Archie enjoys a tram ride

A bit of a dull morning so we decided to put off the inevitable no longer. We would join the crowds of Edinburgh pensioners going on a free jaunt for a coffee at the airport. We would take a trip on a new tram.

Archie liked it better than the bus, because it didn’t shake his wee bones. This is his 'liking it better than the bus' face... lol. We put him down on the floor when the ticket inspector came. (What a boring job that must be).

But I wasn't overly impressed. We were side by side with the railway line for much of the way. Except, of course, when the trams add to the congestion in Princes Street! Which begs the question: Why didn’t they just use the existing railway line to get to the airport? Would have saved rather a lot of money (almost 1£ billion!!). The rail tracks already passed within a few hundred metres of the airport. Don't get me started...

There are quite a few almost 90° bends, so the tram has to slow right down to a crawl, and the wheels are grinding and screeching round the tight bend - obviously not happy. Then it speeds up a bit, but only for a few hundred yards, before it has to slow down again for another sharp bend or one of the fifteen (yes, fifteen) stops, plus a ‘Staff Stop’ where they all swap over and have a general yak for a while…

No. All in all, I prefer - and will continue to patronise - the excellent Airport Bus.

We took him for a run in The Meadows as a reward for ignoring toddlers, crying babies, noisy wheelie suitcases, even an ambulance whizzing right by us. I may be able to leave my water pistol at home soon. Unless I start using it on screeching toddlers...

He was off the lead the whole way (in The Meadows). A border terrier, Leo, came to play with him, and they ran round and round and had such fun. Then a wee Westie, Ruby, came from afar (her mum had to come and get her in the end) and they all had fun. And when it came time to leave, he came as soon as he was called. Good boy!