Written by Ema Gramnjak, Translated by Gwenllian Jenkins
Despite it being late June, I'd still check my university email box to see if something interesting would come up. I was in luck! Theatre, Film and Television Studies department (TFTS) sent out an email offering a free industry pass to Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). As a Film student, I was over the moon. Not only would that be my first industry festival, but I’d also get to visit Edinburgh again, which I had the chance to fall in love with the first time I went.
I put together a short paragraph explaining why I should be given one of the five free passes and sent it off to Kim Knowles, the department’s experimental film lecturer, who has a long-standing working relationship with EIFF. Now I had to wait a week. It was nerve-wracking, however, seeing the email from Kim saying I got offered one of the passes made up for all of it.
Travelling on a student budget
I tried to travel as cheaply as possible. My ‘student budget’ consisted solely of my pay checks and being late on one month’s rent; no maintenance loans or parental allowances. I’m not promoting skipping your rent, but I was not going to miss out on this trip.
I took the train from Aberystwyth to Birmingham and a night bus from Birmingham to Edinburgh. On the way home I took a plane from Edinburgh to Birmingham, and in the end, I was lucky enough to have a friend drive me back to Aberystwyth, instead of staying the night and catching the first train back in the morning (the day I was coming back was the day the Rails decided to strike).
The night bus sounds like a nightmare, but it was the cheapest option and also let me spend three whole days in Edinburgh instead of two (keep in mind I had a shift the day I set off and the day after I came back). What I would recommend is, firstly, fully charge your phone before getting on the bus, because you might sit down where the outlets don’t work, as I did. Secondly, if you can, take up both seats for greater comfort. Thirdly, bring one of those neck pillows, or at least a soft hoodie to roll up. Finally, pray you don’t end up travelling with three football fans that like to talk in the middle of the night about the league.
Regarding my stay, I found an amazing hostel on Booking.com called The Baxter Hostel, whose location is conveniently a five-minute walk from Princes Street and the Scott Monument. Not only was it one of the cheapest options, but it also had breakfast included in the price. I will definitely book with them again when I go next time.
Dining wasn’t something I’d try to save money on, but it also doesn’t have to cost you as much as your room did. If McDonald’s is the place you’d opt for, go for it, I won’t judge. However, The Baxter, like many other hostels, offered pamphlets of local cafes and restaurants, which is how I found a lovely street food place, The Snax Café. I went there every day - for less than a tenner you could get a main, chips on the side, a drink, and a dessert! Aside from that, there are quite a few places that offer student discounts, so keep an eye out for those.
Sight-seeing and people-meeting
There is a lot to see just on foot. Edinburgh is filled with monuments and parks, Calton Hill being one of my favourites, as well as the ever-busy Royal Mile. However, if you have a soft spot for souvenirs like me, try to stay away from the gift shops (if I had the money to buy a proper Scottish kilt, you can bet I would).
Fortunately for us, the Edinburgh Fringe, a comedy festival, takes place throughout August, and EIFF happens to take place in the middle of it. Not only did we get to go watch exceptional films that have yet to hit the cinemas, but in our spare time, we could enjoy whole spectrums of street performers, musicians, stunt performers, comedians, and theatre assemblies.
I went to a free improv show by the Bournemouth University improv society and did some audience participation. Every one of them brought something fresh to the table, and together they made a very fun group. Something told me I should properly introduce myself after the show, and my gut feeling was right. They immediately took me in. We went to more shows together, we went for drinks, and I joined them in exploring Edinburgh Castle. A big part of trips like these is meeting like-minded strangers to create experiences with, and I can tell you now that those guys made mine so much better.
If there’s anything to take from this travel journal, it’s that whatever opportunity presents itself to you, University-induced or not, you should take it. While you still have the energy to make these kinds of memories, don’t sleep on them. The department will most likely be sending another email about the EIFF 2023 this upcoming June, and you can bet I will try to get myself another one.
‘Yr unig adeg bues ar drip hwyl gyda fy adran’ – Dyddiadur Teithio EIFF
Er iddi fod tuag at ddiwedd Mehefin, o’n i dal i gadw cip olwg ar fy e-byst o’r brifysgol lle bod rhywbeth diddorol yn dod trwyddo. Mi o’n i’n lwcus! Roedd Adran Astudiaethau Theatr, Ffilm a Theledu (TFTS) wedi anfon e-bost yn cynnig tocyn diwydiant am ddim ar gyfer Gŵyl Ffilm Rhyngwladol Caeredin (EIFF). Fel myfyriwr ffilm, ro’n i’n gwenu o glust i glust. Nid dim ond gan mai hyn fyddai fy ngwyl diwydiant gyntaf, ond hefyd achos byddaf yn cael ymweld â Chaeredin unwaith eto, fe wnes i ddisgyn mewn cariad gyda’r lle y tro gyntaf i mi ymweld.
Ysgrifennais baragraff fer yn esbonio pam y dylwn i ennill un o’r pump tocyn am ddim, a’i anfon at Kim Knowles, darlithiwr yr adran mewn ffilm arbrofol, sydd gyda pherthynas cryf yn gweithio gyda EIFF. Roedd yn awr rhaid i mi aros wythnos. Mi oedd hi’n gyfnod llawn nerfau, ond, roedd darllen yr e-bost gan Kim yn datgan y cynnig am un o’r tocynnau i mi gwerth pob munud o boeni.
Teithio ar gyllideb myfyriwr
Ceisiais teithio mor rhad a phosib. Roedd fy ‘nghyllideb myfyriwr’ yn cynnwys ond incwm o fy swydd a bod yn fis yn hwyr ar daliadau rhent; dim benthyciad cynhaliaeth na chymorth wrth fy rhieni. Dydw i ddim yn awgrymu colli taliad rhent, ond mi o’n i ddim am golli allan ar y trip yma.
Fe wnes i ddal y trên o Aberystwyth i Birmingham a dal bws nôs o Birmingham i Gaeredin. Ar y ffordd adre, cymerais awyren o Gaeredin i Birmingham, ac yn y diwedd roedd yna ffrind a oedd yn medru fy ngyrru yn ôl i Aberystwyth yn hytrach nac aros y noson a dal y trên gyntaf y bore trannoeth (y diwrnod o’n i am ddychwelyd oedd y diwrnod cychwynnodd y streiciau trên).
Er i’r bws nôs swnio’n erchyll, dyma oedd yr opsiwn mwyaf rhad a oedd hefyd yn golygu y byddaf yn cael gwario tri diwrnod llawn yng Nghaeredin yn lle dau (cadwch mewn cof, oedd gennaf gwaith y diwrnod cyn i mi fynd yn ogystal a’r diwrnod ar ôl i mi ddychwelyd). Beth fyddwn i’n argymell fyddai, yn gyntaf gwnewch yn siŵr bod eich ffôn yn llawn cyn mynd ar y bws, achos mae’n bosib bod yr allbynnau pŵer lle ydych yn eistedd ddim yn gweithio, fel y digwyddodd i mi. Yn ail, os yn bosib, cymerwch y ddau sedd i deimlo’n gyfforddus. Yn drydydd, dewch a chlustog i’ch gwddf, neu siwmper meddal i rolio. Ac yn olaf, cofiwch i weddïo nad ydych am deithio gyda thri o gefnogwyr pêl-droed a oedd yn hoffi siarad yng nghanol y nôs am y gynghrair.
Ynglŷn a fy arhosiad, fe wnes i ddarganfod hostel anhygoel ar Booking.com o’r enw The Baxter Hostel, a oedd wedi’i leoli rhyw bum-munud i ffwrdd o Princes Street a’r Scott Monument. Nid dim ond hyn oedd un o’r opsiynau rhataf, ond roedd brecwast wedi’i gynnwys o fewn y pris. Mi fyddai bendant yn bwcio gyda nhw pan af i nesaf.
Doedd bwyta ddim yn elfen y oeddwn wedi bwriadu arbed arian ar, ond does dim rhaid iddo gostio mwy na eich stafell. Os mae McDonald’s yw’r lle y byddwch yn dewis fel arfer, ewch amdani, dwi ddim am eich beirniadu. Er hynny, mae’r Baxter, fel nifer o hosteli eraill yn cynnig nifer o bamffledi am gaffis a thai-bwyta lleol, sydd fel gwnes i ddarganfod lleoliad bwyd-stryd hyfryd, The Snax Café. Bues i yna bob dydd – am lai na ddeg-punt mae’n bosib cael prif gwrs, sglodion ar yr ochr, diod, a phwdin! Yn ogystal a hyn, mae yna nifer o lefydd gwahanol sydd yn cynnig gostyngiad i fyfyrwyr, felly cadwch lygad allan am rheina.
Gweld golygfeydd a chwrdd â phobl
Mae yna lawer i weld ond ar droed. Mae Caeredin yn llawn cofgolofnau a pharciau, Calton Hill yn un o fy ffefrynnau , yn ogystal a’r Royal Mile prysur iawn. Ond, os ma gyda chi awydd brynu anrhegion o’r lle yn union fel fi, ceisiwch aros i ffwrdd o’r siopau (os oedd gennai’r pres, mi fyddaf wedi prynu Kilt Albanaidd go iawn, allwch chi rhoid pres arno fo).
Yn ffodus i ni, mae Gŵyl Fringe y Caeredin, gŵyl comedi, yn cael ei gynnal trwy gydol mis Awst, gyda’r EIFF yn digwydd reit yng nghanol o. Cawsom cyfleoedd i weld ffilmiau anhygoel sydd heb gael eu rhyddhau mewn sinemâu eto, ac yna yn ein hamser sbâr, cawsom cyfle i fwynhau ystod eang o berfformwyr stryd, cerddorion, perfformwyr styntiau, comediwyr, a grwpiau theatr.
Bues i ymweld gyda sioe ‘improv’ am ddim gan gymdeithas ‘Improv’ Prifysgol Bournemouth, a roedd yna gyfle i’r gynulleidfa cymryd rhan. Daeth pob aelod o’r grŵp â rhywbeth ffres i’r sioe, gyda’i gilydd roeddent yn grŵp andros o ddigri. Roedd rhywbeth yn deud wrtha i bod angen i mi gyflwyno fy hun yn iawn ar ôl y sioe, a roedd y teimlad perfedd yn gywir. Roedden nhw mor groesawgar i mi. Aethom i nifer o sioeau eraill gyda’n gilydd, yna allan am ddiodydd gyda’r nôs, ac fe ymunais gyda nhw wrth grwydro castell Caeredin. Rhan annatod o anturiaethau fel hyn, yw cwrdd â phobl tebyg i chi a chreu profiadau gyda hwy, a fedrai ddeud wrthych chi bod y pobl yna wedi gwneud fy mhrofiad i mor dda.
Os mae yna unrhyw beth i gymryd o’r dyddiadur teithio yma, yw bod unrhyw gyfle sy’n ymddangos i chi, trwy’r Brifysgol neu bridio, dylech ei gymryd. Tra bod gyda chi’r egni i greu atgofion fel rhain, peidiwch â chysgu ar y cyfle. Mi fydd yr adran mwy na thebyg yn afon e-bost arall am EIFF 2023 mis Mehefin yma, a mae’n sicr byddaf yn ceisio cael tocyn arall i fy hun unwaith eto.