Shooting for 2009 on this next Hairbrained trip. Check out the links.

http://www.hireacanalboat.co.uk/index.php
http://www.tranquilholidays.org/Pictures.html
http://www.barrowline.ie/
www.canalways.ie/canalways_ireland.htm

Turning the final page ......

Within the next few days I will post a final posting to this blog and then call it a wrap. I'm selecting some photos, creating a slide show and preparing some video for download or streaming from another site. There will be some commentary, but for the most part I will allow the images to speak for themselves; I've heard tell that each one is worth a thousand words.

Homeword bound.

I arrived at my hostel lastnight, after more train woes coming from Edinbrugh, at 1:30 A.M.. I got to lay down on my £8 bed for four hours, I didn't sleep though. I am beat to shit right now. Yeah, I'm tired, when I stepped into the rainy London streets this morning, I actually thought for a secound that I was in NYC

I'm at Heathrow, presently, waiting for my flight home. I had dozed off a while ago, and awoke with a start at an announcement that included my gate number, I jumped up, grabed my shit and ran to gate 10 and got in line. If it wasn't for alert airport personel, I'd be on my way to Ahbu Dhabi on the BA073 right now. Yeah, I'm beat.

What can I, the worst/best night of the trip.

No rooms in Edinburgh last night and no rooms a way doon as far as Glasgow either. I made a reservation for the night in a burg outside of Glasgow, that’s as close as I could get.

Well, due to Edinburgh getting a triple hit (Scottish Cup final, a big marathon, and bank holiday) not only were there no rooms. But the influx of people put a strain on the train system, and subsequently there were delays. It was 45 min before I got a train out to Glasgow, to change for the burg (Johnstone); we were stuck out on the line for another 45 minutes and then I got jammed up in Glasgow. I called to confirm the room from Glasgow, but they’d cancelled my reservation, because I was not there when I said I’d be, and they let the room out to someone else. Now, I’m stuck in Glasgow at 1:00 a.m... .

Yeah, on the way down to Glasgow, the train was full of football sports revellers, Club People and just people partying because they didn’t have to work the next day; it reeked of beer and everyone was yelling, singing songs and stamping their feet. These people drink heavily, more than the Irish I’d wager! Sorry, I digressed.

Arriving, finally, in Glasgow, I thought: Well, I’ve done all that I can, I don’t know a soul, I can’t get a room; it’s also pouring, and freezing cold. So, I started to walk. On Price St., I went past a bar and there were a few people outside smoking (both cannabis and tobacco) and drinking. They seemed a friendly bunch, so asked if anyone knew of a B&B around; just on the odd chance that I may have missed something that only that locals knew. Some cute little Glasgow girl said “Noow, there’s a wee one doon the road, boot ats full oop!” Well, into the bar I figured; just to get warm and dry off a bit.

It was an open mike night thing and people were in there with their guitars ‘n stuff. I don’t have time to get into details but, one of the folks out front sent me a beer, and out of courtesy, I drank it. Well, two more Strongbow Stouts later, I ended up getting up to the mike with some guys guitar; nice old Gibby too. I said some shit about Mel Gibson and then Bush, whose name was booed loudly. Then out of nowhere I said; “I understand that William Wallace could shoot lightning bolts out of his arse. Well, that’s exactly where George Bush speaks from; his fookin arse, man!” The whole place went nuts, they loved it. I was from the U.S. and they like us here; they just hate our president.

Anyway, the ice broke. I was stalling because I didn’t know what to play, couldn’t even think of a song I knew. On the way down on the train, I remember at on point, while the people were stamping their feet, all the while, in my head, I was singing “The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol, when they do the Bristol Stomp! So I cut loose on that, foot stompin and all; they picked right up on it... For some strange reason, Celts love to stamp their feet; I think it has something to do with sitting in the bleachers at football and soccer games.

After that, I ended up playing: “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, got an encore; and did, Buckets of Rain, got another encore, and played Black Velvet Band, and every one knew the chorus. Wow! These folks went insane; probably because I such a novelty, being from the U.S., soaking wet, and talking funny. Oh, and of course, because every person in the joint was very, VERY drunk! I could've farted the Star Spangled Banner and they would've loved it.

So now, it was closing time, and the owner of the bar said to me “Wait a few minutes, stay dry a while lad.”, and he locked the door and started tidying up, I went to help but he said their son does the rest in the morning time. Man, that place looked like a WWII bombed out Italian Villa. Then his wife came out and said, “I tried everything I could to find you a room, love, but there’s nowt a one. So, Daniel and me decided you can sleep on our couch, if you’d like.” So I did. I got about 2 hrs sleep and in the morning the son dropped me at Waverly train station.

Now, I am back on schedule for my train to London is at 5:30; about 2 and ½ hrs from now; I am ready to come home. Not hang dog though; if I were to die tomorrow, I’d die happy. It’s been a fantastic two months!

I arrive in London at 1:00 a.m., so the problem of accommodations once again presents it’s self. I must now try to nip that possibility in the bud, and try to book some place that’ll accept me at that hour. I’m on the plan home at 10:00 a.m tomorrow. Later.

p.s. Daniel & Nanci & Son: Thank you all so very much for everything. Use the email, please, please keep in touch! All the best.

Finally happened!

Just arrived Edinburgh. pouring rain, cold and no accomodations; Bank Holidy, I knew it too. Oh well, I'm out in it for sure tonignt if I can't come up with something?????? fast. I'm very worn out, burt in fact; no sleep last night, seven hour train ride, three change overs. Also, I couldn't get a sleeper to London for tomorrow night. So, I have to get an early train like at 5:30, puts me into London at 1:00 .a.m.; this train is not an express either, it's 4 changes."I can't take the pressure, I'm goin down!" Yeah right, piss me off Scotland, and see what happens to yer wee arse! Sign .......

Winding down ....

Went up to The Giants Causeway yesterday, you my know it better as the funny looking rock formation on the front of Led Zep 1; the one with the naked pubesent girl lounging across some rocks. Fantastic vistas, but quite a lot of walking involved in seeing that part of the coast.

Concerning distances: In the movie the quiet man Maureen O'hara's character (Mary Kate Danaher) sez to John Wayne's character (Sean Thorton), after he dresses her down a wee bit for leaving him to walk home five miles "Tis only a good stretch of the legs!"

And so it is in Ireland. You will ask for directions, and folks'll say something like: "Ohh, et's no far'tal, lad. Go doon pass the pub daer, and tack a right, yeah, den it's right roond the carner daer." So, twenty minutes later, you arrive at your destination; it's happened to me time and time again.

On the way back I stopped in Derry, there vising the "Walled City". I walked the ramparts and took some pictures of the area where "Bloody Sunday" occuered, and of course talked to folks.

I also found out that, and not many years ago, the IRA had blown up two of the busses owned by the tour company ("Paddy Wagon") I traved with yesterday, which were parked (late at night and empty) right in front of the hostel that I stayed at first night.

The hotel Europa, Brit owned, in Belfast has been blow up and rebuilt 28 times by the IRA; they tried to run the Brits up by making it financialy unviable to be here; seems that to me that stagity is being used right now elsewhere on the planet. Gotta go get my ferry to Scotland, then train to ... who knows where, I think I'm changing up again. Bank Holiday in the UK on Monday, I don't want to get jammed up. No pics, at kiosk, no USB connection to connect camera. Next stop maybe.

News from the front.

I've managed to book a hostel, but it sucks, but I booked a B&B for tomorrow night though. I got the hostel on line, I walked two miles to it from the train station. When I arrived the girl said that I'd booked an 8 person dorm, and that she had no singles; I didn't book a dorm, I need a single. So, as I was leaving she said "Ohh shiet, I'm sorry sir but we doo have a single ruim, boot dats at air odder plaice, doon at de College Square." So I took it at twenty quid.

Tomorrow I'm going out to the countryside and the sea shore. It's colder and wetter here in the North. I've booked the ferry fromBelfast to Stranraer for the day after tomorrow; I'll figger out how to get to Edinburgh from dare, doon't ya know!

I had some things to say, but I am worn out, that feckin pack is gettin heavy, and I'm also quite hungry; I must now go forage, or run down and kill a meal.