scotland 1 -- for trudy -- oom in progress

[one_man_army]

It had taken a bit of work on his end -- thankfully, he had contacts in high places in London that had been able to get him what he needed in regards to Trudy's identification and passport visas, because flying into Edinburgh would likely have been very interesting had someone wanted to know how Trudy got from the United States to England in the first place -- but they're in Scotland, finally.

It's been years since he's been here.

He's not sure if it's still home, but the moment he steps off the plane and into the terminal and spots the bi-lingual signs -- Fàilte gu Dùn Èideann, Welcome To Edinburgh -- he smiles.

There's no need for baggage reclaim with their backpacks and duffel bags, but they'll have to get a vehicle.

"Car hire s'down this way, if they haven't moved it since I've been here last."

He offers her his free hand, just because he can -- and because he knows she won't let him carry her bag.

Comments

[hallelujahpilot]

The bilingual signs make Trudy happy; it's good to see the original language still around.

His free hand is taken, with a bit of a smile both at the offer (no, she won't let him carry her bag; she's a Marine, the only way she'd let someone carry her bag is if she was physically incapable of doing so) and the fact that, well.

She likes holding his hand.

"They probably have moved it. Just to bug you," she says with a teasing smile.

[one_man_army]

"Knowin' how long they've been goin' on 'bout remodeling, I wouldn't be surprised if they had done it out of spite."

Carl, honestly, would be impressed if they'd managed to find the funds to actually improve the airport. But he ends up being impressed, because the ground transport area is in the new wing of the baggage reclaim.

"I'll have to remember how t'drive the proper way again," he teases, as they stand in the line to wait their turn at the car hire counter.

[hallelujahpilot]

Pause.

"Proper way?"

[one_man_army]

"On the left side of the roadway," he clarifies.

Also, on the lookout for foreigners and tourists who have no clue whatsoever as to the operation of a roundabout.

And sheep.

[hallelujahpilot]

"What, seriously? Oh, man, I'm gonna spend the whole time thinkin' you're drivin' on the wrong side of the road."

She shakes her head with a laugh. "I'm such an American."

[one_man_army]

"It's easier to park, and get out without havin' to disrupt traffic," he says. "In some ways it's just odd, though. Especially after livin' so many years in the states."

Once they reach the counter, it's a bit of discussion before some paperwork is signed. And then some more paperwork is signed, and Carl forks over a credit card.

(He might be grinning, just a little, as he accepts the keys from the man at the counter, along with directions to the area in the lot to fetch the car from.)

"Somewhere, mum is scolding me and isn't sure why," he murmurs, as they head for the doors.

Oh, he's amused.

Very, amused.

[hallelujahpilot]

Trudy Eyes her boyfriend.

"Carl. What did you just hire?"

[one_man_army]

"It cost less than the Mercedes."

Carl. Just. Beams.

[hallelujahpilot]

"I'm sure it did, honey."

[one_man_army]

"I'm being completely honest," he says.

And it is the truth.

Even if it may not look it, when she sees the car.

[hallelujahpilot]

"Okay, that's a sexy car."

[one_man_army]

"It'll be even sexier with you in it."

There's no boot to store their bags, but it's easy enough to stash their stuff in the tiny space behind the seats and hop in.

He glances over at her.

"Yeah, I was right. Much sexier."

[hallelujahpilot]

Her laugh is low and wicked as she pulls out her aviators and puts them on. "Just imagine if I was actually drivin' it. All those gears to change." Not that she looks like she's in any mood to drive, settled into the passenger seat as she is, but her right hand still reaches out to run over the gear-stick.

[one_man_army]

Carl gives her a Look.

"I wouldn't be adverse t'you drivin' it, once we get out of the city itself."

But oh, he's smirking, as he runs his hand over hers.

[hallelujahpilot]

She grins at him.

"As much fun as I'd have, lets see how I cope with the odd road rules in the passenger seat first." Driving is fun.

Crashing?

Yeah, not so much.

[one_man_army]

"Deal."

It's easy enough to get used to the feel of the Cayman's clutch and shift, as soon as they're on the roadway, he's already itching to let the car run wide open.

Not in the limits of the city, though.

"So, you want the drivin' tour?"

[hallelujahpilot]

"Absolutely."

[one_man_army]

"I'll try not to get us too lost," he promises.

It should be noted -- the car does have a GPS unit installed. Does Carl turn it on? Absolutely not, thank you very much.

"I've spent a good deal of time here in Edinburgh, but I grew up in Glasgow. We'll go there 'fore we head for warmer climes."

He intends to show her quite a bit of Scotland. But first, a driving tour of the city -- old and new parts, the castle, the medieval style of the buildings, the patterns of roads, the greenbelts.

"My father was an American who was stationed at the Naval base just north of Dunoon; mum worked at one of the shops in town. It's about an hour west of Glasgow."

[hallelujahpilot]

Nothing, in Trudy's opinion, beats a good map. But then again, she's used to flying with only the bared minimum of tech, so she's a trifle odd like that.

"I'm looking forward to seeing everything. I don't. Well, I mean, pretty much all my holidays were confined to goin' back to Peru." Milliways doesn't count. It's a sim, not real.

[one_man_army]

"You've got to make up for not getting leave on Pandora, too," he adds.

Ah, look. Their first roundabout. Joy!

Carl momentarily switches his focus from the conversation to the traffic. "Sometimes I think this place could benefit from a good ATC."

[hallelujahpilot]

She laughs softly. "End up bein' like those policemen standin' in the middle and directin' the traffic though, wouldn't it?"

[one_man_army]

"Nothin' wrong with startin' out somewhere," he admits. "And while I've been yelled at by my share of controllers, they can come in handy more often than not."

[hallelujahpilot]

"True." And then she laughs, but this time with wonder. "Parts of this place look like they're from a fairy-tale." It's a the medieval flavour to them, and her artist's mind supplying the other details.

[one_man_army]

"We'll get up to the castle eventually," he nods up the hill towards the massive rock that acts as the foundation for Edinburgh castle. "It's all from around 900 AD. I think that counts as fairy-tale territory."

[hallelujahpilot]

"There's a castle. An actual castle. Oh my god," she says, utterly delighted.