After a build-up of fatigue, with some extra rest yesterday (Day 4, Monday), Kit seems to have built up a second wind. She sounds downright energized again today.
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Readers: The Intro to this series if needed. Enjoy!
I also needed a rest, so this is being posted Tuesday morning instead of last night: my This is True newsletter has to take priority since that’s what’s funding everything!
Kit and Ric’s day started with sleeping in a bit, and then a wonderful breakfast from the Laurel Villa Guest House to fuel the next leg of the journey — a huge assortment of fruits, sausage, bacon, scones, yogurt, and more, all served in a setting fit for a poet.
Then back on the road for them.
Media
No new articles today, but a reporter from another country checked in, thinking he might do an article later (about Residential Cruising in general, not necessarily land-trekking while waiting.)
Known Far and Wide
Along the way, Kit said, they saw a guy park his car and come running over to them. “Are yous The Ship People?!” He wanted to buy them coffee, but they weren’t very far along yet, and needed to get a few miles in before taking a break.
Let’s get a higher perspective on this:
As they continued, just like the bicyclists of yesterday, drivers going by honked their hellos.
Yeah, they’ll never be beyond the point on this journey where the locals don’t know of The Ship People, the crazy Americans walking to Derry.
They visited the Ponderosa, the “highest pub in Ireland” on the Glenshane Pass in the Sperrin Mountains. Amazing they could breathe the thin air: Glenshane Pass is at 912 ft. above sea level! 🙂 But look how gorgeous it is inside. A wee dram and you’ll forget the thin air. (I jest since our house in Colorado was at 7,500 ft. Our new home will be at around 50 ft. asl….)
At a welcoming looking pub, another guy popped over: Martin, a retired firefighter from Derry, wondering if they were The Ship People. The owner of the pub wanted to shake their hands and get photos for their Facebook page.
A Place to Stay
So, where did they stay that could compete with the wonderful Laurel Villa Guest House and their incredibly accommodating hosts, Garardene & Eugene?
Well, Garardene & Eugene had an idea: go ahead and walk as far as they feel like, and don’t worry that there isn’t an inn in that vicinity: just call them and say where they are, and they’d come get them and bring them back to the Laurel Villa Guest House. Stay the night again, and after another hearty breakfast Tuesday morning, they’d drive them back to the spot where they were picked up.
Ric and Kit liked the idea: they said yes.
See why they’re so refreshed?!
Total Mileage Today: 11.3. Previous subtotal: 37.4. Running Total: 48.7
Last Updated September 17, 2024 Originally Published September 17, 2024
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Entirely charmed by all these posts. Hats off to Kit and best wishes for continued beautiful weather.
Their overnight hosts picked them up, and dropped them off the next morning at the same spot… after another superb breakfast spread…. How cool is that? Go Kit and Ric.
I’m enjoying the stories of what you are doing while Stranded in Belfast.
By definition, folks planning to live aboard the ship are adventurous.
Kit’s encounters with such kindness and generosity from the folk of Eire is heartwarming. Thanks for sharing about another day of her odyssey.
Northern Ireland is not Eire — that is The Republic of Ireland.
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It was its official name (the sovereign state of Eire) from 1937 until full independence in 1949, when the Republic of Ireland was proclaimed and the country withdrew from the Commonwealth. -rc
Each time I see a new email from you, I think, “this is telling us you’re sailing!” But Kit’s stories and pics are an almost good substitute. Let’s hope the sailing email comes soon!
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I’ve been hoping so too! I have started to draft it…. -rc
As you are a tech person and will be traveling around the world as a lifestyle, I was wondering what you are doing about phone service? Any recommendations for those of us who only go abroad occasionally?
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A terrific idea for an article! SO good, in fact, that: Keep Your Phone Number When Residential Cruising. 🙂 -rc
I’m so jealous of Kit! It sounds wonderful!! Love to you both!
Kit’s comments about meeting the great people of NI while walking brought to mind a whole book about meeting the great people of the UK while walking: Free Country * by George Mahood. Mahood and friend walked the entire length of Britain supported only by the kindness of strangers.
What a wonderful thing for their hosts Garardene & Eugene to do! Now *THAT’S* going “above & beyond” customer service. Offering to pick them up was great but offering to bring them *back* to where they picked them up is simply amazing!
They’ve met so many wonderful people so far. Hope that trend continues for the rest of the trip.
“Should 48 miles appear too small”
“In three more days we’ll walk it all”
“Cuz we’re the Ship People!”
“Ye—ah the Ship Pe—ple”
–(Sing it to the tune of “Tax Man” by The Beatles — add stanzas at your own risk.)
Loving these mini-adventures. Life is not always a ‘bed of roses’, it’s what you make of it that is important by turning negatives into positives whenever possible, and also inspiring others to do the same. As a bonus, you will have even more memories to look back on and feel proud of.