Struggled I did, really struggled with my tools all cluttering up the floor of Sadie and Tanya giving me bored 'I want a walk' stares. Eventually though I turned on the radio and there it was. A clear and non distorted sound issueing forth from the New speakers neatly fitted and now once again unseen under the replaced dashboard panelling. The dashboard panelling had been the conundrum. How to remove it? I now know, which is a good job as tonight I have had an; 'I do not believe it' moment as one of the new speakers has failed and is now giving out ...... Go on, have a guess...... yup, you've got it...... a highly distorted sound.
Sat here as I am, in Glenariff forest park, County Antrim on this dark, cold night of heavy and continuous rain small things in life, such as a radio speaker giving up the ghost take on quite a significance. I enjoy listening to the radio and my music. It is quite important to me in this small and compressed motorhome world of mine. Now, suddenly it is compromised and has become another job to do and a double expense as with travelling it is once again the case of original retailer now being many miles behind in East Kilbride.
However; despite me also having a head cold all is not doom and gloom. We left the Glasgow area a few days ago spending time enjoying the sunshine as we travelled down the beautiful Ayrshire coast stopping off at Croy bay to walk the beach along to Culzean castle where lunch was enjoyed. Many happy 'Kate' memories here. A further stop for a cup of tea and Seal viewing just past Girvan allowed arrival at David and Dorothy's beautiful home just in time for a much enjoyed steak pie supper. Their home just above Port Patrick is always an enjoyable visit not only for the delights of meandering around such a lovely and unspoilt harbour but also to catch up on all the gossip and stories of which David and Dorothy (when she can get a word in that is!) revell in. Them being a hop skip and a jump across Stranrear bay from the Cairn Ryan Irish ferry terminal is sort of useful too!
Cairn Ryan to Belfast was an uneventful ferry trip with their new ferry being very well appointed, clean, with sensibly priced meals and free wi fi. Tanya was not allowed to leave Sadie and the vehicle deck but managed fine and I had no loud tannoy announcement requesting my presence to attend one stressed out and noisy dog. She was very pleased to see me at the end of the relatively smooth crossing though.
Sat Nav set for Giants Causeway on the North Antrim coast and off we drive into the persistent heavy rain. Phew! It was bad too with sections of road flooded and in parts starting to lift under the pressure of water rushing off the rain sodden hills. Quite dramatic. We gave up in the end and swung right into Glenariff forest park and a large, sheltered by the trees, car park.
Full wet gear was flung on including Tanya's raincoat with legs. She looks cute in it but more importantly it does the job and keeps the main part of her body and upper legs dry. Off we went to explore this Glen and the two swollen and rushing rivers deep in it's bowels. Now they were dramatic and two locals I met confirmed this drama when one of them said, "No, never seen anything like it and I been here forty years."
There were timber walkways along some of the really narrow sections of the glen. We walked rapidly over these as the torrent rushing and tearing at the supporting legs looked kind of determined to dislodge them and fling them into the raging brown and foaming cauldron of water and debris coming down from the hills above. Especially at Rainbow bridge which we had to cross. Exciting and scary with a welcome feeling of relief and security as we climbed up the Solid steps the other side which led us away from the noise, soaking spray, and the furious torrent of the death inviting waterfall. Tanya, may I add, was on a short and secure lead all the way.
I'm happy to say I am writing this last little postscript at Giants Causeway. Impressive and refreshing on this dry but cloudy and savagely windy day. The walking route we chose was clifftop. Hmmmm! We returned to the visitor centre on the lower, shoreside road which was a little less windy but with jaw dropping eye level sight and sound of the huge storm waves rolling in and smashing into the jumbled and jagged hexagonal shoreline protrusions.
Well worth a visit.
No comments:
Post a Comment