My eyes are fixed onto the computer screen. Bed and Breakfast...centrally located... within walking distance to the city centre... prices from £30 a night.... These phrases no longer register in my head; I'd been scouring online for cheap lodging in Edinburgh for the past two hours and now all these words become a blur.
Finally, I think I have unearthed a good deal: Ardenlee Guest House is located on Eyre Place, just 1/2 mile away from Princes St. For £70 a night for a double room, we get central heating, TV, an en-suite bathroom, free Wi-Fi access and a full Scottish/continental breakfast. Being the ever cautious person, I go onto a myriad of review sites like TripAdvisor and Bookings to read guest comments. Most are positive, if not excessive with their praises for the generous service of the hosts and the wonderful hearty breakfast. I check for availability. Double room. 1 room left. Last chance! The last phrase stared back ominously at me in its red letters.
I dither. I have not consulted Charlene nor mum, who at 12 AM in the morning is asleep, which I should be too. Should I or should I not? Messages at the side of the screen keep updating - Calm Hotel, last booked 1 min ago; Dean Guest House, last booked 10 min ago - as if toying with my courage to make My First Online Booking for accommodation for My First Backpacker Trip. I clicked on Dean Guest House out of curiosity's sake. Last room taken, those words appeared, increasing my anxiety that the availability for Ardenlee would soon fly out of the window too.
I have decided. I book the double room for two nights from 10-12 Sep 2011 using my hitherto untouched Standard Chartered credit card. A sense of achievement washes over me - there I have just progressed from the first to the second step of My First Backpacker Trip. Already, I feel older and more mature. The experience felt very Singaporean in a way - must be kiasu and chop the best deals before everything gets snapped up.
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