Gravel In My Tread
excerpts from a travel journal
29 JAN 2017
My initial thought and intention was to use this journal every night before bed. As of yet, I have not achieved that a single time. My main purpose behind using this was to use it often so that I don't lose the stories of the day - the minutiae. However I'm also not really willing to subject myself to unnecessary stress in the interest of journaling. To some extent I need to just do what I feel like doing. Some memories will live and die with me. And that's okay.
Currently I sit in Dublin airport, awaiting a flight to Edinburgh, Scotland. Since I last wrote, plenty has happened. Like a lot. Let's see if I can hit it day by day.
Thursday, 26 JAN 2017 -
Last entry I was still on the train. It was largely an uneventful experience. We terminated in Holyhead, Wales. We transferred from the train to a ferry. The ticket was actually called 'Rail and Sail' which I thought was sort of clever. There was a small amount of confusion at the station for the ferry, but was quickly resolved by politely asking employees for help.
We eventually made it to a transport shuttle that took us to the ferry itself. Now when I talk about this ferry, I have to say my expectations were humble. Like, I assumed this would be a very small affair. Maybe it would hold crew plus a couple dozen people, max. Wrong. This ferry was a fucking cruise ship. There was something like twelve decks to this thing. It held all sorts of cars and shit. On the first main deck that wasn't housing cars and whatever mechanisms that make the ship go, there were two or three restaurants and bars. A large and extremely green gift shop. A slots and lottery room. A cinema "playing new and current features" which was advertised on a sign sporting the cover art to Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone. The next two decks up had rooms and a general lounge area. Above that was access to the outside of the ship.
Soon after embarking from the port, Noah got a pizza and I got a special Guinness and sandwich deal (steak and fried onion on baguette). I still don't like Guinness but it seemed appropriate. We sat at the bough of the ship, looking straight out the window. After maybe a half hour or so I noticed a few lounge banks down from us there was a stout man wearing a beanie with the Doomtree "No Kings" logo. I pointed this out to Noah, saying he would "definitely be at the Astro show tonight." Immediately after that I noticed the man sitting near him looked pretty similar to Oscar, the guitarist/keyboardist/whateverist for Astronautalis. It was about then that I realized the Doomtree guy was Brock, Astro's manager and the other was, indeed, Oscar. I worked up the courage to go say hello, which surprised the hell out of Oscar. Lying on the couch opposite Oscar was Andy, bundled in his coat and fast asleep. Oscar woke him before I could stop him, so I said hi and apologized for waking him. I retreated to my seat and we went about our business.
Next I went to the top deck alone to take in the outdoor view. There was a couple in a covered area there smoking. I asked if I could bother him for one. In the extreme wind this Irishman rolled me a cigarette with loose tobacco and lent me his lighter. We talked for a few minutes. He and his partner Franny (I didn't catch the Irishman's name) were to be married in a day or two. As I told him about my journey he responded to each sentence with "fair enough." Really, this guy said it like thirty times.
We parted ways and I went to the railing of the ship. Andy and Oscar came up and were taking pictures of the ship and sea and sky. I asked if I could get a shot of the three of us and they happily agreed. I used my disposable (I brought two of these so I could force myself to really engage with at least 54 different sites) which they seemed to appreciate. Fucking hipsters, right? Them, not me. As they walked away Andy said "I want to see that when it's developed!" I promised he would.
I went back down to Noah and felt sea sick for the first time. I'm not sure if it was the sea, the food, the beer, the cigarette, or some combination of the lot. Anyway, gross story short - I made it to the toilet. I laid down for the rest of the ride. It was fine.
We exited the ferry and walked two hours to our hostel (Apache Hostel) in downtown Dublin. It was cold. It was dark. It was windy. We passed through some shit areas. Some teens offered me some drugs that weren't weed. Not sure what it was. I declined.
We arrived at the hostel which was also a pizza place which I thought was weird but I've never owned either so what do I know? WE had a very small private room which had a lock which is great. It also had a shared bathroom. The room was exactly big enough for two bunk beds pressed together, but only one was present. We basically alternated standing and sitting on the edge of the bed.
We left our bags and set off down the road Whelan's for Astronautalis. WE had a drink at the venue which had a sizable pub area. Later I would learn this pub was a shooting location for the Gerard Butler romcom P.S. I Love You. Neat.
An Irish rap group with actual instruments opened for Astro. Something and the Plus Ones. They weren't good.
Astro played immediately after. They were good. He mentioned Noah and I in his freestyle, something to the effect of "Americans coming to see me and meet me on the ferry." As they left the stage, they were clearly open to an encore. I've always wondered what happens if no one starts chanting. Like, we know you're planning an encore, you left the lights down and didn't start tearing down. If we don't chant do you just stay hidden, dejected? Do you come out anyway, all of us painfully aware we weren't interest in more? Anyway. the crowd began chanting "One! More! Tune!" I'm not kidding, they really shout "tune." It was adorable and endearing as hell. They played a few tunes and then went back off stage, and the crowd started chanting for another encore, "Oscar! Oscar! Oscar!" The last song they played was Troublehunters, but acoustic. Andy forgot the entire first verse and owned it by just freestyling through it.
We went back to the Apache and called it quits for the night.
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