I’m writing this post from bus Eireann on the way to Dublin. We’ve stopped at a petrol station at the halfway point to let out the weary passengers for a bathroom break. I followed the thronging women upstairs to the toilets, and then followed them again to the register with my chosen Cadbury chocolates clutched guiltily against my four jackets. It really cracks me up that this particular brand of chocolate advertises itself as the official Irish Olympic treat. Perhaps if I eat enough, I’ll be able to run ultra-marathons through the Antarctic like Richie Donovan (he must live off of the stuff). I bought the chocolates and rushed back to the bus, anxious that I’d miss it leaving for Dublin because I’d spent too long ogling the great variety of chocolate bars. Not only did I not miss the bus, it ended up being delayed for forty-five minutes. The new bus driver just came in and told us that this was because no one at bus Eireann headquarters is answering the phones. I suppose that’s Ireland for you. My excuse for not hitching my way north is that it would have been far too dark for drivers to see me as they whizzed by on the windy roads. I left Cork at four, and it was dark by five fifteen. An hour and a half of daylight wouldn’t have been nearly enough to secure rides for the four-hour trip to Dublin.
I will hitch one of these days, really I will.
The last few days with Roisin, her friends, her father, and her puppies were absolutely glorious. Cork isn’t as Christmasy and festive as Galway, but it is unbeatable when you have a friend like Roisin to take you to local beaches and her favourite pubs. After attending her yoga class at Oyster Haven on Thursday night (if you’re from Ireland and looking for a yoga instructor, I highly recommend getting in touch with Roisin), we went out to the Oval Pub to meet some of Roisin’s school friends for an end of the semester sort of party. Roisin’s school friends never left their house to meet us, but we happily passed the evening with a delightful young gentleman named Cathal, who made my day by commissioning a hat from me. My first customer – I’ll be a self-sufficient vagabond one of these days, just you wait. Between the three dollars that these blogs have earned for me, my pumpkin carving skills, and my nimble knitting fingers, I’ll be able to call myself self-employed.
Employment. Weird.
Friday was beach day. Roisin assured me that this beach wasn’t close to the nicest Cork had to offer, but it seemed pretty grand to me. Maybe I’m still adjusting to the general breathtaking quality of the west of Ireland, though. It all seems stunningly beautiful. I love the windblown, kowtowed grass, the jagged, rocky silhouettes, and the wild, crashing sea. It would take months for me to lose an iota of the awe that this landscape inspires.
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| Roisin and BUNNY |
We headed over to Cathal’s house Friday night for dinner, movie, and an interview. Actually having bits of this project posted online gives me the courage to ask interviews from people I’d normally be too shy to approach. We had a fantastic interview, and Cathal’s enthusiasm about the project gave me a wonderful confidence boost regarding its merit and meaning. I’m so happy that I’ve chosen to spend a great part of my life doing this. I’m so happy that it’s possible. That I can save for less than a year, pack my bags, and spend over six months travelling Europe, volunteering, and interviewing people from various cultures.
As a very generous Christmas present, Roisin paid for me to attend a yoga workshop with her on Saturday and Sunday. So from 11-1 on Saturday, we flowed and twisted through a detox routine with two of Roisin’s yoga instructors. After the workshop, we went to the Christmas market to buy yarn for Cathal’s hat. I spent from 2:30 to 12:30 working on hats, and this was the fruit of my labor:
Today was the second part of the yoga workshop, and it was a much gentler, de-stress flow. I got further down into Tortoise than I’ve ever been, and was able to put both feet behind my head (not at the same time, unfortunately). It was an excellent practice and really inspired me to get my act together and start teaching classes of my own.
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