Day 11
I think it's a bit of a shame that the weather has been quite dry the week I've been here and the day I will leave, rain is expected.
Maybe tonight's storm will be like the Inishowen storms mentioned in the book. If so, I hope it blows itself out by 9:30 tomorrow morning.
I have read Trinity at least six times and I know the story by heart. So much so that I can pick up a copy, open it to a random page and start reading, knowing straight away what has happened and what will happen. Up until the last time I read it (about three weeks before coming to Ireland) I had taken no notice of the Inishowen weather (according to Leon Uris).
I knew the characters of the book inside and out, I could close my eyes and imagine what Inishowen looked like (and I don’t think I was far wrong - such is the skill of Uris' writing) This last time, however, I saw that Uris mentions the weather in every section. Those storms that only Inishowen sees, and 'it was a typical Inishowen' gale, etc. If I had of paid closer attention maybe I wouldn’t have embarked on this adventure of mine (so I guess it was a good thing).
When I mentioned to a couple of people in England how much the book talks about the weather, they simply laughed and said that they had been telling me how bad the weather would be for six months and I hadn’t taken any notice of them!
I have done a very stupid thing: I put some fresh coals on a slumbering fire. When they didn’t catch on, I got a newspaper and fanned it. Coals and ash flew up and into the living room. They didn’t settle either. Just a fine, grey cloud of ash about a metre in diameter hovering about the fireplace. It's been ten minutes now and it isn't settling! Oh well. I shall admit to my crime when it is discovered.
Fergus looks like a drunk Ben Elton (even when he is sober). If Derek was an Irish man, he would be Fergus. I think that says it all.
The wind outside is getting louder.
It's 10 pm and I haven’t started sorting out my room or bag yet. I put some clothes into the washing basket the other day; I will have to see if they are dry - and I haven’t seen my black ski gloves since I came.
The ladies just arrived home from the hospital in Letterkenny where their mother is. Which reminds me, Dad rang with a name of a man in Letterkenny (who owns a pub) who is a cousin of a man Dad is working with. Hmm. A slight contact ... maybe.
I am trying to make some plans about where to go. I can’t go north for ever! Tomorrow I am going to Culdaff and hopefully find the people the Doherty's talked about.
I am wondering if Iris rang them to say that I was coming. Hopefully they will give me a room for a few days and maybe a job. If so, I will use their place as a base to explore Malin Head and then head South. Two options: I could go through Derry and then back up the Foyle to Portstewart, or I could head further South, taking Letterkenny and even Dublin! It's only about 200 miles away and I could do that over two weeks.
Portstewart is where Alex grew up and where his parents still live. Before I left England, he told them about me and said that I may be in the area at some point. They told him to tell me that I would be welcome to go and visit them and stay for a night or two. Alex has told me several times that during the Summer his parents often let backpackers pitch a tent in their back garden, so I guess they are generally nice people.
I am going to stop this ... I have been watching Nell all night whilst writing this and am really enjoying it.
To hell with a shower ... I'll have one tomorrow.
Maybe tonight's storm will be like the Inishowen storms mentioned in the book. If so, I hope it blows itself out by 9:30 tomorrow morning.
I have read Trinity at least six times and I know the story by heart. So much so that I can pick up a copy, open it to a random page and start reading, knowing straight away what has happened and what will happen. Up until the last time I read it (about three weeks before coming to Ireland) I had taken no notice of the Inishowen weather (according to Leon Uris).
I knew the characters of the book inside and out, I could close my eyes and imagine what Inishowen looked like (and I don’t think I was far wrong - such is the skill of Uris' writing) This last time, however, I saw that Uris mentions the weather in every section. Those storms that only Inishowen sees, and 'it was a typical Inishowen' gale, etc. If I had of paid closer attention maybe I wouldn’t have embarked on this adventure of mine (so I guess it was a good thing).
When I mentioned to a couple of people in England how much the book talks about the weather, they simply laughed and said that they had been telling me how bad the weather would be for six months and I hadn’t taken any notice of them!
I have done a very stupid thing: I put some fresh coals on a slumbering fire. When they didn’t catch on, I got a newspaper and fanned it. Coals and ash flew up and into the living room. They didn’t settle either. Just a fine, grey cloud of ash about a metre in diameter hovering about the fireplace. It's been ten minutes now and it isn't settling! Oh well. I shall admit to my crime when it is discovered.
Fergus looks like a drunk Ben Elton (even when he is sober). If Derek was an Irish man, he would be Fergus. I think that says it all.
The wind outside is getting louder.
It's 10 pm and I haven’t started sorting out my room or bag yet. I put some clothes into the washing basket the other day; I will have to see if they are dry - and I haven’t seen my black ski gloves since I came.
The ladies just arrived home from the hospital in Letterkenny where their mother is. Which reminds me, Dad rang with a name of a man in Letterkenny (who owns a pub) who is a cousin of a man Dad is working with. Hmm. A slight contact ... maybe.
I am trying to make some plans about where to go. I can’t go north for ever! Tomorrow I am going to Culdaff and hopefully find the people the Doherty's talked about.
I am wondering if Iris rang them to say that I was coming. Hopefully they will give me a room for a few days and maybe a job. If so, I will use their place as a base to explore Malin Head and then head South. Two options: I could go through Derry and then back up the Foyle to Portstewart, or I could head further South, taking Letterkenny and even Dublin! It's only about 200 miles away and I could do that over two weeks.
Portstewart is where Alex grew up and where his parents still live. Before I left England, he told them about me and said that I may be in the area at some point. They told him to tell me that I would be welcome to go and visit them and stay for a night or two. Alex has told me several times that during the Summer his parents often let backpackers pitch a tent in their back garden, so I guess they are generally nice people.
I am going to stop this ... I have been watching Nell all night whilst writing this and am really enjoying it.
To hell with a shower ... I'll have one tomorrow.
posted by Bren Carlill @ 9:15 AM
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