disability – passporttopossibilitycom

Today we took the train from Dundee to the beautiful coastal town of St Andrews, just a short ride away. Best known as the “Home of Golf,” St Andrews is one of Scotland’s oldest and most historic towns. It is home to the world-famous Old Course, where golf has been played for over 600 years, and to the prestigious University of St Andrews, founded in 1413. It is also where Prince William and Catherine Middleton first met while attending university. Beyond golf, St Andrews is filled with medieval streets, charming shops, ancient ruins, beautiful beaches, and a relaxed seaside atmosphere.

Our wonderful taxi driver, Adam, met us at the station and drove us into town. He was absolutely perfect for us. From the moment we climbed into his taxi, we were chatting and laughing like old friends who had known each other for years. It is amazing how quickly genuine kindness can make a place feel like home. Before dropping us off, Adam assured us he would return later to take us back to the train station. Having transportation arranged made the entire day completely stress-free.

Our main adventure was visiting the Islander workshop to design our very own Harris Tweed bags. Islander is a Scottish company that creates customizable handbags and accessories handcrafted with authentic Harris Tweed—a beautiful wool fabric handwoven by islanders in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Every bag is individually designed by the customer, allowing you to choose the body, flap, straps, handles, and hardware to create something completely unique. We choose the St. Andrew’s shop as we figured it would be quieter than the shops in Edinburgh. Boy, was I correct. Besides us there was one other person making a bag.

The moment we walked through the door, Kiya knew exactly what she wanted to do. While Mom and I began the difficult task of choosing colors and styles, Kiya happily settled in to watch one of her movies. It was the perfect outing for her.

Choosing our bags was much harder than we expected! There were so many gorgeous fabrics, leather colors, straps, handles, and hardware combinations that it almost became overwhelming—in the best possible way. I really wish I had taken a picture of the enormous display wall filled with every imaginable color and pattern. I’ve included a few photos from the internet because they give a much better idea of just how many options there were.

We started by selecting the style of bag we wanted before moving on to choosing the Harris Tweed fabric for the body. Next came the leather flap, handles, shoulder strap, and all the finishing touches. Piece by piece, our bags slowly came together into something that was uniquely ours.

It was such a fun experience—not simply buying a souvenir, but creating one that will always remind us of Scotland. If I had more room in my suitcase, I probably would have made several more!

After finishing our bags, we enjoyed lunch and spent the afternoon wandering through the charming streets of St Andrews. The town has such a relaxed pace, with beautiful stone buildings, colorful storefronts, and little shops around every corner. It felt like the kind of place where you could spend days simply exploring.

At the end of the afternoon, true to his word, Adam returned to pick us up and drive us back to the train station. It was one of those wonderfully simple days—good conversation, creative fun, beautiful scenery, and time spent together. Days like this often become the ones you remember most.

Kiya had an absolutely perfect day, and honestly, so did we.

Today we took the train from Dundee into Edinburgh to visit the magnificent Edinburgh Castle and wander down the famous Royal Mile. Once again, I have to say how impressed we are with ScotRail and the people of Scotland. Everyone is so kind and helpful, making sure Kiya safely gets on and off the train with the ramps. Their kindness has made traveling with a wheelchair so much easier than we ever imagined.

After arriving in Edinburgh, our next challenge was finding a taxi. The castle is actually quite close to the train station, but it sits high on Castle Rock, making the steep climb difficult with Kiya’s wheelchair. We waited nearly 30–40 minutes before finally finding a driver willing to take us. He dropped us only about a block from the entrance, which was perfect.

One thing Edinburgh Castle does exceptionally well is accessibility. After checking in, we met the mobility assistance staff, who transported us by vehicle to the top of the castle. They have an outstanding program where they can either drop visitors off at the top or drive them between the major buildings throughout the grounds. We decided to let our taxi go and simply enjoy walking our way down through the castle after exploring. It was a wonderful decision.

Perched atop an extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle has watched over Scotland for nearly 900 years. It has served as a royal residence, military fortress, prison, and symbol of Scottish independence. Some of Scotland’s most famous monarchs, including Mary, Queen of Scots, lived within its walls, and the castle has endured countless sieges throughout its remarkable history. Standing on its ancient stone walls while looking across the city, it is easy to understand why this fortress has become one of Scotland’s most recognizable landmarks.

The castle itself is spread across four different levels, each filled with fascinating buildings, museums, monuments, and breathtaking viewpoints overlooking Edinburgh. Everywhere we turned there seemed to be another incredible view of the city below. The architecture and engineering of the fortress are simply remarkable.

One place we absolutely wanted to visit was the Crown Room to see the Honours of Scotland—the Crown, Sceptre, and Sword of State. These are the oldest Crown Jewels in Britain and remain priceless symbols of Scotland’s history. The gold crown, adorned with precious gems, was created for King James V and first worn in 1540. Mary, Queen of Scots, became the first monarch to be crowned using both the crown and sceptre together in 1543. During Oliver Cromwell’s invasion, the Honours were secretly hidden to keep them from falling into enemy hands. After the 1707 Act of Union, they were locked away and forgotten until the famous author Sir Walter Scott rediscovered them in 1818.

There was an enormous line waiting to enter the Crown Room, but once again accessibility made all the difference. We were told to find a staff member wearing a black shirt and name tag. Because Kiya uses a wheelchair and could not navigate the stairs, they escorted us to an elevator that brought us directly behind the Crown Jewels exhibit. We were able to take our time, quietly admire the treasures without feeling rushed, and then they escorted us back down the lift.

No matter how many words I try to use, they simply don’t do justice to what we saw. The crown and sceptre were mind-blowingly beautiful—majestic, exquisite, and unlike anything I have ever seen. The brilliance of the jewels, the rich colors, and the incredible craftsmanship made them feel almost unreal. It was one of those moments that photographs simply cannot capture. I feel incredibly fortunate to have seen them in person.

We continued wandering through the castle grounds, and Kiya had a wonderful day. We also visited the National War Museum of Scotland. It was filled with fascinating military history, although the close crowds inside made Kiya quickly decide she was ready to move on. Sometimes that’s just how traveling goes!

One fun surprise during my very quick walk through the museum was finding information about Sergeant Shetland, the miniature horse whose military service we had learned about while visiting Dundee. It was completely unexpected and made me smile to see another connection between our adventures across Scotland.

After several hours exploring the castle, we slowly made our way down the Royal Mile. The centuries-old buildings, statues, closes, and beautiful architecture lined every step. We wandered through several gift shops, soaking in the atmosphere before eventually making our way back to Waverley Station for the train ride home to Dundee.

Another day filled with history, breathtaking scenery, wonderful people, and memories that will stay with us forever.