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Half a day in and I’m digesting lunch of boiled eggs, stuffed vine leaves and an almond sugar bar in the car park where Cruagh Road meets the Kilakee Road. It’s a mild, lightly overcast day - perfect for walking.
Day one: on the old military road, passing Lough Bray.
A cyclist whom I later learn is named Dave stops for a chat on his way up the hill. Dave’s in DCU, working on his PhD on the semiotics of craft beer. I tell him I’m halfway through the first day of a multi-day walk to Rosslare and - shyly - that my eventual goal is Istanbul. Dave dreams of adventures too. He describes meeting a cyclist in the mountains recently, loaded up with gear. “Where have you cycled from?” Dave asked.
“Thailand”, replied the cyclist, with an Irish accent.
“And where are you going?” asked Dave.
“Carlow”, came the reply. “I’m going to visit my parents. I should make it by the end of the day”.
Dave is awed and delighted to have met this tenacious traveller: “…and I looked at the mountains ahead of him and I said ‘fair play’. As soon as I’ve finished my PhD I’m off on a big adventure like that. 12,000 miles”.
He’s the first person who’s asked me where I’m headed. Respect to you, Dave. I hope you get to go on your own adventure.
