In the myst of a late morning I leave Eva’s Home. The fire had been already burning in the stove when I got down into her kitchen, the smell of coffee unfolding in the air. Our conversations are still echoing in my head as I push my bike back up the steep hill into the village.
According to the Irish I can see the Ferries. And I remember that this is exactly why I am doing this, even though the fog lays heavy and the air is cold.
Every “next-village” lays a little bit higher which makes me hope each time for the sun to break through. But each time my hopes are left in vain. Therefore I decide to take the detour over another village another bit higher. With no success. But when you start the game it is hard to stop it. That’s when I find another "hill”, or mountain, along my way. The sun seems so close, maybe just 10meters would be enough. I end up pushing the bike over a steep meadow, I fall and sweat and arrive on the edge of a forest. The clouds above are thin, almost bright and I fantasise to see some first shades of blue.
“Either I wait here and hope for the sun to come through.” I think, “Or I just go a little bit higher…”
At that stage I was reluctant to give up. Frozen to the bone the sun became everything I ever wanted. Imagining myself drinking coffee with her light on my face, all my clothes able to dry. And it was only 1pm, so I would have a good 3hours of her left. All that was enough for me to tap into unknown forces of willpower and keep on pushing.
I eventually ended up on a hiking-path named “goat-ladder”, for a good reason. But I could see the sun. And I knew there was less than one kilometre ahead. So on I went, accompanied by the disbelieving looks and remarks of a few hikers.
“Aren’t there better things to do than that?” one of them asks. I am not sure if he was concerned or taking the piss. Anyways it makes me laugh. “Sure but if you want to reach the sun you must go up.” I reply.
On the last few meters my arms and legs start shaking. With each stone I push the bike over, I feel it’s heavy weight pulling me backwards. My shoes slip. A drop of sweat falls from my nose.
I can see the end now. It has to work, I am almost there. When I get out of the forest I run the last few meters across the grass into a flood of bright, warm sunshine.
Exhausted and drenched in sweat I made it. Above the clouds. Ranges of mountains all around me. Blue sky above and warm sunshine on my face.
It was all worth it. Every second, I would do it all again. And “No there are no better things to do than that!”
I make two coffees and eat one piece of bred with peanut-butter and dates after the other. I watch the mountains, the clouds and the sun until she sets somewhere far on the horizon.
That’s when I hide myself under a big pine tree at the edge of the forest. Nestled in under his big branches, reaching over me like protecting arms I fall asleep as the forest wakes up. Animals are moving in the dead leaves around me. A fox is barking. The echo of a galloping deer on the forest floor.
Thanks for stopping by, have a lovely Thursday!
All photos and words are owned by ©kesityu taken and written by myself.