feel deep inside when you visit the UK. I have relatives from Utah and Kentucky, they say when they come to the UK they get a warm feeling of content and at home. They believe they have British or European dna hence their warm feelings.
I’m used to driving Scottish roads with a manual due to obviously being a native, but even if I went to the states, i’d always choose an auto to drive, like you say other side of the road, road signs, do’s and don’ts, there’s a lot going on without adding the complication of a manual… hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. I’m from Glasgow, you’ve definitely lucked out with the weather.
We took a train and asked where are platform was located. Locals and workers are very friendly and helpful. All you have to do is ask someone. I only got an Enterprise rental on my way out of Edinburgh. Countryside driving for practice was easier. I also got an automatic.
First time I drove on the wrong side was in New York. Picked up the rental at 8.30 Monday morning middle of Manhatten and drove up to Niagra. That was a fun learning experience!
Car hire companies in the UK will not rent a Manuel car to a US driver as those from the US pass their driving test on an automatic car. Here in the UK if you pass your test on a manual you can drive both a manual and automatic but if you pass on an automatic that’s all you can drive.
Hello you two glad to see your enjoying our fair country(ies) I did like the use of "coastal Route, (root) :) just a fact to take home with you... you are never, can never be more than 75 Miles from the coast in the UK.. to be 75, ish from any coast you have to be in the midlands around Derby, Nottingham, Ashby de la Zouch area... any hoo.. enjoy the rest of the trip..
Definitely make a return visit. Rent an automatic but give yourself a break overnight between arrival and starting a long drive, possibly arrange to collect the car away from a city centre. As has already been suggested do the North Coast 500, 500 miles circular route around the north of the country. Give yourself more time = less stress.
I stay in Scotland and hate driving in Edinburgh. I do some driving in Glasgow as I’m closer but usually jump the train. If you are wanting to see the rest of Scotland especially the highlands i would say it is easier to drive as its more open and lots of scenery and you should be able to get an automatic to drive
One other thing. It seems like you have been doing what I used to, prioritising cheap. I still do this where it makes sense (railcard + Lumo) but I have learned over time that you do need to balance with easy to make a fun trip.
You are right about the East Coast Main Line being a bit like travelling through the Midwest. The route was deliberately chosen to be the flattest and straightest so it isn't particularly interesting until you get up into County Durham and beyond.
You know what - it's all an experience. Obvious disappointments, but you've taken so much in and not just sticking to typical tourist areas. Certainly more to remember. Love watching you both.
Chicken shawarma is Middle Eastern... you'll find it in lots of small kebab/pizza shops across the country. Can be delicious when it's done well, but like anything, it depends on which place you get it from....
As a European driving in Britain as well, I can tell you another hour on the road and it starts to feel like you newer drove on the right side... It just klicks after a while. Never the less, I totally respect your decision to stop the car and decide to not do it... always safety first so everyone that tells you othervise is iresponsible imho....
Apparently travel broadens the mind, I think when you go anywhere the first time it's more about finding out the problems and now you've visited the next time you come fly to Manchester and make that your base there and plan everything and remember the north is more gritty the south is less gritty less travelling more visiting. Good luck
Loving it, driving can be so stressful, especially in such a busy cramped country - I get major stress going to different city in the UK, let alone being in another country...you made the right call. You could try it next time after a few days to relax.
If your not familiar with manual gearbox in Europe it does sound you were riding the clutch and will smoke and smell bad. I assume US manuals have the gear lever on the steering column?
A long story short, I was on a train into and out of London and the turn around is minutes. I mean 5 mins not 10, the train comes in, the staff change while passengers are getting on. I'm disabled so get 'assistance' if the train is in the station they take you straight to the train, but if it isn't they have to wait for the train to arrive before they take you to the platform because it can change.
Cities and travelling seem to always have that stress elements. Great way of learning new stuff but not always welcome when you want to relax. You made the right decision for the time you had available. I sympathise with the sunburn as I have that sort of complexion and have been caught out by surprise sunny weather too. Perhaps next time do a coach package in the Highlands and Islands. Its so beautiful if you love mountains and nature. Enjoyed watching your visit to my country very much.
Hello Ethan and Angela. I test drove a car to get used to automatic, with the sales guy as guide. I had a couple of them but I am back on manual. One previous manual got stuck in third gear and I managed to park downhill, then take it to a mechanic round the corner from home at lunch. Twenty miles in third gear running the clutch and managing not to stop. Your experience seemed more stressful and the gears were working. Next time you should consider booking Bruce from Scotland History Tours channel as a guide.
I'm surprised about the public transport sounding so bad in getting across to Glasgow. The bus from Edinburgh to Glasgow runs at 15 minute intervals and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. I can't wait to see what you made of your visit to my home town, Glasgow. I know you'll have had plenty of offers, but I would've loved to have treated you guys to lunch or dinner while you were here.
Don't feel bad about your driving stress. I am from Melbourne Australia so we drive on the left side of the road. When we in upstate New York we tried to drive just after a huge northeaster with snow everywhere. Very stressful! Luckily we had friends there who offered to drive us around.
could have done a quick day trip over to Belfast. Super cheap and very quick flights. Just taking hand luggage for the day. Often flights are only £10 each way - just use skyscanner to check flights next time. In fact, getting around lots of Europe is just as easy if you're flexible once you're over here
Don't feel bad about the car situation! You absolutely did the right thing if you didn't feel comfortable driving it. Too many people would have carried on anyway and risked hurting themselves and/or others! I would have done the same as you in that situation.
I agree. I think you were very brave just giving it a go. You're in a strange country where we drive on the opposite side of the road to what you're used to and you're not used to driving a manual car. Well done for trying and you made the right decision not to carry on when you didn't feel comfortable with it 😊
Doing these supplementary posts where you talk to camera expanding on your previous day’s holiday footage is, so good! And pretty unique, I don’t think I’ve seen it done by others on UA-cam, so “Well Done you!” - you might start a trend for Vacation Vlogs. 👍
I agree. I prefer it.
Would be even better if she didn’t constantly interrupt him when he’s talking.
N.B. We don’t drive on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, we drive on the ‘other’ side of the road. Horse and carts were travelling on the left here long before 1492.
That burning smell was almost certainly because you were riding the clutch.😂
Or had left the handbrake on? People who drive automatics (and I'm one of them) sometimes forget that handbrakes exist.
My first thought was, “Did he leave the handbrake on?”
Trains are on time because they will be fined nearly 3-6k per minute if they are delayed in UK.
You definitely made the right decision not to drive mate... If you did't feel comfortable or confident to be behind the wheel in a daunting new country with different laws. I am very confident to drive anywhere in UK but won't drive abroad myself 🙈.
I'm loving watching your trip and hope you manage to get back over one day 💙❤️
Very true. Don’t even like driving in a town/city I’m unfamiliar with - so Edinburgh would be tricky to ‘hit the ground running’.
For me it would be comparable to driving a car on one of the Greek islands… which I’ve done and is stressful
I tried driving in Florida and my instinct was to turn left (forgetting that the lane to the left of me) had faster traffic coming up 😂. Nearly caused mayhem
Yeah especially after he burned the fuck out of the poor guys clutch, why even rent a manual if you're not confident in your driving? 🤦♂️😂
@@_Professor_Oak He probably thought he'd likely be okay - he stated he'd driven manual before - but add in jet-lag, stress, different country, high volume traffic, opposite side of the road and the heat of the day, and he decided it was too much. Gave it a good go though. Good on him for trying, and good on him for knowing his limits.
And as for the clutch, I'm sure a guy who rents out cars (or at least that one) must know a decent low cost mechanic, or he's making a mistake renting out the car.
Me neither. The idea of driving in America made me cry. My husband had to do all the driving.
Stag and hen parties are a nightmare on trains and Edinburgh is a popular weekend destination for them. I am sorry you didn't get to see more of my home, Scotland, but I do hope you come back.
'Americans aren't that loud'. 😂 Love it.
Pot kettle black Springs to mind 😂
They sure are loud
That's exactly what I thought !! 🤣
English are rather loud, I have found. I'm a quiet one..
Hilarious! American tourists are infamously loud and obnoxious...luckily not all of them. Always respect the local customs and be a cool, kind tourist. You'll find intelligent, funny, cool, respectful, friendly people everywhere. You seem like two really nice people. I wish we could have shown you how to get around and where to go.
Hey guys, I get the whole driving problem you had. I've done two Scotland trips so far. First time I stayed and looked at Edinburgh for a couple days and did a smaller round trip with a short visit to the isle of skye and back via Inverness and I can just say, that there is so much amazing stuff just on the way, it never gets boring. I came back last year for a second time to do the NC500 and more, this time better prepared, knowing how most things work there.
I would consider myself a decent driver with all sorts of vehicles, manual, 30 gears, whatever, but thats just one part of it right.
You have the whole driving on the left side thing (which I had done befor, but in less busy regions...), but for me the most stressing thing was all the little differences.
Markings on the road I had never seen before, and some I still dont know what they mean...
Those giant roundabouts, sometimes just right on a 4 lane motorway with traffic lights and to me very confusing signs for the different lanes to get in and out of it...
Bus lanes just starting and ending anytime anywhere,...
But that was mainly around the busy bigger cities, and I somehow always managed to calmly get through to the quiter countryside.
Ther, other perils await!
Those roads are really narrow (I'm from Germany, so already used to way smaller roads than you should know from the US...), and often not much or not at all marked (lines on them...)
Sometimes you get giant hedges right on the roadside on both sides, so you are driving through almost a tunnel, no clue where you are going.
SHEEP!!! Everywhere! :)
And so on.
Did stress me out many times, so also struggeling with a manual car, I totally understand you.
BUT: Come back, get a compact, somewhat sturdy automatic rental car and do that North Coast 500 thing ! --> It's worth any effort to have this adventure and see all that raw untaimed nature and beautifull countryside and the small towns and hiatory and all! DO IT!
Wish you the very best on all your trips, I'll keep watching.
I`m Scottish, my German wife almost flipped the first time we encountered single track roads without markings, while she was driving. It was the lack of markings that did it, although driving in the middle of the road was a new experience, along with cattle grids and animals on the road.
In saying that, I lost a couple of Kilos driving on German autobahn for the first time😅
You could have had a ‘highway code’ book sent out to you before you drove, it explains all the rules an regulations for driving, it would have been a big help to you…. 👍
That's actually a good idea. I will do so before the next trip I plan in my classic vw bus once it's done being restored...
@@stuborn-complaining-german I did the same when I went to Australia, they put there Highway Code book in the post an sent it to England, was really useful, enjoy your next tour 👍
I'm curious what markings on the road you didn't understand? and if you go a little further off the nc500 you will also encounter highland cows in the middle of the road lol
Best tip for Americans coming to UK, always book an automatic car.
Smoke in the car sounds like you were burning the clutch by starting in the wrong gear. In a manual you have to work up from first gear to second gear and then third.....
You definitely need to explore the Highlands of Scotland. The scenery is amazing and so peaceful. I live in Inverness.
Some of my family live there and my brother drives a huge HGV on tiny roads he sends me some amazing pictures of his trips. He just did the Scotland 500 in a huge wagon carrying a craine 🙈. Stunning environment it's on my bucket list
Dingwall ?
A&E - you'll be welcome in Portree on the Isle of Skye ! My akita says hi !
I tried to tell them that a dozen times on their live videos.
I visited Fort William and Inverness in 2009 form Essex, and my photography career started there.
Unmatched beauty in that part of the island❤
We originally planned to go by inverary if the car had worked out. Not sure if that's in the same area or not.
I see you have the classic tourist burn, but hope it wasn't too uncomfortable. I worked in hospitalities for a long time and people always underestimate the sun in Scotland, there is near constant breeze so it doesn't feel hot but the burn time can be as little as 30 minutes. All summer working in a hotel I'd see pale tourists in the morning and warn them to use sunblock, get dismissed by them ("It's not that warm") and then serve the new lobsters when they came back later in the day lol
As a fair skinned Scott I can burn after about 10 minutes. So now I wear SPF every single day (I'm in my 60s now) - staying indoors probably just my moisturiser which has SPF 15 built in but outside I use at least SPF 30, probably SPF 50. And I stay in the shade when I can - took me about 30 years to admit I just don't tan _ever!_ 😉
You should have went to have a look at St Pancras Station.It is stunning.
Better for food too & right next door. But I guess going anywhere when you're buried in luggage is a pain.
Just ask for help!! I'm a Northerner & when I see lost tourists I help as much as I can, Scottish people are equally as friendly, just ask honestly people will help, get out of the city take a train from Glasgow & head further up to the Highlands it's beautiful! & quiet & peaceful..........
facts 90 percent of people will try and help if u ask
I spent 7-days driving around Scotland this past May. Have driven manual shift cars and trucks for over 50 years so that was not a problem and left side of road no problem. But, the never ending roundabouts started to stress me out. I did hit a curb while trying to make sense of a road sign and promptly had a flat tire, Sat am in a really small village. Got the spare out and car jacked up no problem, but the rim with the flat tire would not break loose, what to do?? A middle aged man pulled up in a van, jumped out and opened his back door, pulled out another jack and large hammer and had the spare tire on in 5-minutes. Offered him 20 pounds for his trouble and he refused saying if he was broke down he would hope someone would stop and help him. Scottish hospitality at it's finest!! I will never forget that man! You have a beautiful country and I can't wait to return.
Yea I agree with get out of the city, if you must base in one then choose a smaller one. Anything on the outskirts of Inverness is a good base to be able to get everywhere while having easy access to everything you need, including an airport which can take you straight to a connection airport to USA
Very sensible not driving the car if you don't feel comfortable. A good tip is to drive late at night or to fly from London to Edinburgh...it's not too expensive and hassle free. I'm so glad you like Scotland. It's a wonderful place to live xx
Very good call! It’s incredibly stressful driving on the different side of the road of what you’re used to. I’m Danish and once I went with friends on a trip. One friend who was a good driver was going to be driving the whole time, and we made sure to have a gps. It was kind of ok at first, but the roundabouts got us. He just couldn’t place himself in the right lane, so we would get out of the roundabout by the wrong road, there were so many roundabouts, and we kept getting further and further away from where we were going!
In the end, we took a break, drew sketches of roundabouts and figured out a strategy. It worked, but so stressful. So good on you for listening to your instincts.
I do not understand the problem. I am from the UK and have driven my car, with right hand drive, many times in France and elsewhere.
I have never had a problem, even with roundabouts.
Just concentrate
The UK rail system is often at maximum traffic capacity. So the scheduling and routing have to be very efficient, flexible, adaptable and quick.
You often don't get platform announcements earlier than 10-15 minutes before departure. Because due to the maximum traffic capacity. What platform the train can come into often can't be determined in advance. Often the train is simply given whichever platform is currently free when the train is just a few minutes out from reaching the station.
The train doors close to passengers 45 seconds - 2 minutes before departure. To guarantee that the train can definitely leave precisely at its departure time without delay and vacate the platform for the next train that will need to use it. Because of how maxed out the traffic capacity is. There simply isn't any room for delay. Just one significant delay can start a chain reaction that causes disruption and delay to multiples of traffic across large parts of the rail network.
I call just lazy design on that. If the schedule is that tight, then there should be no problem on pre determine what platform will be free at each point of time.
Also if the doors closing is an issue. Why on earth just not announce the departure time 1-2min early and give passengers the correct time they have to be onboard.
@@ImaginarySpace pre-allocating the platforms works fine, provided everything runs perfectly to schedule. The moment anything is delayed, you then have to start reshuffling things around because the platform that the train was originally allocated to is now expected to be used by a different train.
The other issue is that is a terminus station, and as such, the train gets cleaned as part of the turnaround (emptying bins, pick up litter left behind, etc.). The moment the platform is announced, passengers will go to the train and start to board, which then gets in the way of the staff that are trying to clean the train.
It's not generally too much of a problem - passengers congregate on the station concourse waiting for the platform to be announced, and once that happens, there's enough time to get to the train and board. The only "problem" I'd see is that it's typically a bit of a bunfight once the platform is announced, as everyone rushes to get the "nice" seats.
@@ImaginarySpace You can't pre-determine which platform will be free because not everything arrives and leaves on time. As Andy stated, just one train leaving late means that platform isn't available for the next one, which has to go into another platform, which then becomes unavailable etc etc. This is a problem that mainly affects terminus stations like King's Cross because the trains are occupying platforms for longer than other stations where the trains just pass through. It's not rocket science.
@@ImaginarySpace Echoing what others have replied. The issue with pre-determined platform allocation isn't down to the scheduling. It's down to the fact that the UK's rail network is one of the densest and busiest in the world, and is permanently running at about 95% traffic capacity.
This is because the UK for its small size has a very big population. Most of the population is densely packed together in the UK's cities and towns. As most of the UK is still very sparse uninhabited farmland and picturesque countryside. Hence why they said it reminded them of the American Midwest.
As the network is running at 95% capacity and some of its big city stations are dead-end terminus stations, such as London's King's Cross station. Extremely efficient reshuffling of the rail traffic has to constantly take place in order to prevent complete traffic gridlock across large parts of the network.
There just isn't enough flexibility within the almost full traffic capacity to always pre-determine in advance which precise platform a train will arrive at and depart from. Many trains converge from different routes and arrive at the choke points which are the stations roughly simultaneously. Consequently, the trains simply have to enter whichever platforms have been vacated and made available to them just prior to their arrival.
They don't announce the platform too early or crowding on the platform will occur and that may be dangerous as the train comes in. When the train empties its passengers on to that platform its made worse.
Love the recaps you guys are doing. It really adds to the videos you made &!Angela’s narration on the videos is really great. I really hope you can make it back at some point in the not too distant future because albeit a small country, there’s so much to see. Best wishes
Staring at the departure screens, and rushing for the platform is just the standard london experience.
Not showing the platform seems to be common at kings cross. Same happened with me a few times.
They said they do it like only 10 or 15 minutes in advance.
I'm so glad you pronounce edinburgh correctly! Good video, hope scotland met your expectations. I love living here!
Now British people need to learn to pronounce Los Angeles correctly and not cal it Los Angeleez!
I'm scottish and have never pronounced Los Angeles like that in my life 😅
It's a shame they missed Lothian (loathe-ai-an). It's an A for effort. 👍🏻
My family and I have just returned after two weeks in Scotland and we go every single year without fail until the pandemic struck. We never travel all the way there from England. We start the day before we split the difference between the time we need to arrive to when we leave the middle bit is when we stop and book into either a hotel or guest house and continue the journey upwards. Edinburgh is one of my favourite places in the world. We book an apartment which is on the royal mile we have three bedrooms bathroom 2 on suites dining room sitting room it is beautiful clean and tidy coffee and tea facilities the only down side of it was it's right near the strip clubs. Arthurs seat I used to be able to do not anymore but it is worth it the views are awesome. The people are so friendly and we've been all over Aberdeen Glasgow the Lochs the highlands.
When travelling to England from the far north of Scotland we take a couple of days there and back. Only do it once a year if that. I agree you really need to split your journey especially when driving. Glad you enjoy the Highlands. My favourite part, but I might be biased 😉
You made the right decision. Top tip: in big towns/cities your better off without a car, most places you want to go will be serviced by buses, next time have a look at coach tours or, maybe get an automatic so you can explore rural areas ... large places also frequently have park and ride so you don't have to stress about navigating and parking.
Ah, the classic stag doo group of lads on a train.
Love the East Coast main line coming in to Waverly .. so picturesque!
Thats a classic munchy box! So much good chippy food in one box!!
Don’t know if you saw him but they often have a guy at Kings Cross with a Hawk that flys around to keep the pigeons out of the station. It’s not always there but it’s interesting to see this amazing bird flying around the station.
No we didnt see that. But wow I wish we had!
I've seen a man with a hawk at Paddington for the same reason.
@@sueel-shewy2318 I think they may do the same at a number of stations. Think they do it at Waterloo as well.
Last time it was at Trafalgar Square for me... and I spotted them because I noticed the pigeons were leaving. Wonder if it's the same people/birds doing the rounds across London, or organised separately?
My mum lives in Edinburgh and I live very near. I never get tired of it! You have to come back and do some countryside though and more of Edinburgh too!
I know you can get a train to Oban from Glasgow Central, I think there are 2 a day. Its a 3 hour journey though beautiful countryside and Oban is well worth a visit. I drove there and stopped multiple times to take photos, I think you pass 3 lochs including Loch Lomond.
You guys need to come back to Edinburgh to see Dean Village, the Water of Leith and much more. Clan Broonford UA-cam channel goes over a lot of less known Edinburgh sights
I live in Scotland and I get stressed driving in Edinburgh and Glasgow as there are lots of road restrictions and one way streets that can catch you out if you are a stranger to both cities so you did the right thing,I live 30 miles from Glasgow and always use public transport to get there,glad you are loving our bonnie Scotland
Public transport there was top knotch!
Hey Ethan, so sorry you had a bit of a stressful time with the car. I guess hindsight is 20/20 but next time just get an automatic!!! I am pleased it got sorted for you and that you were in such an amazing city so it is not a deal breaker. Loving the re-caps as much as the vlogs...Stay safe...
Very stressful, well done .....coping with it all. Hope that beautiful city helped you quickly recover your equilibrium.
I always book an automatic if I'm driving in an unfamiliar country and on the opposite side of the road, it just removes an extra layer of stress and allows you to focus on everything else. The only time I had a manual was when I rented a car in Japan but they drive on the left anyway so it was pretty easy.
@@lloydmorganmoore7810 It's just as stressful driving an automatic if you are only used to driving a manual. Went to the USA back in the 1970s and had to drive an automatic and nearly crashed it before getting out of the parking lot! Nobody told me that if you took your foot off the foot brake, the car would lurch forward. Only just managed to stop it in time before it went into the car in front. Also getting onto the main road, I was looking the wrong way and nearly pulled out in front of another car.
@@CamcorderSteve Ah that's half the fun! You've not been on a trip driving on the other side of the road until you've ended up going the wrong way! I've done it in the USA, Greece, France... it's always great fun. It's nice to meet the locals head-on. Well maybe not, but it's certainly... invigorating. The first fifteen minutes is ****ing with the wrong hand, and after that everything flips around and it's fine.
DW had a problem with the gearbox once in France. For me, first gear is 'to the left and forward', but for her it was 'away from me and forward'. The result was that she kept trying to pull away in fifth. That didn't work brilliantly.
I'm interested to know what the smoke could have been, coming from OP's hire-car? Was it just clutch-smoke, or was it maybe from the handbrake?
@@simpleminded1uk Around a month ago I was driving home in my own car, so I had no excuse, and for whatever reason I found myself trying to accelerate in 5th gear, away from traffic lights going at around 10mph. Thinking about it, I must have been decelerating towards the lights, not bothering to change down and the lights changed just in time to prevent me having to stop and forgetting I was in fifth gear!! The point I am trying to make is that for about a couple of minutes afterwards, there was a strong smell of burning coming from the engine. So Nathan may simply have been a bit unlucky. Unlike me who should have known better...
Totally understandable about the car, you were definitely brave going for a manual, having to be on the other side, gear change with the other hand etc. Automatic makes life so much easier
Funny when you mentioned the kids having 'accents' as on my wife's first visit to Wales, on our first trip into town, she said "Wow, even the little kids have accents!" I asked if she expected them to sound just like her, or in other words, 'NO accent'! when they were young , and then pick up 'an accent' as they grew older!
BTW, did any one else have difficulty understanding Ethan? Maybe it was the echo in the room, or he was talking faster in this video, but I missed many words. It wasn't the accent as I live in W Canada!
We normally stay just outside Edinburgh when we visit as its not worth taking the car into the city and the train is only 4 stops into Waverley. If you visit again the Royal Yacht Brittania is worth a visit.
Love you guys, Welcome to the UK
If you visit the UK again, especially if you redo Scotland, then don't forget there is a huge part of the UK you will miss out on - the south of England from east to west - Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon & Cornwall. I think when most Americans visit the UK, they land in London and then go straight to Scotland afterwards. But this means you are missing out on the biggest part of the UK countryside which is south of London.
At King's cross You're never really more than 5 minutes walk from any platform. Also the trains for a given destination tend to go out from around the same platform number all the time, so just ask one of the uniformed staff which platform the train normally goes out from for your destination. They will tell you roughly which area you should be waiting in, which should take the stress down a notch or to two.
Good call.
One of the joys of travel is the problems and obstacles you come across and learning how to overcome adversity. This stretches you as a person and it really enhances your ability to function confidently in life. However, some don't see the benefits and just see the frustrations. It'll be interesting to see where you end up at the end of your journey!! :)
These kinds of things make a holiday memorable. When it happens it's a nightmare, but later you can laugh about it. I remember when my luggage got lost in the Philippines and when I went to sort it out I found out it was a part-time airport. Luckily my taxi drive could speak English but that was an experience...
Making sure you got to Kings Cross half an hour in advance of the train does seem a bit excessive. Its not like you have to check in like with a flight. Its simply a case of if you're on the train when the doors close then its ok. I've only ever seen notices that say that doors close 30 seconds before departure. I assume that that's so that the train actually leaves on time.
Yeah but the traffic in that area can be crazy at certain times. So it might be worth getting there too early and hanging around.
@@shakz86 From what I can work out (based on what was written on a sign that featured in one of their videos when Ethan went for his walk at 4am), I don't think they were staying too far from Sloane Square. If that was the case then I would have taken the tube from there to Kings Cross St Pancras (changing at Victoria). Traffic conditions on the road would not affect my decision in any way.
Looks like Angela fell for the old 'wind + sun = Secretly being burnt to hell' trick. Im sure the stressful car story will be something you can look back on in the future and laugh about. Where's the fun if everything went to plan? looking forward to seeing more of your travels.
I drive in the UK and the US. I follow other people around the round abouts, and hope they are going my way. 😆
After a couple days you get used to it.
They don’t always know what platform the train is going to be departing from until the last minute as it depends on numerous factors, including the arrival of that train from the opposite direction, as the main station will be the end of the route. Also, there are so many platforms. 20 platforms is about the norm for the major London train stations (of which there are several). They always announce the platforms quite close to the train pulling in so you just have to keep your eyes peeled.
You should have gone across to st. Pancras railway station just to have a look. A beautiful railway station it's where you catch the Eurotunnel trains. Massive big red building. Maybe next time..
The interesting thing about the train journey through England is that you get to see the remnants of the field systems extant in the Middle Ages.
You were probably fortunate to visit during a cold snap, it's been pretty warm here the last week and is supposed to hit 97°F by early next week. That would have made all your walking pretty miserable, especially with the humidity.
I wouldn't feel bad about abandoning the car, I've been driving for 28 years and don't enjoy a single second of it - particularly in cities. Glad you had a great trip!
Love the tans. See, we do have great weather in the UK. Don't blink or you might miss it!
Thanks for another great video! xx Love Edinburgh and LOVE London.
Great vid, can normally go to the information desks to check on what platforms the trains will arrive.
But have not been to London for over two years or so, so may have changed.
Driving on the opposite side to what you are used to takes a little while but adding gear changing to the mix and town traffic is really daunting. I've driven on the "other" side of the road, but using my own car so there has been only one thing to get used to. You were right to change your plans. Don't be disappointed at missing what was on your list. There will be many things to see that you didn't expect that will be just as rewarding, of not more so. Enjoy the unexpected.
The sun in Scotland can be a bit sneaky. Sea breezes from the coasts can make it feel cooler than you think it is. You can't get further than around 45 miles from a coast in Scotland and between "Embra" and Glasgow the width of the country is around just 25 miles coast to coast.
I very much applaud your decision not to drive under the circumstances. I live in the northwest Highlands, where we have a lot of traffic accidents in the tourist season, - very many caused by people driving vehicles they have never driven before on roads they have never travelled before in a country they do not know.
That said, I am a retired police officer with 55 years' driving experience and the benefit of advanced driver training and I have vowed not to drive in Edinburgh ever again if I can possibly avoid it. - One of the worst traffic management schemes I have ever experienced.
Don't feel bad about the car, years ago my hubby and I rented a buggy type vehicle in Spain, got to the first junction and nearly got killed...😲...immediately turned round and took it back...lol....we lived in central London at the time and drove every day ... Never felt more stupid 😁
I wonder how pink Ange can get :) Looks like you had a fabulous time...
I've caught the train coming from KC at York many times and it's always packed by then, and you get about 3 minutes to get on and that's it, the doors are closed ! Edinburgh has just been voted No. 1 city in the world to visit by Time Out magazine !
If you ever come back across the pond and visit Continental Europe then the major cities all have international rail terminals that have massive departure boards. These show departures all across many countries for example in Paris you will see trains to Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Etc. Etc! They leave extremely punctually and many the same time/multiple times per day every day. The complex timetabling inter- countries is awesome!
If your in to ghost tours....there is a tour in Edinburgh that takes you under Edinburgh to the catacombs,or other ghost tours .
Glad you enjoyed our beautiful country...Glasgow has great shopping,and food x
You both really embraced Scotland... completely sunburned like a true Scot 🤣🤣
Train boards: the information moves to the left as the time of departure gets closer; the train may be in the station, but the crews take that time to clean and check the trains, then it's committed to a departure time upcoming, which is when the platform number will be displayed.
This keeps crowds from blocking access on or off the train long before the train is ready.
Don’t feel bad about the car thing, you made the right decision. I work for a car rental company and it’s not unusual for Americans to put the odd dent in a car. In one memorable incident a lady managed to write off the vehicle just a hundred yards down the road…
Sorry about your car trouble. Getting used to a manual on our left side smaller roads isn’t easy. I have driven all over the world, but usually start somewhere quietish when in a new country. As for Scotland, if you come back, I would recommend Royal Deeside, the Highlands and any where west cost north of Glasgow (loch lomond, Ullapool, Skye and the trip from Ullapool to Inverness is beautiful).
Great time to go to the highlands, due to last months weather the biting midges are near-nowhere to be seen.
It's very very easy to see who is the more outgoing and who has the brains in the outfit.
I’ve learnt that a number of things are pretty much guaranteed when we travel abroad. 1. I always over-estimate how much we are able to do in the time that we have. 2. When I try to stick to my ambitious itinerary I end up frazzled and miserable. 3. Travelling between sites ALWAYS takes longer than I think it will. 4. If something can go wrong, it will. To be honest, I think that it is the same when we travel at home, in the UK, but I don’t get so stressed out about it because we are in our own country, and because it is easier to repeat an experience if it doesn’t pan out. In spite of this, I love travelling and have learned to be more philosophical when doing it - and to plan less 👍
Hey guys.
Maybe next time you come to the UK 🇬🇧 you can tell us what cities you are going to visit and I'm sure you will find some of your subscribers will be more than happy to give you a lift (drive) from the airport or train station to your hotel.
Also don't forget we have taxis available here which your hotel can arrange for you and the cost isn't much more than 2 bus tickets when travelling within a city.
Communicate with your subscribers and they will help you.
Also may I ask, how do you feel deep inside when you visit the UK.
I have relatives from Utah and Kentucky, they say when they come to the UK they get a warm feeling of content and at home. They believe they have British or European dna hence their warm feelings.
I’m used to driving Scottish roads with a manual due to obviously being a native, but even if I went to the states, i’d always choose an auto to drive, like you say other side of the road, road signs, do’s and don’ts, there’s a lot going on without adding the complication of a manual… hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. I’m from Glasgow, you’ve definitely lucked out with the weather.
Thank you! And yes the weather is miserable here and looks about the same there!
I'm off to Florida next year and have to learn to drive an automatic for the first time in 30 plus years... should be fun!
Did you get train passes? You have to buy them before you arrive in the UK, they offer unlimited travel on a number of days.
We took a train and asked where are platform was located. Locals and workers are very friendly and helpful. All you have to do is ask someone. I only got an Enterprise rental on my way out of Edinburgh. Countryside driving for practice was easier. I also got an automatic.
First time I drove on the wrong side was in New York. Picked up the rental at 8.30 Monday morning middle of Manhatten and drove up to Niagra. That was a fun learning experience!
Car hire companies in the UK will not rent a Manuel car to a US driver as those from the US pass their driving test on an automatic car. Here in the UK if you pass your test on a manual you can drive both a manual and automatic but if you pass on an automatic that’s all you can drive.
I know (the first half of) that train journey and you're not wrong - there's a lot of Midwest-esque flat plains for sure.
Hello you two glad to see your enjoying our fair country(ies) I did like the use of "coastal Route, (root) :) just a fact to take home with you... you are never, can never be more than 75 Miles from the coast in the UK.. to be 75, ish from any coast you have to be in the midlands around Derby, Nottingham, Ashby de la Zouch area... any hoo.. enjoy the rest of the trip..
You deserve to be subscribed to. I know how much hard work it is to create videos. I like how you are interested in British stuff.
Thank you!
Definitely make a return visit. Rent an automatic but give yourself a break overnight between arrival and starting a long drive, possibly arrange to collect the car away from a city centre.
As has already been suggested do the North Coast 500, 500 miles circular route around the north of the country. Give yourself more time = less stress.
I stay in Scotland and hate driving in Edinburgh. I do some driving in Glasgow as I’m closer but usually jump the train. If you are wanting to see the rest of Scotland especially the highlands i would say it is easier to drive as its more open and lots of scenery and you should be able to get an automatic to drive
One other thing. It seems like you have been doing what I used to, prioritising cheap. I still do this where it makes sense (railcard + Lumo) but I have learned over time that you do need to balance with easy to make a fun trip.
I've never been to Edinburgh, a few of my friends have, and they said its an amazing beautiful city.
You are right about the East Coast Main Line being a bit like travelling through the Midwest. The route was deliberately chosen to be the flattest and straightest so it isn't particularly interesting until you get up into County Durham and beyond.
You know what - it's all an experience. Obvious disappointments, but you've taken so much in and not just sticking to typical tourist areas. Certainly more to remember. Love watching you both.
Mate, can't believe you guys got a munchy box fi Mr Shwarma, that's the drunk after a night out style food to go for lol
I didn't know that, it was good, pretty random though.
@@midwestamericans3806 so did you have haggis then?
loving the recap videos, you made the right call with the car - you were on holiday and the stress ain't worth it!
Chicken shawarma is Middle Eastern... you'll find it in lots of small kebab/pizza shops across the country. Can be delicious when it's done well, but like anything, it depends on which place you get it from....
As a European driving in Britain as well, I can tell you another hour on the road and it starts to feel like you newer drove on the right side... It just klicks after a while. Never the less, I totally respect your decision to stop the car and decide to not do it... always safety first so everyone that tells you othervise is iresponsible imho....
Apparently travel broadens the mind, I think when you go anywhere the first time it's more about finding out the problems and now you've visited the next time you come fly to Manchester and make that your base there and plan everything and remember the north is more gritty the south is less gritty less travelling more visiting. Good luck
Loving it, driving can be so stressful, especially in such a busy cramped country - I get major stress going to different city in the UK, let alone being in another country...you made the right call. You could try it next time after a few days to relax.
I love watching your films. You guys get the most out of life. Really inspiring!
If your not familiar with manual gearbox in Europe it does sound you were riding the clutch and will smoke and smell bad. I assume US manuals have the gear lever on the steering column?
loving your vids great to see you enjoyed your self's over here hope you get back over soon
Lol, burning out the clutch! Wreck a car and say "smoke!" - "it was only the clutch". OMG, ! 😱
I'm far too scared to rent a car abroad so well done for even attempting it
Recaps are great, thank for visiting our bonnie wee country, Scotland I'm sure would have welcomed you.
A long story short, I was on a train into and out of London and the turn around is minutes. I mean 5 mins not 10, the train comes in, the staff change while passengers are getting on.
I'm disabled so get 'assistance' if the train is in the station they take you straight to the train, but if it isn't they have to wait for the train to arrive before they take you to the platform because it can change.
Cities and travelling seem to always have that stress elements. Great way of learning new stuff but not always welcome when you want to relax. You made the right decision for the time you had available. I sympathise with the sunburn as I have that sort of complexion and have been caught out by surprise sunny weather too.
Perhaps next time do a coach package in the Highlands and Islands.
Its so beautiful if you love mountains and nature. Enjoyed watching your visit to my country very much.
Hello Ethan and Angela. I test drove a car to get used to automatic, with the sales guy as guide. I had a couple of them but I am back on manual. One previous manual got stuck in third gear and I managed to park downhill, then take it to a mechanic round the corner from home at lunch. Twenty miles in third gear running the clutch and managing not to stop. Your experience seemed more stressful and the gears were working.
Next time you should consider booking Bruce from Scotland History Tours channel as a guide.
If you can, add in a trip to Applecross driving in and out via Shieldaig.
I'm surprised about the public transport sounding so bad in getting across to Glasgow. The bus from Edinburgh to Glasgow runs at 15 minute intervals and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. I can't wait to see what you made of your visit to my home town, Glasgow. I know you'll have had plenty of offers, but I would've loved to have treated you guys to lunch or dinner while you were here.
Don't feel bad about your driving stress. I am from Melbourne Australia so we drive on the left side of the road. When we in upstate New York we tried to drive just after a huge northeaster with snow everywhere. Very stressful! Luckily we had friends there who offered to drive us around.
could have done a quick day trip over to Belfast. Super cheap and very quick flights. Just taking hand luggage for the day. Often flights are only £10 each way - just use skyscanner to check flights next time. In fact, getting around lots of Europe is just as easy if you're flexible once you're over here