We'll be coming round the mountain...

CROAGH PATRICK

Legend has it that St Patrick climbed up Croagh Patrick (pronounced Croke Patrick) and stayed up there for 40 days. We weren't so keen on sticking around THAT long, but it was on Cath's and my to-do list, so we headed up.

We started the day with a hearty breakfast, not yet sure whether we were climbing or not. We wanted to, but the weather report said miserable weather - and there's nowhere to hide on the mountain when the rain comes down. As it turns out, we didn't have to worry about rain - it was the snow that caught us cold!

This is what awaited us - okay it isn't as high as Table Mountain - at about 700m it's a good 300m shorter - but unless you're taking the Platteklip route, the end of Croagh patrick is quite a bit steeper. Still, it was a good laugh.

The walkers... near the bottom. I had an extra pair of pants (that's trousers to any non South Africans out there) in my bag and demanded Emma wear them cos just looking at her was giving me shivers. She refused until eventually, half way up, I felt her legs - they were like icycles and turning slightly bluish - I insisted and we made the exchange.

Ah, now she's in longs. And the sun came out and soon we were all melting. Thanks A LOT Alan!

Super Cath half way up. Mom slogs on...

NEARLY THERE

The final stretch...

The view...

ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD - WELL, MAYO ANYWAY

Emma finally got her snow, even if it was just a few handfulls.

Honestly... will you look at theses two above ... acting like children...

Heh heh... oops. I guess playing with snow makes everyone a child.

Us at the top... look at me, I'm taller than big Dave!

Then, while one minute we were staring out over Clew Bay, admiring the view...

The next minute the silence (for the religious making this Holy pilgrimage up to the top of the mountain) was broken by Cath screaming HOLY CRAP! LOOK AT THIS CLOUD!

The fog moved in covering everything around except this small gap. We couldn't see more than 20 metres - and we still had to get down. But it wasn't rain luckily. It was just a bit of a snow storm...

... which we negotiated carefully on our way down. You can see the snow pelting in as we pose for this photie!

AND BACK DOWN

And before no-time we were back down again, watching a lil lamb make its way across the river and posing with St paddy.

One more thing on the to do list ticked off.

Now for Antrim and the Giant's Causeway!

Up to Achill - Heanys to Ireland

Heanys do Achill

Service with a smile... we were there to greet the Heanys as they walked through the doors of Cork airport. It had been a long time, so we had a sign with us in case we didn't recognise each other.

It wasn't long before we had them warm, in our flat with tea in their hands, showing them our glorious apoartment. And it wasn't long before I had all my Christmasses at once, as out came a host of prezzies for me - birthday or otherwsie!
I scored in a big way. There was an SA Sports Illustrated, a (SA) Sunday Times, nestle hot choc - the best hot choc in the world, some fancy shmancy aftershave, an uber-cool Liverpool mug, an uber-cool Liverpool uno game and a few sweets and chocs. Woohoo. You're welcome back any time guys.

That reminds me - when it was my birthday, I was greeted with about 40 new messages - mostly from facebook telling me so-and-so had wriitten me a bday msg on my wall. I thought I'd take a screenshot cos it amused me so.

Back to the present - Mom and Big Dave


Emma had only been away for about a month, so it wasn't long before things were back to normal...




However Cath and I had decided to take them off to Achill Ireland in the north west of the Republic with a climb up a mountain the following morning.

After quite a drive we arrived on the Ireland and showed them around a bit. The weather was playing '4 seasons in one day' again, but we got in a few good views before being swept off our feet by the wind and sleet.



Achill is a Gaeltacht area - an area where Irish / Gaelic is widely spoken, so a few of their signs were a bit tough to fathom. Still we found our way.

We then drove up to a viewpoint where Cath did her sexy look - or should that be 'sexy look' for me again (see Emma's last trip here) and the youngsters had a quick look out over the Atlantic before darting back into the warmth of the car where we blasted the air con onto lava temp to defrost our hands and faces. The car said it was 4 degrees but with the gale force wind whipping us too, it must have been a tad colder.

AAAAAAHHHH! Aren't they a cute lot!

We had booked a room in a hostel for the five of us, so we drove there to drop off our stuff and find a bite to eat. We were then directed to a pub a mile or so down the road.



At this pub, Mommy H got her first view of what the Irish girls tend to wear on a night out, irrespective of the temperature. She needed to sit down. It was about 4 degrees outside and there was a group of girls dressed as if it was beach weather. One girl in particular was showing more skin than the rest put together - but only cos she was about three times as fat as the others. COVER THYSELF WOMAN! WE DON'T NEED TO SEE THAT! I suppose you have to hand it to her - clearly she was on the pull and she was going to get some!

Unfazed by what was normal pub behaviour, we pulled out the cards once we'd finished our meal (which was great) and began a few rounds of poor man's bridge - which Cath's mom normally kichs ass at. I Can't remember who won, all I know is that I still suck as much as I ever did! Bloody Heany card sharks!

There was also a bit of music from some geezer in the corner but it wasn't good enough to keep us there past midnight so we headed back to the hostel...

... where we were woken up at abot 4am by a group of lads returning from their night out.

Ah but we didn't need our sleep - it wasn't as if we were climbing amountain or anything the next morning!

And so with the weather still in two (or three) minds we wen't for a morning drive around the island, not sure whether we were actually going to climb or not. There were a few more pleasant sights.

And when we came across a beach, some genius decided it would be a good idea to run to the water and touch it - this, once again, being in the pouring rain / sleet with a howling gale to boot. Mom and I decided to film the experience for them. Hey, it was hard, but somone had to.

And you can check out the film if I can ever upload it here.

Easter - and a visit from the Easter bunny

EMMA the EASTER bunny

Once again, we heard Emma was to be alone over Easter - and we were to be alone over Easter - and yet, we're so close to each other - why not fly the little Easter bunny over to us! (As Cath would say - "It makes logical sense".

So after talking to her and deciding this on Holy Thursday, she arrived on Good Friday and left on easter Sunday - short and sweet - although still with plenty of time to pig-out on as much chocolate as her little body could handle!




But first things first...

Good Friday saw us go and greet Linda and Liam's new house. They've been working on it for about as long as we've known them - since pretty-much our first few days in Ireland (05) - building the house from scratch. Finally it is up and running with a few small things to be ironed out here and there. They invited us over as a sort of house initiation and got us well fed. The place is pretty stunning, with a stunning view over the farm fields.

It was then off to church and while we were killing time waiting for Mass, I snapped this quick one of my model-babe!

Cath ran off to pick up Emz at the airport while I headed to work and the next day we went shopping for as much chocolate as we could fill a trolley with. There were about 20 items on our shopping list - but none without the word chocolate in them. Chocolate milk, chocolate ice cream, chocolate-covered raisins, chocolate , chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate

Then after Mass it was...

Pig-out time!

BED-BUDDY TIME!!!!

The next morning, after forcing Emma out of bed, it was time for an Easter egg hunt....

Now the third of these hunt photies catch me in my monster slippers... which are the coolest slippers in the world. But while we're on the subject of slippers... check out these two pairs that I bought for Cath. Cows and pigs!

As if we hadn't eaten enough, the next morning was pancake time! What better way to use up any leftover chocolate, ice cream and sweeties.



And so with that, it was tata to Emma for another month... sigh! What will we do with the Emma room?