Backpacking to Scotland

I'm thinking about walking from Leicester up through York and Melrose to Edinburgh. Then I'd trek over to Glasgow, catch a bus up to Loch Lomond, and finally a train back to Leicester.

Here's my route:


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Advice, anyone?

I don't have an accent

I speak in non-regional diction, don't I? Therefore, I have no accent.

Apparently that's not true. To my friend Guillaume from France and some of the Brits I've met, I sound just like the bubbly blonde on MTV and the fat guy with the sandwich and the Coke watching American football from his couch. (Guillaume's words, not mine.)

The European stereotypes of Americans really aren't far off, and their mockery is embarrassing and mildly insulting. I'm reassured to know that the Brits have adopted much of our entertainment culture, which must mean they appreciate us on some level. More than 80 percent of the songs at the clubs are American.

They especially like "Don't stop believin'" by the California band Journey.

(The picture here is near Leicester city centre, a bustling plaza for retail and food.)