This journey began at 7am. Which, after not being able to fall asleep until 1 was not pleasant! But I pushed through the sleep-without coffee, no less!
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| Sunrise over campus |
Before going into town to catch the train to Glasgow, I had to print out directions from Google, which was an adventure in itself. I could not get the document to send to the printer at first-even when trying from different computers! I decided instead to print several screen-caps of the directions.
After this, the bus took forever to come! AKA ten minutes, which was cutting it close! However, I made it, and had just a few minutes to spare in the station.
The train from Stirling goes to the Glasgow Queen Street Station. However the train to Paisley leaves from Central Station.
Now, I need to put something out there. I have trouble rotating things in my head. At first, I thought it was just faces (like when people are upside down-I know that logically their eyebrows are not in place of their mouth, but it does take a minute for me to rotate their face in my head so they look normal), but I am pretty sure it's maps as well. Probably just things in general.
So, despite it being a short walk between the train stations, I had to keep stopping and looking at maps posted around the city centre to make sure I was going in the right direction. Because unless I have the physical map and can move it around so I can have it facing the same way I am, it takes lots of double-checking!
Anyway, I got the train to Paisley-it's only a ten minute ride! But the ten minute ride was long enough for me to realise some things:
1. I knew nothing about Paisley. It could be nicknamed "Shanksley" or "Stabsley" or "Cannibalsley" for all I knew!
2. In event that it is nicknamed one of the above, I had not told anyone that I am here!
3. I had no phone, so if I got mugged or pickpocketed, I would not only have lost my return ticket to Stirling, but also money to buy a new one, and NO WAY TO TELL ANYONE.
I was a little bit worried. I was also very tired. No coffee, remember?
I got off at Gilmour Street Station , and looked around. And well, it was not the cute little Scottish town I had pictured. It reminded me extraordinarily of main south (Worcester). I mean, a lot. Which, after spending the last few months in Stirling and the posh Bridge of Allan, was....not aesthetically pleasing, let's say.
I pulled out my directions to start the walk. I had also taken pictures of the map on my iPod, so could use that for reference as well.
Head west on Old Sneddon St/
West. Right. Let's be real, even if I were good at telling north/south/the rest from looking at the sun, this is Scotland, the sun is a myth! Luckily there was a sign pointing toward Moss street, so I went in that direction.
Here is where it got messy. According to my picture of a map, I should go one way. According to a sign for "A726" I should go the opposite way.
I followed the sign. The next direction stated:
Continue onto Underwood Rd/
After a while of walking, I had not passed B750. Oops. Not to mention that I was possibly the most sketched-out I had been in a while. Now I know what it is like to go from the suburbs to Clark! I looped around back toward the station to find a real map and found myself in a very nice city centre! Still not the cute little town I thought it would be, but at least it was populated!
I found a map, and realized I should have listened to my little picture map instead of the sign, and set off again. At this point though, I had to walk on the other side of the street, because I had already passed the same group of people outside the courthouse a number of times and did not feel like making it clear how lost I was! I kept a look out for B750.
I never saw B750, but instead reached the roundabout the next direction talked about.
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Well St
Seriously google? You couldn't just say take a left on Old Sneddon until the roundabout? Cool.
I kept walking. And walking. And walking. And saw some pretty things. And was offered a ride from a stranger (The third time since being here-I still can't tell if people are just really nice, or all kidnappers)
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| I like this house. A lot. |
Finally, I reached my first destination. The Inkerman Schoolhouse.
Now, this was not on my original list of places to check out, however it came up on a google search when I was looking up an address on Inkerman Street (which does not exist anymore, since the town was a mining settlement). Apparently this place has been here since the town was established, although now it is a private residence.
At this point, I had another good distance until my next destination. I walked down this long road that followed farms and the highway. Even though my feet were cold, my hands hurt, and there was no one to talk to, I was very content and just very...happy. Mostly it reminded me of when I went to Rochester once, and walked one sidewalk-less roads to everywhere because public transit was, well, lacking. And I was just overwhelmingly cold and happy.
At one point, I passed some horses. And they followed me as I walked parallel to their fence. I wish I had an apple for them! One of them even came right up to the fence to look at me! I think we're friends now. :)
As I neared the end of the road, the scenery went from farms to industrial...things. Finally, I reached Bridge Street!
At 6 Bridge street I had a Great-Great Grandmother. The part of the town I was in was undergoing a lot on construction. This specific address is no longer here, but according to google maps (and we know how great they have been) it would have been somewhere here:
My next stop was just around the corner. Unfortunately, the street sign was missing, so it took me a while to find it. There were also a couple of people out and about so I had to subtly take this "creep" picture of 28 Dunlop Street where my great-great grandmother and grandfather lived together. I think the door that is farther away is 28.
After this, I had another long journey with 6 roundabouts. And once again, I ended up in a mess. I left Linwood and walked back towards Paisley, carefully counting the roundabouts. Google maps led me to a very subtly labeled Broomlands Lane, when I was looking for Broomlands Street. It was a large, new-looking group of flats (Much like the Union Street flats for Stirling Uni housing). I had passed two people in a phone booth (I think they were brothers) a couple of times at this point, and they kept giving me the evil-eye, so I snapped a picture of the outside, and got out of there!
At this point, Google had some directions that did not quite make sense to me, telling me to take lefts on rights on streets I was not near. However, I picked a direction and went with it until I realized I was on Broomlands Street. Although, I should not have been on there to begin with since I was supposed to turn on to it, yet had not made any turn. I located the approximate area of 25 Broomlands Street, where my great-great-great grandmother and grandfather lived. Only some of the storefronts had their number posted, however after some clever counting, I think it is this one (one of those above the bar, not sure which):
Now, the google directions made sense! And I followed them to 40 Storie Street (Where my great-great grandmother was born), on the Edge of University of Western Scotland-Paisley. Google said that the destination should be on my right.
Erm...whoops. On my right are odd-numbered buildings. And I am pretty sure that although I am in a different country, odd and even numbers are the same! However, on my left was a parking lot and the back/side of a church, then University buildings.
So, I wandered around. I assume that 40 Storie Street used to be where the Uni buildings are, or the buildings have been re-numbered. Or both. I did walk by a REALLY OLD looking nursery. Seriously. This place looks ancient:
Finally, I made my way back to Gilmour Street. I was super hungry at this point, and bought a mini christmas mince pie from Greggs.
It was delicious. I like mince pie! Though I later learned that you have to specify a Christmas mince pie, because a mince or mincemeat pie have actual minced meat in them. Whew!
Later last night we watched Fight Club. It has been so long since I have seen that movie! I have also decided that Brad Pitt, for the most part, is really not that attractive. Except in this movie. Because, let's face it, he is no Tim Lincecum or Jack Nicholson.
I also had some shortbread and hot chocolate. So good, ohmygosh!
All in all, it was a lovely walk! Although I was very frozen and stiff! I also woke up this morning with a swollen ankle. But I think it's gotten better! I am hobbling less now, at least. And My joints are less stiff and I can move around again!
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