Friday night- get pretty pissed off when I’m told I should do writing on a big map I’m painting in YHA typeface (no way is that going to happen, it’s all serif!). So I still haven’t done that writing. I’ll do it when I can do it how I want to do it, since it is my project…
Get to Perranporth for roughly 9:20pm, it’s so very odd driving up there in the dark as you’re fully aware that there’s a very steep cliff one side of the track. There is a small group in, so I go “chillax” (sit in a pile being rather dazed) in Phil’s little staff house/room with the voluntary photographer Ally who has been skipping about the SW YHA’s these past few weeks – it was great to actually get to chat to her when not in work time, when I’m not constantly being reminded that I should be working and not talking to customers (or anyone else).
Saturday… wake up in the back of my van, the bed is a well and truly cosy bed now I’ve got a duvet on top AND underneath me, and then a hot water bottle to act as a cat… mmm. But yes, wake up, clothes on, open back doors… WHAT A VIEW. Right along the cliffs with the sea below, along in the direction of St Agnes. Yesss. A rap on the wall and Phil’s little surf bum face peers round the door – QUARRYATHON TIME!
The view out from position number 1 of my van on the cliff at Perranporth... mmmorning!
We make sure to stock our stomachs up with breakfast, black our faces up (with miners dust, of course…?!) and then the three of us drive off to near Falmouth (and very VERY near Lisa’s forge) to Bishops Forum / BF Adventure. There we met with two more YHA managers (Chris from Lands End and Paul from Penzance), blacked them up too, and marched to the start line pasties in hand (team name: YHA Dump Hole Demons, Cornish miners, of course!).
The course was fun, we had a go on a zip wire, canoes, archery… and a lot of running. Hauling Henry Hoover up and down two flights of YHA Golant stairs does NOT prepare you for the running I did, running up hills is tricky.
The weather was nice enough to hold out for the majority of the day, and after we finished running about like loons we drove off to the Helford to visit Phil’s friend Laura. Laura and doggalump Patch in tow, we go off for a walk along the river making a stop at the Ferryboat Inn for a drink and some chips (Phil and I getting a fair few strange looks due to our boiler suit garb & blackened skin). Rattler cider was drank, followed by a further walk to Trebah gardens where we (once again, for me) climbed up over the wall and onto the beach. More sea swimming was had (myself using the excuse of getting wet to scrub the black paint off of my face and arms) and I stayed in a good while longer than the others… apparently it was really rather cold? It seems I’m becoming immune!
Onwards walking, and we finish the circle and get back to Phil’s van where we say our goodbyes to Laura and Patch and returned to BF Adventure to find out where we came in the competition (4th out of 16 or 17, I reckon it was 17. Not bad!). Driving back in a dazed silence, it had been a long day. Chicken korma for supper.
The next few days we most relaxing, Sunday was certainly the day of rest – we all lazed about the hostel for hours reading our books, only myself leaving to go down the hill/cliff in to town to pick up some fish fingers for Ally (her favourite food! I’m still not terribly sure what mine is… Norwegian “stick meat” (sheep ribs prepared and cooked in a certain way) is the only one which has ever made me pretty much cry with happiness, but then I do enjoy most other foods under the sun, too…).
The two days after this I went with Phil to Newquay to go surfing down by the harbour (nice clean waves). Since I’ve never ever actually SURFED (only windsurfed and body boarded) I decided not to take any board at all, just my black neoprene clad self, and leap up, down, and around through waves… it’s great feeling that freedom and not having to have anything attached to your arm or leg; and I caught some great waves in by putting my arms out in front of me and head down (face screwed up in the most attractive way ever) and going whoosh. I’d like to get more in to body surfing, maybe even get some flippers (sorry webbed feet, you DO help but you don’t quite get up to speed!).
Wednesday was a sad day, I said my goodbyes to Ally who was travelling up coast to Tintagel & Boscastle then slowly onwards back to her Brighton home, bye to Phil (though no doubt to see him again within the next week or so), and also to James (previously known as Mr Purple Pants, due to his purple trousers which I have been told had a sad death of ripping at the crotch and revealing man-hood). Back home to Golant I drove, although the drive itself was most pleasant indeed, and arrived back for my 2pm shift to find that I was to clean pretty much the entire hostel (94 beds… 12 toilets… 12 showers… 3 floors of hoovering…) by myself, and the group who had left that morning were REALLY DISGUSTING and even smeared blood on the walls of their dorm rooms. Bit of an extreme change, from wonderfully chilled out to madly stressed (poor fake Henry Hoover for the brunt of it).
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday passed easily enough – hardly any guests in the hostel which lead to us doing oh so fun and exciting things such as deep cleaning (and finding out that you can get really good internet connection in one of the rooms)… funny how in mid-season when it’s really busy you wish to have nothing to do with any guests, but when it comes to the time of no guests you just wish for something to do which isn’t scrubbing black marks off of walls.
It is now Tuesday 18th October and I’m sitting in my van at the forge where Dan and Lisa are doing blacksmith stuff.
Last night Mr Arnold cooked me a yummy rabbit stew, and this morning I sat on his balcony in sunshine eating toasted potato cakes (with plenty of salted butter!) and some salt beef, over looking Falmouth Harbour.
Once here at the forge I went clambering and exploring over rocks round the quarry pit pool, sunned myself on a large lump of granite, and found a secret path which I had never found before. Lunch was a brown bread sandwich with mature cheddar and some of Arnold’s chilli and garlic jam, followed by some apple & elderflower juice and yoghurt coated ginger. Nom nom nom.
Dan has just gone off to piss in a hedge.
Yup.
Sometimes it can be utterly wonderful doing nothing… I find that since I’m a “working person” (working 5 days a week for the YHA) I try to make sure that my 2 days off a week are filled with things – got to draw, got to explore, got to tidy my room… but I’d always forgotten to do the nothings. Sit around reading a book – haven’t read so much in ages except for last week at Perranporth, perching on a lump of granite in the sun just contemplating life… these times of effortless nothingness are much needed.
So that’s that for now, no doubt there will be more added to this entry before I post it up online (since I doubt I’ll have internet for a while). I can hear Dan bashing away at metal, Lisa listening to Fleet Foxes, the forge fire fan blowing, and someone with a chainsaw up on the hill. I can see gorse bushes with yellow flowers, 2 different colours of ivy growing up the sides of the forge, and sunshine coming in through my van window. I can smell… cow poo.
Ahh, Wednesday 19th October, and guess what… I’m in Perranporth again! After shanty practise in Dave Wisdom’s shed last night I drove over here in time to go for a pint (and a half) at the cool and hip young persons bar/pub with Purple Pants James (because we are DEFINITELY cool and hip?). It felt like a very much needed pint and a half.
The night was pretty stormy – wind and rain battering my little van on the cliff, but waking up in the morning to cloud scattered blue sky and the sun catching on the top of waves. Phil waving very enthusiastically through a window, I went inside and had my breakfast and morning “bright mood” tea (happy tea). I swear I never used to drink this much tea, not even up until last week – I entirely blame Phil & Ally for the constant consumption of hot beverages. Had a morning natter whilst James tidied the hostel, then when he left a chap called Nik appeared – he used to work here. Happy tea number 2 was had (along with some chilli chocolate, nom nom nom) before a brief lunch and Nik & I drove off to Newquay to go leap in the sea.
The sea looked pretty nice, sadly it was far from as nice as it was last week as the cold wind made me cold if I were to be above water, and the frequent little splashy waves prevented me from being able to stay down in the water for long. Thankfully I caught a good few waves in on my front (still body surfing!) and stayed in for an hour and a half.
I’ve been nattering to Phil a little more about body surfing, I may look in to getting something like a hand board (a very small wooden board for holding on your hands as it keeps you skimming the waves better) and also some fins (to some they’d be called flippers, but they aren’t quite flippers as they’re more rubbery and smaller…). It’d help when the currents and such are stronger, and for when I want to go faster and better. Yes indeed. We shall see…
Good news is that I may be able to get a job here at PERRANPORTH next season if Coverack doesn’t want me, or if I just generally would prefer to be here in Perranporth (I would, even if it means far less hours… so long as I get enough hours to keep my stomach and van in order then I’m happy! Yay!).
But yes, we shall see. And Linda might not definitely be leaving anyway. Hum hum. We’ll see how the cookie crumbles…
Monday 24th October, 11:28pm. Lying in bed in my van on the cliff at Perranporth, have been watching “The Hangover” whilst eating quadruple chocolate cookies… it is well and truly PISSING it down outside, so much so that I can’t actually hear the moooovie, so I’m writing this instead. My side doors are well and truly leaking… thankfully the bed is staying dry… that’s how much it is raining, I feel that I’m going to be a busy person for a few days, weather proofing this thing (that includes insulating it, as currently the roof is just the one sheet of metal which means that:
a) when it rains it’s MADLY LOUD.
b) when I sleep in here condensation forms on the ceiling, this then drips on me in the morning and makes me imagine that I’m outside and it’s raining).
So what on earth have I been doing for the past few days?!
Last time I wrote it was Wednesday and I’d jumped in the sea at Newquay with Nik and got very cold. That night I drank cider and such and watched stars and a boat out at sea, had the hostel all to myself as there were no guests and Phil had gone to some staff meeting… quite strange, really.
Thursday I felt a little worse for wear and so upon finally emerging from my van, I did mostly nothing until the evening when I drove back to Fal for another shanty practise – this one was far better! We were joined also by “Crazy Dave” Hart and a chap called Phil (another Phil) and so we sounded far better; not wanting a repeat of Tuesday nights one and a half pint requiring worries I drove back up to Perran again, always a friendly place.
Friday… what did happen Friday? Ah! Yes, walked along the cliff path to St Agnes with Nik; I’ve never actually bothered walking the entire way before, despite the fact that it’s only 4 miles… it’s a really rather nice walk (except for the hill at the end), and when we got there we tipped back a pint and a half at a place called Driftwood Spars (pub). Although this pint and a half made the 4 mile walk back far easier (though maybe not quicker) it did mean that we forgot that we could have just walked AROUND the first big hill on the beach, rather than climb up it then down it then up another… but oh well. 8 mile walk in the end, it’s good to do things, even if they’re just small things (it IS my holiday! I’m allowed to be a slob!).
Half way between Perranporth & St Agnes... colourful cliffs due to iron, tin, copper, and sulpher.
Showed Phil “Game of Thrones” in the eve, may have got another 2 people hooked (come on next series! PLEASE!).
Saturday? Again, not much. In fact, pretty much nothing! Felt rather in “100% hibernation mode” so just interwebbed it up a little and felt pretty crap.
Sunday? Gig at 3:25-45, then one in the evening also. How were they? I’m going to be completely honest and say that I think they were crap… our singing was good enough, but I felt that our band wasn’t our band – line up:
Dan O’Shea, Lisa Harrison, Martin Coote, Dave Hart, Dave Wisdom, the Phil chap, and myself.
Wisdom & Phil were having their first time with the band, they can both sing perfectly enough but perhaps didn’t know the lyrics 100% (this is a little off-putting when I’m sharing a mic with the two of them!). But yes, it didn’t seem like it should. Maybe this was because I’m judging everything on the fun we had at Aberfest back in April in Brittany? Maybe. And maybe it also wasn’t helped by the fact that I’ve been feeling pretty emotionally shoddy, but still.
And I missed my Norweg’s. Singing definitely isn’t the same without them.
After it all the Dave’s played a game of Pool (or was it Snooker? Same thing, different coloured balls) before we went up to the bar to drink some beverages and natter and what not (rum & Shrubs! Mmmm). Lots of Celtic people around in their national Celtic outfits, it was pleasant enough. It’s pretty funny how those who try the hardest to be Cornish and proper are generally the ones who are NOT Cornish, from Berkshire or something but fancied going the whole hog.
Walked back up the hill in the pissing rain (it hasn’t stopped since, it’s about 24 hours now… flood warnings in parts of Cornwall, even!).
Monday. That’s today. Yet another late wake up, a day filled with helping Phil clean and tidy the hostel after the group left, then nattering to him and… oh, her name still fails me… but she’s a nice girl woman. Surfs a lot.
With all this talk of surfing I really would like to try my hand (or foot, or other surf related part of body) at it… though it seems like it gets pricey (like any hobby I guess!).
Hum hum.
Anyway, I should probably now take a piddle out the side of my van (delightful) and go to sleep as I’ve asked Phil if he’ll kindly hammer on my van in the morning when he gets up.
But first, I shall listen to Dan’s first CD, with it’s 5 tracks. “Songs I Sing”. Good luck to Mr O’Shea on his travels round Europe! I wish he’d take a camera so I could see what he gets up to… or at least lives to tell me the tales.
Which he had better do, as he tells good stories.
G’night for now.
Hello again.
Friday 28th October, yesturday my schwester Elk turned a whole 20! No longer a teenager. Quite strange, really.
Am counting down the days till there is no more Golant, I’ll miss aspects of it though.
The last few days have been… hmm, well the Perranporth ones were nice (got back to Golant Wednesday early afternoon ready for 2pm shift, nice sunny drive); sadly since getting back here my days have been rather miserable feeling – especially in the deep dark evenings – and I’m just hoping and would be praying if I was religious for some happier emotions.
Despite the fact that I’ve got Sam and Rachel to talk to at work (and Rachel at home, too… Duncan has left now) I’ve a horrible feeling of loneliness which can’t be shaken. It’s quite odd… you’re at uni for a few years with the same friends, they’re always there, you get really close… and then uni ends and everyone disburses. Of course there are still a few folks down here – there’s Lisa, Phil, sometimes Carl for a brief pint or hello, Rachel (good when we’re not in work), and there was Mr Arnold… I hope there still will be. But there’s no one quite like my Norwegian’s. With most folks I’ve just been feeling generally in the way, probably just me being silly though. Maybe it’s just the time of years fault as to why I’m feeling so awful and lonesome!
It’ll be fantabulous to get to Reigate in December and see all my old lot (in their non-old ages), and then to Norway for the Norweg’s.
I suppose this is the life I’ll have to get used to, being a wandering South Wester! Lack of permanence.
In the split between shifts today, Sam Rachel & I drove to St Austell so I could get a few things printed (I WILL miss those printers…), and for me to pick up some stuff for Hector (which Sam kindly later helped me with, phew! Hector will now remain alive again for a MUCH longer time as he’s got a big drink of oil. Om nom nom?!). Rachel & I cooked a late afternoon lunch for us all, a pork roast dinner with apple & plum sauce & all!
Tomorrow I will dedicate to getting more of my room sorted out ready to move, and get a few things done. Hurrah…
Over and out, and hopefully next time I’ll be a fair bit chirpier.
Things I’ve been listening to:
-Dan O’Shea’s new (and first) CD “Songs I Sing”
-John Butler Trio
-Bob Marley
