As our 2nd wedding anniversary approached, we decided to organise something to mark the occasion.  We have both said for years that we want to visit Edinburgh so we thought this was the prime opportunity.  However, for some reason, we couldn’t find a hotel with vacancies.  As my dear hubby looked into it he found that the tattoo was on so hotel rooms were like gold dust.  After some dedicated searching online, hubby dear found a package for 2 nights at the Edinburgh Marriott with a pair of tattoo tickets and we were on our way. 

It didn’t start well.  I came down with a bad tummy on the day before we were due to drive up, which lasted all weekend and is still bothering me now despite a couple of visits to the docs.  The drive up was 4 hours longer than it needed to be due to a lorry spilling its load of cooking oil all over the motorway.  We finally arrived at the hotel just before midnight and got ourselves sorted out and off to bed, only to be woken by a fire alarm at 3.30am where we had to stand out in the car park for half an hour.

Morning dawned, and things felt a bit better after a big Scottish breakfast - only wish I could have eaten it without the stomach cramps!  We spent the day wondering around Edinburgh, visiting the whisky centre (scored bonus points with my dad!) and watching the live fringe shows along the Royal Mile. 

And now for the tattoo.  What a brilliant show.  The massed pipers looked and sounded great.  The New Zealand band were fantastic and had us in stitches as they sent their tuba players flouncing around the arena to the sounds of the sugar plum fairy, before they all downed instruments to treat us to a haka.  As for the Top Secret Drum Core from Switzerland, I think the secrets out about how brilliant you are.  The tattoo was one of the items on my list of things to do before I die and I’m so glad I did it - especially as I know how green with envy my parents are!  We shall all have to go together another year as I don’t think this is the last time I’ll see it!