I just came back from a trip to Edinburgh, and I want to start the post with my favorite place there, Arthur’s Seat.

I dreaded the weather all the way there, afraid it would be raining so much I wouldn’t be able to hike. So I decided that whenever it wasn’t raining, I would go there. Being here for four months has made me given up on hoping for sunny weather.

But to my surprise, when my plane landed on Thursday, it was sunny. Like, real sunny. I didn’t get to my hostel until two, and I thought it would be too late to hike by then, since the sun would set at 4.30. So I spent my first day walking around the city while thinking, “It’s so sunny I feel like wasting it for just strolling around.”

Then in the night, it was raining. I woke up in the morning to the frosty air and grey sky. It wasn’t sunny, but at least it wasn’t raining. So I walked to Holyrood and tried to find the path from Dunsapie Loch (which was claimed to be the easiest), but couldn’t find it, so I took the path in front of me and started hiking. Thanks to the rain in the night before, the path was all muddy and slippery, it took me forever to reach the top.

But finally, I got there.

And while I was there, I couldn’t help watching fellow hikers who also struggled a bit. Some were lucky enough to have this view with their family.

Others had their beau with them.

While the rest was like me, went up here alone just to see this piece of beauty.

Although the hike was a bit strenuous for me, I really had no regret. If I had had more time, I would’ve done it once more. It was THAT amazing. Being up there and getting to see the beauty down below is definitely one of the best feelings. The sky was grey, but it was still gorgeous.

Everybody knows that Sumbawa is my most favorite place when it comes to natural beauty, but this comes close in second.

I spent a long time here, not wanting to go back down. But I finally did, leaving this place with a pair of muddy shoes, strained muscles, and a new profound love for Edinburgh.