STORM EMMA took us by surprise last weekend.

We had already purchased a flight to Edinburgh, rented a car and booked accommodations about a month ago. But the storm brought about nationwide travel disruptions amidst heavy snow and winds. What was supposedly a flight out on Thursday morning and a road trip to Fort William, became a flight out on Sunday evening and 3-nights in Edinburgh city. A whopping 80-hour travel delay.

A snowy morning in Southampton

So we were stuck home while awaiting for the next available flight out. Whereas in Southampton, all local bus services halted that day. School was out too. 

Good thing though that we lived right by Riverside Park, a short 10-minute walk down Woodmill Lane. Already the locals were out and about enjoying the snowy landscape that Storm Emma brought along. There were snowmen and snowball fights, sledding and trudging. I had fun fiddling about my camera though the pictures ended up a tad too grainy, didn’t realise I had my ISO set real high.

Photo credit: Kellie Tedjo

Photo credit: Collin Chong

Photo credit: Kellie Tedjo

Photo credit: Kellie Tedjo

Photo credit: Kobe Tan

The landscape in Edinburgh did not fare any better when we arrived on Sunday – snow on the grounds and a very rainy weather. We spent the morning of our second day hiking up Arthur’s Seat, amidst fog and ice.

Edinburgh Castle

St Margaret’s Loch

Storm Emma had indeed brought truckloads of snow, but along with it a bucketful of playtime fun… especially for a grown-up kid from sunny Singapore! With all the travel disruptions, however, we hope to still have time for a return trip to Scotland sometime in summer. Fingers crossed!