Special Reports

REPORTER’S DIARY: Glaswegian accent sent me on an unexpected tour of Glasgow

Reporting from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games isn’t just about covering the action. Sometimes, it means getting lost, meeting incredible people, and discovering the city one wrong turn at a time.

Today, I learned that speaking English doesn’t always mean understanding English.

“No problem,” I thought. “I’ll just check Google Maps.”

Alas! No internet on my phone. I had wandered out of the free Wi-Fi zone, and the delay in buying a local SIM card (which I later bought for £25) suddenly came back to haunt me. For a few minutes, I stood there, wondering whether to trust my memory or my instincts. Neither proved particularly reliable!

Thank God I had bought a day travel ticket for about £6.30. It turned out to be the best investment of the day because I went north, south, east… and probably almost west before finally finding my destination. Let’s just say I “enjoyed” an unplanned sightseeing tour of Glasgow at no extra cost!

One of the highlights of the day was meeting this traditional Scottish bagpiper. He was more than happy to pose for a photo with Baba T, and it felt like I had stepped into one of those classic Scottish postcards.

By the end of the day, I had learned two things: first, Glasgow is a beautiful city with genuinely warm people; and second, covering the Commonwealth Sport requires more than journalism skills; you must also have a good sense of direction!

Hopefully, by Day 3, I’ll spend less time looking for venues and more time reporting from them.

Glasgow, I’m finally finding my way.

Follow updates on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on PREMIUM TIMES