Edinburgh

Due to the mad insistence of the Chinese consulate that I apply for and collect my visa in person, I was out of bed at half four this morning for the two and a half hour Megabus ride to Edinburgh. The bus turned up twenty minutes late and was already full of unfortunate wretches who'd endured the overnight journey from London, so I ended up stuck next to a silent women with sunglasses and spots whose head kept toppling onto my shoulder. In keeping with their laudable commitment to customer convenience the Chinese have helpfully located their consulate three miles west of the centre next to Murrayfield stadium's car park. Thankfully I was straight in and out, which gave me enough time for a stroll around Princes Street Gardens before I had to get the return bus at 11am. Back to do it all again on Friday, when I may have finally woken up.